Highland MSP's bid to save Inverness disease centre
Highlands and Islands MSP David Stewart (Lab) has made a last-ditch attempt to keep the Inverness Disease Surveillance Centre at Stratherrick Road open.
The consultation on the proposed closure of the centre ends today (July 10).
Mr Stewart has made his concerns over the proposal to close the centre known to the Scottish Rural College, to SAC Consulting and to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead. He believes the proposed closure is all about a centralisation agenda and is simply a cost-cutting exercise.
In his response to the consultation, Mr Stewart said “Constituents, farmers and vets from throughout the Highlands are against the closure which would result in farmers in the area having to travel to Thurso, Aberdeenshire or Perth to source the services that the centre in Inverness presently provides.
“Closure of the Inverness centre would also mean that farmers would have to travel in excess of 100 miles with dead beasts to source expertise in carrying out post mortems.”
Mr Stewart set up an i-petition opposing the closure which has attracted 1,075 signatures to show the level of concern surrounding the issue. He has asked that it is taken into account and “very much hopes” the decision will be made to keep the centre in Inverness open.
