PAY WHAT YOU LIKE, ON THE NIGHT!!— Nairn County FC (@NairnCounty) 31 March 2018
We want to thank fans and hopefully encourage new supporters to attend Station Park by setting the minimum fee for the Fort William match on Weds Apr 4th at a minimum of £1 for adults and concessions. pic.twitter.com/hWJOjuQuWh
A Gurn from Nurn - News, opinion and pictures from sunny Nairnshire - keep in touch, bookmark the Gurn
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Get yourself up to Station Park on Wednesday night (4th April) minimum entry £1, pay what you like at the gate
Nairn Healthcare Group Spring Newsletter
Staffing
Nairn Healthcare has had a lot of changes over recent months. We have said hello to Dr Marc Macmillan, our new GP Registrar. We will also be welcoming new trainee doctor, Dr Alicia Garland, to the team from the start of April.
We
will be saying goodbye to our long-term receptionist, Blan, who will
be retiring after 22 years. Our HCA,Debra, will also be leaving us to take a new post with the Blood Transfusion Service. We wish both Blan and Debra all the best
Our new HCA will be Emma, who will join the team in May. Emma also works in reception and will continue her role as a receptionist on a part time basis up until the end of August.
Bowel Screening
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness month. Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in Scotland but it is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Taking part in bowel cancer screening is the best way to get diagnosed early.
From January-June 2017, 918 out of 1,469 (62.5%) took part in the Bowel Screening Programme. The majority being female. We would like to encourage all our patients between the ages of 50 to 74 to take part in this worthwhile screening. It could save your life!
If you are aged between 50-74, the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme will invite you for screening every 2 years. A kit will be sent to your home address where it is to be completed and returned to the screening centre based in Dundee.
1 in 20 over 50s will get bowel cancer at some point in their lives, screening aims to find bowel cancer at an early stage and if the cancer is detected early enough, there is a 90% chance of treating the disease successfully.
Screening saves lives but at the moment, in some areas of the UK, only a third of those who receive a test in the post complete it. Thousands of people are missing out on the best way to detect bowel cancer early when it is easier to treat and there is a greater chance of survival.
For more information call the helpline on 0800 0121 833 or visit www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/screening.
eConsult
Nairn Healthcare will be discontinuing the eConsult service from July 2018 however we will be offering online appointments in the near future to book a routine GP appointment.
Mobile Numbers
We would like to encourage all patients with a mobile phone to provide us with their number. Nairn Healthcare now provides 2-way texting for appointments. If you have booked an appointment 2 working days in advance, we will text you and remind you of said appointment and if you wish to cancel, you just have to reply to the text. Saves waiting in a busy telephone queue for a receptionist. We will also be introducing texts for routine appointments so if you usually receive an annual letter asking you to come in for a review nurse appointment for a certain condition, this will be done through text in the near future.
Tick Information
Winter is now officially over and we are all looking forward to summer and getting out in the countryside and gardens.
However, the country undergrowth from spring until autumn is covered in tiny ticks which may carry bacteria and can transfer to people when the tick attaches itself. If the tick is removed properly and correctly, there is no risk to health but there is a risk of developing Lyme disease if this is not done correctly.
A symptom of Lyme disease is a red skin rash which can be cured with a simple antibiotic. If the rash goes unnoticed, it can result in joint pain or nerve problems which may require stronger antibiotics.
If you find a tick on yourself or your child, wait until you get home and calmly remove the tick with a tick removal tool which is designed to get underneath the tick and lift it off safely. Don’t attempt to remove it with your fingers. Using fingers or tweezers risk squeezing the tick and actually injecting the Lyme disease bacteria into your blood.
DO NOT USE VASELINE, CIGARETTES OR ALCOHOL
For more information, please pick up the Tick Information Guide from reception or read online at http://www.nairnhealthcaregroup.co.uk/website/S55041/files/tick%20information%20sheet.pdf
Or check out the following videos on YouTube:
1 Overview (video): https://youtu.be/Quoh5YFVsX0
2 What are ticks? (video): https://youtu.be/iHXW7B6XT7E
3 Avoiding ticks (video): https://youtu.be/AlCr8KuVJrY
4 Checking for ticks (video): https://youtu.be/L3SxuRYDPcI
5 Tick removal (video): https://youtu.be/7SngcVIJ9eo
6 Lyme disease signs and symptoms (video): https://youtu.be/wuP5G7WCHbA
Are you a smoker who would like help to stop? A local advisor, Linda Hilton, will be running weekly smoking cessation clinics at Nairn Healthcare. You can self-refer to Linda by calling the Smoke Free Line on 01463 704619 or
call/text: 07771 666803 or alternatively email: linda.hilton1@nhs.net.
Nairn Healthcare has had a lot of changes over recent months. We have said hello to Dr Marc Macmillan, our new GP Registrar. We will also be welcoming new trainee doctor, Dr Alicia Garland, to the team from the start of April.
We will be saying goodbye to our long-term receptionist, Blan, who will be retiring after 22 years. Our HCA, Debra, will also be leaving us to take a new post with the Blood Transfusion Service. We wish both Blan and Debra all the best
Our new HCA will be Emma, who will join the team in May. Emma also works in reception and will continue her role as a receptionist on a part time basis up until the end of August.
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness month. Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in Scotland but it is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Taking part in bowel cancer screening is the best way to get diagnosed early.
From January-June 2017, 918 out of 1,469 (62.5%) took part in the Bowel Screening Programme. The majority being female. We would like to encourage all our patients between the ages of 50 to 74 to take part in this worthwhile screening. It could save your life!
If you are aged between 50-74, the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme will invite you for screening every 2 years. A kit will be sent to your home address where it is to be completed and returned to the screening centre based in Dundee.
Screening saves lives but at the moment, in some areas of the UK, only a third of those who receive a test in the post complete it. Thousands of people are missing out on the best way to detect bowel cancer early when it is easier to treat and there is a greater chance of survival.
A symptom of Lyme disease is a red skin rash which can be cured with a simple antibiotic. If the rash goes unnoticed, it can result in joint pain or nerve problems which may require stronger antibiotics.
If you find a tick on yourself or your child, wait until you get home and calmly remove the tick with a tick removal tool which is designed to get underneath the tick and lift it off safely. Don’t attempt to remove it with your fingers. Using fingers or tweezers risk squeezing the tick and actually injecting the Lyme disease bacteria into your blood.
DO NOT USE VASELINE, CIGARETTES OR ALCOHOL
Or check out the following videos on YouTube:
http://www.nairnhealthcaregroup.co.uk/
Friday, March 30, 2018
Bikebug closing tomorrow, thank you for five years of excellent service - and what to do now if you need bicycle repairs - with Bikespokes the mobile service
It is now the last two days of the Bikebug closing down sale. It is a real shame to see the end of Bikebug, quite a few times this observer has been over there over the past five years for spares or help with bigger problems. There will still be help available in Nairnshire though for those with bicycle difficulties.
Here's some information that is currently out there on the Bikebug site:
"Well, presumably you were looking for Bikebug, the Cycle Shop in Nairn, but sadly it has now closed. Owners Steve and Alyson have decided to retire from the trade and would like to thank all their loyal customers for their support over the last 5 years. They have very kindly passed on elements of the business to bikespokes, so hopefully we can help you instead.
We offer almost all the same services with one major difference – we have a van instead of a shop! We do repairs, servicing and rental, as well as sales of bikes, parts and accessories. We started in 2014 and are based just a few miles outside of Nairn, so we are in the town on a regular basis already.
You can Book an Appointment online or by phone/text or email. Our contact details are here and for some random cycling stories, don't forget to like our Facebook page too.
Feel free to browse our website to see what we are all about and don't hesitate to get in touch if you want to find out more. Thanks for looking and hopefully we can be of service soon."
Farewell Bikebug and hello to the mobile service Bikespokes
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Petition by campaigners to stop Highland Council closing 9 public toilets in Sutherland.
A bit off-piste for the Gurn perhaps but it is the same sort of thing as we are facing in Nairn, the effects of the Highland Council budget that was recently passed at Glenurquhart Road.
Here in Nairn there are no shortage of folk who consider parking charges and toilet charges (or closures) as a form of self-harm when it comes to tourism. Here's what someone has to say about toilet closures in Sutherland.
"With the increasing popularity of the North Coast 500 (NC500), promoted in part by Highland Council, we are seeing ever-growing numbers of visitors to the NW Highlands and these people also require access to facilities in order to avoid more cases of human waste being left by the roadside.
As part of its budget proposals for 2018/2019 Highland Council are closing public toilets at the following locations in the county of Sutherland: Achmelvich, Kinlochbervie, Rhiconich, Scourie, Smoo Cave, Lairg, Kylesku, Talmine, and Tarbet.
The total estimated savings come to just £67,000 per year yet we consider these to be essential services, both for local people and tourists & others visiting the area."
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
So it looks like that if Highland Council had signed the Nairn BID document then parking charges would have been off the agenda for five years?
Last night at their regular monthly meeting Nairn West and Suburban Community Council member Alastair Noble presented the following document. It seems such a shame because to this observer if Nairn's councillors had ensured that the BID document had been signed then that would have been it surely? With any attempt at imposing parking charges on Nairn totally out the window for five years - presuming Nairn businesses vote for the BID proposal.
Below is what Alastair presented to the meeting and if you need information on the BID then here is where you can find out more.
Update on BID.
It is interesting to look back at the history of the Nairn BID. It grew from Ryden’s work on the Town Centre Charrette. They, like so many of the outside agencies we have dealt with, saw the potential for real development and investment in Nairn. They approached Ian Davison Porter at BID Scotland and he approached NICE to facilitate the Nairn BID. We, Michael Barnett and myself undertook the enabling role, working with Michael Boylan, Chair of the Association of Nairn Businesses and Michael Green, who was our Chair of the Nairnshire Committee at that time. We travelled all over Scotland to established BIDs and BID meetings. We agreed that a BID would be in Nairn’s best interest. We are now more than ever convinced of the benefit of having the business voice clearly heard using the BID mechanism.
The BID set up a steering group of local businesses and employed Alan Rankin and now Liam Christie as project managers to develop the BID Business Plan.
Part of that work was to deliver a Baseline Agreement to clarify which services Highland Council should continue to deliver during the BID term (2018-2023). This is the process used between BIDs throughout Scotland and their local Councils. It clearly identifies what the BID levy payers do not pay for.
The draft document was sent to me on the 31/October/2017, having already been lodged with Highland Council to be signed off. Timetabled to be signed off by December 31/2017
Alan had regular meetings and sent monthly reminders to Highland Council.
The BID Steering Group recorded extreme concern on January 23 at lack of agreement on Baseline Agreement. Alan reported to BID Scotland on February 20/2018 that the Business Agreement was still not agreed and that the deadline of March 15/2018 for sign off by Highland Council and Scottish Government was fast approaching
In that draft document it clearly stated that there would be continued free car parking in Nairn car parks for the five years. Given my long association with many groups in Nairn and in particular ANB and NEI, I have no doubt that the business sector in Nairn is not in favour of parking charges.
This was again reinforced when Michael Boylan called the open meeting in the British Legion which unanimously opposed car parking charges in Nairn on 13 February 2018.
I think it is essential that the BID is successful in the ballot and that we have a strong business voice making sure that we can create as many good, well paid jobs in Nairn as possible.
I will continue to do all in my power to make sure we deliver a successful Nairn Connects BID from 2018-2023.
Dr Alastair L Noble MBE
No decision on proposed McDonalds and Home Bargains development from Nairn West and Suburban Community Council...
...for the moment anyway. In recent years the town's community councils have not been shy on putting in submissions to planning applications in each other's areas, Nairn South and the former Doctor's Surgery (now the Vets) are just too of many that spring immediately to this observer's mind. It was a little unusual then to see reluctance from NWSCC at their regular monthly meeting last night to make any submission. The majority attitude was that it was in Nairn River Community Council's area and that was that. Mention was made of how members of the public in the NWSCC might be just as interested as the NRCC area residents given the significance and scale of the retail development and the ongoing discussions on social media. NRCC last week came out against the proposal and there is more on the discussion at their meeting in today's Nairnshire Telegraph.
Last night, there was a call for a submission to be made however by member of NWSCC, Andrew Randerson, who made an impassioned plea for all those that support the application to go onto the Highland Council e-planning pages, register, and state their approval. His appeal was not without support on the Council and the public benches last night. NWSCC did not make a decision however, and may communicate amongst themselves on the matter in the near future.
Academy pupils put County book to good use
Follow the link in the embedded tweet below to the article on the NCFC website.
FEATURE: Find out how unsold copies of the History of Nairn County FC: 100 Years in the Highland League are being put to good use at Nairn Academy by English teacher Kenny Allison. Click on the link below for more:https://t.co/0DlVOMBm30 pic.twitter.com/dYMCf05Tmm— Nairn County FC (@NairnCounty) 27 March 2018
Monday, March 26, 2018
Nairnshire woodpecker on the slip
Lisa captures it
When Woody fell off his perch lol! Metal is slippy! Love this time of year, Nairn, Scotland #BritishSummerTime #SpringForward @_BTO @BBCSpringwatch @BBCHighlands @BTO_Scotland @BBCCountryfile @HighlandNature @Natures_Voice pic.twitter.com/exh5miLsGB— Lisa@Lethen (@lisawood81) March 25, 2018
HIE surveys on banking provision in Highland launched - individual surveys for Business, residents and community groups
Last week at their regular meeting Nairn River Community Council discussed the recent launch of a series of HIE Surveys on Banking provision in the Highlands.
The surveys are about local bank branch closures. The findings will be used to gather feedback from individual households, businesses and community groups in areas to be affected by the closures. HIE has commissioned the Indigo House Group to carry out the work as part of a wider study into the social and economic importance of access to local banks.
HIE are urging individuals, community groups and businesses in your communities to complete the surveys, web links for which are included below.
Surveys can be made available by hard copy, and HIE would welcome communities’ help in distributing these. Please contact Indigo House if your community would like hard copies for completion. The email address to obtain hard copies is hello@indigohousegroup.com.
More information is available on the Highlands and Islands Enterprise website where you can read more about the study.
Please see the survey links below.
Business survey –
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Access_to_Banking_Businesses Access to Banking Services in Rural Communities - Survey of Businesses
Residents survey –
Community groups survey – https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Access_to_Banking_Community_Organisations Access to Banking Services in Rural Communities - Survey of Community Organisations/ Groups
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Home Bargains and a McDonalds up at Balmakeith next to Sainsbury's - Nairn River Community Council online poll
23rd March 2018 UPDATE: Poll now removed from Nairn River Community Council Facebook page. We understand it may return however in a format containing more information and an indication to social media users that the best means of ensuring their voices are heard on this or other planning applications is to make comments officially on the Highland Council e-planning pages.
Follow The Link below if you have a Facebook account and vote in the River CC poll.
Follow The Link below if you have a Facebook account and vote in the River CC poll.
So far a massive surge in support for the planning application. Perhaps an indication of how large retail development has been prevented outside the town centre for so long until in recent years when Sainsbury's arrived. Here at the Gurn we have no interest whatever in the McDonalds but whatever the rights and wrongs of it it this observer suspects that many people, especially the young, will be in favour of this development. There is also discussion on the popular Nairn Rocks Facebook page.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Monday, March 19, 2018
Nairn 1 Formartine 2 and Fort William 0 Nairn 2 pictures Donald Matheson
Formartine v Nairn Individual images here.
Match report here
Fort William v Nairn Individual images here
Match report here.
Match report here
Fort William v Nairn Individual images here
Match report here.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Parking charges consultation - is it simply all about "when and how to implement them" then? Worrying statement from Dingwall Councillor
Here's what a Dingwall Councillor seems to think.
Wouldn't have been wonderful if Nairn's three Highland Councillors that actually voted for the budget had instead gone the other way and stood up and said that Parking Charges were unacceptable to our community and if the Highland Council regime tried to implement them on Nairn then they would lead the Civil Resistance should there be attempts to actually install them?
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Cinema Nairn - My Cousin Rachel (12A) - Friday 16th March 7.30pm Nairn Community and Arts Centre - Tickets at the door.
Daphne du Maurier was masterful in gradually unfolding a tale with myriad twists and turns to ratchet up suspense. Her novel ‘My Cousin Rachel’ tells of how a young Englishman plots revenge against his late cousin’s beautiful and mysterious widow whom he suspects of murder, only to become besotted with her. Rachel Weisz puts in an immense performance as the enigmatic Rachel, by turns compassionate and sinister, while Sam Caflin plays the immature and impressionable young man under the spell of this fascinating older woman.
Sumptuous period settings and the beautiful vistas of South Coast do not make this a period piece, for Rachel is a thoroughly modern woman, and one is constantly wrestling with whether to feel compassion or antipathy towards her. ‘Did she or didn’t she?’ Come and find out at Cinema Nairn’s film on Friday 16th March 7.30pm at Nairn Community and Arts Centre.
Spinning it, Highland Council's free dinners budget for Councillors looks set to go over budget when it should have been cut back.
More in the current edition of the Highland News (excellent journalism from Emma Crichton) and a discussion over on the ever-popular Nairn Our Town Facebook page on the article in question.
But Nairn's premier fake news site has fallen out of its lunchbox on this one - more over on the Spin.
Nairn Dunbar help out with machinery loan for the Links putting green
Supporting the community đź‘Ź@NairnDunbar machinery allowing the council to get some much needed aeration work done to the local putting green ⛳️đź‘Ť #aeration #puttinggreen #supportyourcommunity #nairndunbargolflinks pic.twitter.com/5RW1R4opbo— Richard Johnstone (@CMnairndunbar) 13 March 2018
Monday, March 12, 2018
Cyber-crime awareness event - watch the livestream at Cawdor Community Centre
"Nairn and Nairnshire Community Partnership will host the live stream of the event https://cybertuesday.eventbrite.co.uk at Cawdor Community Centre between 1245 hours and 1545 hours on Tuesday 13 March 2018
We encourage the public and representatives of businesses and charities in Nairn and Nairnshire to attend or send a representative who can then cascade the information to colleagues.
This event is also open to members of the public. If you wish to attend at Cawdor Community Centre and view the livestream, please email NairnCP@scotland.pnn.police.uk by 12/03/2018 to secure your place"
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Highland League Cup Nairn 3 Fraserburgh 4
Match report here. Ronnie's reaction here. Video below shows Kenny MacKenzie getting Nairn's 2nd goal of the cup tie.
John Finnie MSP calls for Better Bus Services in the Highlands and Islands
Scottish Greens Transport Spokesperson John Finnie MSP, has said that poor bus services are “letting down” communities in the Highlands and Islands.
A Citizens Advice Scotland Bus Users Survey (1) published this week showed that 64% of respondents were generally dissatisfied with the service frequency of their local bus, with service frequency, punctuality and value for money highlighted as the three most important issues to bus users.
In the HITRANS area 69% of people expressed dissatisfaction with the frequency of services, while 66% expressed dissatisfaction with processes for providing feedback.
Commenting on the publication Mr Finnie said:
“A lack of quality bus services is letting down communities throughout the Highlands and Islands. Folk don’t have unreasonable expectations - they want decent services that connect communities, turn up on time and don’t cost a fortune.
“The Scottish Green Party have long called for regulation of bus services. It’s simply not acceptable that private operators are able to cherry pick the premium, profitable routes, while other communities are abandoned.
“The Scottish Government are due to bring forward a transport bill this year, and I will be fighting to ensure that better buses are at the heart of this legislation. Lothian Buses, owned by the City of Edinburgh Council, provides an excellent service in our nation’s capital. I see no reason why this model shouldn’t be rolled out across the rest of the country, ensuring profits made in our public transport system is reinvested to improve the service.”
Stop RBS closures - MP Drew Hendry supporting local campaigners on Nairn High Street
First stop on @theSNP #RBS day of action. Thanks to those who came out in the rain to show @RBS that #Nairn says the closure must be halted. Public very keen to sign the petition. On to #Grantown now. pic.twitter.com/lG91kniq1b— Drew Hendry MP (@drewhendrySNP) March 10, 2018
Wednesday, March 07, 2018
In town Saturday morning - why not pop down the High Street for 10.30 am ?
For details of the effect bank closures can have on communites like ours please see the video below of Drew Hendry MP speaking in Nairn Recently.
Tuesday, March 06, 2018
Monday, March 05, 2018
Is the parking charges worm turning? Even folk in Inverness worried about Highland Council proposals now "Fears over impact on rise of car parking charges"
"Fears have been voiced that struggling businesses will be hit by hikes in car parking fees – with a minimum £1-an-hour charge to be introduced at all Highland Council sites." More in the Press and Journal - follow the link in the embedded tweet below.
Fears over impact on rise of car parking chargeshttps://t.co/CbnvJBdQtS pic.twitter.com/EA77DLabTa— The Press & Journal (@pressjournal) 5 March 2018
Sunday, March 04, 2018
The Gurn understands that Scrumpy made in the Highlands may be available at the Nairn Beer Festival in May - Blogging may be light around that time
— Caledonian Cider Co (@CaledonianCider) March 4, 2018
Nairn Road Runners 10K and Fun Run 2018 videos
Lots of colour in Nairn High Street this Sunday afternoon as the regular 10K and the fun run get underway.
Saturday, March 03, 2018
"The imposition of charges for Public Conveniences and Parking provision will have a terrible impact on our town centres and tourist attractions. Another false economy"
Here's a press release we received from Highland Councillor Emma Knox (SNP) on Highland Council budget matters:
"Councillor Emma Knox says that there is a lot of misinformation coming from the Highland Council's Independent/Lib/Lab administration about funding from the Scottish Government.
The financial settlement for year 2018/2019 shows that the council will receive £439.463m revenue this represents a flat cash settlement - the same as they received in 2017/2018 accounting for inflation. (ie more actual cash).
When council tax is added, estimated at £128.2m (including a 3% rise) this gives a revenue budget of £567m. One million pounds more than 2017/18 in real terms.
Added to this, we have the Scottish Governments Capital grant to the council which is £4.4m more than the previous year. A total of £41.305m.
In the auditor’s report for the council in September 2017 the headline figures were that in 2017/18 the Highland Council had an agreed revenue budget of £566m which included 14.3m.
On top of this money they have also been giving money for three flood prevention schemes:
· Smithton & Culloden = £9.03m
· Caol & Lochside = £294k
· Drumnadrochit = £196k
This is another £9.583m.
Cllr Knox explains that the Scottish government has not reduced or cut the Highland Council money. In fact, it has increased it's funding to the Highland Council for year 2018/2019.
So, why does the Highland Council now have to find £15m savings?
Cllr Knox says that this is because the Highland Council has not made the savings it was required to do over the two and a half years which has resulted in this accumulated total. It’s down to bad management and poor leadership at Highland council.
In the auditor’s report for the council in September 2017 the headline figures were that in 2017/18 the Highland Council had an agreed revenue budget of £566m which included 14.3m of savings.
We are moving into 2018/2019 with the same level of savings outstanding. No attempts were made to make any savings, therefore radical changes are now needed.
Cllr Knox suggests that regular reviews are required which must be deeper in their scrutiny and delivery. The Design Board, a cross party committee set up to review spending and identify savings, needs to be more probing and must be provided with up to date and accurate information.
The Elected Members should receive more regular and detailed financial updates - at least quarterly, so that we can properly scrutinise and review spending and identify genuine inefficiencies
The accusation directed at the Scottish Government by the Independent-led council is that the Highlands are being neglected and our special circumstances (geography, rurality, remoteness etc) are being ignored when funding is handed out, and the central belt receives all the funding. This is not true.
2018/19 Scottish Govt funding levels place the Highlands 5th out of 32 councils, with a 10.3% rise in funding. The four councils above us are all rural.
The Highlands receives 107.8% of the Scottish average council revenue funding (7.8% more for each person in the Highlands.)
The Highlands is in the top ten of all Scottish councils, with most central belt councils (apart from the most deprived areas of Glasgow) receiving less.
We will of course continue to fight to attract as much funding as possible for the Highlands and we do recognise and pray in aid it’s unique circumstances including rurality and remoteness. We will continue to seek the best for our own constituents but our endeavours must be founded on facts and evidence, not on political point scoring and seeking to blame our failings on the Scottish Government.
Councils in England have seen their funding cut by 40%-60% over the last 6 years.
From 2017/18 to 2018/19 their funding is again being cut by an average of 5.4% and in year 2019/20 another cut of 14.2% is being imposed thereafter.
The Highland Council has received a pretty good settlement from the Scottish Government - above the Scottish average. The problems the Highland council is experiencing now culminating in the recent cuts they have forced through, stem from *bad management* and lack of leadership.
Cllr Knox said, it’s crazy to cut grants to Community Councils and the Ward Discretionary Funds. The Administration claims to promote community empowerment and consultation, yet they have just halved the money available to our local communities. This is a false economy as those community groups often take up the slack in areas neglected by the Council including, community gritting and snow clearing, flower displays and gardening, communal leisure areas, infrastructure repairs and much more. In the grand scheme of things this cut is a relatively small amount of money and it shows little imagination – they have picked on the easy targets.
Many of the cuts will hit the most vulnerable including cuts to Women’s Aid, Family Teams, Adult Support Services and Childcare providers. Again, these unnecessary cuts to vital services will give rise to Council spending elsewhere as we are required to pick up the pieces – so there is no real saving in the long run.
The imposition of charges for Public Conveniences and Parking provision will have a terrible impact on our town centres and tourist attractions. Another false economy. The Administration tried to claim that consultation for this budget was “unprecedented” yet, they accused the SNP, the media and a senior Highland Council Officer of “scaremongering” when they alerted the public to some of the proposed cuts, in particular, the threatened cuts to Additional Support Needs and Teacher numbers. In the absence of adequate consultation, it was these so called “leaks” that gave our communities the chance to make their views known and successfully campaign for a rethink.
Cllr Knox asks, where was the consultation to cut public conveniences and free parking? Residents around the North Coast 500 route are crying out for more public toilets and there has been outcry in Nairn and elsewhere about the parking charges. It became evident just how ill-thought out the Administration’s parking charges are when it was revealed they are trying to impose parking charges at Falls of Shin, on land that is not even owned by the Council. The car park is the property of Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust, and the Trust has since confirmed that it will not be introducing parking charges at Falls of Shin."
Friday, March 02, 2018
A new Nairn Acadamy not featuring in immediate Highland Council spending plans: "No concrete commitments announced, only plans to bid for Scottish Government funding revealed"
Here's Moray Firth Radio's take on it. A Nairn resident asks the station on their facebook page:
"Nothing for nairn academy? Ridiculous"
MFR comes back:
"No concrete commitments announced, only plans to bid for Scottish Government funding revealed - 'Business cases will require to be developed as part of the bidding process, but the Council Administration has identified the following as its priorities to be developed as bids for years 1-5; a Tain 3-18 campus; the Invergordon schools; the SECONDARY SCHOOLS in Fortrose and NAIRN; the primary schools in Beauly, Broadford, Dunvegan and Tarradale; and the St Clements special school."
Anyone recognise this chicken?
Found in the vicinity of the skateboard park, ongoing efforts apparently to reunite it with the owner but if anyone has information we can pass it on for you.
Budget threads Cllrs Emma Knox and Ben Thompson of Highland Council - further material for all serious students of the cuts and charges facing Nairn after the recent HC budget
Yesterday we published details from a thread by SNP opposition candidate Emma Knox. We updated that article with comments from Independent Cllr Ben Thompson. Today Ben Thompson has published further material in a thread here. We realise that in Internet user terms that twitter is a minority sport but there is quite a lot of information out there and a lot of politicians use it regularly.
Thursday, March 01, 2018
Anger at BID signature delay by Highland Council: Alistair Noble states document "quite clearly said there would be no parking charges in Nairn for the five years that the BID would be in existence"
Alistair Noble speaking at the Nairn West and Suburban Community Council meeting on Monday night expressed his anger at the delay in Highland Council signing off the BID document that businesses in Nairn would vote on. He said:
“One of the things
that really annoyed me is that the document that was meant to be
signed off between the BID and the Council, they've had it for
roughly four months, quite clearly said there would be no parking
charges in Nairn for the five years that the BID would be in
existence. I can only assume that some of the delay in signing off
that document was because that people knew that there was going to be
parking charges or an attempt to bring in parking charges.
I
personally find it very frustrating that we have so much that is
positive and good looking forward that we are right back into some of
these absolutely crazy arguments where the BID is diverted to arguing
about parking. Because there's absolutely no doubt in anyone's mind
that parking charges and restrictions on toilets and charging for
toilets is going to tear the heart out of the centre of Nairn and
that cannot be in Nairnshire's good, it cannot be in the Council's
good, it can't be in the Scottish Government's good and it certainly
can't be in the Westminster Government's good. So we really have to
decide what we are doing about all of this and try and come up with a
much better way of working together."
For all serious students of the Highland Council budget effects on Nairn - what an opposition Cllr has to say about why they had to make such cuts and charges plus some responses from an Indy Cllr
Update: We've had a little bit of a twitter conversation with Independent Cllr Ben Thomson last night and he made several responses to Emma Knox on his own twitter account. We've copied and pasted them too and they are now included below what Emma Knox said. We did ask the Independent Group for comment but no reply so far.
Anger over the Highland Council budget and the cuts and charges that will affect Nairn seems to be, if anything, increasing rather than dissipating in the town and the hinterland beyond. Thus there is a remarkable amount of public focus on these budget decisions and how it all came about and what if, anything, can be done to still stop parking charges and mitigate other possible negative impacts on Nairn.
Anger over the Highland Council budget and the cuts and charges that will affect Nairn seems to be, if anything, increasing rather than dissipating in the town and the hinterland beyond. Thus there is a remarkable amount of public focus on these budget decisions and how it all came about and what if, anything, can be done to still stop parking charges and mitigate other possible negative impacts on Nairn.
With all this in mind we think it appropriate to post a series of comments made by opposition Councillor Emma Knox on twitter today, it is a remarkable tirade and yes, it is a partisan one, but she does seem sure of her facts and figures. Out there on twitter we have asked the Independent Councillors on Highland Council what they have to say about her comments and if they reply then we will only be too happy to publish that too.
Here's what Emma Knox SNP had to say:
The financial settlement for year 2018/2019 shows that the council will receive £439.463m revenue...
This represents a flat cash settlement - the same as they received in 2017/2018 *accounting for inflation*. (ie more actual cash)...
When council tax is added, estimated at £128.2m (including a 3% rise) this gives a revenue budget of £567m...
*One million pounds more than 2017/18* IN REAL TERMS...
Added to this, we have the Scottish Governments Capital grant to the council which is £4.4m MORE than the previous year. A total of £41.305m...
On top of this money they have also been giving money for three flood prevention schemes:
• Smithton & Culloden = £9.03m • Caol & Lochside = £294m • Drumnadrochit = £196m This is another £9.583m...
The Scottish government has NOT reduced or cut the Highland Council money. It has INCREASED it's funding to the Highland Council for year 2018/2019.
Why does the Highland Council now have to find £15m savings???
This is down to bad management and poor leadership of Highland council.
In the auditor’s report for the council in September 2017 the headline figures were that in 2017/18 the Highland Council had an agreed revenue budget of £566m which included 14.3m of savings...
We are moving into 2018/2019 with the same level of savings outstanding. No attempts were made to make any savings, therefore radical changes are now needed...
The Redesign Board has to be stronger and reviews have to be deeper in their scrutiny and delivery...
The accusation directed at the Scottish Government by the Independent-led council is that the Highlands are being neglected and our special circumstances (geography, rurality, remoteness etc) are being ignored...
and the central belt receives all the funding. THIS IS NOT TRUE...
2018/19 Scottish Govt funding levels place the Highlands 5th out of 32 councils, with a 10.3% rise in funding. The four councils above us are all rural..
The Highlands receives 107.8% of the Scottish average council revenue funding (7.8% more for each person in the Highlands.)...
The Highlands is in the top ten of all Scottish councils, with most central belt councils (apart from the most deprived areas of Glasgow) receiving less...
Councils in England have seen their funding cut by 40%-60% over the last 6 years...
From 2017/18 to 2018/19 their funding is again being cut by an average of 5.4% and in year 2019/20 another cut of 14.2% is being imposed thereafter...
So... The Highland Council has received a pretty good settlement from the Scottish Government - above the Scottish average.
Please let everyone know that the problems the Highland council is experiencing now stem from *bad management* and lack of leadership."
Emma Cox is on twitter here.
We did ask here what a redesign board is and she told us: "The Redesign Board is a cross party committee set up to examine council structures and spending to identify genuine inefficiencies and identify savings. (In theory)."
She has since made the following correction to her figures
"• Caol & Lochside = £294k • Drumnadrochit = £196k"
And here's what Independent Cllr Ben Thompson had to say in response on twitter yesterday
"Point though is the Emma is saying we're £15m over spent. The truth is nothing like that at all as you well know.
This is just totally wrong. Were you at Resources cmt this week to see the budget monitoring? We're nearly on budget with savings delivered, the big exception being, guess what - winter gritting overspend.
Emma, last year we were granted £437m by Scotgov. Inflation is now at 3%. To account for inflation we should have been granted £450m this year. Instead we got £439m. So we're £11m underfunded in real terms."
We did ask here what a redesign board is and she told us: "The Redesign Board is a cross party committee set up to examine council structures and spending to identify genuine inefficiencies and identify savings. (In theory)."
She has since made the following correction to her figures
"• Caol & Lochside = £294k • Drumnadrochit = £196k"
And here's what Independent Cllr Ben Thompson had to say in response on twitter yesterday
"Point though is the Emma is saying we're £15m over spent. The truth is nothing like that at all as you well know.
This is just totally wrong. Were you at Resources cmt this week to see the budget monitoring? We're nearly on budget with savings delivered, the big exception being, guess what - winter gritting overspend.
Emma, last year we were granted £437m by Scotgov. Inflation is now at 3%. To account for inflation we should have been granted £450m this year. Instead we got £439m. So we're £11m underfunded in real terms."
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