RELATIONS between Inverclyde Council’s chief executive and the man who’s tipped as next local authority leader have hit rock bottom – just weeks before the election.

Municipal Buildings boss Aubrey Fawcett has reported SNP group leader Chris McEleny to the Commissioner for Ethical Standards, who investigates complaints made about elected representatives in Scotland, over comments he made on social media.

Mr McEleny had accused the Labour-led administration of ‘using council resources’ to send out 7,000 letters to residents on the four highest council tax bands about a Scottish Government-imposed rise.

The letters were issued by the local authority’s chief political officer and paid for using a government grant.

Municipal Buildings insiders have told the Telegraph that relations between Cllr McEleny, the chief executive and other senior officials are ‘strained’.

Mr McEleny said: “This is a complete waste of public money and resources. 

“Whilst letters were telling people council tax would be going up on one hand the other was telling people in the press that the council tax was being frozen.

“In fact, the chief executive even contacted all Inverclyde Council staff members last week to tell them council tax would not be increasing.

“This has resulted in an overwhelming number of people not actually knowing what Inverclyde Council’s council tax position is.

“So in essence local Labour leader Stephen McCabe has complained about the complaint I raised which has resulted in the chief executive putting in a complaint on the back of his complaint.

“Is it any wonder people get so disillusioned in local politics?”

But Mr McCabe has pointed out that Cllr McEleny had supported the decision to send the 7,000 letters.

The council leader added: “I have not made any complaint to the Standards Commission about Cllr McEleny’s conduct.

“I am not aware of the details of any complaint that has been made as these matters are dealt with on a private and confidential basis so as not to prejudice any enquiry the commissioner may choose to initiate. 

“With regard to the issue of letters to the households affected by the changes to the higher bands, officers acted in full accordance with the unanimous decision of the policy and resources committee of November 15, 2016, at which Councillor McEleny was present.

“He agreed with the decision to issue a communication to the affected households if the Scottish Government decided not to issue its own communication.

“For him now to publicly criticise officers for acting on his instructions is entirely wrong.”

The council is staying tight-lipped on the dispute.

A spokesman said: “We could not confirm any details of any complaints made to the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life.

“In general, any correspondence between Inverclyde Council and the commissioner would be on a confidential basis until such times as the commissioner’s office advised us otherwise or there was a public interest need in disclosing information.”

The commissioner’s office also declined to comment.