The Hustings - the Questions asked

Here at Gurn HQ we've done a little work on the video we made last night at the hustings in the URC and we hope to have the first one or two of a series showing the entire hustings up later this evening. The day jobs must come first for a wee while now today but we've had an offer of a bit of help with some superior editing software so maybe we'll have a bit more video content up sooner than anticipated. The questions asked last night got deep below the fabric of Nairnshire political life and  into the core of many issues that have raised their ugly heads over the past five years and even beyond that in some instances. Given Sandown and the Common Good controversies you could even go as far to suggest ugly and festering heads. Just to give you a flavour of the proceedings last night here's the first eight questions that Steven Manders had received from members of the public:

Question 1

What would you do to manage the “feral kids” in the High Street who are so intimidating at night?

Question 2

In the light of newspaper headlines telling us that food parcels are needed for families in Highland Council and in Nairn do the panel think that Highland Council funding is misplaced, for example, supporting a week long soil and  bio diversity event with glossy brochures and questions like what future for the moles of Melvaig.  Should funding be spent on basic needs in the community rather than things that pay high salaries for Highland Council employees?  

Question 3

Are there any of the candidates freemasons?

Do the independent candidates have any earlier affiliations to political parties?

Question 4

What would the candidates do about the fact that the graveyard is running out and no proposals are taking place to actually do something about it, we’re told that there are 18 months left and local Nairn people can’t buy a lair in Nairn.  Would the candidates do something to make something happen quickly?

Question 5

At the public meeting a year or two ago there was a reassurance that the Links school building would be developed sympathetically if it’s to be sold, does this view still hold and what are the candidates view on the sale of the Links school?  

Question 6

Would Nairn benefit from a single community council to argue its case in the face of growing Invercentralism  rather than three separate councils that seem to fail to agree?

Question 7

In one of the election leaflets it said that a new site would have to be found for the library in two years when the lease runs out, is this something which is irreversible and if so where would the library go? 

Question 8

Should the Nairn Provost automatically be the elected member with the most first choice votes or should the idea proposed by former Provost Sandy Park be the choice of the Nairn Community Councils?

Question 8

What would the candidates do to ensure that Nairn retains control over the common good fund and the common good land because of its [???? Missing a word here] significance to the town of Nairn.

Question 8a

Do the candidates support Mr Gilfinnan, the Area Corporate Manager’s, opinion that the matter is now closed unless people are prepared to take external legal action?