'Democratic deficit' warning over proposed Highland Council boundary changes
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Proposed boundary changes resulting in fewer councillors in some areas will lead to a "substantial democratic deficit", north politician Rhoda Grant has claimed.
She challenged the communities secretary Aileen Campbell over "flawed" plans for the Highlands drawn up by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland.
The proposals to redraw Highland Council wards were put to public consultation and Scottish Government ministers will decide on the recommendations.
Caithness and Sutherland are among the areas that could see a reduction in councillors.
If the changes go ahead, Caithness will have seven councillors, one fewer than at present, with three representing the landward area and two each for Thurso and Wick. Sutherland will become a one-ward county, with its representation reduced from the current six councillors to four.
At the Scottish Parliament’s portfolio questions, Mrs Grant, a Labour MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said: “Parity in island council areas has been set at one councillor for every 800 people. Yet in Highland the parity level has been set at one to 2800.
“This will result in fewer councillors, covering huge geographical areas and islands, creating a substantial democratic deficit.
“Can I ask what the cabinet secretary is going to do and should do to ensure that people in these remote rural communities are properly represented?”
Ms Campbell said that councils were being encouraged to engage with the commission and articulate any concerns. However, she added that if Mrs Grant wanted to alert the Scottish Government to certain issues, or if things could be done differently, then Mrs Grant should let them know.
After the session, Mrs Grant explained that she had already written to local government minister Kevin Stewart outlining Highland Council’s arguments against the changes.
Mrs Grant added: “There are contradictions in the plans. For instance, Skye would see a reduction from four councillors to three and this does not make sense when compared to the proposals for island wards elsewhere in Scotland.
“On the other hand, in Fort William and Ardnamurchan, the proposals are rightly to retain four councillors because roads infrastructure and travel distances require more councillors. Yet in Sutherland and Wester Ross and in Caithness, the plans are to reduce the number of councillors.
“That makes no sense to me, as I can testify that the roads and the travelling time are no different for those areas and they should be assessed in the same way as Fort William and Ardnamurchan.”
Highland Council wants an early meeting with Mr Stewart to put its case.
In January, council leader Margaret Davidson advised the commission that the local authority rejected the proposals in their entirety and formally requested that the process be halted immediately.
Councillor Davidson said: “The council is deeply unhappy with the commission’s proposals. They totally contradict the ethos of the Islands (Scotland) Act, which was to enhance the democratic process and increase representation of remote and geographically disadvantaged areas.
"Much of our mainland areas are more remote and have far fewer transport links than many of the islands who have quicker and more reliable links to Scotland’s major cities."
She said there was “simply no justification to subject our remote and fragile communities to an undemocratic and unwanted boundary review... particularly in the middle of a national pandemic".
