FERGUS EWING: Revenue from Inverness Castle will be shared across Highlands
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In the glorious sunshine, we gathered at Inverness Castle to tell the reporters and TV journalists the good news.
The contract for the work to transform the castle to a world-class, quality tourist and visitor attraction and also an asset and place to meet for Invernessians and Highlanders alike.
Scottish Government finance secretary Kate Forbes attended, given that they have made a substantial contribution to the costs.
The contractor chosen, Bancon Construction, has a formidable track record including the recently completed project at the Midmills building in Inverness and the Cardhu whisky distillery visitor centre.
The work is expected to be completed in 2025. The reason for the duration is the fact that the castle is grade A listed both inside and out. So we must get the work right.
It has been a long journey to get here, and indeed I suggested to Kate that I have been involved in this project, as chairman of the working and delivery groups, for so long that maybe she was still at school when it was first contemplated!
All major projects involve a team and all the people involved have collaborated well working through all the challenges that we face.
I would pay tribute to the contribution of Inverness Provost Helen Carmichael, the co-chairwoman of the delivery group.
She has helped to persuade all the fellow councillors outwith Inverness to support the financial contribution, and to broker the deal that the benefits from the revenue generated when the castle is open will be shared throughout the Highlands.
n Much of the work of an MSP is to try to help individual constituents.
With my team, we have recently had a number of families with a child, or adult, with profound special needs. I have said it before, but it bears repeating: It is pretty heart-breaking to see just how hard many families have to fight to get equal treatment for their loved ones, because they require particular assistance or help.
That is not because the NHS and the council do not want to help. It is often about the costs involved, or the restricted facilities that exist within the Highlands.
At any rate, myself and my team also take such cases very seriously and try to help in any way that we can.
