THERE was a seismic switch of power ahead of the last election in Clackmannanshire that set the scene for a tumultuous tenure at Scotland’s smallest mainland council Just months before the 2012 election SNP seized control of the leadership of Clackmannanshire Council after concerns over a court’s criticism of child care services at the authority led to the no-confidence motion which removed the Labour administration.
The make-up at election was eight Labour and eight SNP – with the Nationalists then joining with an independent councillor – the Conservatives retained one seat and Scottish Liberal Democrats lost their only seat.
The route to 2017 became more rocky when the SNP stepped down last year following a row over administration and Labour stepped in. The council was left in a municipal limbo, however, when the Labour administration then resigned in February after failing to agree over compulsory job cuts. That move left the authority without a leader, conveners or a provost. The SNP returned to take over at the council in March and agreed the budget.
Current leader Les Sharp is among those standing again, along with Graham Watt, the Labour leader during its sitting.
A total of 35 candidates are vying for 18 seats on the council, where there have been no boundary changes to the number of council seats in the area across the five wards. A dozen of the previous 18 councillors are standing.
Labour’s George Matchett, Bobby McGill, Derek Stewart, Mr Watt, Kenneth Earle and Kathleen Martin and SNP’s Tina Murphy, Mr Sharp, Donald Balsillie, Archie Drummond, Ellen Forson and Craig Holden are included.
The SNP are fielding 11 candidates, Labour nine, the Conservatives and Greens five each and the Liberal Democrats four, with one independent standing.
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