Elected representatives from the Highlands, Aberdeenshire and the Western Isles have been shortlisted for work in their local community at the fifth Annual Councillor Awards.
The event celebrates councillors who have made significant impacts in the communities they represent and is the only one of its kind.
Organised by Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) and CCLA, the awards are fiercely contested, with over 100 nominations submitted across five categories.
These include community champions, young councillors, resilience and recovery and lifetime achievement.
A fifth category, leader of the year, will this year be dedicated to all leadership across Scotland in what organisers say is “the most turbulent and worrying years in recent history”.
Councillors have faced numerous challenges, including the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, supporting refugees and the war in Ukraine.
They have also helped communities come together to mourn the loss of Queen Elizabeth II earlier this month.
Nominees include Pauline Munro, representing Cromarty Firth in the Highland Council, who was “surprised” at the nomination in the resilience and recovery category.
She said: “It’s nice to be nominated for anything positive, and I’m sure there are lots of councillors very worthy of the award.
“To whoever nominated me thank you ever so much.”
Ann Ross from Aberdeenshire Council and Uisdean Robertson from the Western Isles are both nominated in the community champion category.
Nominees in full
Community Champion
- Stephen Burns – Renfrewshire Council
- Neill Graham – Renfrewshire Council
- David Macdonald – East Renfrewshire Council
- Uisdean Robertson – Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
- Ann Ross – Aberdeenshire Council
Lifetime Achievement
- Bailie Malcolm Cunning – Glasgow City Council (in memoriam)
- Donald Moffat – Scottish Borders Council
Resilience and Recovery
- Maureen Chalmers – South Lanarkshire Council
- Chris Cullen – South Ayrshire Council
- Katie Hagmann – Dumfries and Galloway Council
- Pauline Munro – Highland Council
- Fay Sinclair – Scottish Borders Council
Young Councillor
- Max Mitchell – City of Edinburgh Council
- Connor McManus – Midlothian Council
The 2022 Councillor Awards will take place on Wednesday, October 12 in Dundee.
Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive, LGIU Scotland said: “In a year like no other, councillors up and down the country have once again been working tirelessly to address the needs of their residents and bring much-needed leadership to communities that are struggling day in and day out.
“The 2022 Cllr Awards shortlist is a reflection of the dedication and resilience shown by councillors during some of the most turbulent and worrying years in recent history.
“From supporting communities through flooding emergencies and fires to welcoming refugees from Ukraine into our local communities, these councillors are some of the most committed elected representatives across Scotland.”
Conversation