SNP Announce Candidate for Turriff & District Ward
>> 29 March 2017
Alastair has been married for 43 years to Alicia and has two children; a daughter who is a Paramedic in Edinburgh and a son who is a Farm Foreman in East Lothian.
Alastair is a retired senior supervising technician with Proserv, but started his working life in the Merchant Navy before joining the Army where he served for nine years in the Royal Artillery as a Surveyor and Technician and saw active service for two tours of Northern Ireland, the latter as a Search Team Commander. On completing the tour he was awarded with a GOC’s (General Officer Commanding) Commendation. Alastair was Non Commissioned Officer for seven years.
On leaving the Army, Alastair entered financial services, firstly with the Prudential Assurance Company as a District Agent and latterly moving to the Royal Bank of Scotland working in various departments within the Bank.
After 18 years in Financial Services, a change of career led Alastair to join a small engineering company where he was part of a management buy-out and continued to play a part in the development of the company as a Senior Supervising Technician.
Commenting on his selection, Alastair said:
“I’m very proud to have been selected to stand for the SNP in my home area and look forward to a positive campaign.
“I’ve been impressed with the SNP as part of the coalition running Aberdeenshire for the past two years and believe they brought some fresh thinking to the council. In particular, the commitment to make improvements to the A947, the programme of new council house building, reducing the number of teacher vacancies, and support for local business have all been well-received locally.”
“I’ve been impressed with the SNP as part of the coalition running Aberdeenshire for the past two years and believe they brought some fresh thinking to the council. In particular, the commitment to make improvements to the A947, the programme of new council house building, reducing the number of teacher vacancies, and support for local business have all been well-received locally.”
Current SNP councillor for the ward Sandy Duncan has decided to step back from active party politics, but hopes to continue to represent the ward as an Independent.
Sandy Duncan said:
“While there's some advantages to having a big group of colleagues, being a councillor member of a political party means attending extra meetings and sometimes having to follow an agreed group line on issues. There's been occasions in the past where I'd have liked to be able to take a different approach to my colleagues without having to reach a compromise in this way. If I'm elected as an Independent councillor I will have the freedom to follow my own thinking, as well as personally having more time to spend on constituency business.
“I will continue to support my SNP colleagues – who have been appreciative of my position - and wish them success at the election, particularly Alastair Forsyth, who I look forward to working alongside in the new council if we are both successful on May 4th.”
“I will continue to support my SNP colleagues – who have been appreciative of my position - and wish them success at the election, particularly Alastair Forsyth, who I look forward to working alongside in the new council if we are both successful on May 4th.”
Alastair Forsyth added:
“Sandy has been an excellent councillor for the ward and has been very assiduous in his duties and I understand his reason for wanting to step back from party political involvement. Hopefully, should we both be elected, we can make a combined effort on behalf of the constituents of Turriff & District.”
