Chris Cotter

I’m Chris (he/him) and I am putting myself forward again for potential selection as a candidate for the upcoming by-election, having previous stood at the 2022 by-election in the ward.

I moved to Broxburn in 2021 when my wife and I bought our first home for our blended family. Although we haven’t quite put down the roots that we’d like, we both work from home (me as a lecturer in social science at the Open University), our kids attend the 6^th West Lothian Scout Group, where my wife is one of the cub leaders, we enjoy walks along the canal, and regularly frequent pubs, restaurants and parks across the ward. I have a good feel for some of the key local priorities but am keen to hear from local residents and Green members/supporters on these, and work these into our campaign and help build our presence for the future.

I joined the Scottish Greens the morning after the Independence Referendum and became quite active when I lived in Edinburgh. I enjoyed a short period working for the Edinburgh Greens as Campaign Support Officer for the 2017 local council elections. I reprised this role in a voluntary capacity for Lorna Slater’s local by-election campaign in 2019. I was (far down) on the Lothian list for the Holyrood 2021 elections, and – as mentioned above – I stood in this ward at the 2022 by-election. I’m not as involved as I once was, or would like to be, but I am keen, a good listener, a capable speaker, a committed Green, and enthusiastic about helping improve my new home.