Councillor Naysmith

Councillor Naysmith was an elected councillor on Weatherfield Borough Council and a rival of colleague Curly Watts.

Their paths first crossed in March 2002 when the council made plans to close the local crèche in the Health Centre used by Sarah Platt and Curly's help was sought in reversing the plans. Standard methods to get the plans reversed were unsuccessful, including a sit-in at the crèche itself, which was badly supported by the parents who used it. Curly raised the matter at the next council meeting, interrupting a discussion about council-provided hanging baskets and received a haughty reply by Naysmith who alluded to the fact that Curly was only interested in the matter because he had just become a parent himself. A vote was called for to keep the crèche open but was defeated. Incensed, the watching Platt family blockaded the council car park as Naysmith tried to leave and, feeling that he'd left his constituents down, Curly joined them, only to be arrested by his own wife, Emma.

A month later, Curly approached Naysmith for funding for a civil war re-enactment on the Red Rec to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Naysmith was as condescending as ever, telling Curly that not only was funding not available but the necessary permissions to stage the event had not been sought and as a result, it would not take place. Roy Cropper was almost clinically depressed at this news, having put so much effort into organising the event. Hayley went to see Naysmith herself and pleaded emotionally with him to grant special dispensation. Whereas the rancour between Curly and Naysmith failed, Hayley's charm succeeded and he not only granted the dispensation but also found some funding for them.

In the September, Naysmith was the representative at a council-sponsored art exhibition at which Toyah Battersby won first prize with her Tracy Emin-style piece "Les's Chair. Naysmith, being of the old school, was frankly perplexed by some of the items on show but managed to relate to the meaning behind the winning exhibit. Unfortunately, when he was interviewed by journalist Matt Broughall his description of the chair as representing "yob culture" upset Les Battersby who had hitherto looked on his daughter's winning piece with pride.

In August of the following year, it was Les who brought Curly back within Naysmith's orbit when he asked for his help in getting Mr Battersby evicted from No. 5. Emma had been complicit in getting Les falsely convicted for assaulting her police colleague Mick Hopwood and, newly released from prison, Les was getting his revenge by sabotaging their efforts to sell their house. Naysmith smirked that Curly was dropping his principles for once because of his own needs. Emma, when told, reacted angrily towards Curly for the same reason. Nevertheless, Naysmith suggested that Les's ex-wife, Janice write to say that she was no longer resident and that could help. Despite being Mick's girlfriend, she refused out of feelings of guilt.

List of appearances

 * Episode 5238 (27th March 2002)
 * Episode 5255 (23rd April 2002)
 * Episode 5259 (29th April 2002)
 * Episode 5260 (3rd May 2002)
 * Episode 5341 (16th September 2002)
 * Episode 5561 (15th August 2003)