Response to councillor

Sir,

Arran Community Council (ACC) notes Councillor Gurney’s letter published on October 15, which we feel needs to be balanced with facts.

ACC does not issue invites to specific elected members who are appointed and remunerated to represent community views to the local authority and inform local groups. We respect all in a consistent manner. It is the elected member’s choice to acknowledge or contribute a report. The point in the article was to acknowledge one member who has supported the community council on a regular basis.

Councillor Gurney will, we are sure, acknowledge that he has been copied every month in our minutes and agenda for our meetings and checking the records we have only received a response on occasions which advises when he is out of office. Our mails also request anyone wishing to contribute to our meetings to do so in a timely manner to allow their reports to be circulated to members ahead of the meeting. During the pandemic, these mails also asked that anyone wishing to participate in our digital meetings should contact us for the link and again that is left to the decision of the councillor. To date we have no record of any council updates being provided by him.

We acknowledge his location prevents regular attendance. However, it does not prevent written communication and we have a specific item on the agenda for elected members’ inputs.

With the new term for community councils due to start in November, perhaps ACC can look forward to receiving written updates for future meetings.

Yours,

Bill Calderwood, chairman, ACC.