Falkirk Council Election 2022: Voters go to polls on quiet day that could bring big change

dailyrecord.co.uk:

There was a steady stream of voters throughout the day at polling stations across the Falkirk Council area on Thursday. But with a much higher number of postal votes than usual, experienced campaigners agreed the polls had been unusually quiet before the pace finally picked up with a flurry of votes after teatime.

Candidates from all parties were reluctant to forecast any results - but all said their messages on the doorstep had been well received by voters.The SNP is hoping that it will not only maintain the comfortable lead it held last time but this time do enough to take control of Falkirk Council - and it is the only party fielding enough candidates to have any hope of doing so.Group leader, Cecil Meiklejohn, was out and about early at Thornhill Road Community Centre polling station, alongside first-time council candidate, Iain Sinclair, who is also standing in the Falkirk North ward.They are aware of national opinion polls showing support has ebbed away from the Conservative party as anger at the Partygate scandals shows no sign of disappearing.But they are also aware that might not translate to results in Falkirk.Mr Sinclair said: "It's so unpredictable this voting system that we are just focused on our campaign and what we could do locally with a positive, strong administration."They say that the local issues they are hearing about include the town centre regeneration - a central plank of their campaign.And SNP group leader Mrs Meiklejohn said there are still lots of people who want to talk about the "big issues" - the economy and Independence, which would give them "the economic levers to truly move into recovery mode"."We want to give a positive vision, one of hope for the future which is desperately needed