Montrose & District

The only Liberal Democrat councillor, David May, has decided to not stand for re-election.

Meanwhile, the SNP deputy leader Paul Valentine was not selected as a candidate by the party’s Montrose and District branch and will be replaced on the ballot by Gill Stranock.

Councillors Bill Duff (SNP) and Mark Salmond (Independent) are seeking re-election.

The other candidates are Pamela Ruddy (Labour), Avril Simpson (Liberal Democrats), Thomas Stewart (Independent) and Ron Sturrock (Conservatives).

The erosion of the sand dunes at Montrose continues to be a big issue in the town, with critics of the council claiming that not enough has been done to protect the town’s golf course from the North Sea.

It has been estimated that the sea has crept 70 metres towards the town in the last 30 years which has resulted in the layout of some of the holes of the links course – the fifth oldest in the world – to be changed.

Angus councillors gave the green light to a 50-hectare business park development on Charleton Road, but the oil industry downturn has hit the town hard – most recently with the news that Texas-based National Oilwell Varco plans to shed around half its town workforce.

Work is also under way in creating a spine road in the town that will improve access to the port, the GlaxoSmithKline plant and the wider port area in a bid to make the area more attractive to investors.

Last year, the Scottish Government unveiled plans to upgrade the one-anda-half-mile section of the railway line between Usan and the South Esk that is currently a single track to improve train frequency and running times.

Picture: Kim Cessford. Montrose High Street.