Independent candidates give people hope
The lot of an independent candidate is not an easy one.
For Andrew Russell, it has meant clocking up miles along the streets of Ayr North, delivering around 8000 leaflets to homes and attempting to persuade locals that an independent voice is better than that of the political parties.
The former Merchant Navy man said:“I have to thank all the people who I talked to on route for their kind words and encouragement.
“It seems that we new Independent candidates have given them some hope that a change in the administration is on the horizon and we can put the last five years behind us.”
A well-known campaigner, Andrew has actively railed against the likes of the new Ayr Leisure Centre, the demolition of the High Flats and even the location of a all-weather sports pitch in Girvan.
Mr Russell suggested it was telling that the projects that had been pursued by the SAC administration was absent from much of the other parties’ campaign material.
He said “We should be the Riviera of the south west of Scotland; the centre for tourism, culture, heritage, leisure and small to medium-sized businesses centred on our port, airport and ferry routes to Ireland.”
As part of the See Ayr group, Mr Russell promotes the proposals for a leisure regeneration project in Newton.
He also backs the development of housing in the town centre, on the site earmarked for the leisure centre, saying it would bring‘real footfall’.
“From that should spring up circuits of small traders with affordable rates, window shopping, evening venues and along with making use of our river to create an excitement we’ve all been missing for a long time.”
He also called for annual or bi-annual efforts to clean up council estates and help with ‘environmental issues’.