Veteran councillors decide not to stand again

At least a third of councillors in Stirling Council will be new faces after May 5.

While many sitting councillors are standing for re-election, eight councillors are not candidates this time round.

Provost Christine Simpson announced earlier this year that she would not be seeking relection.

Stepping down after 10 years as a councillor, she said however that she would be supporting Labour colleagues old and new who were vying for seats.

When unanimously elected as Provost by all political groups following the local government elections in 2017, the Stirling West councillor appealed to her fellow councillors to put people before politics.

Provost Simpson had told the chamber: “I will do my best to be fair and balanced in this chamber while promoting healthy debate.

“Whatever the differences in our political parties nationally, we must always bear in mind that we are here to guide the future of our communities and to further the best interests of our constituents.”

Provost Simpson, who is married to former Labour MSP and Bridge of Allan GP Richard Simpson, was first elected to Stirling Council in 2012.

SNP Trossachs & Teith councillor Evelyn Tweed is also no longer standing - having pledged to stand down a the next election after being voted Stirling’s MSP in 2021, replacing long-standing Bruce Crawford.

She told the Observer last year: “Following my election as an MSP in May, I did not wish to burden the public purse with the additional cost of a by-election and I am not seeking reelection to the council in May [2022].”

Conservative councillor Alastair Berrill is also standing down.

First elected to Stirling Council in 2003, from 2007-2013, the retired radiation safety adviser was the leader of the Conservative group, and from 2012-2013 was deputy leader of the council.

Bannockburn ward councillor Maureen Bennison is also stepping down.

She represented the Bannockburn ward after being elected for the SNP in 2017 at round seven with 718 votes, just pipping the Conservative candidate.

However, she later resigned from the SNP in August 2020 after making accusations about bullying, sexism and party in-fighting before joining Alex Salmond’s Alba Party in March 2021.

She told the Observer earlier this year: “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve my local communities across the Bannockburn Ward since 2017. I would like to thank my constituents, community councils and the many community groups I have worked alongside and supported, and I wish them every success in the future.

“I would also like to thank colleagues from across the political spectrum who supported me in August 2020, when I felt I had no option other than to resign from the party I used to be so proud to represent. I would finally like to thank my ward colleagues Councillors Alasdair Macpherson and Margaret Brisley. Throughout my five years, and despite our inevitable political differences at times, we have always worked in the best interests of our constituents.”

Also not standing on May 5 will be Conservative councillors Jeremy Mcdonald, who was elected in 2017 for Trossachs and Teith ward, and Jane Hutchison who was elected for Forth and Endrick at a by-election in May 2021 following the sudden death of SNP councillor Graham Lambie.

SNP councillor Alison Laurie, who was elected to the Stirling East ward in 2017, is also standing down.