Sunday 30 April 2017

Birds Don't Vote

Like everyone else I have had the usual political leaflets through the door asking for my vote in this coming Thursday's local elections. The River Nairn Swans and Waterfowl Trust constitution states that we are non - political. However this does not mean our members cant vote, we can and should....bearing in mind what our incumbent local politicians have done for the community ? As regular readers of this blog will recall, the Trust collected 1250 genuine signatures on a petition asking for the lower riverside to be designated a wildlife area.


Birds don't vote and the Trust exists to protect their rights and interests on the river, see clause 2 of our constitution.



Our 4 incumbent politicians decided to ignore the wishes of the 1250 petition signers, even though this was a simple request which would have cost the public purse nothing ! The Provost Cllr Laurie Fraser, could not even accept the petition for fear of offending regional officials...so he said. Maybe the real reason was his ties with the Angling association , and as the purveyor of fishing permits and tackle ? I note in his election leaflet, he is keen to retrieve some missing ceremonial robes of office, seems they are more important than the 1250 signatories petition. There is an irony in this election business, all of our incumbent councillors were each voted in the last election on less votes than the petition !!  
I am no politician but still managed to collect 1250 genuine signatures in a month on a matter which was important to many for the good of the community. 
Perhaps it's time for a clean political sweep and allow some fresh minds who will concentrate on the things that really matter to the majority of Nairn residents, and get rid of the lame duck councillors - pardon the expression. 
Multi million pound pipe dreams should be left to pipe smoking addicts, and our politicians should have a reality check on why people come to Nairn in the first place. If visitors wanted Blackpool then they would go to Blackpool. I am all for improving Nairn in the best way possible, but am totally opposed to wasteful ideas, consultants and projects costing millions to benefit a few, sadly this seems to be the current thinking of some of our pipe dreaming politicians. Concentrating on quality rather than quantity would serve Nairn better.  A Quality town centre, environment, water, beaches, walks, seafront, wildlife. Quality is the key, so lets get the infrastructure and bypass, and make Nairn a quality place to live in and visit.    

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