New council ward arrangements for the Rosneath Peninsula were attacked as ‘ludicrous’ last week.
The threatened shake-up is part of a review by the Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBC), which could cut three of the 36 council seats in Argyll and Bute.
The changes would create a new and very disparate Lomond North ward, with the 55 mile road trip from Kilcreggan to Strone being typical of the distances between rural communities which have no natural connection with each other – click here for more details of the local proposals, and here for an in-depth look at the issue.
And that phrase was repeated at Cove and Kilcreggan Community Council’s August meeting, when members agreed to object to the ward changes, which are currently part of a consultation process.
Argyll and Bute councillor George Freeman said the aim was to ensure parity in the number of people represented by each councillor, but the issue of local knowledge had been underestimated by the LGBC, and the Scottish Government would have the final say.
“None of the councillors in Argyll and Bute are happy with these proposals – they think it is just crazy,” he said.
Community council secretary Murdo MacDonald said the review was making a god out of parity’.
“There should also be a matter of coherence – it is incoherent,” he added.
“Lomond North as outlined with the travelling involved is ludicrous.
“Geography should come into it, as well as parity.
“There are certain communities that link together naturally – ours and Blairmore don’t.”
There could be some hope that the complaint will be listened to, since chairman of the Boundary Commission Ronnie Hinds was last week quoted as saying it was important to work with local communities to ensure the best outcomes.
He said: “We have a statutory obligation to conduct reviews and we are required to ensure that the number of electors per councillor in each ward in a council area is as nearly as may be the same – but subject to that we also need to take account of local ties and the public are best placed to tell us about these.
“We look forward to positive engagement with communities across Scotland over the next 12 weeks and have launched our consultation portal, which will allow people to see our proposals and submit their comments to us online, including suggested revisions to the maps setting out ward boundaries.”
The public can comment on the proposals here.
What a load of baloney; a consultation on a decision already taken, they just want our help to pick the spot where the axe falls. The logistics of being an A&BC councillor are already ludicrous, this is absurd.