Villagers blast planned change to boundaries

SEIL and Easdale Community Council is urging the Scottish Government not to implement ‘damaging and undemocratic’ boundary changes.

The Boundary Commission for Scotland has recommended changing ward boundaries and reducing the number of Argyll and Bute councillors by three to 33 in time for local government elections in May 2017.

It proposes transferring Luing, Seil, Kilninver and Kilmelford, and Avich and Kilchrenan community councils, plus the east of Lochaweside section of Glenorchy and Innishail, from Oban North and Lorn ward to the Mid Argyll ward centred in Lochgilphead.

The plans were submitted to Scottish ministers for approval in May, but affected community councils have joined Argyll and Bute councillors and Argyll MSP Mike Russell in objecting, before a final round of consultation ended on July 7.

Last month Seil and Easdale Community Council expressed ‘dismay’ that its concerns, submitted in the first round of consultations last year, had been ‘largely ignored’, alongside others from ‘all’ the region’s community councils.

‘The change to keep Dalmally and Glenorchy within Oban North and Lorn does nothing to address the concerns we raised,’ the letter stated. New convener Dr John Gordon OBE argued it would be ‘undemocratic, disruptive to local ties, have no financial benefit and could potentially lead to damaging future alignment of administrative boundaries affecting, for example, education and health provision’.

Former chairman Seumas Anderson explained in the council’s previous letter in October 2015 about ‘ considerable concern that, historically, school catchment and health boundaries have followed ward boundaries. Changing ward boundaries would have massive implications for residents.

‘We would be but one small part of an enormous ward stretching from Lochgilphead to beyond Bridge of Orchy. It would be unreasonable and, in some cases, downright dangerous to expect councillors to cover the area effectively.

‘This arbitrary move would sever our natural links with Oban, diminish our voice in such a vast area and leave us with no representation in our natural regional centre.

‘Seil, Easdale, Luing and Kilmelford are part of Oban, Lorn and the Isles and that cannot be changed by arbitrarily drawing a line on a map in a notion of electoral parity.

‘Our community, this community council, all our neighbouring community councils and Argyll and Bute Council request that this disruptive proposal be abandoned and the status quo maintained.’