Strathy opinion: life squeezed out of watchdogs

NOT for the first time rural areas in the Highlands have lost out to Inverness in the numbers game.

Community councils in Badenoch and Strathspey all feature at the wrong end of the list in the new funding formula agreed by Highland councillors at their full meeting in the city.

Grantown is the fifth biggest loser in the entire region and the biggest in the strath, and will be £774.41 per year out of pocket in total compared to this financial year.

Aviemore comes in as the sixth biggest loser (£566), Kingussie as the seventh (£526) and not faring much better and also in the basement positions are Boat of Garten, Nethy Bridge, Cromdale and Advie, Kincraig, Carrbridge, Dulnain Bridge and Laggan.

At the top of the league and the main financial winners are the likes of Nairn River (£1,477), Inverness South (£1,323), Smithton and Culloden (£696), Inverness West (£526), and Holm (£436).

It is not surprising that the vote from Inverness - the most populated part of the Highlands – carried the day for a funding formula based on population for community councils despite a valliant effort from local members.

The upshot is a big slap in the face for those volunteers locally who give up several days a month – and often more – to look out for and represent their home town and village communities.

Already on hard-pressed budgets, things are going to be getting tougher and they will have even less money to back local worthwhile causes – one of the few very perks of the role.

In the meantime because of changes in Highland Council’s community council constitution, their workload will get heavier as the numbers in their ranks are being reduced.

Community councillors in Badenoch and Strathspey are being squeezed at both ends. Some are already demoralised before these changes have even been made.

Highland Council could find that with this cut in funding that they will be squeezed the last remaining life out of community councils in the strath.

Even fewer people with the community at heart may be willing to step into these voluntary but time-consuming and demanding roles in the future.