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Assynt is AngryThere is no hiding the fact that Assynt can be classified as being a remote community. It takes a bit of effort to get here, but those who live here generally want to stay here. It gets under your skin, and once you’ve lived here for a while it is pretty unlikely that you’ll want to live anywhere else. There are those who have been born and bred in Assynt, while others, like ourselves, are incomers who have chosen to live in this special part of the world. Generally people who live here like to be independent. But there are times in your life when you need help. One of those times can be as you grow older. Sometimes it is simply not possible to remain in your own home, and so the decision has to be made about moving into some form of sheltered accommodation. In Lochinver there is the Assynt Centre, a small centre which can home and take care of those unable to take care of themselves. It also offers respite care for those who generally can look after themselves in their own home, but every now and then just need an extra bit of TLC and so spend a few days in the centre recharging their batteries so they can then go to their own homes again. The Assynt Centre was originally owned and run by the community, but the Highland Council decided to discharge their responsibilities for social services and take over the running of the centre,which they did. Over the last few years the Council has slowly been winding down operations at the Assynt Centre, and the centre has been under threat of closure, due to overspend on the budget of the Social Services Department of the Highland Council. So once again the local community started to look at ways which the community could take over the running of the Assynt Centre, perhaps as a Social Enterprise, and so maintain the ability to offer local folk the prospect of remaining in the area rather than having to move 60 miles away to Golspie, on the opposite side of the country. Last week at the monthly Assynt Community Council meeting the announcement was made that staff at the Assynt Centre had been told that the centre was due to close during the summer of 2010. This is a unilateral decision by the Council, with no local consultation. As you can imagine there was outrage at the Council Meeting both to the news and the way in which this news had been announced. Nine people will lose their jobs, but perhaps more vitally, members of the community will lose the right to spend their latter years in the area that they love. They will be forced to move across the country, away from friends and perhaps family, to an area that they are not familiar with, to satisfy the financial restrictions of the Highland Council. Assynt is angry. Assynt will be asking questions of it’s local councillors such as Robbie Rowantree and George Farlow, as well as politicians such as John Thurso and Jamie Stone. It is now up to the council to show good faith and start talking to the community. Edited to add a link to the article in The Press and Journal. 7 comments to Assynt is Angry |
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Very sad news. Is there to be a campaign opposing Highland Council’s decision? Petition? Website?
I know the council is terribly strapped for money but perhaps if top management were paid less (i.e. paid a more realistic wage for the Highlands) and the council stopped spending so much on consultants, vital services like the Assynt Centre wouldn’t be under threat.
Here’s a snippet from the P&J: ‘Highland Council is spending almost £22,000 a day on consultants – £5,000 more than the average annual salary of workers in the region. It spent £9.5million hiring outside experts over a 20-month period between April 2008 and November 2009 – the equivalent of £21,883 every working day.’
Not sure if this link to the article will work, but here goes: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1586564?UserKey=
Outrageous! Time for an uprising?
That is sad and unacceptable. My Aunt spent the last year of her life in a nusing home half a mile away from where she had lived her whole life. Her friends were able to visit easily and she didn’t feel so isolated. I am thankful on her behalf that she didn’t have to face what the elderly and infirm are facing in your town.
I hope that you can all come together as a group and get this decision reversed.
Oh, that is so awful. Make lots of fuss and be a squeaky door or you won’t get any oil. Sixty miles is a long way from home in your part of the world.
The story of the Assynt Centre is a very sad one, but I am afraid I was not surprised, as someone who works for a Scottish Council, I am acutely aware of the huge cuts and savings that are having to be made accross the board. Having said that, when it starts to impact on some of the most vulnerable people that live in our communities, when they are nearing the end of their life, often having served their counrty in times of war, is just so wrong. I quite agree that some of our Politicians and Councillors need to take a long hard look at spending in the public sector, and much much more effort needs to be out into consultation. It is very challenging and frustrating times!
So sad, your blog, today. I do hope the people of Assynt get the answers and help they need to stop this closure.
This is a sad thing to hear, yet somehow unsurprising given HC’s failings in other places. I hope the councillors step up and do something about it – totally unacceptable.
(Otherwise – beautiful photos of Clachtoll Beach. Can hear the wind through the grass – beautiful.)
Anna
Helen – I was shocked by your post – some politicians just fail to see beyond the bottom line!! As you rightly say, it’s not just the loss of jobs (although that will have a major impact on a small community) it’s the impact on people who will have to end their days miles away from home. It meant a great deal to Malcolm’s Dad to spend his last months in a Home which was only a few streets away from where he had lived for years (and in the town he had spent his whole life in). I wouldn’t normally condone violence, but sometimes I think politicians need a good slap – thye forget that they are there to serve their community, not impose their views on it. OK, that’s my rant for the day …..
Love, Anne