Great news! The Scottish Government
hasn’t accepted the proposed electoral arrangements for Dundee and has left boundaries
as they currently stand. It’s amazing what the people of Broughty Ferry have achieved
in stopping West Ferry from being taken out of The Ferry electoral ward. As my
Conservative colleague Liam Kerr MSP has said: ‘This is a result for people
power and shows what can be achieved when people stand up collectively for
their local area.”
I opposed the creation of a ward boundary
at Victoria Road when it was put forward by the council’s SNP administration as
its preferred option as I knew it was wrong. It's a pity other councillors didn't
support me at that time, if they had, the last few months of uncertainty and concern
might have been avoided. I was really dismayed when the Local Government Boundary
Commission adopted the council's suggestion and then recommended it to government
ministers.
Thankfully the council changed
its mind when the strength of local opposition became clear and we then had SNP
politicians objecting to their own proposal.
Many thanks to the West Ferry Residents Action Group,
Broughty Ferry Community Council and all of the residents and other
organisations who wrote to the boundaries commission initially and then the
ministers. If they hadn't played such an active part you can be sure that the
proposed change would have happened.
