A motion of no confidence in the Labour leader at Fife Council has been tabled for a vote at a full Council meeting next week.

The leader of the SNP group at Fife House, Cllr Craig Walker has proposed a motion to remove the leader, Cllr David Ross, with immediate effect.

The move comes after claims that no formal investigation or safeguarding processes were undertaken after concerns were initially raised about Labour’s disgraced former councillor David Graham by Council staff members in 2017.

Reports from earlier in the summer included information that complaints and concerns had been raised about the disgraced Buckhaven councillor to both council leader David Ross and fellow Labour councillor Linda Erskine (Lochgelly), but the matter was dealt with informally.

The pair have said they gave full statements to the Police in relation to these historical allegations during recent investigations into Graham’s behaviour.

According to The Courier, a list of issues had been compiled by senior officials, which included claims that Graham had touched female staff and made others feel uncomfortable.

Our questions to Fife Council’s media team from 6th August about these claims have so far gone unanswered.

David Graham was first elected in 2012 and remained in post as a councillor despite the complaints, later able to stand again for election in 2022 and then promoted to Labour’s spokesperson for health and social care in Fife. He then went on to groom a 15 year old schoolgirl and engaged in sexual activity with her over a period of more than 6 months. He was jailed for 27 months and will spend a decade on the sex offenders register.

Lochgelly councillor, Linda Erskine, who is the Council’s communities and leisure spokesperson, has made no public comment on the allegations or her part in dealing with complaints made by staff from 2017. Some on social media have called for both senior councillors to resign.

The SNP’s motion states that Cllr Ross made a “serious failure of judgement and leadership” and says “The handling of staff concerns in this matter demonstrates failings in the recording and escalation of the complaints against the elected member, materially undermining public confidence in the political leadership of the Council.”

“Council therefore resolves to express no confidence in the current Leader of the Council, Cllr David Ross, and asks the council to agree to remove Cllr Ross as leader of the council with immediate effect and to move to reappoint a new leader.”

The full motion is below.

The Council’s procedures on the removal of the Leader were discussed in June 2023. A number of councillors had proposed to allow any removal of the senior council roles with a simple majority, which was ultimately voted down, and replaced with a requirement for a two-thirds majority of councillors instead. In a sick twist of irony the motion (as amended) was seconded by Cllr David Graham at the time. This means if the SNP’s motion fails, it will likely be due, in part, to rules supported by the now convicted sex offender!

The meeting will take place on Thursday 18th September 2025 at 10am and this will be the first item of business on the agenda. You can read the full papers here. The meeting will also be livestreamed for public viewing.