Buchan councillors are furious they will not be given a chance to make a last-ditch plea to prevent travellers from using Aikey Brae.
Aikey Brae in Old Deer is one of four sites Aberdeenshire Council has earmarked for travellers, at a cost of £126,000.
A final decision on whether the site – and three others in Aberdeenshire – is suitable will be made by full council after the summer.
Land at Gold Road, Ellon, a council depot in Fordoun Road, Laurencekirk, and a plot by the old Inverurie paper mill – east of the A96 Aberdeen-Inverness road – are also under consideration as potential travellers sites.
However, councillors who represent central Buchan are angry that they will not be allowed to have their say to determine if any of the sites, particularly Aikey Brae, are suitable locations.
Instead, members of the gypsy/traveller sub-committee, which has no members who live in Buchan, will determine what impact the travellers would have on surrounding neighbours and businesses.
Last night, Old Deer councillor Jim Ingram described the policy as “broken”.
“I’m disappointed, because we are elected to represent the local community. The chance to familiarise ourselves with what is being proposed would have been in order.
“The locals are about 99% against Aikey Brae being used and the policy certainly needs changing.
“I remember in the old days, if something came up that would have a direct impact on any of the wards its members would be invited along to make their views known. It’s a sad reflection of the times we are now in – democracy seems to be of little value these days.”
Councillor Lenny Pirie, who also represents the village, added: “We have got to listen to the people in our communities. The council is always saying it wants to involve them more in the decision-making process.
“But most of the councillors on that sub-committee are from outwith the area. I don’t think it’s right that they’re going to go on that site visit and make decisions for our locals when we can’t.”
Aikey Brae was earlier considered by the council as a potential permanent travellers site but the plan was thrown out amid huge objection.
Chairman of the travellers sub-committee, Councillor Allan Hendry, of Mid-Formantine ward, said: “This is only the start of the process. We asked the housing department to find some sites and come back to us with the ones they preferred. We then agreed at our meeting on Wednesday past that we would visit each one and work out for ourselves of any were suitable.
“They have not been chosen yet. If one or all, or some, are, and are deemed suitable, the next part of the process will be full consultations with everybody – community councils, individual members of the community, area committee members, and anyone else who has an interest in providing input.”