For several years, I have been asking the Highland Council to accept responsibility for the section of trees that are in their ownership along Wades Road. This was a result of several complaints from nearby residents, concerned about the loss of light to their properties, the risk of damage from wind-blown branches or trees and…
We’ve been blessed with some good weather as we enter the autumn months, and unlike previous years the council’s winter maintenance teams haven’t needed to swing into serious action yet. Last year Lochaber councillors rejected the winter plans presented by officers, as inadequate and inconsistent with our area’s needs. That caused an enormous row with…
When the national Police and Fire services were created by the Scottish Government, councillors lost any real ability to scrutinise the work of these services in their area. Whereas before councillors set priorities based on the needs of their local communities, these decisions are effectively now made at a national level. There are opportunities to…
This morning the Press and Journal contains an article with the headline “Inverness is in the money,” about the likely signing of the contract between Highland Council and both the British and Scottish Governments, that will see money allocated to the City/Region Deal released. This £315 million package has been applauded by senior councillors and…
Two parallel universes must exist in the council chamber in Fort William, as the press department sanctioned version of proceedings at the local area committee meeting differs from my experience of the same meeting. An important item on the agenda was the agreement of a set of priorities for Lochaber. These include things like the…
Some people could ask is a stone wall really that important. Others would suggest the council shouldn’t spend money on replacing like for like. That was pretty much the attitude of my councillor colleagues when I tried to persuade them to replace the wall at this historic graveyard with another stone wall. Yet, one councillor told…
In my latest newsletter there’s an update about plans for what would be the largest community land purchase in Scottish history and news of how council officers tried to extend the commercial grass cutting contracts across the Highlands without approval from councillors. You can read it in detail here.
