Green candidate sets out priorities

Green party candidate Rosemary McGowan says housing, social care, schools and air pollution are among her top priorities ahead of this month’s council by-election.

The welfare rights adviser is among six candidates on the ballot paper for the vacant seat in Coatbridge South, with local residents going to the polls next Thursday, October 25.

She is aiming to become her party’s first councillor in North Lanarkshire, and said: “People need a strong Green voice to represent them.”

Ms McGowan said of the ward: “Much of Coatbridge South is an air quality management area, meaning it is one of the most polluted in the country, and the council’s actions have not been good enough. Poor air quality affects children and older people most severely and urgent action must be taken to tackle this silent killer – if elected, this will be at the top of my agenda.”

She added: “The council must deliver more social and genuinely affordable housing; care must be taken to ensure developments are in the right place close to transport links, rather than sacrificing greenbelt for yet more cars – I’ve been working with a fantastic crossparty group to safeguard Woodhall and Faskine, a much-loved and well-used community asset.

“Health and social care needs should be at the forefront of everything the council does, starting by paying a fair wage to those who provide the vital care to our family, friends and neighbours.

“We must ensure nurseries and schools receive the resources they need; Green MSPs delivered over £10 million for North Lanarkshire Council in budget negotiations earlier this year.”

The other five candidates in the Coatbridge South by-election are Ben Callaghan of the Conservatives; Lesley Mitchell of the SNP; Liberal Democrat Christopher Wilson; Neil Wilson of UKIP; and Labour representative Geraldine Woods.

Next week’s poll was called following the death of Labour councillor Gordon Encinias in August.