Nicola Sinclair keen to see local decision-making after being elected to Caithness Committee chairperson role
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Wick councillor Nicola Sinclair is determined to help make Highland Council's Caithness Committee a "more powerful and relevant forum for local decision-making" after being elected as its new chairperson.
Councillor Sinclair, who succeeds Thurso councillor Matthew Reiss in the role, says she wants the county's representatives to seize the opportunities presented by the council's "commitment towards localism".
At the same time, the role of Caithness civic leader – currently held by Councillor Willie Mackay – is being superseded by two new positions. Councillor Mackay (Wick and East Caithness) becomes Provost of Wick, while Councillor Struan Mackie (Thurso and Northwest Caithness) takes on the same role for Thurso.
Councillor Sinclair was unanimously elected to take over as committee chairperson from Councillor Reiss, who had served in the position for two years. She will be supported by councillors Mackay and Mackie as deputes.
Thanking her fellow councillors for their support, Councillor Sinclair said: “I am honoured to be given this opportunity to serve Caithness as chair.
"In particular I would like to pay tribute to Councillor Reiss for serving as chair for the past two years of this committee. Councillor Reiss has brought a great deal of pragmatism, careful judgement and humility to the role and has been a calming influence at the same time as working hard to represent Caithness’s best interests within Highland Council.
“I hope to build on that foundation by pushing the Caithness Committee forward as a more powerful and relevant forum for local decision-making. Highland Council has made a commitment towards localism and it’s important that we collectively seize the opportunity to ensure that we as elected members are working together to address the issues that matter most to our community and ensure those issues are championed at Highland level.
“I won’t as chair get it right every time, or have all the answers, but I hope to facilitate closer collaboration between the eight of us, local officers and partners, across county and party lines. It’s something we’ve always done so well and is in many ways a unique power we have here in Caithness.
“It will be all the more important now, as we emerge from this pandemic and seek to rebuild our economy and social structures, and I have great confidence that we can harness the inspirational example set by our community to deliver meaningful progress."
Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Sinclair also welcomed the appointment of the two vice-chairmen. "I am delighted to see councillors Mackay and Mackie elected to represent wards three and two respectively, ensuring that the community on both sides of the county will have an equal voice in raising and progressing Caithness issues," she said.
"Each will act as civic head in their area and work closely with myself as chair to agree key priorities to raise at local, council, national level and beyond. This is very much a spirit of openness and collaboration and I know we are all excited to get started.”
Councillor Mackie said: “I am immensely proud to be taking on the vice-chair of the Caithness Committee and the newly reinstated civic position for Thurso and Northwest Caithness. The new committee structure provides the opportunity to pursue the issues that really matter to our communities and recognises both burghs' unique civic traditions.
“Although substantial engagement with Highland Council and our officers must now begin in earnest, we will not shy away from the extensive lobbying that must be done with partner bodies such as NHS Highland and both Scottish and UK governments.
"I look forward to working closely with Councillor Sinclair and Provost Mackay to ensure that the Caithness Committee becomes a powerful and proactive voice for the people we represent and delivers real, tangible change.”
Councillor Mackay, who has held the post of Caithness civic leader since 2017, said: “I am delighted that the role of Provost of Wick is coming back after it was deleted in 2006. It is going to be a great honour and a pleasure to carry out my duties.
"Caithness has much to offer – from the wide-ranging skills of its people, to its outstanding natural landscape that is totally unique, and the strong community bounds we have. I found our meeting today to be very constructive and I look forward to supporting our new chair and the whole committee as we all work together and look to the future.”
Councillor Mackay's position as Caithness civic leader is still current but a report will go to a committee meeting in October providing full details of the new roles and responsibilities.
