Fly-tipping and climate change top priorities for Calton candidates

In just three weeks people living in the ward will be asked to rank the nine hopeful candidates in order of preference at the ballot box. The four most popular will then go on to represent the area in the council for the next five years.

There are nine candidates from various different parties campaigning to represent the Calton Ward which covers the neighbourhoods of Bridgeton, Dalmarnock, Reidvale, Gallowgate, Camlachie, Barrowfield, Parkhead, Calton and Glasgow Green.

The ward which is home to Emirates Arena and the adjoining Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome: the national training centre for athletics, basketball, netball, track cycling and volleyball also sports Celtic Park, which hosted the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, and the Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village.

Issues now affecting the area include the closure of the Baltic Street Cleansing Depot in Dalmarnock which was confirmed at the most recent full council meeting. It is proposed that the land be transferred into the ownership of a local housing authority.

2017 Results

The last local government election saw a 31% voter turnout with 5484 valid ballot papers and 215 rejected ballot papers.

Nine candidates battled for one of the four ward seats with councillor Greg Hepburn securing the most votes – 1389.

This was followed by 922 votes for councillor Cecilia O’Lone, 690 votes for councillor Jennifer Layden and 627 votes for councillor Robert Connelly.

2022 Candidates

Next month will see councillor Greg Hepburn (SNP), Councillor Cecillia O’Lone (Scottish Labour) and Councillor Robert Connelly (Scottish Conservative and Unionist) all stand for re-election while SNP councillor Jennifer Layden, who was appointed convenor for equality and human rights, is stepping down after just one term.

Earlier this year Ms Layden said she was standing down for personal reasons and it had been the biggest privilege of her life to serve the Calton ward.

Full list of Candidates standing in Calton

Greg Hepburn – SNP

Cecilia O’Lone – Labour

Robert Connelly – Conservative

Catherine McKernan – Alba

Alexander Palmer -Liberal Democrats

Linda Pike – SNP

George Redmond -Scottish Labour

Kate Samuels – Scottish Greens

Oluwole Shokunbi – SNP