Year 4, Week 6
Postal deliveries, community councils, repairs to the Toorie, MSP surgeries, QR code stickers on parking machines, road closures ...
Postal deliveries
At Cawdor & West Nairnshire CC on Monday someone said that they weren’t getting reliable postal deliveries and it rapidly because clear that this was a problem throughout the community and was bad enough that people were missing hospital appointments as they weren’t getting the letters in time.
I’ve since had Cawdor residents also raising this issue with me by email and in person and I’m told that there are suggestions on social media that this may be affecting other areas of the ward too.
This is a problem for our MP to tackle so I contacted Graham Leadbitter on Tuesday and he is meeting with the Royal Mail this coming Tuesday to discuss the issue. He asks that if you are also experiencing problems with this then you email him with how this is affecting you before that meeting.
His email address is graham.leadbitter.mp@parliament.uk
Community Councils
As I said above I was at Cawdor & West Nairnshire CC on Monday night for their AGM which was attended by about twenty people. Robin Pope was elected as the new chair as Stevie Webster decided to stand down after being at the helm for a fair while. Thanks to Stevie for his service.
As well as the postal service among the issues discussed were broadband, traffic issues on the B9090 north of Clephanton, and that Barclays Bank are proposing to come to the Cawdor Hub to provide banking services … but no cash handling sadly.
I also attended Auldearn CC on Wednesday night along with around a dozen residents. Speeding in the village was a key issue, especially in Lethen Road, and Robin Pope from Cawdor & West Nairnshire CC was there who talked about a joint working party being set up across the two community councils to tackle traffic issues and especially those arising from the unofficial Nairn bypass. The state of ground keeping around the Doocot was also discussed and Helen Wright updated the community on her proposal for an Auldearn Heritage Trail.
Both councils also discussed the proposal to split the area covered by East Nairnshire CC into two and merge those areas into their councils. Both were broadly in favour although there was some discussion at Cawdor as to whether the A939 is the right boundary throughout and whether perhaps the River Findhorn should be used too south of the river crossing. This avoids Ferness being split in two so has some merit.
Looking forward Nairn River Community Council meets this Wednesday at 7pm in the Nairn Community and Arts Centre for their AGM.
Repairs to the Toorie
Work is due to commence this Monday, 16th June, on repairs and maintenance of the Toorie monument on the Nairn Links. This work has been commissioned by the Nairn Common Good Fund and will be carried out to make good and recover the original character of the monument by a specialist stonemason. This forms part of further work planned in and around the Links this year.
This monument has an interesting history, being built secretly by stonemasons in 1859 with the stones being sourced from the ruined Parish Church in Nairn. It was said to have been commissioned by Dr Grigor of Nairn and was the subject of much debate at the time. ‘Toorie’ is an old Scots word for tower.
MSP surgeries
Our MSP Emma Roddick is holding a series of surgeries over the summer including three in Nairn, one in Cawdor, and one in Auldearn. Details below.
She’s also holding a number of online surgeries if that suits you better.
QR code stickers on parking machines
Moray Council warned this week that perps are putting QR code stickers onto parking machines to scam people using their mobile phone into paying them rather than the council. If it’s affected Moray it’s probably affecting Highland Council too so do be wary wherever you’re parking.
Road closures
BT Openreach continue laying fibre and they’re closing the U3101 at Drynachan for one day on 23rd June. See map below.
Emergency access will be maintained, and that the road will be closed only during the hours of 8am and 5pm.
The U3114 through Littlemill will also be closed beginning on Monday, 30th June. See map below.
Local and emergency access will be maintained.
Planning applications
The following new applications were logged since I last posted.
25/01847/ADV - Land 320M NE Of Delnies School House, Nairn - Erection of flagpoles
25/01850/CLE - Geddes House, Geddes, Nairn, IV12 5QX - Erection of shed containing biomass boiler
25/02031/FUL - Altonhill, Tradespark Road, Nairn, IV12 5NG - Erection of extension and garage
To find details search on the reference number on the planning portal where you can also find details on how to comment.