All individual candidates or political groups contesting the forthcoming local council elections in Moray are invited to state their case through the pages of our community news site – contact for submissions is editor@insidemoray.news. Here we have views of Gordon Cowie, Independent candidate for Buckie.
Many people may question why I wish to continue the difficult job of addressing the challenges that we all know face the Moray Council now and for the foreseeable future.
Well it’s because I know I have the experience and ability to meet these challenges both in the Council chamber and here in Buckie.
I see the past years as an apprenticeship during which I have gained a much greater understanding of the underlying pressures put upon the Council in these times of financial cutbacks. So I don’t want to waste that experience but rather to use it for the benefit of us all.
During my term as a Councillor I have been fortunate to act as vice-chairman of the Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee. In doing so I have been able to highlight and promote the economic importance of Buckie harbour both locally and as the principal commercial harbour in Moray.
I know that a great deal of work remains to be done to regenerate this facility to allow us to respond to opportunities that can arise from the offshore windfarms in the Moray Firth but I am confident that Moray Council now sees this as the most significant development opportunity for many years and I am gratified that I have played some part in achieving this.
Experience gained in this field, and in my work as Chairman of the Licensing Committee, has helped me to recognise that I can make a difference for Moray. Similarly, my commitment to local issues in Buckie, such as our festive lights displays, reminds me that these initiatives demand equal support and I am happy to do whatever I can to make sure they go from strength to strength.
So, what will you get if you vote for me? You’ll get someone who can demonstrate an understanding of the challenges the council faces. You’ll get someone who will act independently with no party line to follow and you’ll get someone who really cares about our community and the services we need to protect.
And, by the way, you’ll get a local loon with a long history of service to the community and a big dollop of common sense!
So please vote in this election. Many of our forebears made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our democracy and the least we can do is to recognise and appreciate this.
On the voting paper you’ll be asked to place the candidates in your order of preference. It would be great if you saw fit to put me first.
Other candidates for the Buckie ward are: Tim Eagle (Scottish Conservative and Unionist), Gordon McDonald (SNP) and Sonya Warren (SNP).