THE Liberal Democrats negotiated PR for council elections in return for their coalition support at Holyrood. Across Scotland, it is a policy which will hurt Labour most but, ironically, it could cost the LibDems control in East Dunbartonshire.

They have relied on their provost's casting vote for a majority in council, with their 12 seats cancelled out by the opposition of Labour, Conservatives, and two independents (who left Labour).

The new-look council will still have 24 councillors, but representing eight three-member wards. The LibDems and Labour claim they are confident of maintaining their current quota, but one or both is likely to shed seats to allow the SNP and Conservatives to achieve proportionality in the new voting system.

At the last election, there were no Nationalist victories, but as the SNP finished second in six seats last time round and polled just under 5000 votes across 18 of the 24 seats, the party can be expected to pick up at the very least some seats.

The Conservatives are fielding one candidate in each of the eight new wards and six seats would be seen by them as a success and would make them potential coalition partners, although a deal with the LibDems is thought unlikely. The prospect of a Labour-Conservative coalition cannot be completely ruled out, unless national politics intervenes. A host of contentious issues will ensure a local dimension to the campaign, from a school rebuilding programme to rubbish collections.

East Dunbartonshire, with a population of 106,000, is home to several commuter towns to the north of Glasgow. Bearsden, Milngavie, Lenzie, and Torrance make it one of the most affluent local authorities in the country, although parts of Kirkintilloch, Bishopbriggs, and Auchinairn are still home to challenging social problems. Unemployment is lower than the national average, employment higher, and median earnings 16% higher than the rest of Scotland.

The LibDems are putting up 12 candidates and, publicly, are upbeat about their chances of returning them all, which would require them taking two of the three available seats in half of the wards.

Their vote has been strongest in the west of the council area, in Milngavie and Bearsden, while Labour has dominated further east in the Kirkintilloch, Auchinairn, and Campsie areas.

LibDem leader John Morrison plans to promote their financial stewardship of the council, which he claims to have turned around from a basket case into a stable regime.

However, the LibDems are the most affected by councillors standing down, with four of the six who are leaving coming from their ranks, including Provost Patricia Steel.

Labour will have 11 candidates, hoping to win one in five of the wards and two seats in Bishopbriggs South, Campsie and Kirkintilloch, and Harestanes and Twechar wards. Labour is pledging to scrap a £15 charge for bulk refuse pick-ups and reinstate weekly bin collections.

Conservatives are hoping to exploit what they see as anger over the rebuilding of Low Moss Prison and discontent over the location of new secondary schools.

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