Coutts stands for North Isles

WEISDALE man Steven Coutts, the latest islander to declare his intention to stand at the forthcoming council election, has said the council needs to decentralise and revisit budget cuts that have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable people.

Born and raised in Yell, the 29 year old Green Party member is contesting the North Isles ward as an independent.

Mr Coutts runs his own consultancy supporting small business and social enterprises throughout the isles, and undertakes work for the Energy Saving Trust.

He said the next council faces a lot of tough decisions he feels passionately that he can bring a positive new perspective to the chamber.

“I have become increasingly frustrated at the continued centralisation, lack of vision, and the speed and scale of the proposed cuts which will impact on some of the most vulnerable people in Shetland – cuts that are largely being proposed without sufficient assessment of their wider social and environmental impacts,|” he said.

“Since leaving Yell a few years ago, I have continued to work extensively with community organisations and businesses in the North Isles and unfortunately the challenges and barriers they face keep on mounting up.

“If elected I would look forward to playing an active part in supporting rather than disadvantaging these communities.”