Nairn River Community Council provides a communication channel for local people to raise local concerns with public agencies and planning bodies and the 4 elected local Councillors who represent Nairn at Highland Council. Come to our meetings or contact our members with your concerns.
Nairn District Council, which used to make decisions on public spending for Nairn, at Nairn Town Hall, was disbanded in 1996, so there is no \’local Council\’ despite rumours to the contrary.
We are seeing more and important decisions which affect our town, being made in Inverness by Highland Council and partners without reference to local communities. There has been no local consultation on recent parking charges proposals and withdrawal of NHS dental services at the hospital.
Community Council volunteer members are expected to review all local Planning applications and raise issues of community concern. This is why we spend considerable time discussing these and submitting comments and objections through the Planning consultation process.
Nairn\’s roads, drains, sewerage, schools and other community facilities are under increasing pressure as the town grows, because public investment in this infrastructure is not keeping pace with intensive housebuilding at Lochloy and elsewhere. We need this to change.
NRCC does not have a vote at Highland Council but we do have a voice.
LOCAL DECISIONS AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT
We have on Monday 6th May sent out a joint letter with 5 other Nairn community groups
to the highest level of Highland Council and the Scottish Government and our elected representatives,
to complain about inadequate structures in place to support consultation and involvement of Nairn communities in local development and community planning matters.
We are concerned that in Highland the principles of the Community Empowerment Act ( 2015) are not being effectively implemented, with potentially damaging effects for Nairn when decisions are taken without local consultation and due consideration of local priorities and needs.
You can read this letter here
Local Decisions and Community Empowerment joint letter May18
PARTICIPATION REQUEST TO HIGHLAND COUNCIL
On 10th May 2018 we sent out a Participation Request to Highland Council to request that Nairn River Community Council and the communities it represents are in future fully consulted on all proposed developments, and action plans relating to all the Outcomes included in the Highland Outcomes Improvement Plan. , with particular focus on the community engagement and consultation outcomes.
Currently the Nairn and Nairnshire Locality Plan – prioritises local consultation only in the context of children and young people which is a good start, but clearly not enough.
This participation request was turned down by Highland Council.
We are also aware of a previous Participation Request submitted by West and Suburban CC in relation to proposed Parking Charges which was also refused by Highland Council.
Nairn River Community Council 