Council elections: The stories behind some of Scotland's new councillors

Last Thursday, Scotland elected more than 1,200 councillors across 32 councils.

Many of them are now getting their first taste of politics after being elected as local representatives for the first time.

So why did they decide to stand? Here's an introduction to some of the new faces elected across the five main parties.

'I don't want to be known as the blind councillor, I want to be known for what I achieve'

One of Scotland's youngest councillors to be elected on 5 May was Conner Young, who currently studies social sciences at Fife College.

The 18-year-old decided to join the Scottish Conservatives in early 2020, following the general election in December 2019.

"I've been interested in politics since I was nine years old, I used to visit my grandmother's and listen to the portable radio," he said.

"It sparked my interest but at the time I didn't understand what different parties stood for."

Brexit was the main driver for Mr Young's introduction to the Conservatives, as he valued "freedom, the ability to make decisions about my country and the right to criticise the EU".

Mr Young has now been elected to the West Fife and Coastal Villages ward.

He has been registered blind since birth, but told BBC Scotland he did not want to be defined by his lack of sight.

"It's normal to me to have a visual impairment, I don't know any difference and I don't see how being blind and being successful in being elected is something to shout about," he said.

"I don't want to be known as the blind councillor, I want to be known as someone who made a difference to my community."

However, Mr Young said he hoped he would inspire people who have felt held back by a visual impairment or any other barrier to success.

"Don't use one single thing about you as a label - you can be who you want to be. I am not the blind man, and you don't need to be defined by your impairment either," he added.

Mr Young is also keen to use his platform as a councillor to increase flood defences in vulnerable areas and improve access to rail transport.

'My granddad is particularly proud - but he wasn't expecting me to win'

For Hannah Steel, politics runs in the family.

The 22-year-old Scottish Liberal Democrat is the granddaughter of Lord Steel of Aikwood - a former leader of the party and also the Scottish Parliament's first presiding officer.

She's made it into public office four years younger than her grandfather, who was 26 when he became the youngest MP in Parliament after his election in 1965.

"The family have let me know what I am in for, and my granddad is particularly proud - but he wasn't expecting me to win," she admits.

Currently in her final year of studies at the University of Edinburgh, Ms Steel told BBC Scotland she had always considered running for election, but not until later in her career.

She changed her mind following the pandemic, as she felt young people needed a voice in the pandemic recovery.

"Young people have been disproportionately affected by the past two years, the pandemic has impacted so many of our formative years and we need to speak up to shape the policies which will affect our future," she said.

"I know the council isn't somewhere young people think of having their voice heard, but local politics is where the decisions which affect our day-to-day lives are most made."

Ms Steel is keen to reshape mental health services in the Galashiels and District ward in the Scottish Borders, as well as highlighting the impact the climate crisis is having at a local level.

'Greens first, councillor second, trans third'

Poet and writer Elaine Gallagher has been elected to Southside Central ward in Glasgow, which covers Govanhill and the Gorbals.

She managed to unseat the 10-year incumbent and also became Glasgow's first trans councillor.

The Scottish Greens councillor told the BBC she was more interested in pushing green policies and being a good councillor than talking about her gender identity - but realises it's one of the realities of politics.

"My priority is the people of Govanhill and Gorbals," she said.

"Secondly, yes I'm the first trans councillor in Glasgow.

"People can see me as a trans councillor, doing my job to the best of my ability and I just want to actually normalise that trans people can do all the jobs that everybody else can do.

"Greens first, councillor second, trans third."

'Poverty shouldn't be the norm... a suitable home is a basic right'

Sophie Traynor, 25, grew up living in accessible social housing because her mum suffered from arthritis.

The new SNP councillor for Clydebank Central ward in West Dunbartonshire said her home was ill-equipped and that the family had to wait years for a move, despite the house being riddled with damp.

Ms Traynor is keen to highlight the shortage of accessible housing, as well as the lack of local support for families struggling to make ends meet.

"In my area, poverty was normal. I was lucky to benefit from clothing grants and free school meals. In primary school it felt like most other kids were in the same boat," she said.

Despite Clydebank being an area of high deprivation, Sophie said little has been done to support young people to end the poverty cycle and the increasing cost of living means the situation is unlikely to improve for the next generation.

"Young people might not have the same experiences as older generations, but they are vulnerable to the increased cost of living and the inability to buy homes," she told the BBC.

"Poverty shouldn't be the norm... children and young people should expect stability and a safe, suitable home as a basic right.

"I hope that as a councillor I can deliver this for the next generation of children in West Dunbartonshire."

'I want to be an ally for the unrepresented and unheard'

Eunis Jassemi is 27 and has been a member of the Scottish Labour party for 12 years.

"I've run many campaigns and know how decision-making works, but I've always operated at a grassroots level or behind the scenes," the parliamentary researcher said.

"I want to represent my own community now, to allow them to be listened to and respected."

The councillor for Victoria Park in Glasgow said he decided to run after MSPs, former councillors and activists in the Labour party encouraged him to step forward and use his passion for change to become elected.

Now, he hopes to "bring Glasgow into the 21st Century," saying: "We've got a great opportunity to reshape our city and move it forward."

Mr Jassemi said that meant making resources accessible and available for the communities who depend on them.

"The libraries had been closed for two years and the people-power behind the campaign to reopen them shows how ordinary people are politically motivated when issues affect them," he said.

"These community hubs are the heartbeat of underprivileged communities."

The University of the West of Scotland graduate told BBC Scotland he hoped to make Glasgow a place where all constituents' voices were heard.

"I will be an ally for those who have felt unrepresented, unheard and discriminated against," he said.