Council hopefuls want your votes
Voters in a Wee County ward go to the polls next month to elect a new councillor.
Five candidates are challenging for the Clackmannanshire North seat in a by–election to be held on Thursday, March 1.
The ward includes Alva, Coalsnaughton, Devonside and Tillicoultry.
Former councillor, Archie Drummond resigned from the SNP– led administration in December to pursue other interests.
The council’s recent, well publicised, financial struggles have been a key issue for the candidates.
Liberal Democrat candidate, Damian Sherwood-Johnson, is current chairman of Tillicoultry, Devonside and Coalsnaughton Community Council and was a candidate at the 2017 council elections.
The married father of two is currently the volunteer development coordinator with a national charity.
He said: “This by-election is not about the referendum, Tory austerity, or keeping the SNP out.
“It’s about the potential loss of services which will leave this area much worse off.
“It’s time to stop playing politics and work together across the political divide to fix our financial problems.
“Our focus must remain on the delivery of key services that all local people depend on.”
Conservative candidate, Alex Stewart, worked in Paton’s & Baldwin’s Woollen Mill in Alloa as a machine fixer until 1987 when joined the British Army.
He was with the Army until 2015 and served in most of the conflicts in which the UK has been involved over the last four decades.
He said: “The council’s expenditure has greatly exceeded its income for a number of years, resulting in the draw–down of services, efforts to reduce staff, and the use of financial reserves to balance the budget, none of which has solved the serious financial situation.
“The county needs stability and optimism for the future. The council needs to make serious decisions in painful areas to improve and safeguard our communities.”
Trade unionist, Afifa Khanam, candidate for Scottish Labour, said: “If elected I will work tirelessly for the residents of Alva, Coalsnaughton, Devonside and Tillicoultry.
“As a Principal Teacher, an Executive Director of Age Concern and a Trade Unionist, I see everyday the devastating impact public service cuts are having upon communities and the need for these to be challenged”.
Marion Robertson, candidate for the Scottish Greens, studied ecodesign at the former Falkirk College.
She moved to Clackmannanshire in 2011 to start a small bed and breakfast.
She said: “A vote for a Green councillor will protect education. I would use the extra £1.5m funding negotiated by Green MSPs for Clackmannanshire in the recent Scottish government budget to take damaging education cuts off the table.
“I commit to working positively and effectively to make scarce resources stretch as far as possible for the benefit of all communities and residents.”
SNP candidate Helen Lewis was previously a councillor for Tillicoultry and worked as a caseworker for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane MSP Keith Brown.
She was the ward candidate at the 2017 council election.
She said: “The impact on council services from Westminster austerity cuts is alarming, forcing the council to cut back on many services whilst trying to protect the most vulnerable in our society.
“If elected I look forward to working with councillors and officers to identify immediate savings. This needs to be an ongoing process with a priority to retain efficient and vital services.”
The ward currently has three councillors – Dave Clark (Labour), Martha Benny (Conservative) and Donald Balsillie (SNP).
Clackmannanshire Council comprises seven SNP members, and five each from Labour and the Tories.