Macdonald and Manson to seek re-election in north ward

SHETLAND Islands Council’s depute leader Emma Macdonald is gearing up stand in May’s election.

She will seek re-election in the Shetland North ward as an independent.

Meanwhile long-serving councillor Andrea Manson will also stand again in Shetland North, also as an independent candidate.

Macdonald, who was first elected in 2017, said the “last five years have been challenging but have also highlighted to me the importance of local government and local decision making”.

While she was depute leader, Macdonald also chaired the integration joint board and the planning committee.

Some of the key topics for the councillor is sustainability and employment, collaborative working, a “fairer Shetland” and also the proposed new Brae High School.

“Being positive and working collaboratively can achieve so much more than negativity and criticism,” Macdonald said.

Meanwhile Manson – who has represented the area for the last decade and chairs the local authority’s harbour board – also said a new Brae school was a top priority.

She also advocates finding ways for the clean energy project ORION to “cut costs and earn financial benefit for the council and any ways possible for homes and businesses to benefit from cheaper energy”.

Working with the oil industry to secure jobs for the future, improving housing – including outside Lerwick – and looking to a “positive future where we have more responsibility for our own important decision making” is also on her agenda.

Manson added that protecting the natural environment and “making sure common sense always prevails over party politics” were also issues at play.

It comes after Tom Morton confirmed will he stand in the Shetland North ward as a Scottish Labour candidate.