Provost Liz - Russ Foley's letter to the Press & Journal

Here's what Russ Foley had to say to the P&J:

SIR,

– Regarding the sacking of the Nairn provost, Liz Macdonald (the Press and Journal, May 11), councillors Sandy Park, Laurie Fraser and Graham Marsden should hang their heads in shame over their treatment of her.

As someone who has worked with Liz in the voluntary sector, I have the highest regard for her ability, diligence and caring concern. A champion for Nairn and a staunch campaigner for the rights of carers and those who require care, she was absolutely right in her comments on the controversial ward forum.

In an increasingly politicised Highland Council, Liz never made any secret of her politics and is not the kind to hide behind superficial “political niceties".

Although I do not share her political affiliations, this I do know: whether it be belly-dancing or standing up and fighting for the good of Nairn, the three other councillors do not have her stomach for it.

She has earned the right to be our provost.

Russell Foley,
Nairn.

Well said Russell! Laurie Fraser should not be allowed to be Provost under these circumstances!

Liz - supportive comments on Inverness Courier site too

Comments are being made too over on an Inverness Courier article reporting Liz's treatment:

'kate

Provost has views that are not in agreement with Council - so she's fired. Well that's adult and intelligent, what astounding transparent leadership - NOT. With that style of managment, no wonder people in this area feel so under-represented and vulnerable. Investigate, Courier - do your job. Find out more. Tell us what is going on behind this - don't leave it hanging.

Stewie

Closing a swimming pool in a seaside resort could literally be a death sentence. Can all the kids in Nairn swim? Thought not.

Al

How can a role you are elected to not be political? Idiots

Katrina T

Totally agree with Kate this needs to be investigated. Liz Macdonald conducted herself well in her role as Councillor and Provost. This decision is petty. Wonder how Councillor Fraser will feel when he wears the Provost chain for the first time. Honoured, respected? I don't think so.

A. Beatson

What a disgrace. I didn't even realise Liz was a member of the SNP until this blew up. Good on her for sticking up for the people who voted her in. Maybe the others were intimidated by a woman who's good at her job. As for the courier doing its job - she's not a Lib Dem so no chance of that

Guest

What a complete and utter disgrace! Whether this lady is in opposition or not should have no bearing, I think that's healthy. If they are allowed to get away with this then it just goes to show that voting for anything up here is not worthwhile. The whole Highland Council is a disgrace. It's like a wee clique who are a law unto themselves, they don't care what the people want they will just do whatever they want to do and no one can stop them! I agree with Kate, (above), this is a half baked story, get to the bottom of it. Why do the Courier and Highland News continue to publish half stories and never actually do any investigative journalism, are they really that afraid of upsetting big businessmen or councillors or anyone else who can withdraw advertising revenue? I understand it's difficult with such a small paper but surely someone within these papers has SOME journalistic guts!

Jim

Well said Kate, come on Courier, do some investigative journalis, ther is something "no" right here.. '

Liz MacDonald responds to Facebook Support

Liz posted the following message on the Facebook Group calling for her reinstatement as Provost:

'The political statement I am accused of making at the Ward Forum that led to my dismissal was "as a Nairn Councillor I shall do all I can to help keep Nairn Swimming Pool open" I expected the other 3 to come in and support me. If I had said "the SNP group and I will do all we can to keep the pool open" then that would ...have been political and I would have understood the reason behind their action.

If people want to write in support in me as Provost I think they should be sent to

Councillor Michael Foxley (Leader of the Administration) Highland Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness.

Thank you all again for your support and good wishes, I am very grateful

Warm regards

Liz'

Anyone wishing to complain to Michael Foxley can do so by e-mailing him from this Highland Council webpage.

Invergordon gets an Incinerator

Just the thing for the cruise ships isn't it? A decision that seems to have come after the election - a coincidence? Details on the BBC site.

Festival types tooling up

Thanks to Jason for this picture

More from Liz at Tuesday evening's River CC meeting

At Tuesday night’s meeting of the River CC Liz answered a few questions.

She was asked if her sacking came as a complete surprise.
‘Yes. I didn’t even know they had a pre-meeting, they had everything written out.’

A little later she went on to say:
‘And they’ve done it all behind closed doors. They’ve made the Provost’s position much more – they’ve demeaned it by doing it all behind a closed door and not giving it the authority. They should have had a public forum – at the ward forum they should have said we’re making an announcement that Laurie’s the new Provost but they did it all behind closed doors. They put out four lines on a press release.'

Liz was asked if there was any move to unseat her when the SNP left the Council administration.
‘When we came out of the administration there was no talk at all of me giving up the position of Provost and ward chair. It was never mentioned until Monday. '

Another question was if she thought the others had been ganging up on her.
‘All throughout these last 18 months there’s been a lot of complications and that’s because I’ve been speaking against what the administration’s plans were for Nairn. MacLean Court and the respite being taken away. There has been conflict but I was just trying to do the best.’

On the crowding of the Ward Forum agenda:
‘I thought the ward forums were about listening to the community’s views but it’s about what the Highland Council wants to talk about.’

Those present at the meeting then heard exactly how the knives came out at the Courthouse on Monday morning.
‘The ward business meeting was at nine o’clock so I went into the Courthouse at five to nine and I went into the Provost’s room and Louise said, ‘Oh you’re in the chamber, the other councillors are through there.’
And I went through and Sandy said, ‘We think that you have been the Provost now for three years and we think it would be fairer to share it and let the other two councillors have a go.’
And I said, ‘Well, I don’t remember you sharing it when you were the Provost for eight years,’ and then, ‘why are you asking me to do this?’ And then Graham Marsden said:‘Oh, well the way you have been behaving politically and you were political at the last ward forum going on about the swimming pool.’

Liz - Articles in the Herald and Scotsman

The slap in the face to Nairn delivered by the 3 Inverness (sorry Highland) Council Administration members (Laurie, Sandy, Graham) is now getting noticed all over Scotland. Do Laurie Fraser, Sandy Park and Graham Marsden represent Nairn or The Highland (Inverness) Council? It's time we had more Councillors that fought for Nairn rather than giving their first loyalty to a political administration based in Inverness. To the Gurn this proves more than ever that Nairn needs a voice to stand up for the Town, time for A Royal Burgh Community Council. At this rate Nairn is going to be totally shafted by Inverness - it's time to get involved and speak out! Here's an extract from the Herald

Her belly-dancing hobby had already been the focus of media attention, but now the first woman to become provost of a town in the Highlands has been sacked by her colleagues.
They accuse Liz MacDonald of using her civic office as provost of Nairn to fight party political battles. She recently was vociferous in her opposition to the possible closure of the council run Nairn swimming pool.

Read the rest on the Herald website.

And an article in the Scotsman

Support Liz - Join the 'Reinstate Liz MacDonald as Provost of Nairn' Facebook group!

Provost Liz speaking at the River CC last night

Some comments made by Liz:

‘I always tried as Provost to do the best for Nairn and stood up for the services and facilities in Nairn’

‘It’s them that are putting forward these cuts and proposals for Nairn and me speaking against them has obviously been too much for them to handle.’
‘Laurie I don’t think will speak out against them because he is part of the administration.’

It was Graham Marsden who said that it was unacceptable for him for me to remain on as Provost because why would the administration give a councillor from the opposition any authority or privilege.

I had the authority I feel by the mandate from the people of Nairn, which was I became the Provost two days after the election, it was agreed by the four Nairn councillors that that was for the term of the council and they welched on it.

I spoke to the Chief Executive today and he said the decision is for the local members to decide who becomes the Provost. But the fact was that they decided it was me and I hadn’t resigned. The other three then decided it was Laurie. So as far as I am concerned I am still the Provost.’

‘It’s not as if I broke the law or was caught drunk-driving or was embezelling funds. I was just speaking up.’

‘All the time I’ve been a councillor, everyone knows I’m an SNP councillor, I’ve never worn an SNP badge because I’ve always tried to work with all the other councillors to try and do the best I can for the town.

More later

Facebook support group for Provost Liz goes live

Reinstate Liz Macdonald as Provost of Nairn

Colin Barron has started a Facebook group to support the Provost of Nairn Liz MacDonald - she's our Provost. The Gurn supports the campaign and will continue to refer to Liz as Provost.

You can join the facebook group and express your views here.

There's only one Provost of Nairn,

Que sera, sera...

Article on BBC Scotland:

'Mrs MacDonald told BBC Radio Scotland: "I am really disheartened. This is about sacking a provost for trying to her job." '

More details here: Sacked Nairn Provost 'treated shabbily'

River CC meeting is going ahead - ignore notice in the Nairnshire

The Gurn has been informed that there will be a meeting of the River Community Council this evening in the Community Centre at 7.30 p.m. (not the Laing Hall). It is a 'Public Meeting' and all are welcome. Please ignore the cancellation notice published in this week's Nairnshire.