Former Lib Dem leader Robin Currie returns
The leader of the last Argyll and Bute Council has been re-elected – meaning he is set to reach 30 years on the council.
Kintyre and the Islands Liberal Democrat Robin Currie was one of three winning candidates elected to the ward in the council election on Thursday May 5. He became the authority’s leader in September 2020 and has been on the council since its first elections were held in 1995.
Also elected in the polls were John McAlpine (Independent) and Dougie McFadzean (SNP), both newcomers to the council. Councillor McAlpine has already served on the council.
But independent candidate Alastair Redman will not return to the council he had been a member of since 2017, having narrowly failed in his bid to be re-elected. He and councillor Currie had an equal total of 474 first preference votes, with councillor Currie prevailing at stage six of voting.
Councillor Currie said: ‘I am pleased and very humbled that people have put their trust in me and I am set for the next five years. I am looking forward to it and the hard work starts now. We have been at home for the last two years, so we now have to get out and in among our communities and finding out their priorities.’
Councillor McFadzean said: ‘It is all quite surreal, having been 25 years in the police and then this. We have burned thousands of miles over the last month or so – it is a huge ward. I will work my guts out over the next five years to try to improve this area, and this is where the work really starts for me.’
And Councillor McAlpine, who lost his seat in the 2017 election, said: ‘I was here five years ago, bitterly disappointed with the result. Thanks to my wife and son, and I will continue to work hard for not only the mainland, but for island communities.’
Independent and former Tory Alastair Redman, who lost his seat, vowed: ‘I will still be very active in local politics.’
The result, with first preference votes listed for every candidate, was:
▎ Robin Currie (Scottish Liberal Democrats) – 474
▎ Jane Kelly (Scottish Labour) – 122
▎ John McAlpine (Independent) – 680
▎ Dougie McFadzean (SNP) – 863
▎ Alec McNeilly (Scottish Conservative) – 276
▎ Alastair Redman (Independent) – 474