West Dunbartonshire's new Labour leader warns of "tough decisions" ahead of next budget
dailyrecord.co.ukSupporting residents with cost-of-living hikes and regenerating the area while making “tough decisions” to close an upcoming massive budget gap are among priorities set out by the new Labour council leader.
In his first interview since taking on the top role, Martin Rooney told of his ambitions for West Dunbartonshire while laying bare some of the challenges which lie ahead – including a projected upcoming budget gap of £13.8million.
It’s the third time the Lomond ward councillor has been council leader, having led the administration from 2012 to 2017, after Labour snatched control from the SNP last month.Speaking to the Lennox Herald, Martin said the party’s campaign – which even saw him leafleting the streets of Haldane on his 60th birthday – resonated with residents.He said: “We’ve run a strong campaign over the past few years and have been effective in holding the previous SNP administration to account.“We’ve been actively engaging with the community over issues that have mattered to them.“I spent the last 18 months telling my group that we would win 12 seats and they didn’t totally believe me, but they campaigned with that in mind and that’s what we got.“I turned 60 in April and celebrated my 60th birthday campaigning out in closes up in Haldane.”He added: “I didn’t tell anyone it was my birthday though, I carried on leafleting as they’d have told me to take it off.”Martin has spent the last 29 years working for the Ministry of Defence, having joined the army at the age of 17, but is retiring this week to solely focus on his council leader role.He said: “I leave on June 10 so that I can dedicate the next five years to West Dunbartonshire.“I’m joined by a fantastic group of councillors and we all work as a team.“I
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