Plans to reduce number of north councillors rejected
PLANS to cut the number of councillors and redraw some ward boundaries have been rejected by the local authority.
The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland recommended reducing the number of ward members from 80 to 74 and changing boundary lines in Inverness, Culloden and Ardersier, Nairn, the Black Isle, Dingwall and Landward Caithness.
The council accepts the need for a reduction but is asking the Commission to be more lenient and allow the Highland’s 22 wards to be served by 76 councillors. The axe would fall on Inverness Ness Side, Culloden and Ardersier, the Black Isle and Landward Caithness.
Plans by the Commission to take Dalneigh out of Inverness Central and move it into the Inverness West ward, reducing the number of Inverness Central councillors from four to three, were also rejected.
Central ward members said the area, which includes Merkinch, South Kessock and the city centre, probably had the heaviest caseload in the Highlands.
The council has backed their calls to keep Dalneigh and to retain the current number of councillors.
It wants the Commission to instead take a small chunk of land from Inverness Central and give it to the Inverness West ward.
This proposal would see a loop stretching from the junction of Glenurquhart Road and Tomnahurich Street and along Ness Walk and along Bishops Road and back to Glenurquhart Road become part of the Inverness West ward.
The Commission also wanted to take Ardersier out of the Culloden and Ardersier ward and place it into the Nairn ward, making Culloden a three member ward, instead of four.
But local members were against this. They want Ardersier to remain in Culloden and for Cawdor to be moved back into Nairn.
The Commission also proposed moving Redcastle out of the Black Isle ward and into the Dingwall and Seaforth ward, reducing the Black Isle’s quota of councillors from four to three.
But the Commission is being asked to leave things as they are in that ward. However, local members accept the need to reduce the number of councillors from four to three.
The Commission also proposed doing away with Landward Caithness and splitting that ward between Thurso and Wick and giving those wards four councillors each.
However, local members rejected this and want the Commission to retain the three wards and give each ward three councillors.
Currently, Landward Caithness has four councillors and Wick and Thurso each have three councillors.
If the Commission approves the council’s amendment, the number of councillors in the Far North will go down by one to nine councillor, with Landward Caithness taking the hit.
The council has accepted the Commission’s proposals to remove part of Hilton from Inverness Ness Side and give it to Inverness Millburn ward, making Ness Side a three member ward instead of four.
It also supports proposals for Inverness Millburn to take Inverness Retail Park and Resaurie.
The Commission will now consider the council’s amendments and Highland residents will have 12 weeks between July and October to comment on the proposed changes.
The Commission expects to submit its final recommendations to Scottish Ministers by May 2016 and the changes will be in place for the next local government elections in 2017. The changes are being proposed to improve electoral parity.
QUOTES:
Landward Caithness Councillor Willie Mackay evoked laughter in the chamber when he said: "Why do away with Landward Caithness? We’re the only ward in Highland with four Independent-led members. So why get rid of us? Where is all that coming from? That’s totally unfair. Secondly, why should we be hit with two seats? Thirdly, Caithness is a very rural area with 650 sq miles under our feet so I do not think we should lose that identity, we should bring in and reinstate Landward. Why should we split the county in two? That does not help the historical Wick Thurso divide. Not one little bit."
Thurso Independent councillor Donnie Mackay said the Far North had deprived areas and this should be taken into consideration by the Commission before it takes any drastic steps to cut the number of ward members.
Councillor Campbell was delighted that the full council supported calls to retain the number of councillors in Inverness Central. She said she could not bear to lose her councillor role but she equally could not bear to stand against any of her fellow councillors if the cut from four to three went ahead.
Councillor Glynis Sinclair, SNP member for Culloden and Ardersier, regretted the Commission’s proposal to cut the number of councillors in her ward but she accepted the move. She said she would stand as a councillor in the next local government elections in 2017. "I’m part of the woodwork now," she said.
