Leaderdale and Melrose Ward

John Paton-Day has been returned as the LibDem Councillor.

The LEADERDALE and MELROSE ward is a large and diverse group of communities, each with its own unique character. This provides a challenge to the local Councillor to ensure that this uniqueness is recognized and protected.

As a Scottish Liberal Democrat I believe that I can and will recognize this diversity.

I believe that it is the role of a Councillor to listen, observe and to be the voice of the community in the Council Chamber, thereby ensuring that everything is done to represent each community as fully as possible.

Priorities for Leaderdale and Melrose

• Protect our rural schools, as a high priority task

• Provide more social housing to let and buy

• Ensure that our elderly are not prisoners in their own homes and reverse cuts in Social Care

• Provide more for our youngsters, including an increased sports provision

• Make people feel safer on our streets in towns and villages

• Develop more tourism in Leaderdale and Melrose

• Reduce the financial burden of Council Tax through a system based on the ability to pay

John Paton-Day

John Paton-Day - Focus on Rural schools

Focus on Rural Schools

John has lived at Mellerstain in the Melrose and Leaderdale Ward for the past 17 years. He is married with two children 12 and 10, both born at the BGH and go to local schools. John`s wife worked at the East Green nursery, Earlston before taking up the post of project manager of the SPPA mobile Creche Service. He has been the chairman of the Gordon primary school board for the past 4 years. John is a fervent supporter of small schools, especially in rural areas. He was a founder member of the Borders Small School Support Network, which does a great job in protecting them against closure. John is an artist so most things about Life interest him. In tackling problems, John never gives up easily and says he has very little patience for petty rules and regulations. He loves all aspects of life in the Borders, no matter what the weather !

John really appreciates the importance of sport for our youngsters and is keen that Services for our youth and older people in the Borders need to be enhanced.

• Postal address: 6 Darlingfield Cottages, Mellerstain, Gordon TD3 6LE

• Telephone number: 01573 410650

• E-mail: john.paton-day@borderslibdems.org.uk