Donkey protest over council meetings ban
Pals set up fundraiser after death of young woman
A protestor donned a donkey mask at South Ayrshire Council headquarters on Monday to express fury over an ongoing ban on public and press access to meetings.
Since March all council meetings on major decisions including planning applications and how money is being spent have taken place in private.
Many councils have allowed residents to view meetings virtually on systems such as Microsoft Teams during the pandemic. But South Ayrshire committees are still off-limits. The dressed up protestor, who declared his identity as ‘Ass,’ said: “I am a South Ayrshire resident and the council is making me feel like a donkey and taking me for a ride.”
Speaking outside the locked gates of County Buildings, Ayr, he added: “It is of the utmost importance that we have the right to see and hear what our elected officials and councillors are doing in our name.”
On Monday last week NHS Ayrshire & Arran allowed people and the media to log in and view the health board meeting on Microsoft Teams.
Alloway resident Andrew Russell, 67, has sent in complaints to the council about what he perceives as a lack of transparency.
The council is considering making meetings available to view online. But Mr Russell believes bosses could have already allowed access on Microsoft Teams or other systems easily.
Mr Russell said: “They have given us excuse after excuse. They are going for a bespoke system, which is taking forever and will be high maintenance. It looks like delaying tactics.
“It is possible. The health board are doing it.”
And the lack of transparancy at the council hit national headlines when the subject appeared in the news magazine Private Eye last week.
Resident John Dunlop, 67, has challenged the lack of online access through the council’s ‘Listening to You’ process.
The former director of Citizens Advice Scotland said: “Consider this, a council who truly lived by the credo of ‘Never Forget the People’ would have seized the opportunity to widen access to council meetings.”
Council officials have been looking into technical solutions to open up meetings online. Reports have been presented to councillors on the issue.
A council spokesman said: “A decision was taken by Councillors at a full council meeting on March 24 to agree that any meetings which proceeded during the pandemic and which were conducted
remotely did not require to have physical public attendance.
“The system we currently use is unable to directly broadcast a meeting to a wider audience and at the same time limit how participants are able to interact with the meeting. This functionality is necessary to meet the strict governance requirements for council meetings. We are procuring a new system, which should be in place in the spring, which will enable the public to access online meetings. The minutes of all our meetings are publicly available online.”
At least 20 local authorities out of 32 in Scotland have already made meetings accessible online. East Ayrshire Council is still holding meetings in private and does not appear to have made any attempt to open up proceedings. Meanwhile North Ayrshire Council has been webcasting meetings since the start of the pandemic.
A young Ayr woman who died suddenly has been described as “one in a million”.
Heartfelt tributes have been paid to Megan Innes, 20, who was found dead on Thursday, February 4 at a home in Duke Terrace.
Pals have been left devastated by the shock news with online tributes posted.
Nicole Ferguson posted on Facebook to thank her “best friend” for memories she will “cherish forever”.
She said: “Last night, I got the news I never wanted to ever hear.
“Thank you for being my best friend.
“I will cherish every one of our memories forever and you’re someone I will never forget.
“I can’t thank you enough for everything since we were little bubba’s and the things you taught me , you were one in a million and you will definitely be the brightest star in the sky.
“I am honestly lost for words and would never wish this pain on anybody, will forever feel a part of me is missing.
“Love you so much baby girl always and forever my wee diamond Megan.”
Another pal Tiffany Hetherington set up an online fundraiser to help give Megan the send off she deserves.
The fundraiser has raised over £1458 as the community rallied round Megan’s family and friends.
The Go Fund Me reads: “Given the sudden passing of our beautiful friend Megan.
“I can’t begin to imagine how her mum is feeling right now and with everyone in the same position during covid, a funeral is probably the last thing she thought she would have to pay out for especially for her beautiful baby girl she loved more than life itself.
“I’m asking if everyone could please chip in as little or as spare as they can to try and make things a little easier for her mum and family at this tragic time. Let’s do our girl proud.”
Police have ruled out foul play. Theyare treating the death of Megan as unexplained.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland told the Post: “About 5pm on Thursday, February 4 police were called to an address in Duke Terrace, Ayr after reports that a 20-year-old woman had been found dead within.
“The death is being treated as unexplained and police enquiries are ongoing.”
You can donate by going online to the Go Fund Me page called “Help Megan Innes get the send off she deserves”.