Cllr Margaret Brisley has been appointed as Stirling Council Leader following a vote at a special meeting of Council on Thursday. 

Cllr Brisley steps up from Depute Leader to take over the role from Cllr Chris Kane, who has stepped down after his election as an MP in the recent UK General Election.

Cllr Gerry McGarvey has been appointed as Depute Leader.

Cllr Brisley has been a councillor for 44 years and represents the Bannockburn and Eastern Villages Ward.

She said: “I am hugely honoured to be appointed as Leader of Stirling Council and would like to thank my fellow councillors for putting their trust in me.

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“I am committed to being a leader that serves everyone across Stirling and will work constructively with other elected members so we can deliver positive outcomes for our communities. 

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Chris for his hard work in the role over the past two years and his efforts to promote Stirling during a difficult time for local government.

“Like all other Scottish local authorities, Stirling clearly faces further challenges in the coming years with various external pressures. However, by working closely with our communities and other key partners, I am confident we can achieve our ambitions and forge a better future for us all.”