COWDENBEATH councillor Peter Lockhart has spoken of his “surprise and honour” when he found out he had won a major position on the Scottish Association of Labour Councillors.

The association is a new body - previously there was only a UK version, but with devolution and getting new powers to Scotland, councillors felt that it was vital that the country had its own body. Cllr Lockhart decided to throw his hat in the ring and was both pleased and surprised to find out he had been successful.

“When I got the email through it asked for self-nominations for the executive and as I’ve always been keen to see a Scottish association, I put my name forward,” he told the Times.

“I’m also on the Scottish executive of the Co-op party and wanted to make sure the Co-op party had representation on this body. I then discovered Lesley Laird was also keen, so there were two Fife names in the ballot. I hoped I’d get on but thought the ballot would be good experience anyway. To be honest, I thought with the calibre of candidate I’d probably not get on”.

He added, “I put my name forward because it’s something I’ve always been interested in. I thought it would be good to be on the committee as I have lots of ideas. So I put my name forward but I didn’t expect it when they announced I’d been elected to the executive.

“I was surprised and proud. The fact that my fellow peers and councillors voted for me is a great honour. So myself and Lesley Laird will be the reps for Fife, Mid-Scotland and West of Scotland which includes Glasgow and Edinburgh.” Cllr Lockhart called the opportunity “exciting” and believes that the new body will give him and his fellow councillors a chance to make real changes. “It means we have a real voice in Labour in Scotland,” he said. “Lesley and myself are different people from different strands of the party, but we work well together and will be able to make a very positive contribution.

“The association will be the councillors’ voice in the Labour Party and on a national level in Scotland. We can co-ordinate policy and campaigns, look at what Labour’s positions are with COSLA, help to develop policy for local government with the MSPs in the Scottish Parliament and also boost the role and position of councillors within the Labour Party.

“As a new body we are the first executive and so will be trailblazers for the organisation. It’s now up to us to make sure it’s a success.”