Helensburgh Central (ward) facts for kids
Helensburgh Central is an area in Helensburgh, Scotland. It is one of eleven special areas, called wards, that help choose people to work for the Argyll and Bute Council. These people are called councillors. Four councillors are elected from Helensburgh Central to represent the people living there.
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What is a Ward?
A ward is like a local neighbourhood or district. When people vote in local elections, they vote for councillors who will represent their specific ward. These councillors then work together in the council to make decisions for the whole area. Think of it like choosing a team captain for your part of the town!
Your Local Councillors
Councillors are important because they speak up for the people in their ward. They help decide how local services like schools, parks, and roads are managed. Here are the councillors who have been elected to represent Helensburgh Central over the years:
| Election Year | Councillor 1 | Councillor 2 | Councillor 3 | Councillor 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Vivien Dance (Independent) | Gary Mulvaney (Conservative) | James Alexander Robb (SNP) | Al Reay (Liberal Democrats) |
| 2012 | Vivien Dance (Independent) | Gary Mulvaney (Conservative) | James Alexander Robb (SNP) | Aileen Morton (Liberal Democrats) |
| 2017 | Graham Hardie (Liberal Democrats) | Gary Mulvaney (Conservative) | Lorna Douglas (SNP) | Aileen Morton (Liberal Democrats) |
| 2022 | Graham Hardie (Liberal Democrats) | Gary Mulvaney (Conservative) | Ian James MacQuire (SNP) | Fiona Howard (Labour) |
How Councillors are Chosen
Councillors are chosen through elections. This is when people in the ward vote for the candidates they think will do the best job. The candidates who get the most votes become the councillors for that ward.
The 2022 Election
The most recent election for Helensburgh Central was in 2022. In this election, four councillors were chosen to represent the ward. The people elected were:
- Gary Mulvaney from the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Ian James MacQuire from the Scottish National Party (SNP)
- Fiona Howard from the Scottish Labour Party
- Graham Hardie from the Scottish Liberal Democrats
These councillors work together to make decisions for Helensburgh Central and the wider Argyll and Bute area.
Past Elections
Councillors are elected for a certain period, usually five years. This means there are regular elections to choose new representatives or re-elect existing ones.
In the 2017 election, the councillors elected were:
- Gary Mulvaney (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party)
- Lorna Douglas (Scottish National Party)
- Aileen Morton (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
- Graham Hardie (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
For the 2012 election, the elected councillors were:
- Vivien Dance (Independent)
- James Alexander Robb (Scottish National Party)
- Gary Mulvaney (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party)
- Aileen Morton (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
And in the 2007 election, the first councillors for this ward were:
- Gary Mulvaney (Scottish Conservative Party)
- James Alexander Robb (Scottish National Party)
- Al Reay (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
- Vivien Dance (Independent)
