Cllr David Macdonald has been accused of being out of order. This relates to his comments at this weeks Audit & Scrutiny committee at East Renfrewshire Headquarters.

During a session where they were discussing some financial matters, Macdonald asked about connections to Israel.

He said he wished to make an enquiry regarding the Middle East. He claimed he had been asked by constituents and he was now asking the question.

Regarding investment funds - the ERC pension scheme

'Does ERC make payments to the state of Israel or Israeli companies?'

To which the chair reminded him that the pension scheme was outwith the remit of A & S as the monies were invested by the pension administrators. (Strathclyde)

Cllr Paul Edlin spoke up and said he felt that Cllr Macdonald was out of order with the question. He said that the pension money was distributed to British and American companies for investment which were all blue chip.

This follows on from the recent Licensing Committee meeting where they were to discuss and decide, on an application for a extention of McDonalds opening hours during the night in Barrhead.

Macdonald asked a senior police officer if the police were not objecting to the application, as it would provided their officers somewhere to go for food during the night.

This accusation was denied.

Cllr Macdonald said he had concerns about the number of people “under the influence of alcohol” using the McDonald’s in private hires or taxis “on their way home from Glasgow”.

Cllr Macdonald, a former private hire driver, said: “I very often took people to McDonald’s restaurants on their way home. Very often my passengers would be exceptionally drunk and wanting to stop off at McDonald’s.

“There were, on a few occasions, situations that would arise due to the condition of the passengers where things would potentially get out of hand in terms of their state of drunkenness.”

He also said "“I feel that the possibility of consistent anti-social behaviour in this area is, in my view, very founded,” he added. “I also have issues with how it will affect policing resources within the local area, which are already at breaking point.”

Cllr Montague was concerned “about the assumption that the police are at breaking point” and added the police “have said they don’t have any concerns”.

A police officer said they could only present the facts in relation to the application. “Resourcing is a separate issue in relation to policing,” he added.

David Macdonald Independent
Concerns have been raised by a number of residents regarding David Macdonalds comments / questions, in relation to contributions to pension funds going to Irael or Israeli companies.