SCOTTISH Borders Council will consider a vote of no confidence in its former leader when members meet next week.

Nine councillors have signed an Order No. 9 – Requisition Order to remove the Conservative Mid Berwickshire councillor Mark Rowley, the current executive member for service delivery and transformation, from his portfolio role.

The request is “based on no confidence in their ability to carry out the role fully”.

Mr Rowley, council leader from November 2021 to May 2022, was banned from attending full council and the executive committee meetings for one month after he was found to have breached the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.

The ban came after he failed to declare his paid employment as a strategy manager with South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) at three council meetings held between February and August 2022, when matters concerning, or that could impact upon the work of SOSE, were being discussed.

The judgement was made following an online Standards Commission Panel hearing on Monday, May 13.

The panel found that Mr Rowley should have declared an interest, withdrawn from the meetings and taken no part in the discussion and decision-making on the specific matters in question.

Mr Rowley said he had discussions with former council chief executive Netta Meadows over the potential of a conflict of interests with regard to the two roles, but it was decided it was possible for him to continue in both.

The nine elected members to have signed off the vote of no confidence are Elaine Thornton-Nicol; Fay Sinclair; Viv Thomson; John PatonDay; Robin Tatler; James Anderson; Marshall Douglas; Neil Mackinnon; and Donald Moffat.

Full council is to meet on Thursday (June 13) to consider the matter.