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Thurso man willing to address MSPs on petition for Caithness council and health board





A THURSO man, who has petitioned the Scottish Parliament for a Caithness council and health board, is prepared to go to Holyrood to speak to MSPs.

Billy Sinclair said he would address the Petitions Committee, if invited, because he feels the far north is not being treated fairly by Highland Council and NHS Highland.

"I would be prepared to go down and would hope to get some support from Ron Gunn – the chairman of the Association of Caithness Community Councils – and Iain Gregory (the co-founder of Caithness Roads Recovery).

"I would hope to get the chance to put the case for a Caithness council and a Caithness health board," he told the John O' Groat Journal.

Billy Sinclair is prepared to address the Petitions Committee at the Scottish Parliament
Billy Sinclair is prepared to address the Petitions Committee at the Scottish Parliament

He said: "Highland Council controls everything up here so why are our roads, pavements and other services not of the same standard as those in the Inverness area. I just want a fair deal but don't think we are being treated fairly. There seems to be money for vanity projects in Inverness and Edinburgh while our infrastructure is falling to bits.

"We always seem to be the piggy in the middle and have to fight for everything we get but money is no object for vanity projects. The only good road in Caithness is the A9 and that is the responsibility of Bear Scotland and the Scottish Government. If we do nothing, nothing will change."

Mr Sinclair, who has raised his concerns with politicians and Thurso Community Council, is also dismayed at the loss of consultant-led maternity services at Caithness General Hospital in Wick and the number of mothers who now give birth at Raigmore in Inverness. He is unhappy about the growing number of people who have to travel over 100 miles for appointments and treatments in the Highland capital.

Mr Sinclair is delighted with the support he has received for his petition which has attracted over 700 signatures and welcomed the comments made by far north MP, Jamie Stone, this week. The Caithness, Sutherland and easter Ross MP, warned First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, that hundreds of his constituents would prefer to "go it alone" under a breakaway local authority and health board. He blamed SNP centralisation for creating a 'secessionist' movement in the area and called on the Scottish Government to expand the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 to include remote and rural mainland areas.

Mr Sinclair added: "That will add to the momentum to try and get something done. A Caithness council may not be the answer to all our problems but it will be better than what we have at the moment."

The petition was considered by the committee last week but will be discussed along with two other petitions relating to rural healthcare at a later date. The committee indicated it would "hear evidence from the petitioner at that meeting."

Mr Sinclair wants the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to reinstate Caithness County Council and Caithness NHS Board.


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