YOUR VIEWS: Highland Council backs Academy Street plans and schools dropped from budget
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Readers respond to two major recent stories.
Full council backs Academy Street plans
The full Highland Council gave its backing to progressing the controversial plans for remodelling Academy Street – by 35 votes to 33 – last week.
“No surprise there, as usual Highland Council don’t listen to or care about the public but are happy to take council tax from them.” – Fiona Watson
“Absolutely appalling. There was no consideration for business owners or residents... No consultation has been done with us, the statistics and reports are all over the place, there is no thought at all. Here’s to more doors closing and the end of a city centre!” – Nyomi Dixon
“Nyomi Dixon, our so called Green councillor does not even bother to answer or acknowledge emails sent to him but he can soon turn out and participate in this debacle. Shocking shower the lot of them.” – Pauline Crayk
“Do the councillors’ children go to different schools from our own children? The decision should be put to a public vote for anyone in the IV area. All major upgrades to any city should be a decision of the tax payer not the spender.” – William Brown
“So let me see…what do we have here? A project that was rejected by Councillors actually from Inverness by eight votes to seven but limped over the line at the area committee thanks to votes from councillors from outwith Inverness. And now it’s been rubber stamped by councillors from even further out of Inverness.” – Charles Bannerman
- Vote confirms 10 school projects will not go ahead – for now
- Finance boss says ‘I think it is right that I personally apologise’
- Council should have shown 'solidarity' and not 'shred' funding
Schools projects are dropped from budget
Highland Council wording is totally unclear in this latest statement about rebuilding schools. How exactly is the money that has been allocated going to now be used for school repairs, rather than re-building? Surely there is concern that rather than spending money, Highland Council could be at risk of wasting money on costly repairs to buildings that are not fit-for-purpose, outdated and need re-building?
Where also is the commitment from the Scottish Government? Is the Education Secretary satisfied with the current infrastructure concerns of schools in the Highlands? What about the First Minister? We have received no comment or visit from either – so how much of a priority really is the Highlands to them or indeed education and attainment gaps?
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