Nairn community council merger halted, but plans to incorporate East Nairnshire Community Council area in Cawdor and Auldearn Community Councils steps forward
A proposal to merge the two community councils in Nairn won’t be going ahead, councillors agreed.
As part of the Highland Council’s review of the scheme of establishment for community councils, it was suggested that Nairn West and Suburban and Nairn River could be joined together into a single community council.
However, following a public consultation which ran over the past months, it was found that both community councils were opposed to the merger, and no clear support emerged from the people who responded to the survey.
In their official response to the proposal, Nairn West and Suburban Community Council wrote that they believed “it was not in the best current or future interests” of Nairn residents given its population number — a merger would have made it the biggest community council in Highland by population represented with more than 10000 residents.
“It is unprecedented that two fully functioning large community councils should be proposed to be forcibly merged by means of a boundary change,” they stated in the response.
“Pressure for change stemming from local personal differences/disagreements should not influence consideration of on the most effective long-term representation for the town.”
Therefore, council officers suggested not to take forward the idea — which was agreed by councillors at Highland Council’s meeting last Thursday (May 15).
On the other hand, Nairnshire could see another change on its community council’s map, as plans to divide the area covered by East Nairnshire Community Council — which has been failed to form since 2022 — between Cawdor and West Nairnshire and Auldearn Community Council’s will be taken to a second phase of consultation.
This came after Nairn and Cawdor Councillor Michael Green asked for the original proposal in the review report was not to proceed with this split due to lack of clear support. However, both community councils have said they were in favour of the change, and an amendment was agreed to allow the proposal to be brought forward.
It is hoped that the move will allow residents of the area to be better represented in the absence of a local community council.
Proposing the amendment, Councillor Green said: “There’s been no CC operating in East Nairnshire for many years, and the amendment proposes that we extend the boundaries of Auldearn on the East and Cawdor and West to the west to cover that area.
“As East Nairnshire disappears into the mist of time, I’d like to say that they were a very productive community council. They were small but they were very effective, and thanks to them we got bridges appear and bus shelters, they were a delight to work with.
“One of the reasons why they were so effective is that the culture in East Nairnshire was friendly, collegiate and respectful. Officer attendance was never an issue, they were delighted to attend. t was a very effective CC and I am sad to see it go.
“However the culture at Cawdor and Auldearn is very similar, and other could learn.”
He thanked Cllr Oldham for his work liaising with the two CCs in order for the amendment to be competent.
Commenting on the merger, Nairn and Cawdor Councillor Barbara Jarvie added: “The Cawdor and Auldearn ccs are very willing and obliging to take on the additional areas, split between them using a clear boundary which is the A939. This gives a voice to people living further out in these rural areas in two excellently-run community councils, that are great to run for.”
Changes could also be introduced in the complaints process, following a motion agreed in October 2024 on this matter, and according to the report, Highland Council is liaising with Scottish Government officers to “develop models for strengthening community level governance”.
The final report following the second phase of consultation is expected in September.
