Heads you win as SNP man keeps top role
Coin toss decides who is community council chair
Well known Stirling SNP activist Andrew Szwebs survived a challenge to his leadership of a community council – but only on the toss of a coin.
Mr Szwebs has served as acting chairman of Mercat Cross and City Centre Community Council since the start of the year and was nominated for the post proper at its annual general meeting held on Thursday at the Tolbooth.
The City of Stirling SNP convener indicated his intention to stand for chairman but faced a challenge from community councillor Karen Bellingham-Baird, from Darnley Street, Stirling, who serves on the council’s City Deal sub-group.
Both she and Mr Szwebs were elected to the community council following a poll in November brought about by the resignation of nine members of the body, including chairman David Black.
A secret ballot was held, presided over by Stirling Council official Andy Davies, and of the nine votes cast four were for Mr Szwebs and four for Ms BellinghamBaird, who did not attend the AGM. There was one abstention.
With the poll tied, Mr Davies said the outcome had to be decided on the toss of a coin or cut of the cards.
And when a Scottish pound coin was produced and flipped by Mr Davies, Mr Szwebs correctly called ‘heads’.
Ms Bellingham-Baird was later nominated and appointed vice-chairman and secretary Naomi Ross and treasurer Melanie Cowie retained their posts.
Mr Szwebs earlier gave an outline of the community council’s work since the majority of members were elected.
“We have tried to bring people together and one of the first things we did was establish a residents’ forum,” he added.
“Hopefully we will now get more people coming to the meetings. I think we all realise the challenge facing us and I know we will step up to the mark and make this the best area of Stirling.”
During the meeting which followed, Stirling University student Jamie Grant was elected to fill a vacancy on the community council.
Mr Grant is vice presidentcommunities, one of the four paid sabbatical roles of the university students’ union, and an ex-president of the university’s Politics Society.