Long-serving councillor set to call it a day
May’s looming local council elections will see a raft of new faces for both local authority wards covering Fort William and Ardnamurchan, plus that for Caol and Mallaig.
In Fort William and Ardnamurchan, well-known councillors Andrew Baxter (Conservative) and Blair Allan (SNP) have already said they intend standing down. That will leave current elected members Niall Maclean and Sarah Fanet – both of the SNP – to fight for re-election.
In Caol and Mallaig ward there is already a vacancy following the resignation in the autumn of Independent councillor Ben Thompson. And the retiral decisions by both the ward’s remaining two elected members – Allan Henderson (Independent) and Denis Rixson (Lib Dem), means it will be a clean sweep of new faces.
Councillor Rixson was first elected in 2018, but Councillor Henderson has been an elected member for the last 15 years, taking up his seat in 2007.
Asked what he viewed as the main successes during his time, Councillor Henderson told us: ‘Main achievements were being part of the group of Lochaber councillors that delivered the programme for new energy efficient schools for Lochaber. Five old primary schools were replaced with three bright, shiny and warm modern schools, including a joint campus and community centre and MUGA for Caol. Along with this, Lochaber High School was completely refurbished at a cost of over £30 million.
‘When I look at the current capital programme for Highland Council, I breathe a sigh of relief that Lochaber is not part of that jigsaw puzzle.
‘The collaborative delivering of the Blar Mor project has also been a great achievement, albeit stalled by the Tesco financial crisis, but with long needed homes being delivered and a hospital to come, as well as a hopefully extended Lochaber College campus.
‘Personally I have enjoyed periods as a figurehead for Lochaber, being the first Lochaber provost and senior roles in Highland Council, including vice-convener, as well as chairing various committees, including Hitrans and Northern Joint roads collaboration board.
‘I will be sorry to go, but I need to get a golf handicap – not my inability to connect with the ball – after almost 60 years of hacking and have more time for the family.’
As for the challenges facing his successor, Councillor Henderson said there were several major issues on the horizon: ‘Funding roads will continue to be problematic, simply because of their condition and backlog, but again working in the senior administration team we have been able to work towards sustainable revenue funding, rather than spasmodic capital funding which has to be repaid,’ he explained.
‘The work to deliver an A830 extension bypassing Fort William and the upgrading A82 will be important work to continue, as well as negotiating community legacies for the Loch Lochy communities as the giant Coire Glas development progresses.
‘Affordable rental housing for young families in those communities, similar to the Mowi community schemes in Rum and Muck would be a start.
‘Climate change and greening not only comes with costs and challenges, but also huge opportunities for council to become shareholders in energy projects, creating income to invest in the community. The key to a successful council will be income generation.’
‘I will be sorry to go, but I need to get a golf handicap - not my inability to connect with the ball - after almost 60 years of hacking and have more time for the family.’