Four members of Pitlochry and Moulin Community Council suddenly resigned their posts this week, blaming “unprecedented stress” for their decision.
The announcement came on Monday, January 30, leaving the local body in abeyance until a community council by-election can be held.
Pitlochry and Moulin Community Council said in a statement: “It is with great sadness that today we are announcing the resignations of Sarah Roberts chairperson, Shona Hutchcox vice chairperson, Sheena Brennan treasurer and Donna Grant elected member.
“Due to the unprecedented stress that we have been placed under, due to the behaviours of individuals in the local community and issues that are outwith our control, we do not feel we can continue in our roles with circumstances the way they are.”
The four members thanked “everyone who had supported the CC during the time we have been in post” but left the exact reasons for their exit unclear.
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “This community council is in abeyance until a by-election is arranged and a community council formed.”
Highland Ward Conservative councillor John Duff commented: “The members of the community council are all volunteers who give time out of their busy lives to do their utmost to help the community and represent their views. At times, it can be a rewarding experience but sometimes it can be a pretty thankless task too.
“Recently, there have been a number of issues in the community which have become contentious leading to difficult meetings and I understand a number of the Pitlochry and Moulin Community Councillors have decided to call it a day.
“This will mean that the group is no longer quorate and will go into abeyance for now.
“I would like to say that I enjoyed working with the community councillors who all worked hard and did their best for Pitlochry and Moulin and thank all of them for their service.”
The only member of Pitlochry and Moulin Community Council (P&MCC) left in place was the secretary, local businessman Fergus McCallum.
He told the PA he was blind-sided to hear of the resignations. He said: “I was very surprised to see the announcement on Monday that the rest of the P&MCC had resigned.
“Nobody spoke to me prior to the decision. I am taking advice from Perth and Kinross Council about what to do next.”
Mr McCallum is behind the ongoing bid to open an Indonesian restaurant in Pitlochry with his wife and his daughter Mia.
The restaurant is envisaged to be housed inside two railway carriages and positioned in a car park.
When issues regarding the Wee Choo Choo train carriage restaurant planning bid have come up in the community council, Mr McCallum said he has declared a conflict of interest and sat to the side of the council, attending as an individual not an office bearer.
He told the PA: “When I attended the community council meeting on December 12, having seen the Wee Choo Choo was a point for discussion on the agenda and knowing I would have a conflict of interest, I took my place in the public audience. It was an appalling and fractious meeting.”
A parking survey has been carried out in Pitlochry.
Juxtapositioned to this, an advert has been placed by Perth and Kinross Council with property consultants Graham and Sibbald, advertising the 2131 square foot council-owned car park at Rie-Achan Road for lease.
There remains the question of £150,000 promised by Perth and Kinross Council to solve the town’s long-running lack of parking.
It may not be allocated now as offering the car park lease suggests there are sufficient spaces that can be given up for commercial undertakings like the restaurant.
Mr McCallum and his daughter Mia intend to bid on the open market for the leasehold of 12 parking spaces where they intend to place the train restaurant.
Many local residents voiced their support for the Indonesian cuisine the McCallum family has offered if the restaurant opens.
Mr McCallum told the PA that a previous community council member had issued an apology, admitting a racist remark had been made to his family. The apology came after Mia, whose mum is from Indonesia, made a formal complaint.
Highland Ward councillor Xander McDade explained that the community council had been dealing with a “multitude” of contentious issues of late, including timber lorries at Ballyoukan Forest and proposed parking charges for Forestry Land Scotland’s managed greenspace, Faskally Wood.
He said in all his time as a local resident of Pitlochry, he had never witnessed such challenging discussions put to the community council to deal with and that having several flashpoints all at once may have made the situation “unmanageable” for the volunteers.
“A by-ection will be held in due course.
“Then hopefully a new community council will be formed,” concluded Cllr McDade.
