Time for changes to be made in the town
Two SNP councillors, one Labour and a Tory have been elected to represent Wishaw over the next five years.
Conservative Bob Burgess says he is delighted to be a councillor after trying to be elected for the past 40 years.
He said: “Wishaw has 52 shops lying empty and we need to do something .
“Why not give them out free to get them filled?
“We need to make it favourable for people of Wishaw to come into town and shop. It is getting worse and worse every week.”
SNP’s Fiona Fotheringham, the office manager for MP Marion Fellows, topped the first preference votes when she polled 1442.
After the result, an emotional Fiona beamed:“I am absolutely delighted and I just want to get in there now and work hard.
“I wanted Jim Hume to get there and we will make a great team.
New Labour councillor Angela Feeney was in shock at being elected to the council and added:“I am delighted that Wishaw is going to have a Labour representation.
“It was for the party’s survival. I will be giving it my all and I will be making sure that there is a socialist there and fighting for people.”
Jim Hume was re-elected on the seventh stage after polling 775 first preference votes.
He said:“The past five years have been rewarding because I have been able to help so many people and a lot of people need all the help that they can get.”
The electorate rejected former Labour councillors Sam Love (728 first preference votes) and Frank McKay (214 first preference votes) who left the Labour party to form the Independent Alliance Group.
Labour’s Jim Robertson who polled 387 first preference votes failed to be elected .
The turnout was 42.1 per cent and the quota to be elected was 1138.
There were 5688 valid ballot papers and 165 rejected ballot papers.