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Philip Mclean,  SNP

Na Hearadh Agus Ceann a Deas Nan Loch /   Harris & South Lochs

Having previously served as Councillor for the Plasterfield Ward in Stornoway from 1999 until 2003, I was elected one of the three Councillors for Harris and South Lochs in 2007 and I’m now seeking re-election on 3rd May.

The Harris and South Lochs Ward covers a large geographical area but over the past 5 years I’ve been active in all communities attending Community Council, Parent Forum, Community Land Trust, Development Group and other community meetings and I’ve enjoyed meeting and working with all the representatives from these varied groups as well as dealing with enquiries raised by individuals.

Issues and causes I’ve supported since being elected include Leverburgh’s bid for the St. Kilda Centre; the retention of Seilibost School; the welfare of the primary department of Sir E Scott School after the fire; the new Sir E Scott School; the new Harris House; the Harris National Park proposal; the Pairc Trust’s efforts to secure the community land buy-out; the suggested relocation of the proposed inter-connector building from Gravir to Arnish; the retention of services at Pairc Surgery following the merger; and the expansion of the Ravenspoint Centre in Kershader to include a new lochside café.

I’ve represented the views of those living in all parts of the Ward to the best of my ability in the Comhairle and I would continue to do so if elected again.

On wider issues affecting the Western Isles I want to continue to work with my SNP colleagues in what I hope will be a larger group to influence the way the Comhairle goes about its business.

This will be an extremely interesting election insofar as it’s the first Council election since the SNP gained power at Holyrood in 2007. Since then Angus Brendan MacNeil MP has been returned for a second term at Westminster and Alasdair Allan MSP has been returned for a second term at Holyrood with a greatly increased majority.

It’s clear voters in the Western Isles like SNP policies such as freezing Council Tax, introducing RET, and maintaining free prescriptions and free personal care for the elderly. Yet these same voters can’t fail to have noticed that the out-going Comhairle was hostile to the SNP Scottish Government on many fronts – even taking it to court in an effort to close schools. This is a chance for those same voters to bring about a change in the Comhairle.

Due to Westminster cutting Scotland’s budget, the next few years will remain challenging in the Western Isles and we need a Comhairle that will work with the Scottish Government and other local agencies to maintain good quality services in all our local communities.

I’m also an architect and member of the Harris based band Catch 22.