Council Election - Struan Mackie - Scottish Conservative And Unionist Party - Thurso & North West Caithness

7th April 2017

My name is Struan Mackie and I am the Scottish Conservative and Unionist candidate for the Thurso and Northwest ward in this May's Local Government elections.

I work as a business consultant for one of the ‘big four' accountancy firms in the UK and work across the country to support business. As part of the SME team I help enterprises grow, create jobs and make a sustainable impact in their communities. Great British businesses are our job factories and I am passionate about seeing our enterprises flourish.

Last year I had the honour of contesting the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat at the Scottish Parliamentary elections. That election shook up politics across Scotland and I believe that this election will be no different. Delivering my leaflets and canvassing on the doors, the people of Thurso and Northwest Caithness are ready for change. And they will get their chance to vote for it on May 4th.

I have lived almost my whole life in the Far North of Scotland and I am incredibly proud to be fighting for the place that I call home. I was raised in Thurso and went to Pennyland Primary and Thurso High Schools before earning my degree in Finance and Enterprise from Strathclyde University in Glasgow.

I want to see our community prosper and be a great place to live, to work and to visit. We have had decades of uncertainty and it has undoubtedly had a negative effect on our towns, villages and the residents who live in them. Where we have needed to be forward thinking and radical we have had all talk but no action. Unfortunately this has been compounded by the Highland Council and even for some our elected representatives not making the people of Caithness their top priority.

On the issues that matter to the Far North like maternity provision, our failing transport networks and creating new jobs ; our MP, our constituency MSP and have the Scottish Government been completely absent. Our councillors need to be holding our elected representatives feet to the fire and be the loudest voice in the community. Forward thinking and radical, Thurso and Northwest Caithness needs fresh faces in the Highland Chamber, representing the interests of the Far North, representing you.

My Fresh Start Plan

I am asking for your vote on May 4th to deliver my vision of a ‘fresh start for the Far North'; a plan that will deliver lasting change for our community. It is a plan that will make local government work for the people and stand behind my commitment to represent everyone in Thurso and Northwest Caithness.

* Stop NHS centralisation - access services in your local community not in Inverness. The provision of maternity, frontline and end of life healthcare is not acceptable and we need real action from NHS Highland.

* Safeguard our transport links - Protect local bus services, invest in our roads, rail and air. Our transport infrastructure is failing Caithnessians and it is detrimental for locals, visitors and for inward investment for business.

* Regenerate the High Street - Support local business and attract investment in the area. Our businesses are the job creators in our community; lets support them and help them grow.

* Jobs for the future - Build our economy for a post Dounreay Caithness. We need to look at growth industries for our people, skill them for careers that are sustainable and will ensure that we can keep folk in the Far North.

* End the vanity projects - Spend money in the community on the things that matter. We need to spend your tax payers money in the community on roads, schools and the infrastructure that we need. Not on tilting bridges on the River Ness.

* Get a fair deal for our community - The Highlands does not end at the Kessock Bridge! Elect somebody who will stand up for the Far North in the Highland Chamber and ensure we get the funding we need to provide for our people.

It is obvious that on the pressing issues like healthcare provision, transport, jobs and the economy we need a radically different approach. It simply isn't working! We need to end the talk and start delivering; that means putting an end to the division and arguments of the past and ensuring our politicians focus on the real issues our community faces.

If elected I want to be the peoples voice in the Highland Chamber and by delivering on my priorities for Thurso and Northwest Caithness I believe we can benefit all of us who live and work in Caithness.

You can contact me on my campaign email address: struan@struanmackie.com

My campaign website is: www.struanmackie.com

And I am on twitter, facebook and Linkedin as well so please get in touch!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/struan4thurso

Twitter: @struanmackie

Linkedin: in/struanmackie