“GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS”: Local participation fears as power and money lie elsewhere says Highland community stalwart

Helen Murchison has given decades of service

One of the Highlands’ longest-serving community councillors says the bodies are just “going through the motions” because the local authority has no money to address the issues they raise.

Helen Murchison has served on Lochcarron Community Council since its inception around 50 years ago and has been its much-respected chairwoman for many of those.

But she voiced her concerns for the future of community councils after the Free Press reported how four had failed to form in Skye this autumn, mainly because of a lack of candidates, along with two in Lochalsh.

Many others are functioning, but do not have the optimum number of members in Skye, Lochalsh and Wester Ross.

“I believe it comes down to money,” said Mrs Murchison, who also chairs Lochcarron Community Development Company.

“My feeling is that as community councils we’re just going through the motions because Highland Council is facing a huge financial black hole and there is not a penny to spare.

“People who might consider putting themselves forward as community councillors realise that and think why bother joining a committee that’s not actually going to achieve anything.

“I think it’s just as frustrating for the Highland councillors who come to our meetings and take our concerns back to council, only to be told there’s no budget for it.

“I think it’s very sad because we are at risk of losing a whole vital level of local democracy.” 

FUNDS

Scottish community councils turned 50 this year. They were created under the Local Government (Scotland) Act in order to provide a “bridge” between communities and local authorities.

The legislation that founded them remains unaltered in 50 years, despite significant changes in local democracy, including the abolition of regional and district councils, and the creation of a unitary system of local government.

In England the most grassroots tier of local government – parish and town councils – have more powers than their Scottish equivalent and can borrow money, own and manage assets and funds, and give grants to local bodies.

But Mrs Murchison does not believe this is the way forward for Scotland.

“If you can raise and allocate money then you’re left with the dilemma of who receives it and that can create factions,” she said. “While in theory it’s a good idea, in practice it might cause rancour. I’m in two minds about going down that route.”

Mrs Murchison said over the years Lochcarron Community Council always had enough candidates to allow it to form, although currently it does not have a full quota of people.

She added: “I don’t think community councils are finished but I think we need to give careful thought to how we progress. I believe community councils have a role to play and if they were removed that would be the end of local democracy – but the bottom line is money.

“Unfortunately, in the present economic climate I don’t see how things could be any different.”

Article by Jackie MacKenzie, published on 22.12.23

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Home truths about local democracy

Well done to the redoubtable Helen Murchison of Achintraid for delivering some welcome home truths about what happens to local democracy when power is centralised and money for local services is cut to the bone.

Helen, who has just celebrated her 90th birthday, has been a tireless community stalwart for decades. She can well recognise the frustration felt by people in small places struggling to have their voices heard.

The community council should really be the front line of local decision making – a forum to express grass-roots views and concerns and to influence issues around planning, the condition of roads, services and facilities.

Asked this week why so many areas are now struggling to recruit people to serve on their community council, Helen’s theory was simple and to the point.

“As community councils we’re just going through the motions because Highland Council is facing a huge financial black hole and there is not a penny to spare,” she said.

“People who might consider putting themselves forward as community councillors realise that and think why bother joining a committee that’s not actually going to achieve anything.

“I think it’s just as frustrating for the Highland councillors who come to our meetings and take our concerns back to council, only to be told there’s no budget for it.

“I think it’s very sad because we are at risk of losing a whole vital level of local democracy.”

Helen is spot on.

Across the Highland Council area attempts are being made to re-establish 30 community councils that failed to form in September.

Four had failed to form in Skye this autumn, mainly because of a lack of candidates, along with two in Lochalsh.

It is a sad, but understandable trend, related to the financial straightjackets that continue to restrict local authorities and others who are responsible for the provision of public services. 

People might now ask what incentive is there to draw attention to the state of the local roads, when the inevitable answer is that there is no money to fix them?

Why campaign for more housing, when the building budget is being slashed?

Why raise concerns about local crimes, if police numbers are not sufficient to intervene?

Why object to a wind farm or a Sheikh’s mansion when the applicants with deep pockets will take their appeals to ministers?

These are all questions to which community councils can relate. The great irony is that these concerns were raised throughout a period when the pursuit of ‘more powers’ was the nation’s dominant political issue.

This week the Scottish Government’s budget had to plug a £1.5 billion financial black hole – the upshot of spending decisions which have prioritised headline-grabbing projects at the expense of serious strategies to grow the economy or shape meaningful public service reform.

The result is higher taxes, and lower spending to tackle homelessness and poverty. 

How much more could have been achieved if the political debate around ‘more powers’ was the type that would devolve more control into the hands of the Helen Murchisons of this world, and away from the underperforming Holyrood chamber.