More neighbours get together to make their area one 'where people will want to live'

TWO more residents' associations have been formed – or are in the process of being formed – in the Merkinch area. On September 5th a South Kessock Residents Association steering group was set up at a very well attended meeting, chaired by Councillor Peter Corbett. For this body to be legally representative of the residents of the area a public meeting was to be held on Wednesday 27th September after we went to press. Councillor Corbett, housing officials and the police were invited to attend and on the agenda were the following:

a short presentation from Housing Services on tenant participation and how to set up a residents' association;

Ivor Souter from mp33 discussing his work to include young people in the community life of Merkinch;

the adoption of the constitution and the election of a committee which would then elect its own office-bearers.

Another meeting last month brought the tenants and residents of Maclennan Crescent to a similar position. They intend to call a public meeting on Wednesday 8th November to finalise their constitution and elect a nine-strong committee.
It is hoped to invite Councillor Corbett and the police to attend and representatives from the Property & Architects department as well as the Housing department will be in attendance. On the agenda for the meeting will be the feasibility survey being carried out on the condition of the properties in Maclennan Crescent and Maclennan Gardens. Tenants will be asked what they regard as priorities. Already in the pipeline are new fencing which should be up by the end of the year, and the painting of front doors.

Tenants will be asked what they regard as their priorities.

In future the residents' association committee will receive training in the basic procedures involved in housing allocation and reporting repairs etc. But whatever the procedural niceties the aim of the association will be, as one tenant expressed it, “We want to make Maclennan Crescent a place where people want to live!”

Few in any part of Merkinch would want to argue with that.