AN East Renfrewshire councillor has been shortlisted for a prestigious award. 

David MacDonald is one of just three elected members from across Scotland to be named as a finalist in the Champion for Education category at the 2020 Cllr Awards.

The honour is bestowed on councillors who have performed “outstanding work” in the field of education.

Councillor McDonald, who represents Clarkston, Netherlee and Williamwood as an Independent, is up against Dr Soryia Siddique, of Glasgow City Council, and Fay Sinclair, of Fife Council.

“It is a great honour to be recognised for the work that I do and that I love doing,” Councillor McDonald told the Barrhead News.

“I think the nomination is more a recognition for the work that I have done collaboratively with a campaign called Give Them Time, which calls for children born between August and December being allowed to defer their start in primary one.

“Right now, the legal situation is that those children born in January and February are allowed to defer and have an additional funded year at nursery but those born between August and December are not.

“I have been particularly vocal in support of the campaign.

“The work that I do is largely unseen, so to be nominated is a great honour.”

The Cllr Awards are the only national ceremony to celebrate the vital contributions of Scotland’s elected members at local authority level.

They are run by policy information service LGIU Scotland and specialist fund managers CCLA.

The winners will be decided by a panel of judges composed of senior councillors and officers, as well as leading stakeholders from across the sector.