By-election candidates announced
Labour and the Conservatives have each officially announced their candidates for the March 16 Stirling Council by-election for Dunblane and Bridge of Allan.
Stirling Labour have selected local government worker David Wilson.
An elected trade union officer for Unison, David said:“if elected I promise to be a listening councillor who will always put the priorities of Dunblane and Bridge of Allan first at the council.
“I will work hard to help all residents and ensure a fair share of resources are spent in the ward. My focus will be on education, the environment, improving our town centres and protecting local services and standing up for workers’rights.
“It is vital that our children receive the best start in life, with more apprenticeships being rolled out to ensure we have the workforce skills to grow our local economy and businesses. I believe thriving town centres are vital to the wellbeing of local communities and I will engage with all stakeholders to protect and develop the heart of Bridge of Allan and Dunblane.”
Stirling Conservatives have selected Bridge of Allan resident Robin Kleinman as their candidate, who is committed to focusing on local issues if elected.
Robin has lived on Fountain Road in Bridge of Allan for 10 years, with his wife Linn and their large black Newfloundland dog Merlot.
Robin has worked extensively as a training consultant with numerous organisations throughout the UK and the Middle East. He was a lecturer for North East Scotland College in Aberdeen and has had a successful career as a human resource manager.
Robin recently joined the Bridge of Allan Community Council and got involved in the Friends of Bridge of Allan, the Bridge of Allan Resilience Group and the Flood Defence Group.
As he moves to retirement he says he has joined these committees“to make a real practical difference”to his community.
He said:“local people have been speaking to me about the problems in their neighbourhood. Recent flooding in Dunblane, the pace of roadworks around Newton Crescent, the delapidated state of Dunblane Primary School, as well as issues of speeding on Henderson Street and how slow the council has been to fix road problems are real issues that need to be addressed. This community needs a representative who will be focussed on these real issues and not on political division. If I am elected, the people of Dunblane and Bridge of Allan will have a good local representative who will get things done for our community.”
Voters go to the polls in the ward on March 16 to have their say on who will represent them on Stirling Council following the death of Councillor Graham Houston in December. There will be one councillor returned at the election and the other candidates are: Clare Andrews (Greens); Ahsan Khan (SNP); Dick Moerman (Scottish Liberal Democrats); and Nickie Willis (Scottish Family Party: Pro-family, Pro-marriage, Pro-life).