Contact: liz.macdonald.cllr@highland.gov.uk

Tel/Fax: (01667) 455661  

I was the lead campaigner supporting the retention of McLean Court day care service in Nairn, received over 1500 signatures and 40 letters of support to keep it open and the SNP group members have been fully supportive on this issue.

In 2007 I worked up the Fisherwoman project and applied for funding to HIE, Lottery and Highland 2007 to deliver this project with support from Nairn Museum and River community council.

I've been trying since Corsee Home closed to develop housing for older people in the grounds of Corsee and I'm delighted that it's part of the bid for Scottish Governement's Council House building programme being put forward through the Housing and Social Work Committtee on Wednesday.

I also campaigned against the closure of Lovat Lodge (Arthritis Care Charity Hotel) in Nairn and I'm now a director.

As an advocate of improving the in-house home care service I've consistently opposed with the SNP group the block purchase tender of home care services within the inner-Moray Firth area which is effectively privatisation of home care services. With the emerging budget pressures and lack of co-ordination in-house I believe it was wrong for the administration to sign up to the tender when they had  £1million+ short fall for job evaluation in house yet they agreed to pay £1million per year over the next 3 years to the independent sector.

As a local authority it has taken longer than expected to introduce enhanced terms and conditions for our staff and now it appears that these are to changed again and if staff don't accept new contracts they will be sacked then re-employed under the new terms. I'm appalled at the way our staff are being treated by this administration, and have reservations about it being legal.

I believe strongly in protecting and enhancing our local heritage and began a Maggot Road t-shirt campaign when the other 3 Nairn members decided to change this long established road to Riverside Drive. A compromise has been met by calling the development Riverside Court and retaining Maggot Road.

I'm a member of the Nairn Access Panel and try whenever possible to push for access improvement's and better services for people with disabilities.