Councillor Recognised In Honours List

A Highland councillor and a senior council planner have been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Councillor Carolyn Wilson, Chairman of the Ross and Cromarty Area Committee, receives the MBE for services to local government and to the local Alness community, while John Greaves, Head of Planning and Building Standards, The Highland Council, has been awarded an OBE for his services to town planning.

Councillor Wilson, member for Rosskeen and Saltburn, has been the driving force behind the Alness in Bloom initiative over the past 10 years. Since then she has helped the town to win the Britain in Bloom title four times as well as a World in Bloom title and two Royal Horticultural Society gold medals.

Married with three children, Councillor Wilson is also an RHS judge and will be judging the Britain in Bloom competition this year.

She said: "I am thrilled that our success has been recognised with this award, which I will be receiving on behalf on everyone who has been involved over the past 10 years."

Mr Greaves came from Norfolk/Norwich Joint Structure Plan Team in April 1973 to join Inverness County Council as a planner.

At the reorganisation of local government in 1974, John joined Highland Regional Council and was promoted to the post of principal planner before being appointed Depute Director of Planning in 1980.

He lives in Drumnadrochit with his wife Vivien.  They have a daughter, Emma, and a son Dan and three grand children.

Mr Greaves said: "I am greatly honoured by this award. In town planning, we deal with so many controversial developments and things that change our environment.  This award is perhaps a recognition of the hard work we, as a profession, do.  I am delighted and pleased for The Highland Council."