Council candidates standing in the Shettleston ward have promised to help people cope with the cost of living crisis and clean up overflowing bins and fly tipping if elected.
Voters have eight candidates to choose from on May 5. There will be a total of four councillors representing the ward.
Who won last time?
Labour’s Frank McAveety who is running again got the highest number of votes followed by the SNP’s Laura Doherty and the Conservative’s Thomas Kerr who are both also seeking re-election. The fourth councillor Michelle Ferns, who used to represent the SNP but is currently Alba, is not due to stand again in the ward on May.
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2017 Results:
- Frank McAveety, Labour, 1,902 votes (25%) first preference votes)
- Laura Doherty, SNP, 1,600 votes (17.95%) first preference votes)
- Thomas Kerr, Conservative, 1,671 votes (18 % first preference votes)
- Michelle Ferns, SNP, 1,597 votes (10.23 % first preference votes)
Who can I vote for this time?
Julie Ann Christie, Scottish Greens
Julie Ann Christie has lived in Shettleston for more than 15 years and helped establish and run the Shettleston Community Growing Project. She has worked in the Parkhead Citizens Advice Bureau for more than 18 years helping people maximise their incomes, preventing homelessness and assisting people get food, heating and other issues.
Ms Christie said: “As well as caring deeply about social justice, I also work to help address the deepening environmental crises that we in Shettleston, Glasgow, Scotland, and the planet are all facing.”
Ms Christie is Scotland co-ordinator for the Environmental Funders Network and sits on the board of the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland.
She added: “The cost of living crisis is already hitting people in the area hard and will get worse unless action is taken. Greens will support urgent measures to help people through the crisis as well as investing in the long-term solutions.”
Laura Doherty, SNP
Laura Doherty was elected as a councillor in 2017. The SNP manifesto pledges to use “all the powers and resources we have – in both national and local government” to ease the pressure of the cost of living crisis. The party promises every councillor elected will have as their top priority helping people with the cost of living.
Thomas Kerr, Conservative
Elected as a councillor in 2017, Thomas Kerr is party group local leader. He said he “wants to continue being the local champion Shettleston deserves.”
Mr Kerr who grew up and went to school in the ward said: "Representing the Shettleston ward for the past five years has been the honour of my life. Over those five years I’ve delivered on my key election promises like getting better safety features at our primary schools, working with local residents to better our community, supporting local businesses and getting the pedestrian crossing at Mount Vernon Station that I pledged.”
He added: If re-elected I’ll continue the work I started to fight for our community.”
Commenting on issues affecting the area, he said “The streets are a mess with lines of fly-tipping, overflowing bins, potholes and rats. If local residents place their trust in me for another five years I’ll fight to clean up our streets and our city."
Frank McAveety, Labour
Frank McAveety has been a councillor since 2012. Labour’s manifesto says 250 council refuse workers would be hired to blitz Glasgow and a special ‘cleansing tsar’ appointed if the party takes control.
The party’s plan for Glasgow also includes “faster and better” repairs to roads, re-opening all community venues and supporting the building of at least 6,500 affordable homes.
Liam McLaughlan, Scottish Socialist Party - End Fuel Poverty
The Scottish Socialist Party says it “is campaigning for immediate action against on the cost of living crisis in Scotland.”
Its website said: “Working-class communities that have carried the brunt of the Covid crisis are now facing an alarming rise in the cost of living in 2022. Bills, rent, council tax, public transport, and retail costs are pushing people further and further into poverty.”
Jill Pidgeon, Labour
Jill Pidgeon said priorities for the area include “sorting out our city and the mess it is in.”
The single mum said issues include bin collections, bulk uplifts and restoring civic pride. She said working with local community groups and organisations is important and listening to what they want.
She said: “I am single mum, I know how difficult things are for people and the choices we are all facing, especially just now. And how important local services - especially for kids, teenagers and elderly are needed and how we must support and improve these. Things like libraries, sports facilities, access to socialisation for all groups - especially in the wake of the pandemic, its vital people are not isolated. “
Henry Sullivan, Scottish Liberal Democrats
The party said it would reverse council cuts to essential services, increase the rate of bin collection in tenements areas and from public wastebins, remove the bulk uplift charge, and reopen the libraries and sports grounds.
It also said it would “introduce a a rapid response unit to address public concerns on potholes, street parking, street lighting and litter.” It also pledges to improve housing provision and reverse cuts to public transport.
David Turner, SNP
Mr Turner is currently a councillor in the Baillieston ward and is now running for Shettleston.
The SNP manifesto pledges to use “all the powers and resources we have – in both national and local government” to ease the pressure of the cost of living crisis. The party promises every councillor elected will have as their top priority helping people with the cost of living.
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