Fresh faces in Cairngorms National Park board elections

The strath has mixed new blood with old at the Cairngorms National Park board elections.

The results included a brand new representative from one ward while another returned a member who is in with the bricks.

“I’m delighted to have been returned and I look forward to getting on with the job,” said Willie McKenna, of Aviemore, who has seen the park authority grow from a concept to the influential presence it now is. “I’m still not quite sure why there were so many candidates in this year’s election but I’m happy at the level of interest being shown and I’m looking forward to working with the new board, however it finishes up.”

After a slip-up over ballot papers in Ward 3, the electors of Dulnain Bridge, Nethy Bridge and Cromdale must wait until tonight (Thursday) to know who they have elected, amid fears that some voters may have wasted their chance to vote by innocently disposing of the replacement papers. Just how many may become evident after the declaration via comparison with the other wards which produced an average turnout of 40 per cent.

Last week’s count showed that Ward 1 had chosen new blood in Kincraig’s community council leader Deirdre Falconer, of Drumguish.

“I can’t wait to start work and I’m grateful to have been given this opportunity to contribute to the park board at an extremely interesting time. There is much to do and I relish the challenge.”

But the result was no small disappointment for another of the park’s stalwarts,after years of selfless service.

Polling only third, Dave Fallows, of Newtonmore, told the Strathy: “I’d want to take this opportunity to thank all those who supported me and to congratulate Deirdre Falconer on her election and wish her well for the next four years.

“This moment marks a seminal point for me. For the last 25 years, through Newtonmore Community Council, The Highland Council and the Cairngorms National Park, I have endeavoured to do my best for the communities I have served. Often, for a variety of reasons, that has meant not being in a position to express a personal view, respecting the views of others and the conventions of office.

“Over the last few days, I have reached the decision that I should now call time on politics and concentrate on my lifelong interest in the arts, and painting in particular. In doing so, I shall also enjoy a new-found freedom to be myself, and express a personal view. I may even go so far as to start one of those new-fangled things – a blog!”

Mr Fallows added: “One thing, however, will never change. I shall continue to care passionately both for our magnificent landscapes and for the future of the communities that make Badenoch and Strathspey what it is.”

In Ward 2, there was measured disappointment for community stalwart Joe Kirby, who had hoped to start out with the board only to see the voters plump for experience.

He told the Strathy: "I'd like to thank Caroline Holdroyd, Mike Morris, Pete Wright, Bobby Mackenzie and Willie Mckenna. Each and everyone of you has given me an opportunity to try something I haven't before and I've enjoyed it immensely, it's not over it's just the start .

"To the 288 people who voted for me it's rewarding to see despite not winning there's a core support who both agree and want to improve not just Aviemore but the whole of the national park.

"I'm sure Dierdre Falconer will offer something new and fresh and with Willie we have a continued level of experience who I'm sure the pair will agree, if we all speak loud enough they might not want to but we can force them to take on board whatever input we have.

"The park's not a bad place, the key is maintaining input and enagagement and even though I'm not a board member we can still do that."

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