You may have read that a Judicial Review into the Academy Street proposals has resulted in Highland Council losing. Surprisingly, the council administration has decided to appeal. On 19th September there is a meeting of the council that can stop the administration group (made up of SNP councillors and most of the independent councillors) from throwing good money after bad by appealing.

Lord Sandison in his judgement stated that the ‘consultation’ was “unfair to and beyond the point of unlawfulness”. This was because the Option B (now updated further to “current proposal”) only emerged when the consultation had been running for some time. Around 80% of the responses were put in before the proposal was completely changed by talking of stopping through cars from using Academy Street.

Lord Sandison further stated that “the reports to the Area Committee in August 2023 and the full council in September 2023 misled those bodies as to the level of support for the current proposal.” And “Members were materially misled on a matter bearing upon their decision, which could not be described as minor or inconsequential.”

I have written to all councillors asking them to oppose the idea of appealing. I want Academy Street reopened fully and resurfaced.

Could you find the time to write to councillors opposing the proposal for Academy Street? Please write to them outlining why you want to drop the Academy Street proposals. Email addresses can be found at the foot of this update.  

For those of you who live in Inverness Central ward, I add that I have put myself forward as a candidate in the by-election taking place on 26th September. If you have a vote, please vote for me to get another voice of reason to kill off the Academy Street proposals. See picture for a sight of my leaflet comments on the Academy Street idea.

List of email addresses.

Alasdair Christie <alasdair.christie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Alasdair Rhind <alasdair.rhind.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Alex Graham <alex.graham.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Andrew Baldrey <Andrew.Baldrey@highland.gov.uk>; Andrew Jarvie <andrew.jarvie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Andrew MacKintosh <Andrew.MacKintosh.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Andrew Sinclair <andrew.sinclair.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Angela MacLean <angela.maclean.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Angus MacDonald <Angus.MacDonald.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Barbara Jarvie <Barbara.Jarvie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Bet McAllister <elizabeth.mcallister.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Bill Boyd <bill.boyd.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Bill Lobban <bill.lobban.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Biz Campbell <isabelle.campbell.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Calum Munro <calum.munro.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Chris Ballance <Chris.Ballance.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Chris Birt <Chris.Birt.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Colin Aitken <colin.aitken.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; David Fraser <david.fraser.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; David Gregg <David.Gregg.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Derek Louden <derek.louden.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Drew Millar <Drew.Millar.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Duncan MacPherson <duncan.macpherson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Emma Knox <emma.knox.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Glynis Campbell-Sinclair <glynis.sinclair.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Graham MacKenzie <graham.mackenzie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Helen Crawford <Helen.Crawford.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Hugh Morrison <hugh.morrison.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ian Brown <ian.brown2.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Isabelle MacKenzie <isabelle.mackenzie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Jackie Hendry <Jackie.Hendry.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Jan McEwan <Jan.McEwan.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Jim McGillivray <jim.mcgillivray.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; John Bruce <john.bruce.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; John Finlayson <john.finlayson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; John Grafton <John.Grafton.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Karl Rosie <karl.rosie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Kate MacLean <Kate.MacLean.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Kate Willis <Kate.Willis.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ken Gowans <ken.gowans.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Laurie Fraser <laurie.fraser.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Leslie-anne Niven <Leslie-anne.Niven.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Liz Kraft <Liz.Kraft.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Liz Saggers <Liz.Saggers.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Lyndsey Johnston <Lyndsey.Johnston.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Margaret Paterson <margaret.paterson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Marianne Hutchison <Marianne.Hutchison.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Matthew Reiss <matthew.reiss.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Maxine Morley-Smith <maxine.smith.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Michael Baird <Michael.Baird.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Michael Cameron <Michael.Cameron.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Michael Green <Michael.Green.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Molly Nolan <Molly.Nolan.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Morven Reid <Morven.Reid.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Morven-May MacCallum <Morven-May.MacCallum.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Muriel Cockburn <muriel.cockburn.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Patrick Logue <Patrick.Logue.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Paul Oldham <Paul.Oldham.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Pauline Munro <pauline.munro.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Raymond Bremner <raymond.bremner.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Richard Gale <richard.gale.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ron Gunn <Ron.Gunn.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ruraidh Stewart <Ruraidh.Stewart.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Russell Jones <Russell.Jones.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Ryan MacKintosh <Ryan.MacKintosh.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Sarah Atkin <Sarah.Atkin.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Sarah Fanet <sarah.fanet.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Sean Kennedy <Sean.Kennedy.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Struan Mackie <struan.mackie.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Tamala Collier <Tamala.Collier.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Thomas MacLennan <Thomas.MacLennan.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Trish Robertson <trish.robertson.cllr@highland.gov.uk>; Willie MacKay <willie.mackay.cllr@highland.gov.uk>