The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Budget leader ‘wanted’ over car park fees
Campaign: Anger over parking charges spills over
A SENIOR councillor has contacted police after becoming the target of face-to-face and online abuse as a row over parking charges in a Highland town reached boiling point.
Budget leader Alister Mackinnon says he has been accosted while shopping with his family, insulted online and featured on Wanted posters for the “attempted murder” of Dingwall.
The abuse follows a Highland Council decision to impose parking fees on its car parks all over the north – one of those being the South car park in the centre of the Ross-shire town.
Even his opponents in this matter last night branded the behaviour “sickening”. Mr Mackinnon said: “These comments have been deeply hurtful to me and my family and are totally unacceptable to be criticised in that manner.”
Anger over Dingwall parking charges has reached boiling point with a senior councillor contacting police over “unacceptable” abuse.
Budget leader Alister Mackinnon says he was the target of insulting comments while he was out shopping with his family in the Ross-shire town.
Mr Mackinnon and his fellow Dingwall and Seaforth councillor Angela Maclean have also been pictured on “Wanted for the attempted murder of Dingwall” posters that appeared in the town centre.
He claims he has also been targeted online with abuse – to the point where he felt he had to get the police involved.
The row is over the introduction of parking charges in the council-owned south car park. Local traders argue the move would “kill” the town.
They have also been incensed by what they say is the lack of prior consultation through the community council.
Mr Mackinnon said: “It hasn’t been pleasant. I accept criticism in my role as budget leader but what I will not accept is defamatory comments.
“I have been with my family shopping when members of the public have come up to me and my family.
“These comments have been deeply hurtful to me and my family.”
One local who is against the new parking charges called the behaviour of some individuals “sickening” .
He said: “It deflates the case against parking charges, you want the high moral ground, a level playing field – this is just mental.
“The case should be based on the facts and the figures – which do not stack up – but there is no need for this. It is sickening.”
Anti-parking charges campaigners were quick to distance the campaign from the allegations of abuse last night.
Local businessman David Campbell said: “Abuse has no place in the campaign, I do not engage in it and this should be decided on the facts alone.”
And Mr Mackinnon pointed out that another Dingwall and Seaforth councillor, Graham McKenzie – who is against the charges – wrote a letter from his holidays expressing his disgust.
A police spokesman said: “Police Scotland has been contacted in respect of this matter. However, there is no ongoing police investigation.”
A public meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday evening in the Legion hall in Dingwall which the councillors have been invited to attend.
“Comments have been deeply hurtful to me and my family”