If you live in the Claggan area, there’s an opportunity to be part of a new Resident’s Association aimed at providing a stronger voice on local issues, putting on community events and enabling the community to apply for lottery funds for local projects. There’s a public meeting on Thursday 30th June in the offices of…
£30,000 is up for grabs in a new participatory budgeting fund launched by Lochaber councillors this week. Instead of only councillors deciding how their ward discretionary budget is spent, we’ve set aside this substantial proportion for local residents to decide during a public vote in September. This follows a successful pilot last year when young…
The first edition of my new regular e-newsletter has now pinged its way into inboxes across Lochaber. You can read about opposition to plans, put forward by some Inverness councillors, who want to waste money on a “tilting pier” on the River Ness. There’s an update on efforts to tackle the anti-social behaviour problem caused…
You would think, after previous public outcries about short-notice overnight road closures on the A82 that BEAR Scotland would be particularly attuned to local opinion by now. How wrong! Instead they come up with a plan for overnight closures on the A82 through Glencoe in the week running up to the Pre-65 Trials and the Six Day Trials.…
Many people will know about the ward discretionary fund, a pot of money given to ward councillors that local groups and organisations can apply to for financial assistance. Every year we assist a wide range of local projects, from local events to village maintenance schemes. This year we have decided to change how we operate…
Anyone driving along the A82 between Glencoe and Ballachulish at the moment would have noticed all the scaffolding up around the slate arch just before the turn-off into Blalchulish village. It’s part of a £277,000 restoration project with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Highland Council and Historic Environment Scotland (formerly Historic Scotland). The…
Many residents from rural parts of my ward have contacted me about continuous problems with British Telecom; both normal telephone and broadband provision. Many of these complaints have been forwarded, via local MSP’s to senior executives within British Telecom. However, residents across Lochaber remain concerned that these problems are not being properly addressed. Today, I…
These are the planning applications received by the Highland Council for the South Lochaber area this week. Please note no decisions have been made on these applications, their acceptance begins the period of consultation before planning officers make a recommendation. 15/03695/FUL Change of use of residential staff flat to House of multiple occupation 143 High…
All the nominations are in for a new set of community councillors across the Highlands. This tireless army of volunteers represents residents across our towns and villages, providing a strong voice for local community interests. Most meet on a monthly basis to discuss a wide range of issues affecting their neighbourhood, including planning issues and…
Transport Scotland headquarters sent out a lot of confusing messages over the last few months, following their review of speed limits along the A82. First of all, they recommended reducing the limit to 50mph from the Ballachulish Bridge roundabout through to the Onich Hotel. Then they decided their traffic data didn’t support this reduction, so…
