No don’t worry, for a moment I thought this was describing Nairn, but it is in fact Inverness on the shortlist for winning the Award. So that’s OK then!

We have to be concerned that developers, once again, seem to be in the driving seat when it comes to delivering the future of Nairn. There is no coordinated or joined-up thinking about how we improve the town. None of the responsible agencies have sat round a table and put together any ideas about Nairn’s future direction. We’ve had lots of ideas from developers  – and perhaps too often – getting planning approval. So we end up with disjointed and often out-of-character developments, not because Nairn is in any way enhanced but simply on the basis that money can made from a plot of land.

The council ought to engage with Nairn businesses, residents, developers and property owners to deliver a joined-up vision for the town. Property owners should not be allowed to sit on their hands while buildings crumble;  developers should not be setting the agenda for change. There needs to be a new memorandum of understanding to ensure that all stakeholders work together for the good of the town and to an agreed objective. Other towns have done it and it has meant that planners are no longer be besieged by developers; developers know what they have to do within the strategic plan to have the proposals speeded through the planning process. Fundamentally every developer should be working within a framework that takes the town closer to its defined objectives. At the moment we just have a hotch-potch of uncoordinated developments. It’s surely not beyond the wit of man to come up with a plan, but I do worry that it might be beyond the wit of Highland Council.

Yes, most dog owners are responsible but I wonder how many will keep their dogs on a lead on the beach. How many have sufficient control of their dogs to be able to call them back from a “friendly” leap towards a frightened child or nervous adult? Obviously it was beyond the control of the owner whose dog attacked the swan recently. There are simply too many owners who refuse to clean up after their pets. The dunes are a mess and so are many of our pavements. So dog owners you are being let down by some who just don’t care and who are spoiling our enjoyment of one of Nairn’s main attractions.

Yes, we have regulations in place and we have dog wardens but none of that seems to affect uncaring owners or unruly dogs. They have insisted on their rights without any consideration for others who also have rights to enjoy open spaces. It’s a sad day for Nairn when we thought we could all enjoy the beach without fear of being attacked or worry about stepping in something. So if you go down to the beach today you’re sure of a big surprise.

Brae "crossing"

You’ll recall that before the work on The Brae was started there were numerous concerns expressed about the road layout, kerbs, parking and above all general safety. One clear indication of nonsense in planning was the fact that the traffic calming strip was generally regarded as a crossing particularly as there was a gap in the railings and a dropped kerb.  Complete and utter madness. It would seem that this view is now recognised as mad by the powers-that-be as this “crossing” has now been chained off.

There will be changes made but as another indication that madness is clearly a qualification in the planning office, a new pedestrian crossing is now to be installed across the bottom of The Brae. This greatly improves the chances of motorists toppling a few pedestrians as they speed off the A96 on a near blind corner.

Of course we also have to bear in mind that having got this wrong in the first place, there will now be further disruption and totally unnecessary cost in trying to put it right. New kerbs, new signage, pavement repairs, greater danger to pedestrians. Total madness! More money that could have been better used to support the swimming pool or other important services. I have to say, where do we get our decision makers from? What planet do they live on?

If you agree that Nairn should be represented by a single Community  Council – ie. A Royal Burgh of Nairn Council then send a quick e-mail saying so to this address:

ccreview@highland.gov.uk

That’s the address of the Highland Council review team. If you’d like to send a letter or print off copies for others then there’s a PDF document here that will do the job.
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/narann/singlecomc.pdf

The recent HMIe report on Nairn Academy provided some positive reading.
But it is regrettable that there has been no public comment thus far on the failures in the English Department.
Surely this is a matter that our elected members, who have offered no public comment on this matter so far,  must now address.The HMIe report about the school which can be viewed online states:
“In English, many young people’s learning needs are not well met and overall attainment is unsatisfactory”.

Too many facilities have been closed in Nairn in recent years or been moved to Inverness. Closing the swimming pool would severely impact on the community and deny young and old alike the opportunity to develop skills or maintain healthy and active living – all with the potential to reduce health costs to the NHS. But that’s someone else’s budget so let’s not worry about that?

Of course the closure of the pool could seriously impact on other facilities along the beach front. Pool staff have responsibility for the paddling pool and the putting green. Will they too be in danger of closing? If they close, is there a future, at least a viable one, for the Links Café? So this is about more than just the pool. It’s the first in a line of dominoes, which if it tumbles will eventually deny Nairn many of its key tourist attractions. Let’s not forget that tourism is our major industry and Highland Council do us no favours if they continue close local facilities.

That said, the hullabaloo over the pool is a complete distraction. We’ve been conned. Hundreds of people have focused their attention on a side show. Highland Council have set local communities against each other, now fighting to ensure their own pool does not close. Shame on them. In effect, what they have done, intentionally or otherwise, is light a number of small bush-fires around Highland Region. Residents have rushed out with their buckets of water to douse the flames. But while we focus attention on our local blaze, we have taken our eyes off the bigger picture – the town hall. OK, we are facing tough economic times but is it credible to believe that we can solve the problem by shutting a couple of swimming pools? No, the real problem is a reckless and cavalier waste of resources right across Highland Region.

For too long the Council has engaged in extravagant and costly schemes. Their executives are in receipt of huge salaries and their golden hand-shakes are obscene. Money is wasted on consultants who fail to adequately consult and who produce reports that a 10-year-old could generate with a minimum of research. It is time we woke-up and realised that the way they do things is no longer acceptable in these cash-strapped times. Councillors need to take more responsibility for the proper use of our money. Too often it’s about doing what earns a few extra brownie points and not enough about doing what’s right.

We have actually got to think again about the way we manage and run Councils. It is time to undertake a serious review of how our taxes are used. Do Highland Council spend too much on vanity projects? There is a shocking waste of resources. Are all the expenses claims fully justified? Can it be right that executives earn more than £100,000 and retire with the kind of money we can only dream about? Surely that’s where we should be focussing our attention rather than being duped into fighting a small fires in our own backyard?

The money we contribute to local government ought to be used to provide important facilities for the community – swimming pools, museums, care homes. If councillors don’t find a better way to deliver our services and do it without putting so much in the pockets of their own executives, then we need other people to represent us. If they are squandering our money in useless projects or funding extravagant salaries then perhaps it’s time to withhold our taxes until they can demonstrate an ability to properly provide for the needs of the community. It’s not their money; it’s ours and they have got too used to thinking it will always be there.

So let’s focus on the real issues – bad management, at times verging on incompetence and costly wage bills for executives and consultants. If we find that none of our local elected representatives voice support for the retention of the local swimming pool then at the very least they should know that they will be looking for another job after the next council elections.

Meantime, it is time to turn your gaze back to Glenurquhart Road and hold its inhabitants to account. Sort that out and the swimming pool will look after itself.

A single community council for Nairn is both logical and necessary: the review team should assess the arguments, not duck the issue.
Nairn town is an identifiable, single, coherent community. It has always been a single “burgh”. The case for a single unified Community Council is compelling.

More details here – and add your own comments

I feel the matter of the non-replacement of the traffic warden when he retires should be open for discussion.

Who made this decision?

On what basis was this decision made?

With the new hospital about to open and the thoroughfare via Cawdor Street / Road being very restricted I feel now more than ever we need a new traffic warden.

I have nothing against Sandy he is a really nice fellow but has he ever given out a ticket?

There is always someone double parked in the High Street, Lodge Hill Road is like a national car park.

All schools in Nairn suffer from people parking on the yellow lines and no one seems to care.

If the decision to do away with the position of the parking warden was based on the amount of tickets given out by the current parking warden then there needs to be a rethink.

We need a traffic warden – a real traffic warden one who implements the law and we need one now.

Allen

It would be great to hear from all those now living away from Nairn and those who come back for “The Games” or “Hogmanay”.

What are your memories? What can we do to improve your town?