NW&SCC monthly meeting - Car Parking charges feature - Tom Heggie only Highland Councillor to turn up - Andrew Randerson steps down from CC

One of our regular readers was at last night's Nairn West and Suburban Community Council meeting at the Centre and was kind enough to submit the following report:

Nairn West and Suburban Community Council meeting was notable, yet again, for its absence of Highland Council councillors with only Cllr Heggy putting in an appearance and no apologies being recorded from the other three.

Unsurprisingly the vexed issue of charging for car parking in Nairn came up again.

Cllr Heggy stated that there is going to be consultation about car parking in every area of Highland including those with parking charges already like Inverness and Fort William. The chairman for the evening pointed out, as has others have done before him including Gurn Nurn, that parking charges have been shown to be deeply damaging to high street businesses elsewhere in Scotland and Nairn is likely to be similarly affected. And all for such a small amount of income for the council compared to its overall budget.

Bill Young said that under a recent change in the law Highland Council has to legally consult with community councils over any change of use of Common Good assets and made powerful case that using Common Good land to raise money for Highland Council was wrong. He also pointed out that there is still no Common Good asset register so it is impossible to reliably determine precisely which car parking in Nairn is involved.

Cllr Heggy said that, if parking charges are imposed in Nairn, then any nett income from parking on Common Good land would be retained by the Common Good.

Sadly no one then asked why, given that this was the case and that pretty much the whole town was opposed to parking charges, the introduction of charges for parking on Common Good land was still being considered.

The meeting also heard an update from Janis MacLean, Nairn BID manager. A Food and Drink Festival is being planned for 12th-14th April. A planning workshop will take place on 18th February. Total BID income is estimated at £100,000 per year and, among other things, they are investigating ways to improve the look of the high street.

The issue of car parking around Tradespark shops and dangers with buses stopped there too was briefly raised and will, no doubt, come back to later meetings.

And finally Andrew Randerson announced that this was his last meeting as he is stepping down from community council to concentrate on other ways to help the community.

And it's a two for the price of one day on the Gurn folks, here you can see Andrew Randerson's round-up of last night's events and the complements he is receiving for his period as an unpaid volunteer Community Councillor. 

East Beach to Kingsteps all abilities path restoration. NICE and Nairn Access Panel Restore Popular Local Route.

Work will be undertaken in February to restore the all abilities path from the East Beach car park to Kingsteps. 

The path, on Common Good land, leads to the edge of the Culbin nature reserve and was made all abilities around fifteen years ago in association with the Nairn Access Panel. Since then it has become encroached upon and very worn due to its popularity. It can no longer provide access for wheelchairs, buggies, or those unable to negotiate the narrow and bumpy conditions, and water pools

in the hollows. 

Nairn Improvement Community Enterprise has now worked with the Access Panel to obtain grant funding of £18,500 for the project from the Landfill Communities Fund, RSPB, Nairn Access Panel, and Nairn Ward Discretionary Fund to restore the path, and a very experienced contractor Highland Conservation Ltd. has been appointed. 

For health and safety reasons this will clearly cause some inconvenience to regular users as the construction work is undertaken, but diversions to alternative routes will be clearly marked from the car park when necessary, and there will be no problem with access to the beach or dunes. 

While following national policy to encourage outdoor access for all with the health benefits it brings, it will be really rewarding to see locals and visitors of all abilities enjoying once more the wonderful landscapes, birdlife and photographic opportunities which this route provides.

Albyn Housing development plan threat to Giant Sequoia tree in Nairn

Giant Sequoia under threat from proposed Albyn Housing development on land opposite Manor Care Centre.

Readers can browse the application here on the highland Council's e-planning site. The reason the Sequoia has to go according to the Arboricultural Impact Assessment is:

“The removal of 40 individually tagged trees to allow the development has a moderate overall effect on the landscape. 31 of the trees recommended trees for removal are of either category C or U. However, the development also requires the removal of 2 category A trees. The large Wellington (T2152) is a very prominent tree on site, but unit 9 and 10 as well as the disabled car parking spaces are well within the RPA of this tree and therefore it would be unrealistic to try and retain this tree. “

During discussions at the River Community Council meeting last night in the Community and Arts Centre concern was raised about the felling of the Sequoia and other nearby trees. The CC have submitted an “extension of time request” to enable them to perhaps submit and objection. They are not against development of the site per se but just wish to see the Sequoia retained – well that is the impression that this observer got from listening to their deliberations.

Here at the Gurn we are minded to support such a submission should the community council be so minded. We would like to draw readers attention to an application that would have meant the removal of a Sequoia just along the road at Rhuallan back in 2005. That application was refused. The Sequoia in Rhuallan then was 25m and this one under threat today is 27m. Here's what we had to say about the danger to that exceptional tree:

"With the pressure on Nairn for housing space it is inevitable that this type of situation will arise but it is by today’s actions that our society will be judged. This is not to say no more houses, never, that would be a stupid attitude but this is about what type of sky-line we bequeath to future generations in this town..

This blogmeister is no tree expert but is aware that Sequoias first came to the UK in the 1860’s and outside of their natural environment in the American Pacific North West the Scottish climate is as close to their homeland as you can get: thus the potential for a lot more growth exists in the specimen at Rhuallan. Imagine the gratitude of citizens a hundred years from now gazing up at the Sequoia and praising the wisdom of their forbears.

It may be that two houses can be built in this plot without felling the mature trees, no doubt the council can seek the views of their experts on that one but the views of the public should be heard too. If you don’t think that mature trees should be felled please go and look at the plans and raise an objection to the application if you feel so inclined. Please pass this information on to any friends or colleagues who would feel inclined to involve themselves in the debate about what kind of environment we leave for future generations in Nairn. If you care, it is worth getting involved, this time anyway.” 

What we said then is just as relevant today about this application just along the road. Hopefully a compromise can be reached to allow building on this site but with retaining this wonderful tree, keeping the Nairn skyline and environment looking good – it isn't just about us, it is about future generations. Development yes but keep the Sequoia!

Anger at Highland Councillor's comments on Community Councils

An article appeared on the front page of this week's Leopold Street Thunderer “Local Councillor calls for wider membership of Community groups”. The Gurn understand that some in the local community councils have seen these comments as an attack on the local volunteers that take up the role. One former Community Councillor Graham Vine took particular exception to what Conservative Councillor Peter Saggers had to say in the local paper and went along to last night's River CC meeting.

Peter Saggers had stated to the Nairnshire: “The last time there was a contested election in Nairnshire was, I believe, 2006."

Graham held up newspaper cuttings  which proved that this was not the case and expressed his concerns on the comments.

Here at the Gurn we had read the Nairnshire article and had thought that perhaps Peter Saggers was correct as there hadn't been an election recently but that maybe 2006 was a bit far back, although time does seem to move very fast these days so perhaps that date was correct. After a wee blether with Graham last night we searched the Gurn for evidence of contested elections and perhaps readers may be interested in an article we published in November 2009: 

“One of the stars of West Community Council lost his seat earlier today as the count was held in the Courthouse. Graham received 136 votes. Another prominent member of the West came in 5th with 195 votes, enough to see him elected but this observer had thought Brian Stewart's recent prominence on planning issues might have seen him climb a little higher but the people have spoken.

However the women of the moment is the lady who kicked ass over the Regal and got results. Reports are coming in from the West End of Kalashnikovs being fired in celebration to honour Rosemary Young for topping the poll with 354 votes, she was nearly 100 votes ahead of the nearest contestant. There was a 49.84% turnout in the West area.

Meanwhile in Suburban Dick Youngson topped the poll with a massive 630 votes in a 35.11% turnout. In River all safely home with 0 votes apiece.”

We also have an article from the River CC election of that time too:

"River CC election - Tommy Hogg tops poll - 28% turnout

Tommy Hogg chats with Nairnshire Reporter John Dolan prior to the results

The results were announced by the Returning Officer Louise Clark at the Courthouse this evening. A healthy 28% of the electorate in the River Community Council area returned their ballot papers and the following were elected:

Carol Clark 621 votes

Thomas Hogg 681 votes

Bill Murdoch 579 votes

Jeanne Tolmie 679 votes

Stephanie Whittaker 588 votes

Provost Liz MacDonald congratulated all reelected and newly elected councillors and wished them well for their term of office. A good result for democracy and an indication that many Nairnites show a keen interest in community council affairs, it bodes well for the future and a possible single Community Council for Nairn within the next two years.

Louise Clark prepares to announce the result , Jean Tolmie to her right "

OK folks there might not always be elections to the community councils but when there is the support for the candidates can be as impressive and even surpass the turnouts for Highland Council elections. Here at the Gurn we would contend that the standing of the unpaid Community Councillors is just as high in the Community as that of their £16K basic Highland Council counterparts. Let's consider the 34 year contribution made by the late Jeanne Tolmie to Nairn River Community Council and the town's well-being for example.

It would be wonderful if more people would stand for community councils as Cllr Saggers wishes but with their funding being cut and with the authorities expecting them to participate in so many “consultations” and attend meetings during the day, it is hardly an alluring prospect for many citizens. The Community Councils remain somewhere where people in the town can go with their problems and seek help however, or at least seek a platform to bring issues to a wider audience.

Perhaps if Highland Council would in fact listen more to what Community Councils have to say? After all let's just take parking charges and who is reflecting the will of the community here – the Community Councils or Peter Saggers and his two Independent colleagues?

Dismay at River CC meeting as no Highland Councillors turn up to answer parking charges questions

As concern and rumours mount in Nairn over when/if parking meters arrive in the town there was considerable upset expressed at the River Community Council meeting in the Centre tonight. 

Community Councillors expressed their concerns that no numbers or proposals had emerged yet in spite of the CC seeking information and the situation was made even worse with no Highland Council representatives present to enlighten them. 

Worries were expressed from the public benches that our Highland Councillors may have given permission for Highland Council to put the meters on Nairn Common Good Land but, again, with no one present to respond to questions the situation was far from ideal. Anger too that there was still no sign of the promised consultation on parking charges matters. 

Indecent behaviour incident on West Beach Nairn, Tuesday Jan 22 around 3.30 pm close to Golf View Hotel - police looking for man with "long curly red hair"

Queen's Park Community project

Nairn River Community Council meeting 23rd January 2019 - Agenda

Details of the Agenda here on the River CC pages.  Links here to minutes of recent meetings too. 

Lesley Riddoch at The Little Theatre for the showing of her film "NATION Norway - The Twin Nation" Here's the whole event on video

Last night Saturday 19th of January and Lesley Riddoch was in the Little Theatre and did a Q&A session after a showing of the third in a series of films she has made comparing Scotland and Nordic nations.

Yes Nairn showed the first two in the afternoon and Lesley was there also for an impromptu session too. You can see Nation Iceland here and Nation Faroe Islands here.

The event in the evening was sold out and the afternoon session of films and drop-in cafe with a foodbank collection was also very well attended and 30 bags of food and toiletries were collected which will be taken to Gateway Highland. 

Regular readers that pay attention to local government matters may wish to hear Lesley's thoughts on how Scotland fares here in comparison with its Nordic neighbours, you can go straight to that about four minutes into her Q&A session video which is the third one below. 

New Bridge spans heading through Nairn in Cawdor direction

Soon to be sitting a bit further along the River Nairn from the existing White Bridge at Cawdor.

Individual images here.