Fife Council election results — Wife beats husband to seat in Ward 14: Glenrothes North, Leslie and Markinch

By Craig Smith

May 5 2017, 2:17pm

Former Glenrothes area committee chair Fiona Grant was the big winner in Glenrothes North, Leslie and Markinch as the SNP took two seats.

The Conservatives continued their push with another seat, this time for Mick Green, while Labour’s John Wincott was unseated by his own wife Jan who will take his place on the council.

Mrs Grant secured just over 1,700 first preference votes and threw her hat in the ring to become the new area chair, given the present chair Bill Brown missed out on election earlier in the day.

“It’s been a bit of a mixed day,” she said, just moments after hugging former SNP group leader Brian Goodall, who lost his seat.

“I’m delighted to be back in and pretty delighted with the number of first preference votes – I think it’s a huge endorsement of what I’ve been trying to do over the past 25 years.

“Equally, in a bizarre way, it’s also quite humbling that that number of folk came out, so I’m really looking forward to continuing what I’ve been doing.”

Mr Green said he was in a “state of shock” as he became the latest Tory councillor elected.

“It’s been a bit like Christmas Eve to be honest – do I get the toy train or do I get the orange?” he joked.

“It’s been a fantastic day for us, my wife was in tears and it’s been a fantastic day for the Conservative Party – it seems like we’re taking the board.”