Still reasons to be cheerful in difficult times
First things first, I hope you had a pleasant and enjoyable Christmas and I wish you all a happy and peaceful new year.
It’s well-nigh impossible to predict the next 12 months given what happened in 2022.
It looked like we were recovering from the pandemic then events took a rather different twist. In life it’s always sensible to expect the unexpected.
Be in no doubt, though, that 2023 will be difficult indeed for the weakest and most vulnerable in our communities.
My New Year wish is to see the next 12 months be calmer and more certain.
Along with moving nearer to independence for Scotland, I just hope we can see an end to many of the global conflicts, and above all the defeat of Putin and Russia in Ukraine – as well as an easing of inflation, and that greater progress is made on climate change.
Locally, the year ahead will be challenging.
The council must make a number of difficult choices at its Budget meeting on March 1.
Like the Scottish Government, all local authorities in Scotland must run a balanced Budget. Legally, we have to balance the books.
Yet, there are still reasons to be cheerful, and several things in Strathearn to look forward to.
No actual start date has been set yet, but it looks as if the main construction work will begin on the long- overdue Comrie Flood Protection Scheme.
Progress is also being made on the equally long-delayed Comrie to Crieff Core Path, but funding challenges remain.
In Crieff there is still the problem of eyesore buildings, although at least the old Strathearn Hotel is now down.
Work continues on the Drummond Arms, although that is a long- term project.
Questions remain though about the Crieff Hotel, and other locations.
Where progress is encouraging is with Crieff Connexions, and the setting up of a community hub at the former bus garage.
A lot of facilities are in place already, including a Warm Space. There may well be more to come in 2023.
There is still the problem of eyesore buildings, although at least the old Strathearn Hotel is now down
Added to that there are -all sorts of community initiatives – for instance, with Crieff Community Gardeners, Crieff in Leaf, Friends of Old St Michael’s and, most recently, Friends of Crieff Cemetery.
One place I must not overlook is St Fillans, and the work carried out by the local Bloom group to secure the return and reinstallation of the Still sculpture in Loch Earn.
The sculpture, loved by so many, has been missing for several years.
It will be great for it to return.