In reply to Douglas Griffin:
> Incidentally, I've just been reading a very long and detailed post by Andy Wightman on the consquences of Scotland's system of land ownership in Langholm - a very long way from the Crofting Counties. (It's here, if you're interested:
http://www.andywightman.com/?p=3354 )
Very interesting article, here is another story of stupid councils, and people power, and a win but lose outcome.
We had a local council , in 1996, who tried to take common land to build a public building, they would not listen to the locals ,( or the clear evidence that it was not theirs to use,) locals then , having suggested more obvious alternatives, had to take the council to court ( and raise the funds to do so) the council simply used the same local taxpayers money to defend it , and the council lost .
But whilst officials were clearly in the wrong , it personally cost them nothing financially, or otherwise. The locals paid twice, to raise the action , and the council's rediculous defence.
They are now this very year trying to missappropriate yet another local recreation area, this time to build a school( even against their own local plan!, geology etc.)
Locals may be , again , be forced into raising yet more cash to challenge this new attempted missappropriation of common land, and the council officials could yet again just use taxpayers money to defend it.
We need some protection from these incompetent council councillors/officials who with no personal risk of loss (even when they are proven to do their job badly and make mistakes . )
There should be a way to personally hold these people to account. As it is, they lose , we win, WE pay.
The councillors we can vote out, the officials are untouchable. ( and often not even locals)
"Campaigners halt court plan David beats council 'Goliath' as judge rules in favour of preserving Common land
By BRUCE McKAIN Law Correspondent Friday 12 July 1996
CAMPAIGNERS who have been fighting plans to block the building of a new court on Common land , won a David and Goliath legal victory yesterday."
( the article in full in not available, headline only.)
Post edited at 22:32