Youngest Scots council leader

Saturday 2 March 2013

A lawyer has become Scotland's youngest council leader – and one of only two women in the prominent position north of the Border.

Custom byline text:

Kirsten Johnson

Mother-of-three Johanna Boyd, 37, took over from veteran councillor Corrie McChord as the leader of Stirling Council yesterday.

Mrs Boyd, elected as Labour councillor for Stirling's inner city Castle ward in May last year, joins councillor Rhondda Geekie, leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, as one of only two female council leaders in Scotland. She is also the first woman to lead Stirling Council since its creation in 1995.

A barrister specialising in local government law, planning, housing and human rights, Mrs Boyd, who was born in Falkirk, has been rated in the Legal 500.She is also a fluent French speaker.Mrs Boyd will lead a "partnership administration" of eight Labour and four Conservative councillors formed following the local elections in May 2012.Stirling Council's eight-strong Labour group has four female councillors.Following the council meeting at which she was appointed, Mrs Boyd, who lives with her husband and three young children in Stirling, said: "We all know that we are facing difficult financial times. Our aim will always be to protect the vital services we provide, giving every child the best possible start in life to help them realise their potential, and to look after Stirling's older and most vulnerable citizens. "In addition, we will do all that we can to promote growth in the Stirling economy and to increase job opportunities, especially for our young people."We also need to build on Stirling's enviable heritage and natural assets and its unrivalled central location at the very heart of Scotland. For example, our joint bid with Stirling University to be home to the National Performance Centre for Sport strengthens our claim to be Scotland's City of Sport."We want sport to be something for everyone, whether that means simply joining in and having fun or going on to compete at club, national or international level."Local government is undoubtedly facing huge challenge and change. Budgets need to be reduced, and we must spend every public pound wisely and in the way that will have the biggest positive impact. "Stirling Council will always put local people at the centre of everything it does. By listening to and understanding our communities and our staff, and by working together with local people, partner organisations and businesses, we can and will shape a successful future.""Since last May, Stirling's partnership administration has worked hard to agree 18 key priorities and make sure the council is focused on delivering these."She added: "I am delighted and proud to have been appointed council leader. I want to pay tribute right away to the outstanding contribution of councillor Corrie McChord, who has decided to step down from this role."Corrie's experience, expertise and commitment to local government over many years are acknowledged not only in Stirling but nationally and in Europe. His long-standing dedication to improving lives in our communities sets a very high standard I will do my best to follow."As the council set its budget for the next 12 months last week, it said its priority was protecting services, maintaining jobs yet delivering savings of £9 million.On her website, Mrs says she joined the Labour Party because it prizes equality, fairness and social justice above all else.Stirling East councillor Mr McChord was first elected to Central Regional Council in 1986. He was then re-elected in 1995 to the new Stirling Council.

Contextual targeting label:

Local government

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Youngest Scots council leader

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED