Aviemore business leader says public agency is frustrating Cairngorm community bid
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A highly-respected Aviemore businessman has resigned from the community trust aiming to take control of Cairngorm Mountain citing that the public sector owners will not engage with them in any meaningful way.
Mike Dearman has been the public face of Aviemore and Glenmore Community Trust and a driving force behind efforts to gain community control of the resort and wider estate from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
But he has become increasingly frustrated and disenchanted with HIE’s approach and said their efforts have been blocked time and again by the agency.
Mr Dearman, who founded award-winning Quarch Technology Ltd, said HIE’s stance was contrary to its role to ‘strengthen communities’.
He told the Strathy: “AGCT has spent two-and-a-half years trying to engage HIE in a grown up conversation about the challenges and opportunities of community ownership; how we might address the concerns of HIE, the staff and the wider community; and explore ways to move forward constructively.
“HIE has continually blocked that engagement and continues to do so.
“It is my personal view that AGCT should not be indulging them in this behaviour, and should be pursuing a more robust – while still constructive and respectful – strategy with regards to our publicly owned enterprise agency such as demanding a formal response to our existing proposals for a community foundation.
“We can only start to develop these proposals if HIE will work constructively with us on them but that has unfortunately been impossible to achieve.
“I respect the motives and the views of the remaining board and wish them the best of luck. I remain a trust member and would be happy to return in the future should circumstances change.”
Alan Brattey, Save the Ciste spokesman said they were saddened Mr Dearman had resigned as a AGCT director.
“We share his frustration and we have always held the view that HIE would block every attempt by this community to gain ownership and control of the Cairngorm Estate and hill business,” he said.
“AGCT is now at a crossroads and a wrong turn will confine the trust to oblivion.”
He said an asset transfer request should be made without further delay. Mr Brattey explained: “HIE will undoubtedly turn this down but the trust has nothing to lose, other than credibility if they fail to do that.
“HIE will require to make the reasons for the refusal public and AGCT’s directors will then be in a position, with the support of the membership and wider community, to address their deficiencies and to gain the political support required to help to ensure the success of a second request which can be made as soon as the legislation permits.”
He added: “Up until now, the trust has failed to attract a sufficient number of suitable people who are willing to voluntarily serve as directors. We’d suggest that deficiency needs to be resolved as a first priority.”
Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes said she was sorry to hear of this latest development: “Everyone in Aviemore knows Mike is a very capable individual and a respected businessman.
“Both the community trust and HIE want to make a success of the mountain which is so critical to the strath’s economy, and I still hope that they can work in partnership to achieve this.
An HIE spokesperson said: “It’s a shame Mike feels this way, but it’s his decision and we have to respect it.
“AGCT is an important stakeholder in the future of Cairngorm and the local area. We meet regularly and greatly value the relationship we have with trust directors and members.
“Far from blocking engagement, HIE has supported the trust in many ways. These include providing access to expertise and advice on community ownership, and funding two posts to help them develop their future plans."
IT firm Quarch Technology Ltd based on the Dalfaber Industrial Estate recently received The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in the innovation category for its systems testing suite.
It was just one of eight recipients this year for the whole of Scotland.
The latest winners were announced with 220 firms UK wide recognised nationwide for outstanding achievements in the fields of international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility as well as innovation.
