A TORY councillor has said her colleagues should “concentrate on the issues for which they are responsible” following a motion calling on the council to support a second independence referendum.

Council leader Jonathan McColl has submitted a motion asking West Dunbartonshire councillors to agree to “call on the UK Government to transfer the relevant powers to the Scottish Parliament to facilitate a legally binding referendum”.

However, Councillor Sally Page said the motion does not consider items under council control.

She added: “Here we have an SNP council leader acting in the same manner as the SNP Scottish Government.

“Council and councillors should work to provide a service to the people of West Dunbartonshire in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

“Councillors should use their time to concentrate on the issues for which they are responsible.”

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But Cllr McColl said he was hopeful of securing support for the motion from across the council chamber.

He told the Post: “The motion is deliberately written in such a way that supporting it does not imply support of, or opposition to, Scottish independence, but rather support for the principle of democracy.

“It has been more than half a decade since the 2014 referendum and not only have little of the promised democratic improvements been delivered, but we are being dragged out of the EU against our will; despite being told that the only way to retain EU membership was to vote for continued London rule.

“I would like to see a referendum held before the end of the year.

“But with the Conservative government trampling on Scotland’s right to decide our own destiny, it may take longer to achieve.”

The motion is due to be discussed when the full council meets tomorrow, Wednesday February 26.