Given
the previous evidence from River CC of how Zoom meetings can go off the
rails into chaos and rancour this was a remarkably well organised
event (divided into two because of the Zoom basic package limit of
forty minutes). Brevity, polite behaviour and concise language were the order of the evening. Testament perhaps to how much of our lives
are moving into the online sphere now. In times to come when we get a
bit clear of Covid then surely a lot of these types of meeting will
continue in the Zoom fashion and save people venturing out on cold
winter nights - saving organisations cash too when it comes to hiring
venues.
(Here at the Gurn we are delighted with the Zoom meetings we
have participated in with various groups. After meeting socialising is possible on Zoom
too with a cuppa and biscuits or something stronger if you wish. But we digress - back to NWSCC matters.)
A virtual observer might have found the discussion strangely
unsatisfying and lacking in substance - it felt very unusual to this observer A case of watch dogs
that have suddenly stopped barking for some reason?
As
for the AGM the formal proceedings and election of office bearers was
undisputed, perhaps this suggests a lot of careful prior consultation
and planning. In these difficult times there is something
perhaps to be said for continuity and well done if there were
consultations beforehand too, it saved time on the evening – after
all who would want to be a community councillor these days – all
your debates and decision making can tempt the wrath of social media
and you can be pilloried on occasion whether you deserve it or not.
The tendency and ability of us all to hit the Facebook front page
with our thoughts must surely deter some from stepping forward to
allow themselves for selection to these roles? So well done all those
who continue to do their best and at the same time but themselves up
for increasing levels of scrutiny.
There
was nevertheless something odd about the discussion. The town
has been going through turbulent times. Covid has had a major
impact on the local economy. Businesses have been struggling,
visitors staying away, and the next six to twelve months look bleak.
Alongside that, there has been controversy and dissension over plans
for the future of the town centre, with plans for a new housing block
and offices pushed through in face of strong objections from across
the community - including the CCs. Anxiety is growing
over the way in which some feel that Common Good assets might be
exploited by Highland Council. Here at the Gurn we do feel there
should be more frank discussion on the way forward for the Common
Good and associated subjects. The Common Good really does need to
come home in the full sense.
But
from last night's discussion there was little sense that that the
rescue and regeneration of the town is a top priority. We had a
brief reminder - given the evidence of last week's spate - of the
importance of action on flood prevention, where progress seems to be
remarkably slow. There was reference to the hoped-for
improvements in local 'active travel' routes and signage for which
Highland Council has a special allocation of funds because of the
Covid social-distancing requirements. In passing, the
possibility of parking charges and the vexed issue of motorhome
facilities were mentioned without debate.
For
debate on parking charges and argument about the flats and CAB office
to be built in King Street it is perhaps worth turning to the
editorial colums of the Nairnshire Telegraph this week. The
Nairnshire concludes: “Will there be a need for all that parking in
a future in which Nairn High Street may not be functioning as a
retail centre? Should we wait out the current recession before making
any plans at all?”
Maybe
that is where we all are just now, individuals, councils and businesses, waiting for the Covid dust to settle to pick up the
pieces see what we can resume of the old way of life? No doubt
Highland Council and the Scottish Government have recovery
strategies, how they will fit into what Nairn will have to face seems
to be unclear at the moment.
Perhaps
inevitably, there was discussion of how best to adapt to the new
normal of virtual meetings, managing the technology, and developing
an online presence and website, where NW&SCC has a long way to
go. For some considerable time now they have been debating a
potential web presence, perhaps it will happen this time round.
Otherwise,
we were back to parochial concerns. One was about speeding
traffic in the residential streets of the West End: this seems
to have taken over from seagulls and dog-poo as a neighbourhood watch
issue. Councillor Heggie seemed to think this was a matter for
CCs to deal with, we think he was indicating here at a consultation
level – or maybe Highland Council could sponsor a speed gun for
local residents to use or some other out of the box initiative to
counter a growing problem? He was reminded that road safety and
traffic management are statutory responsibilities of the local
Council.
The
prospect of a new Nairn Academy was also raised. Not just the
priority and timing, but concern that basing the new school on a
forecast of 780 pupils would provide inadequate capacity if the many
thousands more houses indicated in development plans were to be
built. It was also suggested that a new school might be better
relocated nearer to such new housing. Tom Heggie said there had
been meetings with officials... there would be more meetings .....
there would be public consultation .... alternatives would be
considered ..... before plans were drawn up. As for location,
Cllr Heggie said that building on the playing fields would involve
"nil cost" for the site, and anyway, people were "used
to the current school location". One thinks here to the
established obligations on developers - so spectacularly squandered
at Lochloy - whereby a developer contribution takes the form of the
allocation of a site for a school or other community facilities. Any
new development can pay a huge chunk to new school costs?
To
round off the evening, Tom was asked for an update on Highland
Council's current priorities and activity, the response was that
"there were a number of ongoing matters being resolved
elsewhere". Here at the Gurn we wonder what those ongoing
matters are and whether any of them will explode into prominence in
the way so many issues have done in Nairn in the past. Or maybe the
spirit of polite efficient Zoom meetings will trickle down to all
levels of civic debate in our immediate and uncertain future and all
will suddenly become uncontentious.
