NORTH Lanarkshire is a lot of things – a former industrial powerhouse, the mid-way point between Edinburgh and Glasgow and the home of Scots comic book superhero Mark Millar.
Millar, whose cartoon stories have been transformed into cinematic blockbusters including Kick-Ass and Kingsman, is known in America for his politically charged writing, including the DC Comics miniseries Superman: Red Son, which imagined Kal-El being raised in the USSR.
His personal politics have also drawn strong reactions in recent years after the writer switched allegiances from Labour to the SNP and back again.
Strong reactions are something the current crop of local politicians are used to following a clutch of controversies including the closure of a lifeline centre for families of children with autism, an ongoing multimillion-pound contracts scandal and a row over inaccurate teaching numbers.
Meanwhile, the SNP group has suffered the “McMafia” civil war, and infighting has also cost the Labour administration ten members who formed their own Independent Alliance Party.
And, as public and private battles continue, the broader politics of the area are changing.
Once a Labour stronghold, the region is served by the SNP at both Westminster – in the form of MPs Phil Boswell, Marion Fellows, Neil Gray and Stuart McDonald – and at Holyrood, where MSPs Jamie Hepburn, Richard Lyle, Alex Neil, Clare Adamson and Fulton MacGregor represent individual areas.
The big question is whether Labour can prevent a similar switch at council level on May 4.
Jim Logue, the current leader of the authority, will face SNP group leader David Stocks in the four-member Airdrie Central ward and both sides are targeting the 39 seats required to achieve a majority.
Logue said he was confident of success and pledged to keep the campaign focused on local issues, such as the provision of leisure services, recycling levels and development plans.
Meanwhile Stocks, whose troops outnumber Labour’s by two, believes he has an opportunity to capitalise on unhappiness amongst constituents about money “wasted” by decision makers.
With more than 40 candidates each and the prospect of electing more than one member in every ward, they both have twice the number of hopefuls as their nearest rivals, the Tories.
With no members at all elected in 2012, the Conservatives are unlikely to sweep the board, though they will be hoping to capitalise on recent poll results that suggest growing support will mean Westminster gains.
The LibDems, who also lost their sole councillor last time around, are not standing at all, but voters from Airdrie to Wishaw have a multitude of players all trying to capture their support.
The field not only includes Greens, a sizeable number of independents, a six-strong Ukip team and representatives of socialist parties, but also the Independent Alliance Party criticised by Logue.
Last month he said he was “absolutely disgusted” by the group, describing its decision to vote against a recent budget as bizarre and questioning its independent stance.
He said: “All of them were bolting on to the SNP flag and joining with them.
"They are indulging in the biggest political huff I have ever seen.”
Councillor Sam Love, who is standing again in the Wishaw ward, dismissed the comments, saying: “Jim Logue’s record in the past year speaks for itself.”
However, the grouping may have a decisive role to play in the next administration, as may the 19 individual independents contesting the 21 wards.
They include Julie McAnulty, who quit the SNP after she was passed over in initial selections.
She will stand against her former party in Coatbridge North, to which she was elected in 2012 before being accused and then cleared of racism against another SNP member – something she is now pursuing through the courts.
And Agnes Coyle, who was also elected on an SNP ticket five years ago, is running as an independent in Airdrie South after failing the party’s vetting process – pitting her against her husband Michael, who aims for re-election as an SNP councillor.
Perhaps these examples serve to highlight the difficulties faced by both major parties at the ballot box.
However, North Lanarkshire needs strong and cohesive leadership for the next term.
In a region where politics has become synonymous with squabbles and scandal, the winning team on May 5 has major challenges ahead in terms of unity, transparency, accountability and trust.
Perhaps turning this authority around is a job for Superman.
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