You can read the Nairn BID imformation on two projects they are inviting applications for here.
The Gurn wishes to comment on this section of the page though:
"At the moment we are looking to deep clean 3 main areas of Nairn:
Castle Square
The corner where the high street meets Leopold street and
The vennels leading to the high street"
Sorry folks but Highland Council should be pressured into looking after these areas properly, it is what they receive our council tax for. This just shifts responsibility to members of the BID to pay for what they and other citizens are already contributing to in their Council Tax. Highland Council should be keeping all our streets and public spaces clean - especially the town centre - it should be spotless!
Could we be forgiven for thinking Highland Council has given up looking after areas of the town?
The BID should surely do new things for Nairn, not let the Council off the hook - those areas should never have been allowed to get into a state where they need a deep clean! Councillors should have ensured everything was up to date.
Our council tax only makes up a very small part of the overall council budget.
ReplyDeleteJust like every other council in the country Highland council is short of funds, this I would suggest is down to the Tory imposed austerity that cut many, many budgets.
In general councils struggle to make ends meet and are having to look at for filling just statutory obligations but even these are being scrutinised in reality to see how little money can be spent on these.
Weeds and grass growing on a town square don’t look great but I would suggest it shows the state of the UK rather than just Highland council and good for anyone that wants to act positively and carry out any jobs that need doing.
You are of course 100% correct Mr Gurn. It is a disgrace that the central areas of our ancient and royal burgh are not kept spic and span by our Council.
ReplyDeleteThe BID are correct that it needs to be done - but this should be a simple priority ordered by our 4 elected councillors. They should invite the Chief Executive out to see if she thinks it is acceptable.
A 30 minute pressure wash on the first Monday of each month would suffice.
@ god for BID - perhaps BID could also rebuild Nairn Academy then?
ReplyDeletePerhaps we need an intrepid reporter to visit the other 7 old civic HQs across Highland and see if any of the others have surrounding pavement areas which are permitted to become as grotty as our principal vennels?
ReplyDeleteInverness Town House pavements are kept in pristine condition I believe.
Dingwall? Golspie? Wick? Fort William? Portree? Kingussie?
Highland council in common with all others has little or no money, there’s no magic money tree (they’re not the DUP).
ReplyDeleteIn the UK we hate paying taxes so just about every political party keeps taxes low.
Look at the outrage when the SNP raised the tax for higher earners meaning that someone earning £50k+ paid an extra £500 per year, that’s just over a £1 a day when your wage packet is £3K+ a month.
We want services to be like those that we once had or that the likes of Norway enjoy. Guess what, tax in Norway is high.
Nairn Academy lost out for renewal. Councillors in other areas made more persuasive arguments. The way that our council works is a bear pit. It’s not equal. Councillors have to fight their corner and our four in Nairn lost.
It’s not a system I like but for now that’s what we have.
But guess what, it’s going to get worse. Highland region is huge and has enjoyed in recent years EU money for projects. Travel just about anywhere in the Highlands and you’ll see the 🇪🇺 flag on numerous signs for various projects such as bridges and roads.
The recent incarnation of the Tories in Westminster have promised billions for services, I expect to see a red bus with the figures painted on the side up the High Street any day soon such is my faith in their promises.
Sure BID could look at a new Academy for Nairn. I think this might be called a PPP (Private Public Partnership) and was first introduced by Labour. Private concerns have made billions from these contracts and we (the public) are still paying dearly for them now.
But back to the really important matter in hand, some plants causing outrage. I would suggest that the main cause of this is footfall, or rather lack of it. If we could just encourage people to visit the High Street on a regular basis and walk and and down in certain areas then the problem would be solved. Perhaps they could also visit one or more of the remaining shops on our High Street and buy something, another plus. Another matter for BID perhaps?
Could Green Hive not take this on? They seem to be an organisation that's great at getting volunteers together and it'd be zero cost
ReplyDeleteNairnacs need to learn their place - don't they know that the money is needed in Inverness for art installations, viewing platforms and fireworks displays!
ReplyDeletePerhaps the money Highland Council spends on drink would be better spent on cleaning up our town.
ReplyDeleteCould the square no become allotments if it's so fertile? #askingforafriend
ReplyDeleteAnother reason why THC wanted the NRCC out of the picture - no Watchdogs to see whats going on - several times these areas AND other areas, Court House Lane & Falconers Lane to name but two were requested to be cleaned (before current 'surprise' building works BTW). No reaction from any of our four buddies nor the maintenance team.
ReplyDeletePerhaps if THC bothered to re-negotiate their LOBO loans they could use some of the savings on High Street area clean-up.
Yes you could be forgiven for thinking Highland Council has given up looking after some areas of our town, they've had their budget cut
ReplyDeleteWhat do you expect them to do, get a credit card and go into debt like many other people have
We need an independent Scotland and to stop playing the blame games that helps nobody and just further divides us
Does anybody know how much Nairn pays into Highland Council and how much we get out pro rata with other communities?
ReplyDeleteNairn BID Ltd will NOT be taking over the street cleaning or any other Council services. Anything Nairn B.I.D. does is in addition to the existing Council services. I refer you to section 12 on page 11 of the Nairn B.I.D. business plan that was voted upon. The same document states they have budgeted £32,000 (6.01%) of total B.I.D. Levy income over the whole 5yr term for quote "Street deep clean, area makeovers - plus floral and seagull project".
ReplyDeleteI see that some of our councillors are insisting on holding an opening ceremony for the White Bridge next year. Maybe this could be cancelled and the monies saved from the shindig could be used for more important matters?
ReplyDelete@anonymous said 8.15 AM
ReplyDeleteif you ask via a Freedom of Information you might get and answer to your question.
@ kill Joy, is it not simply the community out that way that wanted a celebration, not the Highland Council or its local members?
ReplyDeleteIf you voted against Scottish independence or to leave the EU then I suggest you quit jumping up and down complaning about anything, you reap what you sow and it's going to get worse
ReplyDelete@ look in the mirror said 5:41pm
ReplyDeleteHighland Council spent £90,000 on that crossing on the High St. which is a narrow one way 20mph road. When Highland Council stop wasting money, & paying out high wages the saved money can be used for more useful things. In terms of money that the Scottish Government give out:- Highlands & Islands Enterprise along with the other Enterprise agencies should have been disbanded a few years ago when the Scot Gov had the opportunity after they looked in detail at them. One only has to look in detail at the millions wasted by HIE at Cairngorm on the funicular, let alone the planned double figure millions that needs spending there to sort out the original mess. HIE spend it like there is no tomorrow & with little accountability with the Scot Gov just handing out more!