To a certain extent we are revisiting old territory here but it is ironic that a few months ago many might have thought it reasonable if Laurie could have had a turn as Provost after the next council elections. By then two of the other three councillors (Liz and Sandy) would have had a stint as Provost and so the chain would quite naturally have fallen into his lap. However, given the well documented way that the civic bling came his way even many of those who had been opposed to Liz in the past jumped to her defence and offered sympathy or practical help in her predicament. Now a new Facebook group dedicated to publicising the gaffe and again calling for Laurie’s resignation slowly gathers momentum.
Here at Gurn HQ we are most annoyed that Laurie’s gaffe vid has been pulled by those with the finger on the digital buttons at Glenurquhart Road. We dearly would have loved to have seen and heard what the councillors had to say about the social club issue. It seems that Liz voiced concerns about the potential noise impact and Lauire maintained his total opposition. There exists a support group on Facebook in favour of the application but no doubt our local councillors thoughts were also influenced by those who generally feel that there is a bit too much noise made at times by those enjoying themselves in the town at the weekends. It isn’t a new problem and there will always have to be a trade-off between those wanting to have a bit more fun and residents wanting a little less noise. What we should have been able to witness online would be the result of the democratic process as both these positions were taken into account in determining the application. Because of comments made by the Provost we no longer are offered that opportunity and that is a shame.
We accept that the comments reported in the press could be conceived as racist but we do not believe them to be so. We agree perhaps with the Inverness Courier in that they are bizarre. In our very own parochial political jungle many participants are used to Laurie, sometimes he can leave you wondering and sometimes he can appear at the top of his game just like the rest. That’s the mix that is the councillor and should he make the odd strange utterance when at a Nairn Ward Forum or a community council meeting then people might try and deconstruct it immediately afterwards or simply allow the conversation to move on. When it happens on a larger stage in such a grand fashion however, it brings attention to Nairn, attention that is unwanted and further focuses on the way the present Provost obtained the chain. One wonders why on earth they didn’t just depose Liz as Chair of the Ward Forum and leave her as a toothless but ever popular civic figurehead? Each ward can make up its own rules and that would have been a perfectly acceptable situation to the electorate. But the deed was done. Will Laurie survive? It is worth considering Iain Bain’s erudite editorial, part of which states after referring to the comments made:
‘Whether or not this now leads to the Provost’s resignation or dismissal is another matter. What is also clear is that Provost Fraser handed his political future to his opponents in no uncertain matter. The sacking of his predecessor now resounds.’
Here at Gurn HQ we are most annoyed that Laurie’s gaffe vid has been pulled by those with the finger on the digital buttons at Glenurquhart Road. We dearly would have loved to have seen and heard what the councillors had to say about the social club issue. It seems that Liz voiced concerns about the potential noise impact and Lauire maintained his total opposition. There exists a support group on Facebook in favour of the application but no doubt our local councillors thoughts were also influenced by those who generally feel that there is a bit too much noise made at times by those enjoying themselves in the town at the weekends. It isn’t a new problem and there will always have to be a trade-off between those wanting to have a bit more fun and residents wanting a little less noise. What we should have been able to witness online would be the result of the democratic process as both these positions were taken into account in determining the application. Because of comments made by the Provost we no longer are offered that opportunity and that is a shame.
We accept that the comments reported in the press could be conceived as racist but we do not believe them to be so. We agree perhaps with the Inverness Courier in that they are bizarre. In our very own parochial political jungle many participants are used to Laurie, sometimes he can leave you wondering and sometimes he can appear at the top of his game just like the rest. That’s the mix that is the councillor and should he make the odd strange utterance when at a Nairn Ward Forum or a community council meeting then people might try and deconstruct it immediately afterwards or simply allow the conversation to move on. When it happens on a larger stage in such a grand fashion however, it brings attention to Nairn, attention that is unwanted and further focuses on the way the present Provost obtained the chain. One wonders why on earth they didn’t just depose Liz as Chair of the Ward Forum and leave her as a toothless but ever popular civic figurehead? Each ward can make up its own rules and that would have been a perfectly acceptable situation to the electorate. But the deed was done. Will Laurie survive? It is worth considering Iain Bain’s erudite editorial, part of which states after referring to the comments made:
‘Whether or not this now leads to the Provost’s resignation or dismissal is another matter. What is also clear is that Provost Fraser handed his political future to his opponents in no uncertain matter. The sacking of his predecessor now resounds.’
