Inverclyde Now Logo FORMER Army Officer Standing In Council Elections

16 February, 2017 | Noticeboard

A FORMER army officer from Greenock is standing as an independent candidate in the Inverclyde Council elections in May.

Eddie McEleny, who reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, hopes to become a councillor for the Inverclyde North ward which covers a large area of Greenock, from the town centre and West Station area to Battery Park. 

He said: “The local issues are getting a bit overwhelmed by party politics. I want to swing it back to local people.

“Since I have come back from the army, I have looked at Greenock and the lack of regeneration, particularly in the town centre, and it has been a bit of a shock how quickly it has gone downhill.”

He added: “Towards the end of my career, I was in charge of a large barracks, the size of a village, with a budget of £7million a year, responsible for everything from the accommodation, the roads, the power; accountable for spending public money.”

Independent councillor for Gourock, Ronnie Ahlfeld, said: “I have had some meetings with Eddie and I am convinced that he would be an excellent councillor. Eddie’s experience and background are exceptional. 

“More generally I welcome the advent of more independent candidates. I believe local elections should not be contested on party political lines.  For me it should be more about the individual than the party. I wish Eddie well.” 

Eddie joined the Royal Engineers at the age of 17 and quickly worked his way through the ranks and gained the prestigious appointment of Regimental Sergeant Major in 1991. He was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 1986. He later gained the top rank achievable for a late-entry officer, Lieutenant Colonel.

Eddie served in or was in direct support roles for most of the major conflicts the British Army has been involved in since he joined. His career took him around the world including stints in Oman, Sierra Leone, the USA, Canada, Cyprus and Germany.

He married Carol Burden from Gourock in 1974 and they have two children and three grandchildren. Eddie retired from the army in 2010 and the family home is in Newark Street, Greenock.

Eddie is a keen sportsman and managed a successful football team, winning the Army Cup three times.

He continues to work for the Ministry of Defence as a career manager for soldiers at the Army Personnel Centre in Glasgow.

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