Furious Thurso councillor quits youth club
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A LOCAL councillor has quit Thurso Youth Club’s management committee in a fury over a move which he claims will negatively impact the “most vulnerable people in Caithness”.
Thurso Highland councillor Donnie Mackay, who has represented the local authority on the youth club committee for four years, resigned yesterday in a rage as it emerged that the popular Monday Club is to look for new premises.
The 10-strong volunteer committee held an emergency meeting on Wednesday night when members decided that they would leave the youth club, citing their recent treatment as too much to take.
The row blew up after moves by High Life Highland to ensure that Thurso Youth Club gives priority to youngsters. A girls’ group had been earmarked to take over the Monday Club’s evening spot.
As reported in Wednesday’s Caithness Courier, youth club chairman Roger Saxon stressed that the Monday Club hadn’t been asked to leave, but to change its meeting night from a Monday to a Sunday.
He said yesterday he regretted the group’s decision.
Mr Mackay claimed that a lack of thought and grace had been put into moving the slot of the learning disabled group which has clocked up 22 years at the Millbank premises.
“I’ve taken a stance on this because I think it is all wrong,” he said. “I’m resigning from the youth club with immediate effect.
“I feel very strongly about this because it is about the vulnerable people in our society and they should have been given time to adjust to this.”
Mr Mackay said he is disgusted that despite the Monday Club’s loyalty to the youth club it was still not given enough time or warning to work out new arrangements.
“They have been here for 20-odd years and they just simply haven’t been given the time to find other property,” he said.
“I’m not against the youth club or anyone involved, the point here is that it’s the most vulnerable people in our society who have been hit.
“I can’t stay on a committee that does something like this – it’s the worst thing they could have done.”
Mr Saxon told the John O’Groat Journal that there had never been an order for the group to leave.
“I would like to clarify that we gave the group no ultimatum, and I was prepared to allow them to keep their Monday night up to the end of their current programme, which would have included various activities up until the middle of April.
“However they never got back to us.”
Mr Saxon added: “I hope they quickly find an alternative venue for their meetings and they are still welcome to use our premises for events that do not clash with our core mission of youth work.”
The Monday Club provides fortnightly activities, outings and functions for learning disabled adults from across Caithness.
Landward councillor Willie Mackay, a volunteer with the group since 1994, said the committee had decided “enough was enough”.
“I’m particularly proud of the Monday Club committee’s decision to quit the Thurso Youth Club after the way they have been treated,” he said.
“This is a learning disabled adult group of up to 40 people that we have been involved with for 22 years – vulnerable people in our county who should have deserved more care, thought and attention for their wellbeing.”
He added: “I’m confident that following the tremendous support of the public we will have a new venue in place within the next few days in order to continue with the great work of the Monday Club and its activities for the learning disabled in Caithness.”
At the emergency meeting long-serving secretary Catriona MacGregor reported that she had done an extensive search around the Thurso area to find a suitable alternative, but so far only one or two possibilities have been identified.
The group plans to hold its annual Burns Supper on Monday evening as its last event in the youth club.
High Life Highland representatives could not be reached for comment.
