International Recognition For Councillor’s Work

The work undertaken on behalf of the UK regions by The Highland Council’s Kathleen Matheson was formally recognised last Friday by Claudio Martini, President of the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions (CPMR).

Claudio Martini, who is also President of the Italian region of Tuscany, used the occasion of the CPMR’s political bureau to praise the international work undertaken by Councillor Matheson in representing the interests of the UK regions in the CPMR.

Kathleen Matheson, the Council’s European spokesperson, is retiring from local government in May. She has been involved in local politics for 15 years and represented the Drumossie area of Highland.  She has been involved with the CPMR for eight years.  During this time she has been Vice President as well as the UK’s representative on the CPMR’s ruling body for the past two years.

Her senior positions within these organisations have ensured that the views of the Scottish Coastal regions have always been known and acknowledged, and have had a major influence in the formation of European policy

Councillor Matheson said:  “The CPMR represents 158 peripheral maritime regions of Europe and Norway, the North Sea Commission represents 70 coastal regions around the North Sea and the AA covers the interests of our long Atlantic coastline.. On our agenda have been some very important issues such as climate change, energy use, the protection of marine areas, maritime policy including maritime safety and immigration.

“I have found my involvement both interesting and very rewarding and I hope the work of the groups will continue to shape policy in years to come.”

Also standing down was Councillor Audrey Findlay, leader of Aberdeenshire Council and Vice President of North Sea Commission (NSC).

During the presentation which took place in Florence, Snr Martini, praised the manner in which Councillors Matheson and Findlay have balanced representing the interests of Scotland with the larger UK regional dimension of the work of the CPMR.

President Martini also thanked them for the important contributions they had made to work of the North Sea Commission then presented each of them with a gold medal.