 | 'Aberdeenshire Council is holding the by-election to find a replacement for Scotland's longest serving councillor, Norman Cowie, OBE JP, who died at the age of 90, in October.' The Buchan Observer, December 2002. |  |
| 'Aberdeenshire Council is holding the by-election to find a replacement for Scotland's longest serving councillor, Norman Cowie, OBE JP, who died at the age of 90, in October.' The Buchan Observer, December 2002. | |
A by-election was held in Lonmay & St Fergus on the 12 th December 2002 following the death of 90 year-old Independent Cllr Norman Cowie OBE, JP in Octobr 2002. Cllr Cowie was Scotland's longest serving councillor.
Lonmay & St Fergus is in the new Banff & Buchan Westminster parliamentary seat (held by the Scottish National Party's Alex Salmond MP) and in the Banff & Buchan Scottish parliamentary seat (held by the Scottish National Party's Stewart Stevenson MSP).
| 12 th December 2002 By-election Turnout 52.7 % (- 15.3 %) | |||||
| Candidate | Logo | Party | Votes | % | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Gibbins |  |
Independent | 474 | 37.1 % | (+ 37.1 %) |
| Elaine Ward |  |
Scottish National Party | 438 | 34.3 % | + 2.8 % |
| Sjirk Oosterhof |  |
Conservative | 364 | 28.5 % | (+ 28.5 %) |
| Independent hold | |
Independent majority | 36 | 2.8 % | - 30.1 % |
| 6 th May 1999 Turnout 68.0 % (+ 17.7 %) | |||||
| Candidate | Logo | Party | Votes | % | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cllr Norman Cowie | |
Independent | 1,015 | 61.6 % | - 4.0 % |
| Beryl McKenzie | |
Scottish National Party | 519 | 31.5 % | - 2.9 % |
| Joyce Michie |  |
Liberal Democrat | 115 | 7.0 % | (+ 7.0 %) |
| Independent hold | |
Independent majority | 496 | 30.1 % | - 1.0 |
| 6 th April 1995 Turnout 50.3 % | |||||
| Candidate | Logo | Party | Votes | % | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cllr Norman Cowie | |
Independent | 1,197 | 65.6 % | |
| William Rennie | |
Scottish National Party | 629 | 34.4 % | |
| Independent win | |
Independent majority | 568 | 31.1 % | |
Aberdeen Councillor Norman Cowie OBE, JP, who celebrated his 90th birthday in January, has served as a councillor since 1944.
At a meeting of Aberdeenshire Council Councillor Raymond Bisset, convener, paid tribute to Councillor Cowie's record of public service and presented him with a framed picture of an Aberdeenshire scene by noted local artist Eric Auld along with a bottle of Aberdeenshire whisky.
"His record of 58 years' continuous service is an amazing achievement which marks him out as the grand old man of Scottish local government. I would be surprised if there is a councillor anywhere in the UK who has given longer elected service," said Councillor Bisset.
Councillor Cowie, a farmer from Crimond in the Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, has served as a member of four local authorities - Deer District Council from 1944, Aberdeen County Council until 1975, Banff and Buchan District Council until 1996 and for the last six years, representing the Lonmay and St Fergus Ward on Aberdeenshire Council.
He was convener of Banff and Buchan District Council for eight years and chairman of Aberdeenshire Council's Buchan Area Committee from 1996-99 and he is currently deputy chairman of the Council's Commercial Service Committee.
Born at South Crimongorth, Lonmay, he left school at 131/2 to work on the family farm and has lived in the Buchan area all his life.
THE longest-serving councillor in Scotland celebrated his 90th birthday on Wednesday.
Lonmay and St. Fergus councillor Norman Cowie has been involved in local government for 57 years and has no plan to give-up quite yet.
Cllr Cowie is a member of the Buchan area committee and has represented his community since 1944.
It all began when he entered into local government as a representative on Deer District Council before moving onto Aberdeenshire County Council then Banff and Buchan District Council.
He was chairman of the Buchan Area Committee for three years and was convener of the district authority twice.
He was awarded an OBE in 1986 for his services to the community and he also serves as a Justice of the Peace.
Denis McHugh, chairman of the Buchan Area Committee, believes that Cllr Cowie's period of time in local government could be a record.
"The length of service, I would suspect, is unrivalled. You would have to look into it but, I think, it could be a record," he said.
"Being an elected public representative for this length of time is an enormous achievement in many respects. He is a very good example for many of us."
Cllr McHugh, who has known Cllr Cowie for more than 15 years, added: "I would describe Norman as a very, very shrewd character.
"He is never anything other than a perfect gentlemen in the way he conducts business in the council, and he is very astute in his public and private affairs."
Cllr Cowie, whose wife died in 1994, has 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Happy 90th Birthday Norman!
COUNCIL colleagues and officials have paid tribute to Scotland's longest serving local government councillor, Norman Cowie OBE JP, of Crimond, who died last Monday after a short illness.
Mr Cowie, who celebrated his 90th birthday in January, served continuously as a councillor in his native North-east from 1944.
Born at South Crimongorth, Lonmay, he lived in the Buchan area of Aberdeenshire all his life. He left school at the tender age of 13 to work on the family farm. He entered local government first as a member of Deer District Council, in 1944, but then served on Aberdeen County Council until 1975, Banff and Buchan District Council until 1996, and most recently as the member for the Lonmay and St Fergus ward on Aberdeenshire Council.
He was convener of Banff and Buchan District Council for eight years and chairman of Aberdeenshire Council's Buchan Area Committee from 1996 until 1999.
Mr Cowie was elected as an Independent candidate and was once quoted as saying that he had no interest in politics, claiming he had been pushed into standing as a candidate by a family friend.
Aberdeenshire Council convener Raymond Bisset said: "Norman's 58 years' continuous service was an amazing achievement and marked him out as the Grand Old Man of Scottish local government.
"As a young man, he rose at five and walked or cycled many miles to make a living off the land. But his perseverance paid off and he eventually bought his own farm. Though he went on to buy a second, then a third, he never lost his modest ways and calm demeanour.
"His motto was that quiet action always beat commotion."
Council chief executive Alan Campbell echoed the convener's sentiments, adding: "Norman Cowie was a true North-east man who gave remarkable service to local government in this area.
"He was a wise man who never saw the need to shout about anything and his carefully measured contributions will be sorely missed."
A hush fell over the Buchan Area Committee as chairman Denis McHugh addressed members at their meeting last Tuesday, on the morning after Mr Cowie's death.
Councillor McHugh read part of George Bruce's "Praising Aberdeenshire Farmers" to his fellow councillors, saying: "I think these are words which sum up Norman perfectly although they do not even touch on the efforts of his council work over so many years.
Councillor Jim Davidson said: "It's been a great privilege knowing Norman. He showed what it means to be a councillor."
Peterhead Councillor George Barnes said: "Norman was a mentor and at times he could be a tormentor.
"I always knew Norman as a pal. For some reason he would always call me the bairn, but I suppose compared to Norman we were all just bairns."
Local MP Alex Salmond also paid tribute to Norman Cowie, admitting: "I was extremely saddened to hear of Norman's passing. He had been a councillor for 58 years which is a remarkable record of representation.
"Norman and I had the odd tussle over the years but he was a well-respected and worthy opponent - part and parcel of the fabric of Buchan politics. Norman will be sorely missed and my condolences go to his family at this time."
Norman's wife died in 1994. He is survived by a son and a daughter, together with ten grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
THREE candidates have been nominated to fight the forthcoming by-election in the Lonmay and St Fergus ward.
Aberdeenshire Council is holding the by-election to find a replacement for Scotland's longest serving councillor, Norman Cowie, OBE JP, who died at the age of 90, in October.
The declared candidates are John Gibbins, 2 Logie Drive, Crimond (Independent), Sjirk Oosterhof, Savoch, Lonmay (Scottish Conservative), and Elaine Ward, Seol-Mara, Links View, St Fergus (Scottish National Party).
Voting will take place at polling stations in the usual way on Thursday, December 12, between 8am and 9pm.
Polling places will be St Combs Community Hall; Lonmay Public Hall; Crimond New School and St Fergus Parish Hall.
The count will take place in Crimond Hall.
At the last election, in May, 1999, Lonmay and St Fergus had an electorate of 2,418.
Norman Cowie, who stood as an Independent, held the seat with a majority of 496 in a turnout of 68.4 percent.
JOHN Gibbins will be standing as an Independent candidate in the St Fergus ward by-election.
Mr Gibbins, 53, said: "I am a local businessman who has been interested in council workings for some years.
"I was encouraged by my lifelong friend the late councillor Norman Cowie and now feel compelled to stand for election as the prospective independent candidate for the community in which my family and I live.
"I was born in Aberdeenshire in 1949 and moved to the Crimond area some 51 years ago. I have a strong interest in the local environment.
"I am standing as an Independent because I believe that local representation should not involve party political interests. I will do my utmost to serve the needs of constituents, regardless of their political persuasion."
Mr Gibbins added: "I have been in business for more than 20 years and understand the needs of the community in the Buchan area. I know the area is unique with its own individual identity but see no reason for it being neglected and isolated from the rest of Scotland.
"If I am elected I will pursue an open door policy for my constituents in the St Combs, Lonmay, St Fergus and Crimond communities.
I will take special interest in the local community needs for effective health care, an adequate housing programme, an updated primary education system and improvements to the local roads network."
Mr Gibbins says fishing issues would be at the forefront of his priorities.
He said: "I wholly support the fishermen and their campaign against European directives to decimate the fishing industry. But I also appreciate the importance of preservation of fish stocks for future generations.
"I believe that the people best placed to carry out the preservation requirements are the fishermen themselves an not the bureaucrats in Brussels."
Mr Gibbins said: "I am putting myself forward for election in order to help secure the best future for the St Combs, Lonmay, St Fergus and Crimond communities."
BANFF and Buchan Conservatives have picked Sjirk Oosterhof as their candidate for the Lonmay and St Fergus council by-election.
A Conservative spokesman said: "Sjirk is a well-known and well-respected member of the Buchan farming community. We are certain that the considerable business skill Sjirk has demonstrated in building up his farming activities during the past 24 years will be of immense benefit to Aberdeenshire Council."
Sjirk was born in 1951 to a farming family in Friesland, Holland.
He graduated from agricultural college, then travelled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and South East Asia before coming to Scotland to farm in 1978.
He farms at Savoch Farm, Lonmay, with his New Zealander wife, Thyna, a nursery teacher at Inverallochy School.
They have a son, Peter, who is studying at Aberdeen University, and a daughter Jane, who has recently graduated from university and lives in London.
Sjirk has been actively involved in the farming community, and is a past chairman of the local branch of the NFU and also a member of the Strichen and Fraserburgh Burns Club.
He said: "I am very conscious of the friendly way in which me and my family have been made welcome and wish to repay some of that kindness by working for the people of the Lonmay and St Fergus ward on Aberdeenshire Council."
JOHN Gibbins won the Lonmay and St Fergus council by-election on Thursday.
Independent candidate Mr Gibbins was a lifelong friend of the man he will succeed.
Mr Gibbins says he was inspired by Scotland's oldest and longest serving councillor Norman Cowie.
Mr Cowie died in October, leading to Thursday's by-election.
Mr Gibbins took the seat with a slim majority of 36 after a recount in Crimond Public Hall late on Thursday night.
A total of 1,276 votes were cast from the electorate of 2,355.
With a turnout of 54 percent the by-election saw Mr Gibbins poll 474 votes, narrowly winning a tight three horse-race.
SNP candidate Elaine Ward was second with 438 votes.
Third place went to Conservative hopeful Sjirk Oosterhof with 364 votes.
Crimond businessman Mr Gibbins said: "Norman was a lifelong friend and I hope he was looking down on the election because he inspired me to put myself forward.
"It is an honour to hold a seat which he worked so hard in for years. I would like to thank everyone who supported me. A turnout of 54 percent at this time of year for a by-election is a fantastic show, when other places are getting as low as 20 percent.
"I will do my best to repay their faith in me. I want to serve them with the same dedication that Norman did.
"At the heart of it I am a local businessman who came into the council race to fight local issues."
The 53-year-old father of three grown-up children said he knew it would be very close before the first vote was cast.
He said: "My opponents put up a good, clean fight and I pay tribute to them for that.
"It was always going to be a tight contest.
"We celebrated into the small hours of the morning. On Friday morning I had so many calls and e-mails congratulating me.
"I will be going through all this again in April so I know I will have to work really hard for the ward."
The SNP said they were happy with the success of their candidate.
Mrs Ward reduced an Independent majority in the ward from almost 500 to just 36, a 34 percent rise for the nationalists.
She said: "I am delighted that the SNP has reduced an Independent majority of almost 496 to almost nothing.
"This certainly bodes well for us, both in this area and throughout Aberdeenshire at the council elections in May.
"I would like to congratulate everyone who turned out to vote on a bitterly cold day.
"I'd particularly like to thank my SNP campaign team, who braved some ferocious weather conditions in the course of the last few weeks."
MP Alex Salmond said: "Elaine was a first rate candidate for the SNP an ran an excellent campaign, focussing on the issues that matter to people locally. This by-election result means the SNP is now a force to be reckoned with in this area.
"Slashing a majority of 500 in a council ward is quite an achievement and shows the SNP is well placed to win Lonmay and St Fergus in May."
Aberdeenshire Council is run by 27 Liberal Democrats councillors and six Independents.
There are 22 SNP members, nine Tories and now four other Independents in the authority.
It is not known if Mr Gibbins has been asked to join the administration or if he will be asked to do so.
The by-election was called after Mr Cowie died on October 28, at the age of 90.
The late Mr Cowie was also an Independent and a member of Aberdeenshire Council's coalition administration.
He had juggled a successful farming business with almost six decades of local government. Mr Cowie, from Bilbo Villa, near Crimond, was first elected to Deer District Council in 1944.
He served on Aberdeenshire County Council before two spells as convener of Banff and Buchan District Council. He was also chairman of Aberdeenshire Council's Buchan area committee for three years.
Mr Cowie served as a JP and was made an OBE in 1986 for his services to the community.
In 1996, he won the Lonmay and St Fergus seat when the new unitary local authority was formed.
Three years later he held the seat with a majority of 496.
In the 1999 election he polled 1,015 votes, while the SNP's Beryl McKenzie took 519 and the Lib Dem's Joyce Michie gained 115 votes.
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