Meeting with Cllr Gary Peacock

Just met Cllr Gary Peacock (LibDem) at the City Chambers.

Firstly, I thanked him for meeting me outside his usual surgery times (he had no surgeries before the vote on 19 November).

Next, I expressed my concern about tenants being unable to make the choice to keep their current provider if the tendering goes through and/or if the Direct Payment rate is reduced in the future, given that organisations will likely be unable to continue with an expected large cut in funding.

I was a little disappointed that I wasn't more “political” and argumentative at the meeting (but I guess it would be difficult for any single person/constituent to have any politician change their mind) but what I did find out was:

• Cllr Peacock was unsure if people who already have Direct Payments would have their rate reduced later on. He agreed to look into this and email me his findings before the vote on the 19th.
  
  
• That parties would, according to Cllr Peacock, vote according to party lines. This means, in my understanding, that LibDem and SNP (17+12 = 29 of 58 seats) would vote for tendering and Labour and Green (15+3 = 18 of 58 seats) would vote against. I am unsure how the Conservatives (remaining 11 seats) would vote, but Cllr Peacock suggested that they would generally be for tendering. Also, in the event of a tied vote the Lord Provost would have the casting vote. The Lord Provost, George Grubb, is a LibDem.
  
  
• Cllr Peacock said he didn't disagree with the idea of tendering.
  
  
• Cllr Peacock will not vote about tendering at the meeting, due to having a financial interest. However, he did say that there was some kind of report due on Direct Payments, which (if I understood correctly) may make him able to vote at the meeting. I am emailing Cllr Peacock again to clarify this point.

My advice is to get in touch with as many Conservative councillors as possible to find out what their voting intentions are. I also advise that councillors might well offer to meet at short notice outside normal surgery times, so don't be afraid to ask for this specifically.

Hope that this is useful.

Andy