Surgery Figures Reveal Local SNP Councillors Are Most Accessible
>> 20 March 2012
Official figures released by Aberdeenshire Council show that SNP councillors in West Garioch and Inverurie wards are the most accessible.
Figures show that in West Garioch, SNP councillor Allison Grant held 29 advice surgeries during the period from the 2007 election to the end of 2011. Liberal Democrat councillors Sheena Lonchay and Hazel Al-Kowarri held 5 each during the same period.
In Inverurie, figures show that SNP councillor Bryan Stuart was the only councillor to hold any advice surgeries at all during the period from the 2007 election to the end of 2011. Cllr Stuart held 27 advice surgeries while Liberal Democrats Martin Kitts-Hayes and Michael Raeburn and Conservative Richard Cowling held no surgeries at all during the same period.
Commenting on the figures, SNP MSP for North-east Scotland Mark McDonald said:
“Allison Grant and Bryan Stuart are to be congratulated on their work rate and for making themselves publicly available to their constituents.
“These figures clearly show that SNP councillors take their role very seriously and are prepared to put in the hours. Electing SNP councillors is a guarantee of getting someone who will work hard and listen to the concerns of their constituents throughout their term of office, as the evidence shows."
“I simply see it as part of my job to be available to my constituents, regardless of who they voted for or indeed whether they voted at all. Councillors are there to serve their local communities and I said when I stood for election in 2007 that I would strive to do my best and that’s what I hope to continue to do."
“Surgeries are, of course, not the only way of getting in touch with councillors and I deal with a huge number of e-mails and phone calls as well, but I think face-to-face contact with constituents is very important because there will always be some people for whom that is the preferred way of conducting their business."
