Zero tolerance on litter

One of our Highland Councillors recently posted on Facebook:

"We live on a beautiful planet in a beautiful country. And we live in the most beautiful part of our country. Don't spoil it - Bin it!"

Despite the natural beauty surrounding us some people, young and old, still do drop litter though. For some it is perhaps a "cool" thing to do for others maybe they actually consciously get a perverse pleasure out of despoiling their local environment. Will we see fines issued in Nairn or not by Highland Council? The lack of fixed penalites issued in recent years for people who don't bother picking up their dogs' turds is perhaps not an encouraging example. Anyway here's what Drew Hendry, the Convenor of Highland Council says: 

 “As a Council we have to tackle littering head on and treat it as anti-social behaviour. Littering is wrong, it should not be tolerated and it should not happen. Littering also has an impact on our tourism economy – one of the key industries in the Highlands. We market our natural environment as a key attraction for visitors and littering has a direct impression on visitors that can affect the potential for repeat visits through word of mouth recommendations.” Read the full press release here.

Hopefully we will see some action by the Council in Nairn but there is another agency that is determined to take a zero tolerance attitude too. Litter featured at the last meeting of the Suburban Community Council meeting, the Subbies have a problem in their area with empty cans of drink being left in the lay-bys further along Moss-Side Road. Pupils heading too and from the Academy at lunch time feature in complaints too. Subbie members were pleased to hear Sgt Graham Erskine, also present at their meeting, declare his determination to catch litter-bugs and keep Nairn clean. Good luck in their efforts to both the Council and the local members of the Scottish Police Force in their efforts to tackle the litter problem locally and across the Highlands! 

Michael Green on Nairn South: "this is a serious issue and it needs to be resolved to the satisfaction of Nairn’s largest employer."

Up for discussion again at the Planning, Environmental and Development Committee was the thorny subject of Nairn South. The Council planning high heid yins pointed again to an existing traffic assessment that would allow for 320 houses on the site. Michael Green made a plea for a rethink after the first and each subsequent batch of houses are built. His proposal for a new traffic assessments every 100 houses found favour with the committee and he also raised other concerns that many gurnites will have heard before over previous months and now years. 

The town’s three Community Councils don’t want this development until the infrastructure, including a bypass, is in place. Michael Green spoke on the behalf of many people in Nairn on Wednesday in the Council chamber at Glenurquhart Road as he reiterated what the West, River and Suburban CCs and many others feel. Here’s what Michael said:

“In Nairn this is not a popular development – It’s not! Folk are just wondering why it appears to put the cart before the horse when we are having a development on this scale proposed when we don’t have the bypass. The logical thing to have done here would have been to have had the bypass and then you could have looked at a development which with the bypass could cope with the traffic problems. That brings me round to the two main areas of concern which Brian and Malcolm will have heard many, many times from many people. 

The first one is the inability of the local infrastructure to cope with the proposed increase in traffic. Now as was shown in the overhead, there’s currently Balblair Road and Cawdor Road these are two old fashioned B class roads and they have to deal with traffic, and I’ll just Labour this – a few points here: the Queens’s Park housing estate, the hospital, the Nairn County football ground, several old peoples homes, the new Broadleigh housing development, the Council technical department, Gordons Sawmill and a busy garden centre - all back and forth into the town centre. At the narrowest point where Cawdor Road and Balblair Road merge there is a one lane choke point. This is effectively a chicane and even as it stands just now it is a real bone of contention with people because there are tailbacks developing on either side at certain times.

So when I read that the traffic impact assessment states that the infrastructure can cope with the increase in traffic from such a development, myself and many others don’t really agree and feel that this increase in traffic will result in making an already difficult and tricky situation much, much worse and equally importantly: it could start the creation of new rat runs. Rat runs in an urban development could have very serious consequences.

So on the 1^st point and I think it has been well documented and the officials agree it, I would like to propose we have a pause and review after the 1^st hundred have been built, for a new traffic impact assessment plus local consultation.

The second area of major concern lies around the impact the proposed development will have on Gordons. Gordons Sawmill has been established for well over 100 years. They’re the biggest employer in Nairn. There’s over 100 direct employees and probably a similar amount in related jobs. Now they’ve raised concerns that the development could not only hamper their future business expansion but could threaten the viability of their current business. Their concerns are around noise levels and mitigation measures. Now the strategic master plan states that the developer should be responsible for noise mitigation measures. For example bunds and acoustic fences to ensure that noise levels do not exceed 45 decibels during the day and 25 at night.

Now, Environmental Health have now stated and I quote: “In assessing the statutory nuisance the Councils will be required to take into account several considerations including nature and character of noise and not just compliance with an agreed noise.”
 I welcome the agreement that we will work together to find a solution to this. I don’t think that I need to go into much more technical detail other than to agree, as we are well aware that this is a serious issue and it needs to be resolved to the satisfaction of Nairn’s largest employer.”

Jo Muskus in the finals of Oz Best Job competition

More on the BBC site.

Nairn Cygnets 2013 - picture

Thanks to Murray MacRae for this picture of this year's cygnets on the River Nairn

New Ward Manager for the Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey Wards

From a Highland Council Press Release:

The Highland Council has appointed a new Ward Manager, Liz Cowie for the Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey Wards.

Liz currently works on Skye as Ward Manager for Eilean a' Cheò and was previously Ward Manager for Dingwall and Seaforth Ward.

She starts her new post towards the end of June and replaces Ward Manager Louise Clark who retired on 3 May.

William Gilfillan, Highland Council’s Corporate Manager said: “Liz brings a wealth of experience to both Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey Wards. Her background and experience as Ward Manager in her previous posts in working with the wider community will prove a great asset to the Wards.”

John Finnie tells Danny Alexander to get a move on over Mainland Fuel Discount.

The Gurn has received a copy of a letter that John Finnie MSP has sent to Danny Alexander. This observer wonders if Nairn would qualify as a remote mainland community? Anyway here's what John said to Danny. 

15/05/13 

Dear Danny,

Fuel Discount Scheme For Remote Mainland Communities.

I have read coverage in today’s press regarding the above with great interest. 

Whilst I appreciate the wheels of Government don’t run swiftly, I am concerned at the time its taken HM Treasury to report on the case for a fuel discount scheme for remote areas of the mainland.

I would appreciate it if you could inform me, as soon as possible, of when you expect to take this issue to Brussels, which areas will be included in your proposal (including the criteria used to make this decision) and an unequivocal commitment that the 5p discount will be passed directly to the consumer.

It will not have escaped you that it is over 3 years since you stood on for re-election on this issue and I urge you to do everything possible to get a successful outcome for people living in remote and rural areas.

Yours sincerely, 

John Finnie MSP

Independent, Highlands & Islands.

A good year coming up for Giant Hogweed on the River Nairn?

Last Wednesday night River Community Council again discussed the eradication of invasive species on the part of the River Nairn that runs through their area. 

Murd Dunbar reported that he had received an e-mail from Councillor Green stating that the Council would be spraying this week.  Giant Hogweed has been one invasive plant where the efforts of the town and the voluntary efforts of Murd and his river patrol squad have achieved some success in recent years but this year as growth finally starts on the River Bank it looks like this plant is making a serious comeback and the local authority will have to try and deploy its scarce resources to deal with it.

Activity at the building formerly known as the Regal

Details, images and comment on the Harleys Grill and Cocktail Facebook page.

"Basic digital high street through to augmented reality"

The following presentation by the Talk about local organisation may or may not interest some of our High Street folk - the augmented reality bit mentioned is perhaps a little way down the line yet but indicates perhaps where technology is taking us all. Maybe promotion of what's in the High Street is best done online by individual shops and businesses doing their own thing the way they know best but perhaps the slideshow contains food for thought. 

Basic digital high street through to augmented reality from william perrin

Former go-kart track cycling training road signs no more

Murd Dunbar reported to the River CC folkies last week that the road signs on the former go-kart track down at the riverside on Mill Road have been taken away by Highland Council staff. After the go-kart heyday the track was converted into a very impressive cycling proficiency training area. This project was the brainchild of two formidable Nairn District Councillors of that era, Meg Anderson and Chrissie Ellen. For many years it was very busy and then official use declined but every year you could still see some parents supervising their children in this area. As Murd put it on Wednesday night: "People took their kids there and showed them a wee bit of road sense."

River Commuinity Council are to write to the Highland Council TECS department in an attempt to have the signs returned. 

River CC unimpressed with design for Nairn Sports Club extension

At their meeting last week the River folkies declared themselves "unimpressed" with the design put forward to the planning department for an extension to the Sports Club in Viewfield. You can view the details of the application here. 

Equally unimpressed was Brian Stewart of the West CC who was also present on the public benches last Wednesday night. He told the meeting:

"Viewfield is basically still green space. I know there is a museum there and the Sports Club and the Tennis Court but it is an attractive part of town, and it is important that it looks good and the Sports Club is there and that's fine but we don't want buildings there that look like industrial premises. Anybody who comes to or through or past Viewfield, whether they are walking the dog or visiting the museum or whether they live beside it, they all see this."

River CC are not to object to the plans however, they will simply contribute a comment to the planning department. 

Nairn harbour fees now too pricey?

One of our regular readers tells us:

“Fees at the harbour have nearly doubled in the last four years which is a large hit and has seen a record number of boats up for sale this year. It's a shame as although some may regard having a boat as elitist many very ordinary folk have a boat in the harbour. “

Our correspondent tells us that a plea was made from the Nairn Sailing Club Commodore for harbour dues to be frozen. The request fell upon deaf ears at the Highland Council’s Fishery Harbours Management Board meeting held on the 18th of April however. A minute going forward for approval at the Council’s TECS meeting next week states:

“Nairn Harbour Dues for Financial Year 2013/14

There had been circulated Report No FHMB/11/13 dated 8 April 2013 by the
Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services inviting Members
to recommend approval of the level of charges to be published for Nairn Harbour
in “The Highland Council Harbours Schedule of Rates and Dues” for financial year
2013/14 and to consider a proposal from the Commodore of the Nairn Sailing
Club to freeze the berthing charges at the harbour until parity was achieved with
the charges at Highland Council Class A harbours.

Nairn Harbour had its own “Schedule of Dues and Charges” as a result of repairs
which had been required at the harbour in 2003, particularly in relation to
providing new pontoons. The Commodore of Nairn Sailing Club had suggested
that the charges at the harbour should now be frozen and his reasons for this
were outlined. Nairn dues, in comparison to other harbours, were provided as
were details of the advantages and disadvantages of berthing at Nairn harbour.
In addition, information was given as to past and current works as well as
anticipated work together with estimated costs. The total amount of dues
collected for the current financial year was £36,719 and, if Nairn was to be recategorised as a Class A harbour, a budget pressure of £4,919 would be created.

In recognising the significant investment that had been made by the Council at
Nairn Harbour, the Board AGREED to recommend to the Transport,
Environmental and Community Services Committee:-

i. the approval of the 4% increase in harbour dues and charges for leisure
vessels, wharfage and miscellaneous charges; and
ii. that the request from the Commodore of the Nairn Sailing Club to freeze
berthing charges at Nairn Harbour be declined “

Our regular reader is not taken with the Council’s thinking about the investment in Nairn harbour, he told us: “The argument about new pontoons was not a good one. The old pontoons were sinking (literally) and access was only via the vertical ladders on the harbour wall. The harbour authority has a duty to maintain the harbour or close it. If a car park had resurfacing work carried out would new charges be imposed to reflect the cost of the work, I doubt it.”

The Gurn has also been informed that there is a school of thought that more money could be made from Nairn harbour if it were marketed more to visiting yachts and that the Council does not have a dedicated web page for Nairn harbour unlike seven other harbours in the Highlands that are promoted on the Council’s website.

County's delightful Aberdeenshire outing - more pictures - Formartine 1 Nairn 3

Individual images here Match report now in the Highland News here.

Ali needs an exercise bike next Sunday afternoon for Fish 'n Hits - can you help?

At next Sunday's Fish 'n Hits gig in Castle Lane (12-5 p.m and Bargain fish and other suppers from the Dolphin Chipper for £2.50) County Fans Fundraiser Ali Nicol hopes to get in training for the sponsored  Ben Nevis climb in September by spending the afternoon peddling away as he enjoys the music. 

Ali and 19 other fans will be climbing the mountain but they need to do a bit of training first and you would be making a great contribution if you could lend an exercise bike to them for the afternoon. Have you got one that Ali could use for a few hours? Please contact us on info@gurnnurn.com and we'll pass on any offers. 

Fish and Hits details here including Dolphin menu for the 19th here and the Ben Nevis climb page here. 

Things to watch for at the Planning, Environment and Development Committe next week (including Nairn South)

According to the APT Secretary we should be aware of the following items on the agenda for the meeting in Inverness next Wednesday (15th May). All this stuff can be very difficult to read of course but there are many serious students of such matters in Nairn that may wish to browse the information available online.  Anyway the APT Sec tells us:

"The Nairn South masterplan is an agenda item, as is the HwLDP Action Plan - which updates on A96 Issues and also has details of the the consultation draft of the Third NPF (National Planning Framework).

Plus, Eastgate Centre Tuesday May 14, 2013 9 am – 6 pm where the Government's NPF3 team will be holding informal ‘drop-in’ sessions where anyone can come along for a discussion with the team during the hours stated above."

Wide loads negotiating Nairn - Another reason why we need a bypass?

Thanks to one of our regular readers Robert, who sent us in this picture of a wide load apparently having serious difficulty in getting through town earlier today. Robert reported chaos and tailbacks in both directions until the situation was resolved. "Bring on the bypass!" said our correspondent.

Party put on hold in Aberdeenshire today - Formartine 1 Nairn 3 - Pictures

If Formartine had won they would have been crowned Highland League Champions today but it was not to be and it was County that won the right to party this evening with their victory over the league leaders.  A feeling of despondency seemed to envelop the home side at North Lodge Park midway into the second half after Conor's second goal. Formartine were not the side that came to Nairn earlier in the season and inflicted such damage. The feeling became infectious and spread to the supporters who started leaving twenty minutes before the final whistle, that trickle of departing fans became a flood in the final five minutes.

Next Saturday it goes down to the wire as Formartine host Cove to decide who takes the title - Nairn's challenge faded somewhat recently but today's effort has ensured an exciting finish to the Highland League this year. It's not over for County too, their final game is away to Huntly and the faithful are planning one more away day Saturday special before the large supporters flag is folded up and put away until next season. Great goals today for Bobo and Conor (now the leading scorer in the league this season).

Pictures from club photographer Donald Matheson - individual pictures here.  More pictures from the Gurn this weekend. Also now available on the Gurn flickr pages more images of the game last week against Lossiemouth.

Friday night miscellany – The bottleneck fills up with water again.

Regular readers will know that we have reported that Nairn’s Community Councils do not want to see any building at Nairn South until all the appropriate infrastructure is in place (including a bypass). They also state that the bridge under the railway is a bottleneck that needs to be sorted before development goes ahead. There is one school of thought that traffic lights would rectify this. However, never mind new infrastructure, can the existing drainage cope in this spot? Floods under the railway bridge are nothing new but the rainfall earlier tonight wasn’t exactly the worst you can expect in Nairn and it didn't take long for the problem to reappear. 

Thanks to our regular reader who sent us the link to this facebook page which shows an image of quite an amazing piece of cake. Obviously opening a new business is no small piece of cake.

NHS Highland are reporting on their website that Nairn hospital is presently closed due to an outbreak of norovirus. Further details here.

An event organised by the Nairn Citizens Advice Bureau, the NHS and the Highland Council takes place in the Community Centre on the 25^th of May and will focus on a topic that we must all one day face but are, quite naturally, often reluctant to contemplate.  The Nairn CAB site states:

“A new service that helps people in Nairn cope with the practical side of death and dying has seen a great level of interest, and is now hoping to reach even more people with a different kind of family day out in Nairn Community Centre on May 25th 11:30-4pm. Its objective is to get people to think about their own death now, in order to lessen some of the practical pressures for those they will leave behind.”  You can read more about what is planned in the Community Centre here on the CAB site.

Video highlights of the Wednesday Wick v Nairn game have been placed online by one of the Wick fans here. 

Matress scandal day 2 - Mr and Mrs Salty seen in the area

Fears are growing that Nairn Gows (gulls) have developed a symbiotic relationship with the matress. Seagull learned behaviour spreads fast and maybe a new national trend may emerge. Are Mr and Mrs Salty just chilling on a warm Nairn day or could they be up to no good with this dangerous piece of furniture?

Thanks to Jingle Bangles for this revealing and alarming image.

Threat to local tourism as man-eating furniture returns to the River Nairn

Here at the Gurn we have a long tradition of reporting news that will be unpopular with the authorities. We first spoke out in 2005. In 2009 we didn’t hesitate in making the public aware of the threat  that returned to the river ( a similar danger lurking in the same area and also in early May). We know there could be a potential knock on effect on visitor numbers but we cannot stand idly by as visitors stroll the banks of the river unaware of the danger lurking only feet away. Tonight we again publish an image that tells the uncomfortable truth.

The Gurn calls on Nairn politicians of all flavours and of none to move swiftly and resolve this situation. We can't keep this one under the covers anymore. Perhaps some of the 30 billion pounds earmarked for the bypass could be used to hire a helicopter that could drop a cage on the mattress which could then be rescued and returned to a more appropriate environment. 

Wick 1 Nairn 0 - pictures

Pictures from club photographer Donald Matheson. A valiant effort from Nairn but Wick managed to get the elusive goal in the 85th minute. Report here in the Highland News. 

Bringing grass cutting in Nairn back under local control - River CC’s statement of interest and plan to achieve that.

Last night at the River CC meeting in the URC hall Tommy Hogg outlined his organisation’s grass-cutting submission  to the Highland Council’s Community Challenge Fund.

He read out the proposal: “Our proposal is to assume responsibility for the maintenance of the common areas of the town of Nairn. Our immediate aim is to bring the management and prioritisation of the work under local control and to create employment for local individuals and contractors. Our long term aim is to capitalise on the pride of the local people in the appearance of their own environment and achieve improvements which will enhance the natural facilities available and the well-being of local people as well as the attractiveness of the locality to visitors. It is proposed that the services to be taken over be finalised in discussion with Highland Council and these would be based around grass-cutting, management of plants and invasive weeds, ( for example: hogweed, balsam etc, planting and pruning of trees, purchase and repair of benches and other park furniture. We believe this could be expanded to include the management of dog litter to enhance the engagement of the community in delivering the key outcomes the project will be required to engage other local groups, especially schools and youth organisations and those providing recycling services locally. We intend to manage these services through a formally constituted sub committee of the Community Council and with clear arrangements for governance and performance management. We have already developed a plan to enlist those areas within the River Community Council boundary. We have also invited our neighbours Nairn West and Nairn Suburban Community Councils to join in with us in the development of the plan to cover the whole locality.”

Tommy then said: “I know it is a big undertaking but I am convinced it could work.”

He went on to say that the proposal would be discussed by the Highland Council on the 13^th of June.

Brian Stewart (of the Westies) was present at the meeting too and he said: “It’s a suck it and see approach. Have a go, see how the Council react and see what works. It’s worth a try.”

Tommy added: We did get in touch with Liz and Colin and they were more than confident that it could be taken forward.

The River CC proposal, if it were successful, would go a long way to resolving a grievance that many have in the town over the way control of grass cutting was taken away from local control by the last Highland Council administration. Tommy and his colleagues also obviously feel that the present voluntary efforts that many (such as Keeping Nairnshire Colourful and Murd and his fellow river patrol squad) put into keeping up the appearance of Nairn could be considerably augmented and integrated into their plans to care for and enhance the local environment.

Delnies circular path update

We posted an article earlier this week "What happened to the Delnies circular walk" which included an image of the massive amounts of sand now covering parts of this popular walk. 

Colin had a meeting down by with the Highland Council's ranger earlier this week and he tells the Gurn:

"The Landowner (Cawdor) will liase with the farmer to see if they can plough away at least some of the sand."  

County "Fonzy" top for auction

Back in March County manager Les Fridge won the red card - yellow card competition at the "Afternoon with Stan Boardman" in the Legion. Les invested his winnings in a top for auction as part of the County Fans Ground Improvement Fund campaign. Why "Fonzy"? Stan Boardman was quite taken by Andy's stylish leather jacket and obviously saw a resemblance. Bids are being accepted on the fans "We Believe" facebook page.

Les pictured with Andy and the shirt on the steps of the Legion after County's game against Lossie on Saturday

Black Lab cross dog handed in to Nairn Police

Black Lab Cross dog handed in to Nairn office.Any info as to the owner call 101.
— BadenochStrath&Nairn (@BadenocNairnPol) May 8, 2013

  Update - We hear from Colin (Roach) that the dog has been collected :-)