Ashers on the move in Inverness

Ali Asher, joint MD Ashers Bakery, told the Gurn:

"Ashers are at an advanced stage of negotiations with BrewDog to take over our current Church St premises. It’s clearly a very good site for that type of operation now. We have also identified a location round the corner on Union Street which we plan to relocate to at the same time. We hope the necessary consents & assistance from the authorities & our local tradesmen will facilitate this being a smooth transition.

In addition to the investment in this new shop & café we’re also shortly undertaking a complete refurbishment of our Bus Station café at Farraline Park. There’s a renewed confidence & vibrancy in the city centre which we’re investing into & have done for 50 years this year. We look forward to welcoming many loyal & new customers to both these shops & wish BrewDog all the best."

Car parking charges latest – Tom Heggie: “There are no proposals on the table for us as councillors to consider so we can't pass anything on to yourselves.”

At the Nairn West and Suburban CC meeting in the Community and Arts Centre on Monday night, Dick Youngson, the NWSCC chair, asked the three Highland Councillors present if there was any new information on parking charges. He got the following response from Tom Heggie. 

“As was reported at Nairn River (Community Council) while we were there, the new Chief Executive in conjunction with Councillors has taken a view that there has to be a wider consultation and there will be an independent consultant. There is a change fund that will be used for this. 

We don't have any time zone on that at them moment as far as I'm aware but that will include, just looking at the wider issues around infrastructure, localism and so on. As was pointed out to me, at different times and places, the budget leader made a statement and he has made it throughout the whole of Highland, that a year ago there was insufficient consultation. So there is now, not just where car parking charges have yet to be introduced but also where they have already been introduced and just looking at a pattern for the whole of Highland. So we await that particular process. There are no proposals on the table for us as councillors to consider so we can't pass anything on to yourselves.”

Junior World Childcare receive Green Flag award

Junior World Childcare Centre, run by Care and Learning Alliance, have been working hard over the last year to develop the Eco-Schools Scotland Project and are delighted to announce we have received the Green Flag Award.

The Green Flag is a visible indication of commitment to learning for sustainability and an internationally recognised accreditation for excellence in sustainable development education. This is an amazing achievement. With Elena Reid, Childcare Practitioner leading the way, children of all ages, families and many local voluntary organisations have helped us gain this award. There have been a wide range of learning experiences over the year, including litter picks, gardening projects, recycling and upcycling, as well as visitors from Highland Council, Green Hive and Eco Nairn.

We would like to take this opportunity to express a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone involved, especially those who have worked hard on the Eco Committee. Our most recent projects have included the collection of crisp packets for recycling, the continued development of our garden areas and discussion about the use of plastic to upcycle and develop outdoor reading huts.

Jayne Macintosh (Manager) said, “I believe that children of all ages attending the setting are developing responsible citizenship through the different opportunities to engage with the environment and learn what part they can play in helping to actively protect it. Maintaining the Green Flag will be an ongoing project and we excitedly look forward to continuing our Eco-Schools project.”

CALA's Chief Executive Jaci Douglas added, "this is such great news for Junior World and thanks to all the children, staff and other supporters who have helped realise this fantastic achievement."

Should NRCC (Nairn River) and NWSCC (Nairn West and Suburban) combine, giving the town a single voice at this level of local government? Social media polling stations now open.

More details on the Nairn our town our views facebook page. 

Stushie deepens as Nairn West and Suburban Community Council unanimously back their River CC colleagues against Highland Council shut-down order - ("...appears to be a continuation of the campaign of hostility and criticism levelled at both CCs....")

Unanimous support tonight in the Community and Arts Centre by NWSCC for their NRCC colleagues as the stushie surrounding Highland Council's order to Nairn River Community Council to go into "abeyance", i.e. to shut down until some time dictated by Glenurquhart Road in the future. 

Chair of Nairn West and Suburban, Dick Youngson read out the following statement followed by three motions that were unanimously passed. Several River CC members including Chair Tommy Hogg were sitting on the public benches as Dick spoke. He began:

• I would like to start by expressing my serious concern and disappointment over the sudden and arbitrary "decision" by the Ward Manager to shut down River CC with neither advance notice nor discussion of available options (such as interim elections or quorate continuation till November);
• I note that there is already well founded doubt (expressed in River CC's response) as to whether the Ward Manager had a proper and legitimate basis for her actions;
• I would also point out that the same prospect could face NW&SCC for different reasons - not perhaps over membership numbers, but for example on grounds of admin/accounting issues;
• I put on record my anxiety that this appears to be a continuation of the campaign of hostility and criticism levelled at both CCs by elected Councillors and officials in recent months which appears designed to prevent, rather than assist, the CCs to play their role as representatives of the community;
• And I have to say that this is completely at odds with the tone and messages emerging from recent meetings, one with the HC CEO and another on the Common Good, which have sought to build a new atmosphere of collaboration and support;
• I say that silencing or closing CCs - instead of offering constructive guidance and advice to enable them to function more effectively - sends entirely the wrong message to the people of Nairn (they must wonder what on Earth is going on) about the Council's approach to dialogue on local issues

This action, if implemented, would leave almost half of the town's population unrepresented, disenfranchised, and with no mechanism for raising and discussing policy proposals, planning applications, or other subjects of local interest;

• I must warn that devoting time at CC meetings to procedural arguments, debates over the wording of minutes, and internal wrangling, is an unwelcome diversion from sensible consideration of the many important matters which are of concern to local people - whether that is parking policy, budgetary and cutting services, planning and development issues, common good management, or other current problems.
• For all these reasons, I and colleagues in the Nairn West and Suburban CC believe it is a priority to take a clear stand and put our views publicly and formally on record.

I would like then to propose the following motions

1. Nairn West and Suburban CC firmly support Nairn River CC being enabled to continue fulfilling its essential role
2. Nairn West and Suburban CC will continue to work with Highland Council and all other interested groups to explore how best Community Empowerment can be used to deliver a prosperous and inclusive new future for Nairnshire and all its people.
3. Nairn West and Suburban CC asks for an urgent review of the decision to put Nairn River CC into abeyance

Ccllr Linda Bisset asked for working with Highland Councillors too to be included in the motions, presumably this will be included in item 2. Lots more at the NSWCC meeting tonight which if time permits we will post later this week. 

C'mon Nairn Ladies FC! New Highlands and Islands Women's League formed!

Nairn River Community Council shut-down stushie - office bearers seek clarification of rules from Highland Council

The Gurn has obtained a copy of a letter signed by NRCC office bearers that has been sent to Highland Council. Please click on images below to enlarge. 

Green Hive Pruning and Grafting workshop, Nairn Allotments Orchard - Sandown Saturday March 2nd

River CC shut down stushie and resignation of former secretary - debate on social media

The shut down order from Highland Council to Nairn River Community Council has opened a series of debates both on popular Nairn social media pages "Nairn Rocks" and "Nairn our town our views". Also on the Nairn our town page is a copy of the resignation letter from former NRCC secretary Simon Noble. 

Interestingly, calls are emerging once again for a single Community Council to represent the whole town, 

Nairn River Community Council told it has to shut down by Highland Council

The Gurn understands that Nairn River CC have been told by a local council official that they must go into "abeyance" following the resignation of former Secretary, Simon Noble, on Wednesday night. This raises a technical constitutional issue leading to the instruction for the shut down due to minimum numbers rule ( 50% of max membership must be elected not co-opted) . Our correspondent fails to understand why Highland Council are not allowing interim elections in the meantime to as there have been problems elsewhere in the Highlands keeping Community Councils going and new rules are proposed for later this year that would allow co-opted members to be counted. 

A source close to River CC tells us that there is a school of thought among members that this instruction must be seen in the light of what have been perceived as attacks in the press on the town's community councils by local Highland Council members in recent weeks. 

Our correspondent tells us that they believe Highland Council has other options (including interim elections) and that this shut down move is "extreme" at a time when the CCs and Highland Council seemed to be moving towards a new agreement on how to remedy the "toxic" relationship between Glenurquhart Road and the town.