Council elections: Falkirk SNP announces candidates

The Scottish National Party is putting forward 16 candidates standing across Falkirk district’s nine wards.

There will be a few changes, however, as long-serving councillor David Alexander steps down in Falkirk North, as do colleagues Gordon Hughes in Upper Braes and Ann Ritchie in Bo’ness.

The SNP has been the largest party in Falkirk Council for the past five years, but crucially do not have an overall majority, which has meant they have been defeated in several key votes by Labour and Conservative councillors voting together.

The party now sees the local government elections on May 5 as the opportunity to win an outright majority, with a promise to deliver their vision and ambition for the whole of Falkirk district.

The SNP’s candidate list has several sitting councillors, including the current council leader, Cecil Meiklejohn, who will stand again in Falkirk North.

Also returning are David Balfour, Lorna Binnie, Gary Bouse, Fiona Collie, Paul Garner, Adanna McCue, Laura Murtagh and Emma Russell.

Councillor Meiklejohn said: “I am delighted to be standing alongside such a talented group of candidates, with a wide-range of professional, community and voluntary experience.

“Our current councillors can be proud of being part of an administration that has faced significant opposition and challenge over these-past five years – and I am looking forward to adding to our team, taking forward a majority SNP administration bringing real change to our communities.

“We are, however, saying goodbye to a number of colleagues who can look back on their contribution over the years and be proud of their achievements.

“I would like to pay tribute to Councillors David Alexander, Gordon Hughes and Ann Ritchie, and my SNP colleagues and I wish them well going forward.

“As a new group, we stand on their legacy and I would thank them whole-heartedly for their efforts, as I am sure their communities will do so too.

“Our communities deserve a team of dedicated local councillors who will work with them, and for them.

“We must also be pragmatic. Times are difficult for everyone at the moment, but with the right people in the right places making the decisions that need to be made, we can make the progress that our communities, and the people within them, need and deserve.

“Voting SNP on May 5 will bring that team together – the team who are not afraid to take the big decisions, and who won’t shy away from the hard-work required to make Falkirk district the place we all know it can be.”

The full list of candidates are: Bo’ness and Blackness – Stacey Devine; Grangemouth – David Balfour and John Haston; Denny & Banknock – Fiona Collie and Paul Garner; Carse, Kinnaird and Tryst – Laura Murtagh and Gary Bouse; Bonnybridge & Larbert – Brian Deakin and Jim Muir; Falkirk North – Cecil Meiklejohn and Iain Sinclair; Falkirk South – Lorna Binnie and Emma Russell; Lower Braes – Gordon Forrest and Adanna McCue; Upper Braes – Jim Robertson.

Thank you for reading this article on our free-to-read website. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a subscription to our print newspaper to help fund our trusted, fact-checked journalism.

https://www.localsubsplus.co.uk/nord/dm/FKH/V