Senior Highland councillor re-elected as Badenoch and Strathspey area chairman
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Highland Council’s Badenoch and Strathspey area committee chairman has been re-elected to the post but only on a short-term basis.
Councillor Bill Lobban's re-appointment was made earlier today at the first local area committee to be held since this year’s local government election.
Members asked Councillor Lobban to retain his role as chair, citing his experience on the matter of Badenoch and Strathspey becoming Highland’s first short-term lets control area.
The local authority has submitted a formal request to the Scottish Government to make the strath a short-term lets control area, but the matter is not yet concluded.
Members felt Councillor Lobban’s experience and previous support of a short-term lets control area would make him the ideal chair, until that matter is concluded.
After agreeing to take on the role of chair on a short-term basis, he called for nominations for the position of vice chair.
Members agreed that Councillor Russell Jones would take over as vice chair with a view to taking on the chairmanship following the conclusion of business on short-term lets.
Speaking after his re-appointment, Councillor Lobban, who is also Highland Council convener, said: “I am happy to take on the chairmanship of the Badenoch and Strathspey area committee on a short-term basis.
"After the important matter of short-terms lets has been concluded I intend to hand the chairmanship over to Councillor Jones.
“I believe in the positivity of change, and I am confident Councillor Jones will bring a fresh perspective to the chairmanship.”
On the matter of the short-term lets control area, Councillor Lobban said: “I have consistently raised my concerns over the lack of housing in Badenoch and Strathspey and is the main reason behind my support for the area to become Highland’s first short-term lets control area.
“My area committee colleagues have shown that they appreciate how important the short-term control area issue is to Badenoch and Strathspey and in terms of continuity I understand why they have asked me to chair area committee meetings until the conclusion of the process.”
