Thurso community council backs afternoon opening at service point

COMMUNITY councillors in Thurso are unhappy with the reduced opening hours at the Highland Council service point in the town.

But they have backed a proposal to have the facility open to the public on Monday and Wednesday afternoons in addition to it being open from 9am to 12.30pm on Mondays to Fridays.

Thurso and Northwest Caithness ward councillor, Struan Mackie, is hoping the local authority will back the initiative which would help people who cannot get to the service point in the morning. He explained that there has been a drop of 70 per cent in the number of transactions going through the service point in Rotterdam Street since the coronavirus pandemic three years ago.

He also pointed out that the staff there are busy but now have dual roles and carry out customer service duties as well as undertaking telephone call-back queries from the public.

"The service point is one of the key services which gets good marks and this is a good first step for it to try and return to normal as soon as possible," said councillor Mackie at Tuesday night's meeting. He felt it is important to get the views of the community council about what option it would prefer regards any additional opening hours.

Councillor Mackie, who is the Thurso Provost, hopes the local authority could be persuaded to make adjustments to fit in with local needs but he added: "If we get a couple of afternoons a week we can see how that goes but it could be a case of use it or lose it. Councillors can influence the situation but, ultimately, the head of the service is in Inverness."

Louise Smith stressed she has to go to the service point to get her blue disabled badge for people with health or mobility issues. She said: "It makes it very difficult when the facility is not open all the time."

Ian Wright asked what it cost Highland Council "to hive off " the services which used to be provided at the service point.

Councillor Mackie said the situation has changed since Covid. "I am not saying that is a convenient excuse but it may feel like that for a lot of people," he added.

It was pointed out that the service was well used prior to the coronavirus but fewer people can use it when it is on reduced opening hours.

The community council backed the proposed option of opening on two afternoons a week.

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