Dear Resident,

I was privileged to be elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament in May 2011 and have now been invited by The First Minister Alex Salmond to join the Scottish Government as Minister for Local Government & Planning.

To serve as Minister it is therefore best to bring forward my departure as a Renfrewshire Councillor which was due to be in May 2012.  A by-election is not required, and the ward continues to be represented by SNP Councillor Bill Perrie, Convenor of the Renfrew & Gallowhill Local Area Committee.

I fully endorse both Councillor Bill Perrie who will be standing for re-election in Renfrew North Ward next May and fellow SNP colleague John Shaw, who will be his fellow candidate for this 3-member ward.  The ward will continue to be well-represented in the Council.

I have had many goodwill messages, and will remain a strong local voice, never to forget my roots.  As a Councillor and Council Leader I have been proud to represent Renfrew, the town I have lived in all my life and Renfrewshire.

The SNP has a strong record of achievement for Renfrew, including restoring the Renfrew Common Good Fund, delivering the new health centre, massive investment in housing underway, new and refurbished schools, leisure and park upgrades, the town hall refurbishment, a new police station being built, and all whilst freezing the council tax. There is of course more to do.

Whilst a Scottish Government Minister I remain a local MSP, still living in the constituency.  My surgeries, local Constituency Office, and all the local commitments will continue.

I would like to thank all my local constituents for their support over the years.  The work goes on.

Yours,
     
Derek Mackay MSP