First Ward Forum for Cromarty Firth

The first Ward Forum for The Highland Council electoral ward of Cromarty Firth will take place at the Averon Leisure Centre, Alness on Thursday 30th August at 7.30pm.

The meeting will be held in public and there will be a 20 minute session at the close of the meeting for the public to ask questions.

The aim of the forum is to provide an effective scrutiny of the way the Council provides services in the Cromarty Firth Ward.
 
The meeting will be attended by the four councillors who serve Cromarty Firth – Councillors Michael Finlayson, Martin Rattray, Maxine Smith, and Carolyn Wilson  – as well as representatives from community councils and the police.

Providing administration support to the forum will be Helen Ross, Ward Manager for Cromarty.

The Cromarty Firth Ward Forum will provide an opportunity for community representatives and the public to raise local issues, scrutinise local council delivery and performance and help make choices about local service delivery, where appropriate.

Preliminary discussions (held on 28th June) between the 4 Highland Councillors and representatives from the 5 Community Councils covering the Cromarty Firth Ward, Council Officials and Northern Constabulary have identified topics to be considered at future meetings. These topics include recyling, health issues, community safety and education and young people. Each meeting will have a particular theme and partners will be invited to join the meeting where that is required. It is hoped that young people may also get involved.

There will be at least six meetings of the Ward Forum each year and dates for forthcoming meetings will be considered at the inaugural meeting on Thursday.

Following Highland Council’s recent restructuring the Easter Ross Area from Evanton northwards - which includes the two new Wards of Cromarty Firth and Tain and Easter Ross - is now managed within the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross operational area.

People living in the of Cromarty Firth and Tain and Easter Ross Wards can now contact the Wards Managers:

• Helen Ross, Wards Manager (Cromarty Firth) Invergordon Service Point, Invergordon, tel: 01349 855511
• Caroline MacAskill, Ward Manager (Tain and Easter Ross) Tain Service Point, 24 High Street, Tain, tel: 01349 886643