Highland Council's most senior member to call time
Highland Council’s most senior member is stepping down at the May elections.
Sandy Park, the council convener and also an independent councillor for Nairn, said it has been a difficult decision.
"I suppose like everything else, you cannot go for ever and ever," the 67-year-old said. "I am not getting any younger. It has been an ultimate privilege to represent the Highlands."
Councillor Park has been a key figure in the council ruled by a coalition administration comprising the 25-strong Independent group — the largest group — along with the Lib-Dem and Labour groups. A previous coalition, comprising the Independent group and SNP, collapsed in 2008 after a few months.
He is also known in the strath through his time as a council representative on the Cairngorms National Park Authority board and planning committee, and as member of the council's former Narin, Badenoch and Strathsey planning committee.
Council Park, a councillor for 18 years, acknowledged the increasing politicisation of the council which has traditionally been Independent. "As far as the Independent councillors are concerned, I am very proud of the way they re-adjusted to a political council.
"We have been in administration for five years and we have had ups and downs but we have been able to cope with that."
He anticipates political parties will be working hard to gain control of the council in May but believes there will be a good return of Independent councillors. Councillor Park was first elected in 1995 as an Independent for Auldearn.
He later served as Nairn Provost for eight years and was also a chairman of the council’s planning, development, Europe and tourism committee between 2001 and 2007.
For 38 years, he has worked for W. W. Brown Butchers, in Nairn, and is a former chairman of the Association of Nairn Businesses. He has represented Scotland at clay pigeon shooting and is a former captain of Nairn Dunbar Golf Club.