Jackie Baillie has blasted the “tone deaf” SNP council who are to spend more than £24,000 on a painting while West Dunbartonshire residents are caught in the grip of a cost of living crisis.

Members of the cultural committee have today (Friday) voted in favour or splashing the cash on one individual painting despite people locally struggling to pay their bills.

Three voting members were present at today’s meeting with Labour councillor John Millar the only councillor to vote against the spend.

SNP council leader Jonathan McColl and Independent Bailie Denis Agnew, who is the chair of the committee, teamed up to vote in favour of dedicating public money to the exorbitant purchase.

Jackie Baillie MSP said: “Splashing out more than £24,000 on a painting at a time when thousands of people in the area are staring down the barrel of a cost of living crisis is appalling. It shows this SNP council is completely out of touch with the hard-working, hard-pressed people in our communities.

“They are tone deaf to the needs of people in the area, spending exorbitant sums on pieces of art while families are faced with the choice of heating their homes or putting food on the table as everyday costs rocket.”

Leven Councillor and member of the Cultural Committee John Millar moved an amendment opposing the purchase of the £24,000 oil painting.

As there were only three elected members present, he was unable to get a seconder so his amendment fell.

The chair of the meeting Bailie Agnew had moved that the committee purchase the artwork and this was seconded by SNP leader of the council Jonathan McColl. As a result, the motion was agreed by Bailie Agnew and Jonathan McColl.

Councillor Millar was so furious with the move that he asked that his dissent be officially recorded in the minutes.

Speaking after the meeting Councillor Millar said: “I was really annoyed at the decision to purchase the painting and that was why I wanted my dissent recorded in the minutes.

“Spending money on fine arts when people are stretched to the limits and struggling to make ends meet is not on. It just shows how detached these people are from the majority of our residents who are experiencing hardship right now.

“Today, the urgency for the SNP council wasn’t foodbanks or the cost of living, it was buying a work of art and planning were to hang it. The SNP have lost the plot and I can’t see how this is going to wash with the hard-working people of West Dunbartonshire.”