Rhondda Geekie to stand in East Dunbartonshire Council election

Rhondda Geekie was selected unopposed in the ward and will lead the local Scottish Labour campaign.

She has led the council in coalition with other parties since May 2007.

In recent years the council administration have led a number of controversial projects, including a number of primary school closures, the Bearsway cycle path scheme and the Kirkintilloch Town Centre shared space.

But, launching the election campaign, Councillor Geekie defended her record and that of the administration.

She said: “It has been my privilege to be Leader of East Dunbartonshire Council since May 2007.

“During my tenure as leader I have made a conscious effort to reach out and work with other parties for the benefit of our residents and communities and as a result we have collectively delivered over £262m of capital investment to dramatically improve our infrastructure, develop our communities and support our enterprises and local business. “This is a record of achievement in an era of austerity which has delivered new schools and roads and social housing at a time when our revenues have been cut by over £50m.

“We shall go to the polls prepared to vigorously defend our record in office because we are immensely proud of the legacy we have delivered and believe in our programme for the future that will continue to protect our most vulnerable residents whilst improving the quality of life for all.

East Dunbartonshire is a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family. Our schools are some of the very best in the UK and we are regularly appraised as being the most “family friendly” local authority in the UK. That is a record we can be justly proud of.”