Local parties decide to keep it in the family

Tories and Lib Dems make it a family affair by nominating Audrey Coates and Liz Barrett

The wives of two councillors will compete for a vacant seat on Perth and Kinross Council.

Audrey Coates and Liz Barrett are to battle it out with the SNP’s Pauline Leitch and a Labour candidate to represent the Perth City South ward.

Liz is married to Lib Dem group leader, Peter Barrett, while Audrey is married to Perth City North Tory councillor Harry Coates.

Voters will go to the polls in a by-election on November 23 after Tory Michael Jamieson stepped down after his arrest for alleged possession of child abuse images.

The ward is currently represented by the SNP’s Bob Band and Sheila McCole and the Liberal Democrat’s Willie Wilson.

Mrs Barrett, who has campaigned with Councillor Willie Wilson in Perth for nearly two decades, is a qualified solicitor, chartered accountant and mum-of-two who has run her own consultancy business

She said: “My priorities are to give our children the best education we can and to close the attainment gap, jobs, affordable housing, tackling fuel poverty and better mental health services and access to treatment and therapies.”

Mrs Coates is an experienced Perth businesswoman who has promised to raise the issues that matter to local people.

She said: “I attended the packed meeting at the Royal George Hotel, hosted by Murdo Fraser MSP and Liz Smith MSP, on the future of Perth Royal Infirmary.

“It was very clear that healthcare and public transport are of very real concern to local residents.”

Ms Leitch is a former police officer and current community councillor.

She was born and raised in Letham and says she knows from years of campaigning the issues local people are most concerned about.

“With so many changes taking place within council services right now – such as the integration of health and social care and more empowerment for our communities.

“Perth City South needs a new councillor who can be fully engaged with scrutinising these changes,” she said.

Anyone who wishes to vote in the by-election must be registered by November 7.

A win for the SNP would allow it to equal the number of Conservative councillors – at 16 – though the Toryled administration has formed a working partnership with the Liberal Democrats and independents.

It is understood the Labour Group has selected a candidate but has yet to make the name public.

From top: Tory candidate Audrey Coates, Lib Dem candidate Liz Barrett and SNP candidate Pauline Leitch. The Labour Party has not released the name of its candidate.