Who will you vote for? The local government election candidates standing in Sutherland's two wards reveal what they hope to achieve for the county
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Along with the rest of the country, Sutherland goes to the polls next Thursday, May 5, in the local government elections.
A total of 12 candidates are standing in Sutherland’s two multi-member wards - East Sutherland and Edderton; and North, West and Central Sutherland.
Five candidates have put themselves forward for the three places in the East Sutherland and Edderton ward and there are seven candidates for the three places in the North, West and Central Sutherland ward.
The political parties are represented, although there are also candidates standing on an Independent ticket.
The nominations in ward one - North, West and Central Sutherland - are: Michael Baird, Scottish Liberal Democrats; Charlotte Gibson, Scottish Conservative and Unionist; Marianne Hutchison, Scottish National Party; Robert Jardine, Freedom Alliance, People Power, Politics; Hugh Morrison, Independent; Clive Soley, Scottish Labour Party; and Philipp Tanzer, Scottish Family Party.
In ward four - East Sutherland and Edderton - the nominations are: Max Bannerman, Scottish Conservative and Unionist; Harry Christian, Scottish Libertarian Party; Richard Gale, Scottish Liberal Democrats; Jim McGillivray, Independent; and Leslie-Anne Niven, Scottish National Party.
Councillors are elected through the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system which allows voters to express a preference for more than one candidate.
On election day, voters number a list of candidates; their favourite as number one, their second favourite as number two, and so on.
Voters can put numbers next to as many or as few candidates as they like.
We asked all those standing to give us a flavour of what they stand for and what they see as the main issues affecting the county. You can read their statements below.
North, West and Central Sutherland (ward one)
Michael Baird, Liberal Democrats
North, West and Central Sutherland ward
I have lived in Sutherland for many years and am an engaged member of the community.
If elected, I will use my knowledge of the area I represent to focus on local issues.
Living in the area, I will be fighting to keep services local and to ensure that the NHS is supported and roads are maintained, as well as banking and post offices retained in our communities.
I will be fully focused on ensuring that the North, West and Central Sutherland ward receives a fair share of the council budget to ensure our roads and services are fit for purpose.
As your Scottish, Liberal Democrat candidate, I am the only one able to stop the SNP in Sutherland.
Along with Jamie Stone, MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, your hard-working Liberal Democrat team will always put you first.
Charlotte Gibson, Scottish Conservative and Unionist
North, West and Central Sutherland ward
As a Sutherland resident for over 30 years, I can think of no other time where the disconnect between the Highland Council and its residents has been so vast.
North, West and Central Sutherland has unique demographic challenges combined with some of the worst roads in the country and a severe lack of the most basic investment whilst Inverness gets millions of pounds.
In addition to running a small farm, I’ve taken an active role in the area – as a member of the local community council, an ex-chairman and current Trustee of Sutherland Care Forum, and a fundraiser for the Red Cross across the county.
Elect me as part of a strong Highland Conservative team of councillors and I will be an authentic voice for Sutherland – standing up to the Inverness establishment and fighting hard for your interests on the Highland Council.
Marianne Hutchison, SNP
North, West and Central Sutherland ward
My motivation to stand as the SNP candidate for this area comes from my desire to make this special part of the Highlands, my lifelong home, the best it can be for the people who live here.
If elected, I will work towards creating a healthy, effective level of communication between people in North, West and Central Sutherland and their Highland Council.
I aim to contribute to resolving the issue of depopulation in the Highlands. For communities to thrive, young people must have options regarding affordable housing, land use and employment.
Our response to climate change needs urgent attention and action. Locally, I’ll continue to work with others in positive environmental efforts, share energy-saving ideas and connect with Scotland-wide climate-action projects. If elected, I would take the opportunity to bring people together to share meaningful action here while promoting awareness of and engagement with wider environmental efforts.
The health and wellbeing of everyone in our community should always be a priority, a reflection of social justice – I would strive for our communities to have fair access to services, support and resources.
Robert Alan Jardine, Freedom Alliance
North, West and Central Sutherland ward
My name is Robert Alan Jardine and I live with my wife and two-year-old son on a croft in Strath Halladale.
I have worked in crofting for much of my life and have worked in engineering (both the nuclear and oil industries).
I have an interest in health and wellbeing and am qualified in complementary medicines.
I have chosen to stand as the Freedom Alliance candidate for the North, West and Central Sutherland ward because I believe in the fundamental principles of truth, social justice, freedom, and informed choice.
I am particularly concerned about government overreach into many aspects of our lives.
Also, as a party, the Freedom Alliance seeks to move the debate away from left versus right politics towards right versus wrong - what is right for the people without influence from big corporations and unelected bodies such as the United Nations and the World Health Organisation, for example.
We need to create a government that listens to the people, serves the peoples best interests, and recognises personal sovereignty.
It’s time for change for the better.
Hugh Morrison, Independent
Sitting councillor North, West and Central Sutherland ward
Having just finished two terms as a local councillor, I feel that I have some unfinished business and that is what has made me decide to stand again for a third term,
We have lots of issues in Sutherland in general but in Ward 1 (North, West and Central Sutherland), it seems to be the lack of young people that is most worrying. School rolls on the north/west side of the county are at a precarious level.
Affordable housing is high up there with on the list of needs as well. If we don’t have housing, how do we expect to retain our young people?
Caring for the elderly and others who need help is another problem. We don’t seem to have enough care workers, and those we do have are overstretched, but no easy fix without people.
Our road network is yet another issue. Money is spent on it all the time and that’s just to keep them bearable. The NC500 has been thrown upon us with no thought of who is going to subsidise it.
So still a few things high on the agenda to work on if I get elected once again and hopefully I can put my trust in the good people who believe in me.
Clive Soley, Labour
North, West and Central Sutherland ward
Scottish Labour is reviving under new leadership - and we fight all elections to win. If we don’t, the Tories stay in Downing Street and the SNP continues to take powers away from local authorities.
We don’t need that. We need more power to local councils and less to Holyrood.
An important example is the need to put local people at the centre of economic and business progress.
That is why, when I heard the UK Space Agency was applying to build a satellite launching station in Sutherland, I said if that goes ahead then we must tie it in to local business and schools.
The spaceport is being developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) – a creation of the Harold Wilson Labour government that re-invigorated investment in the Highlands.
They are aiming for 61 highly skilled jobs on the site – let’s use that to create opportunities for local people and local schools to learn high-tech skills.
By promoting business and education we can give more opportunities to local people. And if you support that, you support Labour policy.
Philipp Tanzer, Scottish Family Party
North, West and Central Sutherland ward
For years I have invested energy and ideas into our local community, but real change comes from a political level. Communities need the full support of the council.
The Highlands offer great possibilities for young people and families, but our infrastructure is failing us. Uncontrolled tourism is turning communities into holiday home parks.
We need to secure affordable housing for locals and young families that want to move to the Highlands. We need good and stable education, teachers need to be supported and we need to increase the number of pupils by keeping and attracting families. We have plenty of work here, let's train our young people to succeed in these jobs.
To improve our infrastructure the council needs to work with the communities. Our roads are filled with potholes; there is insufficient garbage disposal; public toilets and tourist informations are closing as tourist numbers are increasing. Why is there no road tax for tourists and motorhomes to secure the maintenance of our roads and infrastructure?
I would also push for revitalising the Highland 'spirit'. Stronger communities, social events, youth clubs, church congregations, activities for the elderly, and the encouraging neighbourly support.
East Sutherland and Edderton (ward 4)
Max Bannerman, Scottish Conservative and Unionist
East Sutherland and Edderton ward
East Sutherland and Edderton has a very strong case to make as the most forgotten part of the Highlands.
We are simply nowhere near the top of the priority list for the Inverness obsessed, “Independent” Lib Dem-Labour run council, losing out on much needed inward investment and watching services downgraded or centralised out of the area.
Only Highland Conservative councillors have been effective in holding the administration to account and calling out their record of failure.
Things need to change.
Sutherland has many of the same challenges as the islands, yet no similar special designation in legislation, nor an equivalent level of consideration in funding.
In addition to fighting for a fair share of the council budget, I believe that local representatives need to lobby both the UK and Scottish Government for recognition of the unique status of this area, something I’m determined to lead the charge on if elected.
If you, the voters of East Sutherland and Edderton return me as one of your councillors - I will always put this area, where I was brought up and educated, first.
Harry Christian, Scottish Libertarian Party
East Sutherland and Edderton ward
If elected my focus will be on delivering value for money.
For many years half of all council taxes have been spent on servicing debt because all administrations have been wasting your money and borrowing more.
It has now reached the stage where Highland Council is struggling to fund basics like education and roads.
Almost every councillor who gets elected wants to get elected again.
They seek to achieve that by promising, and even occasionally delivering, nice things. Then they can boast at the next election: "Look at all the nice stuff I got you."
But that's the sort of thinking that created this mess. I'm not promising nice things. I know it's not councillors who pay for them; it is your money that pays for them.
I don't want to see any more of your money wasted. I want tighter controls on the budget so that Highland Council can get back to its proper job of delivering the basics.
If elected, I will oppose all and any spending that will cause an increase in Council Tax or increased borrowing.
Cllr Richard Gale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Sitting councillor East Sutherland and Edderton ward
After all we have been through over the last two years, the one thing that has stood out to me is the strength of our communities across Sutherland.
During these times I have kept a focus on supporting the communities and ensuring that Sutherland is treated fairly, sometimes against the odds.
I have fought for and ensured that local contractors get local work from the council, retaining local jobs for local people.
I have also fought for the reinstatement of Pupil Support Assistant hours ensuring staff were reinstated and children had the extra support that is so needed.
I have worked to ensure routes to schools are safe and challenged agencies where they have failed to make allowances for road crossings.
Going forward, I will work to make the roads through our villages safer, to provide affordable and social housing, encourage inward investment to provide local employment, making people the priority at all times.
I have had some success over the last five years but there is much more to do, and I hope that you will give me your support to continue to work for you.
Jim McGillivray, Independent
Sitting councillor East Sutherland and Edderton ward
I remain unconvinced of the relevance of party politics to local government. For some it provides a career option, a step up the greasy ladder of national politics. For others there is the hassle of defending national party policy and obeying the local party whip in council votes.
Certainly at ward and area level, party politics is irrelevant.
East Sutherland and Edderton ward councillors have always worked as a team to try to do the best for all our local communities, with the very limited resources at our disposal.
This applies across the county with our colleagues in ward 1.
It is Sutherland as a whole which is important, not the political party, and that is why I stand under the Sutherland Independent label.
Most of our problems can be sorted with money, but Highland Council carries £3/4billion debt which takes £50million annually to service.
A good proportion of this debt is swallowed up by Inverness-centric projects and that is unsustainable and a battle which must continue to be fought.
Finally, I don’t mind how you vote, please just vote.
Leslie-Anne Niven, SNP
East Sutherland and Edderton ward
I'm originally from Glasgow, but have strong family ties with Sutherland and Caithness, and am now delighted to call Helmsdale my home.
As a mental health nurse, I obviously have an interest in mental health and addiction issues, but also health services in general, and I am keen to work with service providers to help develop provision in those areas.
With a growing population in the Highlands, we have a great opportunity to plan appropriately for the future and make this a happy, healthy place to live and work.
I would also like to see new infrastructure developments to support our growing population – that will make Sutherland an even more attractive and desirable place to live and work.
As your SNP councillor, I plan to stand up for Sutherland and to be accessible to all my constituents, to listen to their concerns and to voice those concerns and choices for the future in any developments or changes planned in my ward. That will be my priority if I am lucky enough to be elected.
