Aviemore loses its community watchdog for now
Aviemore has been left without its village watchdog for the first time in nearly half a century after the recent departures of the three main office holders.
Aviemore Community Council has gone into abeyance following the resignations in recent weeks of the chairman, secretary and treasurer.
It is the first time that the village has been without its community council voice since the body was formed.
The watchdogs were introduced in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
A Highland Council spokesman said: “A meeting was held on January 14 chaired by Councillor Bill Lobban at which the first item on the agenda was the appointment of office bearers - the secretary, then the chair and treasurer having resigned. Unfortunately at the meeting no community council members came forward for office bearer positions.
“The community council was unable to form and therefore had to go into abeyance.
“Unless there is a change in position with office bearers, the community council will be in abeyance until the next interim elections.
“Interim elections are held twice yearly. A date is still to be set for the next interim elections.”
Councillor Bill Lobban said: “Following the resignation of all three office bearers, I agreed to chair a meeting in the hope that a new chair would come forward.
“Unfortunately that was not the case and the community council will remain in abeyance until such time as the office bearing positions of chair, secretary and treasurer can be found.
“This is very unfortunate and not good for the whole community so I would ask that if you have any interest in joining Aviemore and Vicinity Community Council then please let me know as there will be an interim election in the near future.”
One long-standing former Aviemore watchdog chairman, Iain Malcolm, said: “The village has had a community council ever since they were constituted in Scotland.
“It has never gone into abeyance until now. It is a sad state of affairs for this to happen and community councils have an important role to play. How else are we going to keep these Highland councillors in order?”
Secretary Joe Kirby resigned at the end of last year claiming the watchdog was not representing community opposition to plans for a restaurant at the property Braeriach on Aviemore’s Grampian Road. He was followed shortly after by chairman Peter Long and treasurer Wilma Grierson.