'Terminal decline' warning as Caithness community council issues a cry for help
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Politicians are being warned that Caithness could be "heading for terminal decline" unless action is taken to improve key services such as roads and healthcare.
Many local people are facing "an unrelenting attack" to their "basic way of life", according to a community council representing some 1675 residents in the north-east of the county.
There are also fears over depopulation, with the number of people living in Caithness expected to fall by 18 per cent by 2040.
The concerns are raised in an open letter from Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council to Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf as well as north politicians and Highland councillors.
The letter is described as a cry for help on behalf of local residents, rather than an attempt to single out any individuals or political parties for blame.
It highlights the area's "crumbling infrastructure" and "poor services".
"Population decline is a serious issue," the community council says. "It impacts a whole range of things including provision of public services, the availability of permanent jobs and the viability of local businesses.
"It is hard to shake the belief that Caithness might be heading for terminal decline if major things are not done – and soon."
The community council has commissioned a review of community strategy and local plans and says consultation events will be held.
The letter states: "We must admit that at the moment it feels like there is little hope and no light at the end of the tunnel. It feels for many like our voices are not heard and that we should sit back and be told what is good for us."
It expresses a hope that "the steady decline of the area can be turned around".
The main requests are:
- Acknowledgement that local roads are in a poor state and must be a priority
- The claim form for damage to vehicles due to the road surface should be made available on Highland Council's website with simple instructions on how to make a claim
- More services, including more consultant or referral appointments, at Caithness General Hospital to prevent long journeys for simple examinations or consultations, along with an increase in expenses
- Contracts with local farmers to keep minor roads clear in the event of adverse weather
- Better public transport, even when it might be uneconomical
- Targeted help for small business owners in rural areas to keep local shops and services open
- Acknowledgement that car ownership in rural areas is not a luxury but a necessity
- Examination of the costs of domestic electricity in the area
The letter claims that some roads are in danger of becoming impassable.
"The A99 to John O’Groats, used by tens of thousands of vehicles and one of the major tourist routes in Scotland, is in places so rough, potholed and crumbling as to be an embarrassment, not just to the Highland region but to Scotland as a whole.
"It is costing local people hundreds of pounds in damage to their vehicles and providing a terrible impression. Off the main roads the situation is far worse."
On healthcare, the community council says: "The average person in Dunnet and Canisbay has up to 20 miles to travel to Caithness General Hospital, without the benefit of convenient public transport, especially at weekends.
"However, there are a number of services and procedures which are currently not available at Caithness General. Often these include routine consultant appointments. For these, travel to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness is required.
"Is it considered acceptable (to choose just one of many examples) to require a 70-year-old non-driver who suffers from osteoporosis to travel this distance for a less than 15-minute consultation with a dermatologist?
"Without more services offered on a local basis there is little incentive for population growth.
"At the very least NHS Highland should publish quarterly a breakdown of appointments for people from Caithness postcodes being asked to travel to outpatient appointments outwith the county. This would highlight where areas of improvement may be made."
The letter also points to slow progress on broadband and poor mobile phone reception in many parts of the area.
On energy costs, the letter says: "In an area where costs are already high, purely in terms of accessing services, we also must pay one of the highest charges for electricity in the country. This despite generating a large amount of green energy.
"We must also endure the blight of surface infrastructure to take this power south away from us without receiving compensation in lower bills. To add insult to injury we also suffer from frequent power cuts, many due to overhead lines suffering in the fierce gales we experience.
"We can understand why we have heard people say that Caithness is milked for its resources but neglected when it comes to help and support."
It adds: "With a declining population, the lack of new residents, and a number of retirements of owners of businesses, we have a situation where many villages have no local shop and no way of getting to one without a car."
The letter has been sent to the First Minister, local MSP Maree Todd and all Highlands and Islands regional MSPs, local MP Jamie Stone, all eight Highland councillors for the county, Caithness Health Action Team and the chief executive of Highland Council.
