Ferintosh Community Council on the Black Isle calls for more people to stand as community councillors, amid fears it may have to fold without fresh blood
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COMMUNITY-spirited residents on the Black Isle have been urged to step up – amid fears a local council could fold without more support.
Ferintosh Community Council this week warned that its existing members are “minded not to form a new community council” if no new faces come forward. The council’s existing six councillors have all stood for re-election, meaning it will remain quorate and avoid slipping into abeyance.
But they warned that the number of members is lower than the nine they feel it is needed to make it a “fully-functioning” body.
“The six current community councillors who have again stood for election feel they do not have the capacity to represent your views, to ensure your views are taken seriously or to achieve changes that reflect your views,” said its chairwoman, Becky Richmond.
“A fully-functional community council that you would have confidence in needs nine community councillors.
“The reasoning behind our judgement lies in our knowledge of what already has to be done and what we know about the challenges coming towards our community in the next few years.”
She added that “challenges ahead” include the creation of a new 10 year development plan for the area, which will shape the debate over future housing.
“Another challenge we are just hearing about is the resurgence in wind farm development which is seen as vital to clean energy development but must be balanced with community needs. Yet another challenge is the ever increasing volume of traffic,” she added.
“In essence, ‘Your community needs You’. The six of us who have currently put ourselves forward for re-election really do need you. However, we would have no problem at all if we were not selected by you in a postal ballot should you choose a completely new and vibrant community council. We just want active democracy and a community council in place that can provide you with a service that you deserve.”
Nominations for the vacant seats close on Tuesday at midday. Visit www.highland.gov.uk for more details.
Highland Council ward member Gordon Adam, said the loss of the community council would be a blow to Highland Council’s localism programme.
“Highland Council is planning to delegate significant budgets to smaller area committees and to raise more money locally. Community councils will have a key role in deciding where a proportion of these funds should be spent.
“So it is more important than ever that they are well led and have the confidence of the community – as Ferintosh Community Council clearly has. It has chalked up some impressive achievements ranging from the new junction at Crask, to limiting speed on the road outside Mulbuie School and successfully lobbying Stagecoach for the reinstatement of a commuter bus service into Inverness.”
