Win-win scenario

Sir, Writing as the newly elected Ardrossan and Arran SNP councillor, I would like to thank the 1,862 voters who gave their first preference votes to the SNP in the North Ayrshire Council elections last Thursday.

Thanks to the hard-work of our dedicated supporters and members, the SNP is the only party with councillors in every North Ayrshire ward and two in Ardrossan and Arran. I look forward to working with my fellow SNP councillor Tony Gurney, who was re-elected.

I would like to pay tribute to outgoing councillors Peter McNamara and John Hunter whom I worked with during my time on the Arran Homes Committee of Trust Housing Association, for their service to Ardrossan and Arran; also to Arran’s retiring, resident SNP councillor John Bruce, whose dedication to Arran and Ardrossan was tireless as evidenced by such successes as keeping Corrie school open in the face of tough financial constraints; extending the My Bus cover to seven days; securing the provision of a new bus fleet of 12; facilitating the provision of 80 new homes on Arran for affordable rent and a new Montrose House, amongst many other things. I am honoured and humbled that the majority of the Arran vote was entrusted to the SNP and I will work hard on behalf of the residents of Arran and Ardrossan to continue to build on John’s many successes.

Another triumph of the local elections is that Arran now has two island-based councillors, no mean feat in a three-member ward! On a side note, in response to Mr Billings’ letter in last week’s Banner with regards to political posters, both Labour and the SNP utilised them to help raise awareness of the local elections, an important aspect of the electoral campaign process in the light of the low voter turnout across North Ayrshire. From Thursday’s election results, it is encouraging to see that Arran as an island is politically engaged and I, for one, am willing to put party ‘politics’ to one side and work in the best interests of all residents of Arran and Ardrossan regardless of their political persuasion. At a local level, two resident councillors is a win-win scenario for Arran. Yours, Councillor Ellen Mc Master, SNP