A Labour-led administration was put in place, with Councillor Joe Fagan elected as new Council Leader and Councillor Gerry Convery elected as new Depute Leader.

Councillors also elected Councillor Margaret Cooper as Provost, the council’s Civic Head. Councillor Bert Thomson was elected as Depute Provost.

Welcoming his appointment, Councillor Fagan said: “This new administration will be a new kind of administration. Labour-led but not Labour-only. The basis of this administration is a partnership agreement between the Labour and Liberal Democrat groups. An agreement to which the leader of the Independent group is also a party.

“An agreement that stops short of a full coalition. But an agreement that is nonetheless the basis of joint working, co-operation and better local government.”

The new Council Leader added: “We have already identified a number of early priorities. The urgent need to address economic recovery. The need to support our frontline services. The need for new action, new direction and new accountability in the council’s response to climate change.

“The need for action on the cost of living crisis, to help alleviate the pressure on household bills for families in greatest need.”

Councillor Fagan is pictured on the left, with – thereafter, left to right – Councillors Thomson, Cooper and Convery.

The Council meeting was the statutory first meeting of all 64 councillors who were elected at the local government election that took place on 5 May 2022.

The Council noted the election results and also agreed decision-making arrangements and procedures for the rest of the council term, including how committees and other forums would meet and operate.

It was also agreed that a cross-party commission should be established on the future of Adult Social Care, to explore the needs of residents, service users and carers now and in the future and the implications of a potential National Care Service for the planning and delivery of these services in South Lanarkshire.

The next meeting of the full Council will take place on Wednesday 15 June.