New council leader is ready to walk the walk

Feb 12 2010 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

WE’VE talked the talk – now let’s walk the walk.

That’s the message from South Ayrshire Council’s new leader, Bill McIntosh.

Just a week after settling into his hot seat, the new man in charge is feeling positive.

Conservative leader Bill, who’s succeeded Hugh Hunter in the top job, believes it’s time to be dynamic.

And the former bank manager is ready to ditch his number crunching nature in search of a bold new vision.

Bill, of Troon, insisted: “I’m happy to hand over the pound sign baton so that I can focus on the day job.

“This council requires vision and dynamism – and we have people of the right calibre to achieve our aims.

“I’m very fortunate to have been in the boiler room of the administration for the last couple of years, so stepping up to the leadership is a natural progression.

“There’s a breath of fresh air sweeping through the council at the moment and we must build on that momentum.

“We’ve talked the talk and now we must walk the walk. Everyone is committed to doing just that.”

Bill, 62, who comes to the post with 11 years experience as a Tory councillor in Troon, accepts times are hard.

But he insists bad headlines about spending cuts aren’t the full story.

“Every business is being affected by the recession,” he confessed.

“And if we’re to get our services right then we must focus on the basics of our business.

“I’m passionate about this council and so are the people around me.

“We all care about what we do but we don’t take decisions to be popular – we take the best decisions for the council.”

Mr McIntosh also underlined his commitment to working in partnership with other parties going forward.

It comes after a broadside by SNP group leader Nan McFarlane, who had enjoyed a close working relationship with the Tories under Mr Hunter.

She labelled the change in leadership as unnecessary and a “distraction from the important and challenging tasks ahead”.

But Bill said: “Even before I was elected as leader, I sent an email to Nan McFarlane and two independent councillors in which I committed to collaborative working.

“We’ve come too far down the road to go back on that now and, if we did, we’d all be held to account at the ballot box.

“I believe that cross-party working is a better way of getting things done.

“The two party system has worked to the detriment of South Ayrshire in the past and we now have the collective feeling of working together.

“All of us want what’s best for South Ayrshire – and I’m confident we can get it.”