Highland Council Black Isle area committee stages first stand-alone meeting with pledge of local decision-making
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Members of Highland Council’s new Black Isle area committee attended their inaugural meeting yesterday.
The new stand-alone area committee – which previously formed part of the wider Black Isle, Dingwall and Seaforth Committee structure – is served by three elected members who represent Ward 9.
They are: Councillor Gordon Adam, Councillor Jennifer Barclay and Councillor Craig Fraser.
As chairman of the previous iteration of this committee, Councillor Adam will retain the role for the Black Isle ward area meetings.
In addition, as agreed during the meeting, Councillor Craig Fraser will serve the role of vice-chairman.
The split of the wider Ross-shire area committee originally occurred earlier this year when a motion was successfully put forward to full council to allow the Black Isle Ward to have its own forum.
Dingwall and Seaforth is now also a stand-alone area committee and is scheduled to meet for the first time in its new format on August 16.
Councillor Adam said: “I am pleased to report that we had a very successful first meeting of the Black Isle area committee yesterday morning.
"This more localised committee will allow for local accountability in addition to decision-making by members who are closest to the needs of ward constituents.”
When the Dingwall and Seaforth committee opted to go it alone, councillors spoke of frustration over a perception amongst many that Dingwall was not getting a fair share of resources
Councillors said they wanted to ensure local decisions were in local hands.
Related: Dingwall and Seaforth goes it alone
Go-it-alone Dingwall and Seaforth committee will benefit 'localism'
