Two Scottish Labour candidates will stand in the local government elections in Moray next year.
Current councillor for Elgin South John Divers is seeking re-election, and Sandy Keith is hoping to make a return to the council after a break of more than 14 years when he contests the Elgin North ward.
The pair were selected at a meeting of Moray Constituency Labour Party on Sunday.
Supermarket worker Mr Keith, 55, was Labour councillor for the Bishopmill ward from 1996 until 1999.
Following a boundary change, he represented Bishopmill East from 1999 until 2007.
He was also chairman of the education committee.
At the moment Mr Keith works in the home shopping section of Asda in Elgin.
‘Folk need a local councillor who knows and understands their concerns’
He said: “I stood down from the council when my children were young as I felt it was impacting on them, but that’s 14 years ago and they’re adults in their own right now.
“I’m standing again because I think I have something to offer.
“I actually live in the ward and have spoken to hundreds of residents, and not one of them knew who their three councillors are.
“Folk need a local councillor who knows and understands their concerns.
“The elderly and the young have had a grim time during the pandemic, with those pupils facing exams having it particularly hard, and I want that recovery to be at the centre of the council as we move forward.”
Divers seeks to extend 22-year run
A former shop steward with Unite and Unison, Mr Divers, 70, has been a councillor for 22 years and is currently the only Labour member on Moray Council.
He represented New Elgin East from 1999 until the creation of the multi-member wards in 2007 when he became one of three councillors for Elgin South.
He said: “I very much enjoy working for the people, that goes back to my trade union background and supporting the folk I work for.
“It is a privilege representing the people of Elgin South and with my experience in and out of the council I believe I still have something to offer.”
Election to take place on May 5, 2022
Moray consists of eight wards with each represented by either three or four councillors with a total of 26 elected members.
The ballot is conducted using the single transferable voting system where constituents vote for candidates in order of preference using numbers, with one for the preferred choice, two for their second and so on, for as few or as many as they like.
The Scottish local government elections will take place on Thursday May 5, 2022.