YOUR VIEWS: Highland Council budget problems, speed limits and new community tax idea
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Readers give their views on a range of current issues.
What do council have to hide on street plan?
I am disappointed but not surprised to see that Highland councillors narrowly voted to allow the Option B project in Inverness to move forwards. This project would close Academy Street to through cars.
Councillors backing the idea appear unwilling to listen to residents or businesses who oppose the scheme. They have not carried out an economic impact assessment or proper traffic monitoring. They refuse to contemplate a trial period.
What do they have to hide? They have grabbed what appears to be an anti-car project and assume it must bring benefits, while completely ignoring the disadvantages.
How can anyone claim that pushing people from the direct route to longer alternatives would save pollution? It might reduce pollution on Academy Street but would increase it elsewhere.
We heard councillors claim that since many of the vehicles using Academy Street pass straight through, they bring no benefit to the area.
That is about as daft as saying that since there is no economic activity on the road between Carrbridge and Tomatin, we should close the A9 at the Slochd.
I hope that the Judicial Review, being asked for by the owners of the Eastgate Centre, will expose the failures of process.
I submitted a formal complaint to the council, about untrue claims for the project, on August 18 but have had no response to date.
Donald MacKenzie
Crown Drive
Inverness
Get wind farms to pay for public toilets
Could we have a Tourist Lavy?
Have you ever wondered what the “NC” in the much-vaunted NC500 stands for?
It seems the obvious answer is – No Convenience 500!
Communities in the north have been so starved of cash by central belt politicians there is hardly a public toilet remaining open on our number one tourist route.
The solution? Our idiotic politicians now calling for a Visitor Levy, or tax, have prioritised spending billions in subsidies for useless wind farms, to supposedly save the planet, yet won’t spend a penny to save the pan!
These giant multinationals, have been allowed to systematically wreck our number one asset, the Highland’s glorious scenery
Surely it is time the entirely-parasitic wind industry, with their obscene level of profits, stumped up and handed back what is effectively our own cash.
This would easily pay for essential services like toilets, car parks, campsites, road improvements and so on.
Just compensation for our tourist industry in total desperation, and blessed relief all round!
George Herraghty
Lhanbryde
Budget for building is short by millions
The recent full meeting of Highland Council saw 10 school building projects dropped from the local authority’s capital budget as it emerged the actual money available was £223 million short of what would be required to do all the work aspired to. The possibility of redundancies was also mentioned by the leader of the opposition as it emerged the overall budget gap for the council could stand at anywhere between £46 million and £70 million.
“Highland Council’s spending priorities have been somewhat skewed towards the council’s interests – the town house, the conversion of the old court and now, why is money being wasted on Academy Street? Leave it alone if the books are not balancing and focus on what needs repairing.” – Halinka Rands, Drumnadrochit
“The last time redundancies came up they were inundated with people wanting to get paid off. Over 800 staff applied for the money.” – Brian Mackinnon
“Just put the price of council tax up.” – Johan Shunt
“So why waste money changing Academy Street?” – Linda Macdonald Cameron
“Linda Macdonald Cameron, It’s not being funded from the same budget: ‘Funding has been secured through ‘Places for Everyone’ for the design of Academy Street, with the aim of making it a more attractive and healthier place for people. ‘Places for Everyone’ is a scheme funded by the Scottish Government through Transport Scotland and is administered by Sustrans.’ Cutting Academy Street wouldn’t make a difference, plus this has been a systemic issue across the country in numerous councils lately, additionally, the Highland Council has had about a billion pounds of debt saddled around its neck for years and years now – all the suggestions people will put forward to cut will be equivalent to a plaster over a papercut when councils around the country are haemorrhaging out of a pierced artery.” – Max McPherson
More areas see 20mph zones implemented
More 20mph zones were introduced across the Highlands as part of an ongoing Transport Scotland and Bear Scotland project prioritising active travel and road safety.
“Let’s see how them pesky cyclists react to us holding them up now.” – Kenny Maclean
“In my opinion, this rollout has been poorly thought out and implemented. Some of the areas that the new 20mph zones apply to make no sense, for example, from Clachnaharry to Aldi, including Carsegate Road but you can still do 40mph through some villages. Surely it would be much more effective by using methods that actually force people to slow down.” – Johnny MacAulay
“All they’re doing is causing more frustration. Wouldn’t be surprised if there are more accidents and road rage incidents.” – Karena Maclennan
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