Conservatives largest group on the council
Despite their recent election win the SNP still have many questions to answer about the Calmac ferry scandal.
I sit on Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee and for the past two sessions we have heard from the Auditor General for Scotland about this miserable maritime mess.
A total of £240m has been splurged on two ferries that aren’t even seaworthy and don’t look like they will be any time soon.
Of course, this is the just the tip of the iceberg.
Since the Auditor General’s report came out it has been staggering to read about the litany of errors, communication slip ups, political pressure and attempts from all those involved to throw each other under the bus.
Along with my colleagues on the Public Audit Committee, we will get to the bottom of this saga.
While Thursday’s result may have been disappointing, the picture is not quite as the SNP seek to show it.
Across Scotland, the Scottish Conservatives recorded their second highest ever result in a council election while in South Ayrshire, for example, our party once again returned as the largest group.
Once again, nationalist parties were denied a majority, with unionist parties remaining the most popular choice for Scottish voters.
Something for Nicola Sturgeon to consider as she renews her calls for another independence referendum.
Sadly, some colleagues were not re-elected, despite putting in a tremendous effort, both over the past five years and during the campaign.
Thank you to them for all their hard work.
Being a local councillor isn’t easy and doing it well is even harder.
That said, we also have some really talented new Scottish Conservative councillors taking up their seats at County Buildings this week and I can’t wait to start working with them, representing communities the length and breadth of South Ayrshire and making sure their voices are heard.