Final council administrations expected to be formed

The last of Scotland's 32 local authorities are expected to be formed today, with most having formed coalitions or minority administrations.

West Lothian and Edinburgh councils are due to hold meetings today to form administrations, after both postponed meetings last week. Inverclyde is also expected to meet today.

Labour hopes to form a minority administration in West Lothian after a coalition between the party and Conservative councillors was blocked by Labour's Scottish Executive Committee.

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Edinburgh has seen a stalemate after both the SNP and Labour groups refused to do a deal with the second-placed Conservatives.

The stance came after Aberdeen's entire Labour group were suspended from the party for entering into an agreement with the Conservatives.

Yesterday the SNP and Labour agreed a coalition to run Stirling Council, while East Dunbartonshire announced the SNP would run a minority administration, as the party will do in Glasgow.

However the Herald reports rumours the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats may already be in talks to depose the SNP in East Dumbartonshire.

In Fife, an agreement between the Labour and SNP groups has seen the council elect two joint leaders.

In Dumfries and Galloway Council, the Conservatives have been kept out of power despite winning the most councillors after the SNP and Labour joined forces to vote them down. Former Labour MSP Elaine Murray is the new council leader. The SNP's Rob Davidson is her deputy.

In a joint statement they said: "Both groups have put aside our political differences on constitutional issues to concentrate on what needs to be done in the interests of the people and communities in our region.

"Both parties in this partnership are committed to tackling poverty, to opposing austerity, and protecting, as far as we can, our most vulnerable individuals and communities from its effects."