There have been various rumours of our demise, but the reality is that the Directors have been quietly following up on the decisions made at the last AGM. It has taken much more time than anticipated and we had to make sure that the changes to the NICE Articles were sound and, above all, legal. The Articles for the new Community Development Trust with the Right to Buy will be presented to members for approval at a specially called EGM on the 18th Sept.
In recent months there have been a number of local issues where some may have expected NICE to comment. In the forefront of all our minds are the now vacant sites in the town centre and the old bus station. Yet, given the nature of the issues in which we were engaged, we decided to wait until we could bring forward realistic and practical ideas for NICE members to consider; that had legal weight, which, with community support, could deliver actual results instead of just being another talking shop.
We are eager for residents in Nairn and the Nairnshire community to become NICE members so that, together, we can give a lead and influence the future direction of Nairn. To that end we have prepared a business plan for public presentation on the 12th October. Titled “A NICE Vision for Nairn”, we invite you to participate in that process. The new Community Development Trust will require the involvement and participation of at least a 1000 new members and we invite you to join us. You can download a joining form here.
After years of frustration over Nairn town centre development we now have an opportunity to do something different. We hope you’ll join us as, with your contribution, we can ensure a bright future for Nairn.
This sounds like a significant step and the proposal to aim for registration of the right to buy land is a big departure for Nairn. Consultation and public support are crucial, not only to meet the legal requirements but more importantly, in achieving what is best for Nairn. Presumably the announcements and business plan coming up this month and next are merely the first suggestions and that the NICE Board are prepared to make changes to the ideas incubated over the last few months. Hopefully, the proposals are not confined to the bus station, Co-op petrol station and old community centre sites and have in mind the needs of the majority, rather than an eager minority.