At the last election for City councillors, voters made their X on the ballot paper for one person out of perhaps half a dozen from  different political parties. When the votes were counted the candidate with the most votes was duly elected. This was the ‘first past the post’ system. That councillor was then responsible for a Ward of around 6000 voters.

But that is NOT what will happen in May this year.

First of all, the traditional small Ward will disappear. Much larger Wards of between 18,000 and 24,5000 voters will come into being. Each of these new Wards will be represented by three or four councillors.

They will be selected by voters from a choice of possibly as many as 20 candidates on the ballot paper. Most political parties are expected to field more than one candidate in each ward.

The voter will not mark their choices of candidates with the traditional X but will need to mark ‘1’ for their first choice; ‘2’ for their second choice, ‘3’ for their third choice and so on depending on how many seats are up for grabs in that ward.

This system is called ‘the Single Transferable Vote’ (STV) and is widely used in trade unions and in Europe. It is considered to be a fairer system than ‘first past the post.’

Currently, 69 of Glasgow’s 79 councillors are Labour Party. But only around half of the votes cast in 2003 were for Labour. A new – and different - political balance will be struck through the STV system in May.

In this feature we highlight four of the new ‘multi-councillor’ wards on the Southside.

WARD 3 - GREATER POLLOK

Keith Baldassara (SSP)
‘I’m happy to represent the SSP again in Pollok. I’ve fought long and hard in for the community over the past 18 years, and I’m proud to represent that community. I have fought to re-instate buses, secure community facilities, make the area safer and get children a place to play. I only hope to continue. It’ll be an uphill fight, but I think we have a good chance of retaining the seat.’

Patricia Duffy (SNP)
‘Issues for me are a shortage of amenities in comparison to the amount of new-build housing. What I would hope to do is get more amenities for the area, particularly for young people. The Council has not learned the lessons of the past.

Alec Glass (L)
‘I’m most proud of the amount of work done to transform Nitshill in the past 10 years. Tenement housing has gone and been replaced by new low-level housing, which has attracted a new community to Nitshill. The next stage is the provision of services and jobs for that new community at the new Silverburn centre.’

Tommy Morrison (L)
‘There’s lots of good news in the area and a lot of development and a lot of issues. Developments at Silverburn represent a massive opportunity for Greater Pollok. I would like to see more community policemen and community wardens so people will feel safer in the streets. I’ve been  on Hurlet Community Council and chair of Glasgow South West and Glasgow City Labour parties.’

William O’Rourke (L)
‘I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been promoted under five different leaders and held four senior positions. You can get one promotion for being the blue-eyed boy, but I must have had some ability to be promoted five times.’

WARD 4 - CRAIGTON

Scott Coghill (Lib Dem)
‘I want to bring back local power to local people and restore local democracy. We have no community council, so I would like to set one up, as well as a number of area committees, to look at issues like planning and licensing. I live in Craigton and I love it and that’s why I’m standing.’

Iris Gibson (SNP)
‘I’m looking forward to the challenges of the new set-up. I will enjoy the difference, as I think that there will be more SNP and others in the Council. I have achieved many small things in the area, such as the retention of the number 59 bus and a useful cycle track in Bellahouston.’

Matthew Kerr (L)
‘The main issues are anti-social behaviour and transport particularly in Craigton around the Paisley Road corridor. Regarding anti-social behaviour, we’re trying to get the community working together again. I’m looking at the possibility of dispersal orders. The key to solving anti-social behaviour is giving the youngsters something to do, so we need continued funding for things like night football and sport.’

Gordon McDiarmid (L)
‘My proudest achievement is the comprehensive regeneration of Penilee and the funding secured from the Social Inclusion Partnership. The blighted tenements were replaced with new housing, as in Bowfield, the area got new shops, new football pitches with changing facilities and St Andrew’s church was refurbished. It was not only my work, but the work of a sterling team of individuals at the SIP.’

Alastair Watson (L)
‘I have been active since I was elected and will continue to be. I could reel off a whole list of achievements, like the Nethercraigs Sports Centre, but what I am most proud of is the challenge I have mounted in Cardonald against youth disorder. I am determined to represent law-abiding citizens against youth crime and anti-social behaviour.’

WARD 5 - GOVAN

Shakuat Butt (L)
‘I am proud of many things. We have worked hard with the local MP to bring big investment and development to the area, such as the BBC, STV and the Science Centre. The thing that is most important to me is that when a constituent calls me with a problem, I will go to their door to try and help them sort it out.’

Mike Cobley (Lib Dem)
‘Local crime is definitely an issue. We also need more amenities for local youths in the immediate area. As a party we are also very concerned about the separation of Cultural and Leisure Services into a new ‘Trust’, which is at green paper stage. It’s effectively taking parks and museums away from systems of democratic control and it’s shocking.’

Stephen Dornan (L)
‘When I took over in Drumoyne it was recognised to be one of the worst areas in Glasgow. Drumoyne has now been completely regenerated. I’m also proud of the regeneration in Linthouse. Regeneration is why I’m looking forward to standing for the larger Govan ward. I hope to be able to take my proven track record and expertise to the wider area. I’m a Govan man and proud to be able to do something for the area that I live in.’

John Flanagan (L)
‘My proudest achievement is helping constituents with problems. Lives can be changed by being able to contact the appropriate bodies. From a constituent trapped in Thailand to damp housing and evictions. These issues affect people on a day-to-day basis. With Govan Law Centre, I’m campaigning against excessive bank charges. People are being charged of £25 or more for missing one payment or being slightly overdrawn.’

Allison Hunter (SNP)
‘There seems to be a perception that Govan Cross in particular is a very run-down state and local people don’t know what is happening with it. The local transport links are also very difficult. Often people have to take two buses to get to the City Centre or Braehead, which is both difficult and expensive.’

WARD 7 - LANGSIDE

Paul Coleshill (Lib Dem)
‘I have been a Councillor before in Argyll and Bute and have a proven track record and I work as an economist at the University of Paisley and know how figures are manipulated. The issues for me include the new Victoria Infirmary right in the heart of the constituency and the questions that go with that, Council-wide issues like the transfer of Culture and Leisure out of the Council’s control, and more local issues like street cleaning, graffiti and anti-social behaviour.’

James Dornan (SNP)
‘The ward is a varied area, and the issues facing it are varied. The ones that spring to mind are public transport and anti-social behaviour. The public transport system in Battlefield should be remedied so that two buses are not fighting for position. Thanks to the new electoral system, come May the people of Langside hopefully will be fully and fairly represented.’

Archie Graham (Labour)
‘I think I’ve represented Langside well over the last 10 years. My biggest achievement is securing £55 million in funding from GCC and the Scottish Executive for the White Cart Flood Prevention scheme. Work has already started but it will be next year before we see the effects. With rain levels rising for the foreseeable future thanks to global warming, I’m enormously proud that I have secured this resource for the Southside.’

Margaret McCafferty (Labour)
‘I set myself targets. I wanted new lifts in Cathkin View and they’re there. I wanted secure entry in the Myrtleshaw flats and they’re there. My proudest achievement is the skate park in Queens Park recreation grounds, as I’m a firm believer in giving young people facilities. I think if we have more facilities, then young people are less likely to get into trouble. At the moment there is lot happening with the ongoing pre-12 strategy, and I’m trying to get priority parking for the cottages at the bottom of Prospecthill Road and the road itself widened, due to the new Victoria Infirmary.’