Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider  

 

Caithness Landward Councillor Matthew Reiss Wants Higher Fees For Wind Farms

19th May 2015

Landward councillor Matthew Reiss had the backing of his fellow independent councillors when he put forward a motion to the full Highland council on Thursday 14th May 2015.

The planning applications fees in some English council areas are up to ten times higher. Highland council spends much more dealing with appeals for wind farms if they refuse them. This takes money away form other much needed public services in education and social work.

The Press and Journal picked it up with an article yesterday Monday 18th May 2015.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/inverness/582030/turbines-cost-blowing-in-the-wind/

The motion was agreed by the full council. The debate can be viewed on the video page of Highland Council of the meeting on Thursday 14th May 2015 - videos are available for 12 months after the meeting.

The item on the Highland Council Agenda was as follows. -
The following Notice of Motion has been received in accordance with Standing Order 10.1 -

"The recent Strengthening Democracy report was applauded and supported across the Chamber. It puts forward the opinion that the current situation of centralisation and detached decision making is unsustainable and that we have to return to more local decision making. The current size of Highland Council is acknowledged to be too large to allow real local democracy to happen.

Therefore we call on the Highland Council to take leadership of the debate. We propose Highland Council produce a report that sets out viable options for fully localised decision making in Highland region".

Signed: Mr L Fraser, Ms J Douglas, Mr B Thompson, Mrs I Campbell, Mrs F Robertson, Mrs M Davidson, Mr B Fernie, Mr H Fraser, Mrs J Barclay, Mrs H Carmichael, Mr G Ross, Mrs C Wilson, Mr M Reiss, Mr R Greene, Mr A Henderson, Mr M Green