A former Lochgilphead councillor has been nominated for the highest accolade of his home town.
A council meeting tomorrow will decide if Donald MacMillan is to be presented with the Freedom of Argyll and Bute for four decades of dedicated service.
“Wee Donnie,” as he is affectionately known in his hometown of Lochgilphead, served the area as a councillor for 40 years.
At the age of 94, he narrowly missed out on re-election to the local council in May.
A motion due to go before Argyll and Bute Council members tomorrow reads: “Donald MacMillan BEM has represented the people and communities of Argyll and Bute as a local independent councillor for almost 40 years.
“Often cited as one of Scotland’s oldest and longest serving elected members, his
service as a councillor concluded in May 2022 at the age of 94.
Lifetime of service
Mr MacMillan was first elected to represent his community in 1984, serving on
Strathclyde Regional Council and then Argyll and Bute District Council prior to the
reorganisation of Scottish local government in 1996.
He was elected to the then-Lochgilphead ward of the new Argyll and Bute Council in 1995 in readiness for the new unitary authority coming into effect. He continued to
represent the area through a variety of ward boundary changes until 2022.
In 2019 he received the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New
Year Honours, for his services to local government in Scotland.
Council members have been asked to give consideration to awarding the Freedom
of Argyll and Bute to Mr MacMillan in “recognition of his decades of
service to the community”, through his role as a councillor and in other organisations.
‘Never say never to standing again’
Ahead of the council meeting, Mr MacMillan, a Second World War veteran who served in Japan, said: “They have still to decide if I will get the award or not.
“But I am really quite delighted that they are discussing it.
“I did my best for the council. Over the years I was on a lot of council committees and outside boards.
“I had great working relationships with people. I greeted them with open arms and everyone always tried to pull together to help.”
He continued: “I miss the friendships with people, we had great workers and officials at the council. I am grateful for their support.
“All the ladies in the street still speak to me – which I like. The other day the local doctor spoke to me and called me councillor. I reminded him I was no longer a councillor, and he said ‘you will always be Lochgilphead’s councillor, elected or not’.”
Asked if he planned to stand in any future elections, he said: “I was born in 1927 so I am coming on now. It is my birthday in October – but I still managed to mow the lawn today. But never say never.”
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