A PERTHSHIRE man whose fight against yob culture has gone all the way to the Scottish Parliament is to stand as an independent in the forthcoming council elections.

Fed up of alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour in the centre of Aberfeldy, Ron Rose lodged a petition with the public petitions committee, calling for a fast-track system to allow police and local authorities to enforce alcohol exclusion zones.

Mr Rose wants the Scottish Executive, which must approve all applications for areas banning public drinking, to devolve powers to councils.

Now the legal student has decided his crusade would be best served by standing for council.

“I have nailed my colours to the mast and intimated my intention to stand,” said Mr Rose of The Square. “The only way to take politics out of community issues is to stand.

“At this level politics should have nothing to do with it.”

Mr Rose has ruffled some feathers in Aberfeldy with his claims the town has become “a pariah of notoriety” because of anti-social behaviour, with a dramatic impact on tourism.

The former member of the RAF Regiment, who served two tours of duty in Northern Ireland, claimed that some parties had “trivialised” his concerns.

He accused the community council of putting the fight for a public toilet in Aberfeldy above anti-social behaviour issues.

“I would suggest that the human need to pass water should not take precedence over every individual’s right to quiet enjoyment of his/her heritable property in a safe community,” said Mr Rose.

As well as the petition, Mr Rose has been fighting on all fronts, urging the local Co-op to fit shutters to deprive youngsters of a gathering point as they sit on the window ledges at all hours.

Mr Rose has also clashed with Councillor Ken Lyall, who denied that the issues were not being taken seriously.

“There is no denial of the problem, but I do consider some of the comments attributed to you being an exaggeration,” Mr Lyall told him.

“I would maintain that most, if not all, communities have their problems, here is no different.”

Mr Lyall, who signed Mr Rose’s petition himself, said that some people had a problem with how Mr Rose canvassed public opinion.

“I have noticed that the way in which you put your point across can come over as very aggressive, overly insulting and quite frankly a bit condescending,” said Mr Lyall, an opinion that Mr Rose strongly refuted.

Mr Rose, who has liaised with the police on the subject of anti-social behaviour, has vowed to continue his battle over public drinking.

“The problem may have abated slightly due to inclement weather but if it is not resolved; the same voices will be heard complaining about it when the weather improves into the year,” he said.