12 in election after mass resignation
`Cybernat’ and youngest candidate ever stand
An election is underway to fill seats on a community council hit earlier this year by a mass resignation.
Twelve people have put their names forward for the nine posts on Mercat Cross and City Centre Community Council.
Among them is Andrew Szwebs, the City of Stirling SNP branch convener who was last year suspected of setting up a fake Twitter account parodying Stirling Council’s deputy leader Neil Benny.
Mr Szwebs’ partner Melanie Cowie and their 16-year-old daughter Kathleen are also standing for the poll. Kathleen Szwebs, a sixth-year pupil at St. Modan’s High, will be one of the youngest, if not the youngest, community councillor in Stirling area if elected.
Sixteen and 17-year-olds residing in the community council area and named on the Electoral Register there are entitled to both stand for the community council and vote in any election.
Postal ballot voting papers for the election were being sent out last week to more than 1800 households, and they have to be returned by November 29.
Council official Andy Davies said it was hoped the council would be up to full strength for its December meeting.
The election became necessary after Mercat Cross and City centre community council chairman David Black decided in August to step down after 19 years on the community council.
He said tensions within the council over conduct and procedure were proving a distraction, and his decision to step down was followed by eight other community councillors.
Among those seeking election, along with Mr Szwebs, are Katherine Szwebs and Melanie Cowie, both of Baker Street, Stirling; Stuart Baird and Karen Bellingham Baird, both of Darnley Street; Jim Fisher, St John Street; Matthew Gower, Princes Street; Anton Immink,Port Street; John Kamoto, St John Street; Debbie Letford, Darnley Street; Georgia Phillips, Back Walk, and Naomi Ross, Bow Street.
Political rivals saw the hand of Mr Szwebs, originally from Dunblane, behind the fake Twitter account entitled ‘Baillie Benny’ which pretended to be written by the Tory councillor for Stirling West and poked fun at him early last year. Mr Szwebs was outed around the time of the 2015 general election when there was concern over online abuse from socalled ‘cybernats’.
Councillor Benny was labelled a ‘Thatcherite’ and ‘Quisling’ but did not take offence.
“It was a parody account and at first actually quite good, until it just stopped being funny,” he added. “It also stroked my ego because only people like Madonna, Lady Gaga and Donald Trump are famous enough to have parody Twitter accounts.”
Asked about the account this week, Mr Szwebs did not respond.
Kathleen Szwebs said: “My family have always been extremely active on local issues, from Allan’s Primary School Parent Council, environmental issues and local politics. It’s probably why I’ve always been interested in local issues and love modern studies at school.
“When we heard that there had been a mass-resignation from Mercat Cross and City Centre Community Council, and that volunteers were needed to fill the breech, my parents and I decided to get involved.”