Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 2:40pm

'Threat' Claims At Muirkirk AGM

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One resident claims voters were threatened with the closure of St Thomas's hall.

An "unprecedented" number of people turned out to cast their vote at a Muirkirk Community Council's controversial AGM on Monday night.

Twenty-two candidates - three times the number of people who sat on the Community Council last year - contended for the prized 14 seats.

And 107 people filed up at the ballot box to make their decision.

However what is being seen as a triumph of local democracy has been marred by claims that voters were threatened with opencast job cuts, the closure of St Thomas's Hall and Minerals Trust funding cuts if they didn't vote or if "the wrong ones got into power".

FOR MORE SEE THE CHRONICLE FEB 2 EDITION