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New council leader's jobs pledge

Ken Guild

Ken Guild said that jobs, education and housing were priorities

The new leader of Dundee City Council has said that bringing more jobs to the city will be top of the agenda.

The SNP now controls the council after it seized power from the Labour/Liberal Democrat administration at a special meeting on Monday evening.

Labour had been at the helm of the local authority for the past 29 years.

SNP group leader Ken Guild said the party would immediately focus on steering the city through the current economic downturn.

The Nationalists launched their bid for power after a by-election gave them 14 out of the 29 seats at the council.

'Fresh start'

Lord Provost John Letford then resigned from the Labour group to become an independent councillor and backed the SNP's attempt to take the reigns.

In a statement, the SNP outlined its early priorities for the city.

It said: "An SNP administration is an opportunity for a fresh start for the city with a new and open approach to politics.

"The economic downturn has hit Dundee's manufacturing jobs hard.

"We will work with local businesses, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government in taking forward an economic recovery plan for the city, building on the securing of £33m of investment from the Scottish Government towards the Waterfront development."

The statement also contained pledges to improve education, increase the availability of affordable homes, promote Dundee as a renewable energy capital of Scotland, and help in efforts to bring a V&A museum to the city.

The party also promised to ensure early implementation of recommendations from an inquiry into the death of Dundee toddler Brandon Muir, who was killed by his mother's boyfriend.