Moray councillor Gordon Cowie who represents Buckie ward standing down due to 'constant abuse'

A senior Moray councillor says he is standing down because he can no longer stand the abuse he and his family receive from some constituents.

Gordon Cowie has represented Buckie as an Independent since winning a by-election in January 2014.

He feels he is becoming too old to commit to another five years.

However, he says the main factor for his decision is the anger shown verbally, online and in hate-mail.

This, he believes, has increased over the last two to three years.

Initially Mr Cowie says he enjoyed working for the people of Buckie and representing them at council.

But while acknowledging it is only a small minority of people who are involved with the abuse, he maintains that the pressure has now become too much.

Mr Cowie said: "The reason I’m not standing is I just don’t want to put my family or myself through the abuse we’ve had to endure any more.

"I’ve had hate-mail. My wife has been verbally abused in the street. It’s been constant and it’s not right.

"As a councillor you can’t get everything right and you can’t please everyone. I wish folk would understand that."

Buckie is the only ward in Moray where a ballot will not be held on May 5.

This is because, by the time nominations closed on Wednesday, only three people had put themselves forward for the three seats on the ward.

Instead, Neil McLennan (Conservative), Christopher Price (Liberal Democrat) and Sonya Warren (SNP) will all be declared councillors without a vote being cast for them.

Mr Cowie said: "I feel very, very sorry for a lot of folk in Buckie that they’re not going to get a vote.

"In fact, it’s an absolute disgrace.

"All these people who constantly criticise and think they can do better, where are they?"

Mr Cowie, who is under investigation by the Standards Commission following a complaint over an alleged planning matter, said that was not the reason he was standing down.

He said: "I just can’t put my family through the hell they’ve had to deal with over the last few years any more."

Mr Cowie thanked all those who he worked with during his time on the council.

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