Friday, April 17, 2015

"the old idea of making decisions for us still lingers" Big slide images showing previous changes and thoughts on the present day situation

Thanks to Iain Fairweather who sent us these pictures below that detail a previous change to the big slide in 2008. It passed without comment - perhaps everyone saw it as an improvement at the time?  Iain muses on what might have changed since then. He told the Gurn:

"The last time the slide was changed, I don't recall any public comment. This time Highland Council officers and councillors have drawn the fury of the community. So what has changed? The reality is that the Nairn community has found its voice and despite structures providing for consultation and partnership working, officials and councillors have yet to make that work in practice. They declare they do, but they obviously have different views of what that means. Scottish Government policy is to enable and empower the community but the old structures are struggling to embrace that. So a small issue that could have passed off without incident has once again placed Highland Council in the firing line. The old idea of making decisions for us still lingers and they have yet to embrace the new idea of making decisions with us. That's the future."




Present day scene

Another view from the present day
Larger pictures available if you click on the images on this Gurn Flickr page here. 

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does that mean that all the previous commentariat that "remembered" how it used to be were wrong? ......."I remember when we used to climb way up high and ....."
Or ..... "I remember when the embankment used to keep the wind away"

Graisg said...

Well anon, there looks like there is some difference between 2006 and 2008 but there is no denying the landscape has been fundamentally changed down by this year.

Yes said...

Post the Scottish independence campaign and subsequent vote many Scots have found their political voice and and are no longer prepared to sit back and get trampled upon by politicians or councils

Long may this continue

Anonymous said...

This was all nearly eight years ago. There is a lot more internet now and social media played a part in bringing this to public attention.

jayteescot1 said...

Anyone approving or removing any kind of shelter from a north facing coast needs their head examined !

The JACOBITE said...

That cap would fit quite a lot of Councilors JAYTEESCOT with the decisions they make when it is something they want or do not want We elected them to represent us not to dictate as they want and will enforce to the best of there ability like it or not.

Anonymous said...

The times they are a changing. Bob Dylan.