Retiring Councillor predicts Lib Dem MSP for Dunfermline West in May

3.09.38pm GMT Wed 13th Dec 2006

A retiring councillor has predicted that Labour will suffer a huge loss at the hands of Lib Dem Jim Tolson in May's Scottish Parliament election. Crossford and Dunfermline Central councillor, James Simpson, made the claim following his decision not to stand for re-election after 12 years of service to the local community.

Councillor Simpson said "Following Willie Rennie's spectacular win in the by-election in February, the contest for the Scottish Parliament will be a close race between Labour and Jim Tolson, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Dunfermline West.

"I feel I can step down from my position knowing that the people of Dunfermline and Crossford have excellent representatives in Willie and Jim who will fight with them to get things done.

"I support Jim wholeheartedly and look forward to him beating Labour and taking his seat in the Scottish Parliament - it will only be Jim who can beat Labour."

Liberal Democrat councillor Simpson was first elected for the old Dunfermline Central ward back in 1995. Back then his 15 vote majority was seen as one of the surprises at the election as most pundits expected the ward to fall to Labour.

Since then, the popular local councillor saw his ward extended to include Crossford. At the last local election, James obtained 72% of the vote, and had one of the highest majorities of any councillor of any party in Scotland.

During his time as a councillor, James has been very critical over the Council's lack of action on the former Co-op site and proposed motions to the Council on this matter - the last of which gave the Council the power of compulsory purchase of the site.

James has been active in objecting to the proliferation of entertainment licenses in Dunfermline City Centre, believing that Dunfermline City Centre residents should have the same rights as other citizens to live a peaceful life.

He has taken a keen interest in Dunfermline's heritage, and did substantial work to have Fife Council reassert Dunfermline's ancient City status.

In Crossford, James has worked with community organisation 'Create' and Crossford Village Hall to see improvements within the village and its park. In particular, James successfully battled with the Coal Authority to see hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of improvements to Crossford's day-level.

James feels that now as things are starting to happen that this is the right time to ease his involvement in local government. James, who only intended to serve one term as councillor felt that as long as the old Co-op site lay derelict he had to battle on as councillor so that Dunfermline was not forgotten in Fife Council.

James commented; "I am pleased that finally things are happening in Dunfermline. If the Council had listened earlier to what I was saying we may not have had to wait so long for action. Since Willie Rennie has been elected as the MP for Dunfermline, it seems that Fife councillors seem to be taking Dunfermline more seriously. This is no coincidence.

"I would like to thank all of those that I have worked with during my time as a councillor and all of the people that have supported me."