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Buckie by-election: Parent school council chairman and marine worker standing as a candidate

Neil Houlden is a candidate for the Buckie by-election.
Neil Houlden is a candidate for the Buckie by-election.

A marine worker is standing as a candidate for the upcoming Buckie by-election.

Neil Houlden will stand as an independent candidate in the by-election, which will be held on November 3.

He has lived in Buckie for four years with his family and works for Wärtsilä as a sales development manager.

He is also the current Cluny Primary School parent council chairman.

Now, he will face off against Labour’s Keighly Goudie, Liberal Democrats’ Les Tarr, Tories’ Tim Eagle and SNP’s John Stuart.

Buckie by-election

This by-election was sparked by Lib Dem Christopher Price resigning after just three months in the role.

He said he was struggling to balance his council duties with his full-time job.

Mr Price was the first Lib Dem to sit on the local authority since before the multi-member ward system came into being in 2007.

Meanwhile, locals said it made Moray Council look like “a laughing stock across Scotland”.

Why bid to become a councillor?

Buckie candidate Mr Houlden hopes to bring groups together to help the town.

Mr Houlden said: “I want to be a representative of the community, and someone who wants the best for Buckie.

“At the last election, there wasn’t a non-party political candidate which is something I was looking for and I want to provide that.

“I have been in the marine industry since I was 17 and moved to Buckie almost four years ago.

“It has been really welcoming for my family and children.”

Ballot Box.

He added: “Road safety around our schools remains a long-term issue and looking at afternoon school activities like the breakfast club at St Cluny Primary School.

“We need the different groups and charities to come together, connect and benefit the town.

“There are concerns over the future of Buckie sports centre, transport links and health facilities.

“I feel it is important to be party neutral, as I want to give something different for people in Buckie and focus on local policies.

“It will be interesting taking part in the process for the first time in the Buckie by-election.

“At the end of the day, I want to listen to people’s concerns and address them.”

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