Six councillors who have between them delivered 82 years of service to communities in West Lothian have been thanked for their service as they prepared to step down at this May's election.
They include the Provost, Tom Kerr who has served his home town of Linlithgow on the council and its predecessor, West Lothian District Council since 1992.
The years of service were marked with a presentation last week. Each received a painting of the council’s HQ at the Civic Centre.
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Provost Kerr, the longest serving provost, has served as chair of the council and the council’s planning committee since 2007. He has also served on the Development Management Committee and Local Review Body, the local area committee and PDSPs.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It has been an honour and a privilege to represent the people of West Lothian. I have had the honour of meeting so many interesting and inspirational people throughout my time as Provost and it has been a wonderful experience for me.
“I am born and bred in West Lothian and I take great pride in having been able to represent the area for so long.
“I’d like to thank everyone that has supported me in my role. I can’t believe it has been 15 years since I first put on the Provost Chain and I wish my successor, whoever that may be, all the very best of luck in carrying forward this hugely important Civic role for the people of West Lothian.”
Also Stepping down this year are Labour’s John McGinty, David Dodds and Dom McGuire. From the SNP David Tait, who represented Linlithgow and Sarah King a councillor for Armadale and Blackridge.
Councillor McGinty has been a councillor for Bathgate since 1999. He served as leader of the council Labour group and Leader of the Opposition in the council in 2010. He then led the Labour group to win the 2012 council elections and served as Leader of West Lothian Council from 2012 to 2017. He stood down from the role in 2017.
He has served on a variety of council committees as well as the Health and Care Partnership and the Integrated Joint Board since its inception He has also served on Bathgate Town Centre Management committee and the Regal Community Theatre.
Councillor Dodds was first elected in the Fauldhouse and Breich Valley ward in 2012. A former headteacher, Councillor Dodds served as a chair of the Education executive and Education PDSP since 2012. He was Chair of Joint Consultative Group (Teaching) from 2012. He has been vice chair of the local area committee, Development and Transport Education Quality Assurance Committee. He has served on the Headteacher Appointment Panel, Placing in Schools Appeal Panel and the COSLA Executive Board (Children and Young People from 2017.
Councillor Dodds said : "As a ward councillor I am most proud of the way the council worked with other bodies including the voluntary sector to continue to deliver services and to support the most vulnerable during the pandemic.
“As chair of the education executive I am most proud of the year on year improvements on the attainments of our young people which is a tribute to our teachers, education officers, young people and their parents and carers.
“Ten years is a relatively short time in which to judge the impact of any changes, leaving aside of course the enforced changes brought about by the pandemic.
“The major challenges facing local government now and going forward relate to underfunding. Services have already been badly affected by these cuts and face the prospect of being even more badly affected going forward.”
Councillors Tait and King have both served their communities for seven years since winning by-elections in 2015.
Councillor Tait served on the local area committee and Development Management Committee from 2016. He was also a member of Local Review Body and the Asset Transfer Committee.
He was appointed to a number of outside bodies from 2017 including :- Linlithgow Mill Road BID, West Lothian Enterprise, Linlithgow Parish Trust, Linlithgow Town Centre Management Group; and from 2020 ONE Linlithgow and Treasurer of WL Grapevine Twinning Association.
Councillor King has served on the local area committee, Education executive and West Lothian Planning committee.
Councillor Dom McGuire was elected in 2017 in the Livingston North ward. He has served as chair of the Licensing Board and local area committee. He has also served on the Asset Transfer Committee and the Integration Joint Board.
He was appointed to a number of outside bodies in 2017 including :- Almond Valley Heritage Trust, Scottish Accident Prevention Council, Livingston Youth Trust, SESPlan and Firefly Arts.
