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Poor turnout for site visits to aid Moray planning decisions

Moray Council. Image: Hazel Lawson/ DC Thomson.
Moray Council. Image: Hazel Lawson/ DC Thomson.

Concerns have been raised at the poor turnout for site visits arranged to help councillors make planning decisions.

Only four out of 14 members went to see areas relating to applications before a committee meeting this week.

It cost Moray Council £340 to hire a bus for the journey.

And for the visit ahead of the local review body (LRB) held on November 17 one councillor out of eight turned up.

At a recent planning meeting, councillor for Keith and Cullen Donald Gatt asked if attendance on site visits should be mandatory.

Concerns over site visits

He also wanted to know the cost to the council of hiring a minibus for the visit, which took place on a Friday.

Legal adviser Aileen Scott told him while they were not compulsory, councillors asked they be reinstated following the end of Covid restrictions.

Mrs Scott said: “I’m prepared to accept that there may have been some concerns on Friday because of the weather.

“And there are often legitimate reasons why members cannot attend on a specific day.

Elgin South councillor John Divers. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

“The LRB visits were of particular concern because they were arranged at a time members said it suited them.

“Members asked for these and they have not been participating in them.

“It is a concern and I appreciate many members will have had valid reasons for not being there.

“But it’s a situation I would certainly want to monitor.”

Councillor for Speyside Glenlivet Derek Ross highlighted councillors’ diaries were very full and Fridays could be difficult for members.

Only four out of 14 councillors attended site visit

He said: “The outside body I work with is the Cairngorms National Park.

“All their meetings are on a Friday for the very reason there isn’t council business on a Friday.

“I did raise those concerns during the last council.”

Member for Elgin South John Divers is a strong supporter of site visits.

He said: “I’ve heard questions that if members had been on the site visit they would not have needed to ask that question.

“They would have seen for themselves the very issue.”

Elgin North councillor Sandy Keith.

Councillor for Elgin North Sandy Keith took the opposite view.

He said: “My understanding is officers have visited sites in the preparation of these reports.

“I accept what officers write.

“What I would hate to think going forward is there would be any move for making these site visits mandatory.”

No council vehicle was available for the visit on Friday.

Efforts will be made in future to secure local authority transport.

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