John Dolan considers last Friday night's NICE launch in his editorial this week and mentions that their success hinges on community support. He says: "However, they are likely to be disappointed that Nairn River Community Council already appear cool to how NICE is shaping up, if the watchdog's recent statement is anything to go by."
The River CC statement raises some concerns yes, but it also offers an opportunity. If NICE were to take up the offer of having 3 Board members from River CC, 2 from Suburban and one from West (in proportion to their respective electorates) then we would effectively have a town council. If the rural community councils had one member each too then we would have an embryonic Nairnshire County Council. The River CC statement is worthy of further analysis. You can read the text here or just simply listen to a text to sound vid below.
5 comments:
The press are too often tempted to suggest that there is disagreement or dispute on local issues. After all, this makes for good headlines.
In fact River CC's comments in support of efforts to develop Nairn and recognising the significance of the right to buy, are thoughtful and constructive, and directly in line with the stated objectives of NICE.
NICE needs to reflect the views of the whole community, so all of the local CCs ought to be involved, and as many local residents as possible.
Whether a "quota" of CC representatives on the NICE board is the right approach is perhaps for discussion. As River CC's own statement says, it will be important to draw on the expertise of local businesses, and to work with the Highland Council. NICE needs to operate as a serious organisation capable of making business decisions. Its board therefore has to include people who can bring the necessary professional, legal, administrative and financial expertise and skills to the table.
Regarding Toon Loon's comment " Its board therefore has to include people who can bring the necessary professional, legal, administrative and financial expertise and skills to the table.". Perhaps NICE feels they already have the people and skills mentioned?
The Community Councillors on all the Community Councils are mostly well meaning individuals but do they actually represent the views of the community? Do they often just put forward their own views and opinions which often go unchallenged because the majority of the community are just not interested in what is going on? Not interested that is until something happens which will directly affect them. Of course, the same can be said for Highland Councillors, MSP's and MP's.
NICE need to get 10% of the community to sign up, but does 10% represent the community? On top of that what is NICE's definition of the community as it seems to stretch out to Ardersier and Croy?
re Anon 9:03 am
As far as I know community councillors are drawn from the wards that those community councils make up, so they are members of their community by default, and therefore it can be said that they are bringing the views of their community to their respective councils.
Personally I can't think of a better way of getting the views of the community represented at a local level, can you?
NICE have set an arbitrary figure of 10%. No doubt there will be detractors who would want a higher figure going right up to 100% if you want to be ridiculous, but it would seem that even 10% is an optimistic figure for NICE and they might not even attain that
I'm not sure about the NICE plans, but I respect that fact that a few individuals have given a great deal of time to try and put forward a valid plan. I doubt very much that there will be an opposing or different plan put forward by a similar group to NICE, as there just doesn't seem to be that much interest from the wider 'community'
"What skills or expertise could members of River CC provide to NICE"
Discuss......... not for long !
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