Survey on local democracy - make your views known

20 March 2017

Bruce Morrison, Chair of Ferintosh Community Council, has yet again alerted us to an issue of local concern – in this case the future of local democracy in the Highlands – with a particularly unfortunate local twist in the light of the fact that the Ferintosh council has just set in motion a process which could lead to its dissolution in May, as it has so far not been possible to find anyone willing to serve as Chair of the council when Bruce stands down after six years in the post.

The future of local democracy in the highlands

Highland Council set up a Commission  on Highland Democracy in June 2016 under the chairmanship of Rory Mair, the retired Chief Executive of COSLA, and the Commission has just (March 2017) issued an Interim Report, and are inviting the views of the public on local democracy through an online survey.

If you are interested in how people in the Highlands are represented, whether there should be more local input to Highland Council decision-making, what should be the role of Community Councils and how could people be encouraged to become more involved with them – or in any of a host of other issues which might be covered under the heading of 'local democracy'; then please take a few minutes to express your views by completing the survey.  If you have more time to spare, take a look at the Commission's Interim Report (although this would have been improved by being shorter and more concise).