Regular readers will have followed recent reports of the joint meeting of eight local Community Councils which called for more democracy to be returned to Nairn following years of centralisation which has meant the loss of civic functions in the direction of Glenurquhart Road. This is a subject dear to the heart of the local paper too and the Nairnshire Telegraph have comprehensively reported and offered opinion in this direction over recent years. The perceived democratic deficit has been a sore point and a massive political issue locally.
Today, the Inverness Courier reports: "Highland Council cannot relinquish more decision-making powers to Nairnshire." The article goes on to quote a spokesperson who says: "powers cannot be granted for legal reasons."
This observer is certain that this issue will not go away and vociferous campaigners on the Community Councils and others will not remain silent. Dick Youngson Chair of Suburban CC is quoted, however, as calling for continuing "sensible pressure" and he believes this change will come. The role of the Scottish Government in bringing about change in this situation is mentioned. Potentially caught in the middle are Liz and Colin who are members of the Glenurquhart Road SNP led administration that has issued this blunt "No!"
UPDATE 16.46 Please see this subsequent article which includes tweets by Drew Hendry, the Leader of the Council Administration. He points out that this was in fact legal advice from officers and not an Administration statement.
UPDATE 16.46 Please see this subsequent article which includes tweets by Drew Hendry, the Leader of the Council Administration. He points out that this was in fact legal advice from officers and not an Administration statement.
4 comments:
SNP = Yes for Scotland and No for Nairn?
SNP = Yes for Scotland - and YES for Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey. All steps in the right direction for a better Scotland and a better Nairnshire. (I have heard absolutely nothing constructive from any other political party in this regard - except perhaps the Greens.)
Colin
The policy of centralisation WILL continue. It's what all politicians crave - POWER !
I see they're busy closing other courts around the Heilands and moving them to Inverness. No doubt those places didn't protest too much when the Nairn court was shut down and moved to the big city, just thankful it wasn’t them . It's how it's done.
"First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out etc etc..."
Didn’t I see recently that Cap Gemini will be expanding in Inverness and ‘centralising all their Highland operations in one location’ – anyone know what that means for the Nairn office ?
Not hearing any fears over the Nairn office at all Nairnac - think it is just an Inverness round up.
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