Sandy Cluness
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
| Councillor Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Ward: | Lerwick North |
| Address: | 5 Twageos Road LERWICK |
| Party: | None |
| Telephone: | 01595 695612 |
| e-mail: | Convener@sic.shetland.gov.uk |
| SIC-Appointments: | click here |
| Reg. Interests: | click here |
Alexander "Sandy" J. Cluness is a councillor for Lerwick North, current Convenor of the Shetland Islands Council and former Procurator Fiscal. Cluness has had much involvement with local politics in the past 30 years.
Political Career
Cluness' first involvement in local politics pre-dates the Shetland Islands Council as he was elected for the County Council in the Yell North ward, beating Robert A. Manson. His first spell as a councillor was short lived however, as in 1974 he became the Procurator Fiscal and thus resigned from the council causing a by-election. Cluness returned as a councillor in 1978 when he stood in the Lerwick Twageos ward, beating James J. Paton, and again in 1982 he returned to the same constituency unopposed. The 1986 council election saw Cluness stand as a Shetland Movement candidate, against James J. Paton who was Labour. He lost this election and would not return to Shetland politics for 13 years. Upon returning to politics, Cluness was elected in the 1999 council election as a Liberal Democrat in Lerwick North Central with a overwhelming majority, beating Greta McElvogue and Leonard Groat, both independent. He returned to the seat unopposed for the 2003 election. When in 2007 the boundaries of constituencies in Shetland were completely redrawn, Cluness was elected to Lerwick North, a three-member ward, together with Caroline Miller and Allan Wishart.
