Moray SNP News
MORAY SNP ANNOUNCE COUNCIL ELECTION CANDIDATE FOR ELGIN WARDS
06/04/2017
Moray SNP has announced three candidates to stand in the 2 Elgin Wards for the upcoming council elections on Thursday 4 May.
In Elgin City North sitting SNP Councillor Patsy Gowans is standing, along with Elgin fellow resident Paula Coy.
In Elgin City South sitting SNP Councillor Graham Leadbitter will be standing again.
Patsy Gowans said:
“My five years as a Councillor in Elgin City North has taught me a great deal about the many and varied services the Council provides and I am committed to making these vital services sustainable and fit for purpose.
“I have had several big successes, including getting a new accessible footpath providing a key route to Morriston Playing Fields and the town center. I have worked with council and NHS professionals to get the Victoria Cottages back into use and I am currently campaigning to save vital bus routes serving Bishopmill.
“Social inclusion and giving people a voice is hugely important to me and I am seeking people’s support for me to continue to give them that voice.”
Paula Coy said:
“I am delighted to have been selected to stand for the SNP in the Elgin City North Ward. I believe my experience of supporting children in a local Elgin school will stand me in good stead if I am elected.
“Elgin has been my home for thirty years and it has been a wonderful place to bring up my family. I am passionate about local government issues including affordable housing and education and I firmly believe that with my life experiences I can make a difference in Moray Council.
“I am asking the people of Elgin North to support me to be their Councillor on 4 May.”
Graham Leadbitter said:
“It has been a real privilege to be a councillor for Elgin City South for the last ten years and I am once again asking the people of Elgin South for their support to continue working for them on The Moray Council.
“Over that time I have helped many people with issues from streetlights to dog fouling to housing and tackling anti-social behaviour issues. I also very much enjoy working with local groups such as the Community Council, the New Elgin and Ashgrove Hall Committee and parent councils in all the schools in the ward.
“I have worked closely with other councillors to make progress on improving Elgin with projects such as the new cycle path along the River Lossie and the current work on the Muckle Cross behind St Giles church. If elected again I will continue to work hard for the Elgin community.”
Patsy Gowans - Biography - May 2017:
Patsy was brought up in Dundee and has lived in Elgin with her husband, Dave, for twenty years. They have two grown up children who were brought up and attended school in Elgin.
Patsy has been your Councillor for 5 years. Before this she worked in public, private and third sector organisations most recently as a support worker for adults with learning disabilities.
She has brought a breadth of experience to the chamber and continually fought for better pay for carers believing all workers should be valued. She has been successful in securing cross party support for accessible footpaths, fighting to maintain green space, aiding public tennis courts, improving inclusion opportunities.
Her work in health and social care has seen Jubilee Cottages brought back into use to aid recovery from out of hospital prior to home and she is currently fighting to keep key bus routes in Bishopmill.
In her spare time Patsy works with voluntary organisations, including Out of the Darkness Theatre Company and she also enjoys gardening, spending time with family and friends, cycling and walking.
Paula Coy - Biography:
Paula lives in Elgin with her husband and 10 year old daughter. Originally from Strathclyde, Paula moved to Elgin 30 years ago where she has brought up three daughters, one of whom is a newly qualified teacher, one a mental health nurse and one at primary school in Elgin.
Paula works as an auxiliary assistant in a local primary school where she works one to one with children with challenging behaviours and special needs. Paula has also worked as a support worker supporting homeless young people in Elgin. Through this work she has become aware of increasing challenges facing families and young people.
Paula feels that she can offer real life experience to the role of councillor and will use her passion for helping and supporting people to ensure that public services are always the priority. She will work hard and provide real representation for people in Elgin.
In her spare time Paula likes to spend time with family, walking her two dogs and spends a lot of time on our glorious beaches and in our forests.
Graham Leadbitter – Biography - May 2017:
Graham is 42 and lives with his partner Louise in Elgin. He is originally from Lanarkshire and has also spent time near Oban and in Galloway.
He was educated at Oban High School and Biggar High School followed by 2 years at Strathclyde University studying Chemical Engineering and later an Open University course where he gained a Diploma in Computing.
Graham worked as a storeman, then as a shift supervisor in retail before starting work with the Scottish National Party as a Parliamentary Assistant.
He was elected as a Councillor to serve the Elgin City South Ward in 2007 and has served as a councillor for 10 years in the area. In the Council he is currently the SNP Opposition’s Depute Group Leader and Economic Development Spokesperson.
Away from work Graham enjoys spending time with his partner Louise,watching sport, including being a regular in the enclosure at Boroughbriggs, walking and playing the accordion.
