TWO local councillors have thrown their hats into the ring in elections to the board of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
George Freeman and Iain Shonny Paterson, who both represent the Lomond North ward on Argyll and Bute Council, are among 24 people hoping to win places on the park authority’s board when a postal ballot opens next week.
Councillor Freeman is one of nine candidates in the park’s Cowal and North Loch Lomond ward, while Cllr Paterson is standing in the West Loch Lomond and Balloch area.
Postal ballots will be sent out to everyone on the electoral roll living in the National Park area on Thursday, June 14, and must be returned by post by Thursday, July 5.
Five places are up for grabs on the park’s board – one for each of the voting areas within the park’s boundaries.
The other Cowal and North Loch Lomond candidates are Ali Campbell, Bob Darracott, Rob Donkin, Donald Illingworth, Maria Jemicz, Gary Pollock, Dan Romani and Gary Watson.
The other candidates in West Loch Lomond and Balloch are Gwen Jones-Edwards, Ronnie McColl, Gavin Monson and David McCowan.
The board already has two Argyll and Bute councillors – the third Lomond North councillor, Barbara Morgan, and Ellen Morton, whose Helensburgh and Lomond South ward includes part of the loch’s west shore.
Both were appointed by Scottish ministers after being nominated by the council following the local government elections in May 2017.
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