Shared space campaigner to stand against council leader in May local elections

Mr Taylor will contest Ward 7 Lenzie and Kirkintilloch South as an Independent candidate on May 4.

In a statement released today (Tuesday, March 14), Mr Taylor said: “I could no longer stand by and watch the current East Dunbartonshire Council Administration mismanage our local authority.

“Consultation has become a box ticking exercise for appeasement purposes as proper and meaningful consultations no longer take place. The democratic process has been severely compromised and decisions are imposed on the people.

“Examples of this are the closure of St Joseph’s in Milngavie against the wishes of the electorate, the reduction of library facilities by the creation of Hubs across the district, house building on green belt sites, the Bearsway Cycle project in Milngavie and Bearsden which was imposed against the majority of constituents wishes, and was abandoned at the taxpayers expense after widespread traffic chaos”.

He added: “The most glaring of all reasons for wishing to stand up for the local community is the debacle in the town centre of Kirkintilloch, which has become a ghost town, where hundreds of local people are now excluded, as a direct result of Council policy.

“The pursuit of funding came before all other considerations and I have first-hand experience of the sham which was claimed to be rigorous and extensive consultation.

“I therefore wish to represent the people of East Dunbartonshire who have supported my campaign during the past two years. It has been proved that party politics have failed the people.

“As an Independent Councillor I would not have to toe the party line and am responsible solely to my constituents whom I wish to serve”.