Pitlochry’s only remaining community councillor says he is baffled at the mass walkout of all the other members.
Sarah Roberts (chairperson), Shona Hutchcox (vice-chairperson), Sheena Brennan (treasurer) and Donna Grant (member) all announced their resignations from Pitlochry and Moulin Community Council on Monday morning.
In a Facebook post on Pitlochry Community News they cited “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.”
This leaves the community council in abeyance with only one member left.
He is secretary Fergus McCallum, who says he was kept in the dark about the exits.
Shock at collapse of council
Fergus said: “I woke up this morning and the first I knew about it was when one of my neighbours rang me to tell me the community council has resigned.
“These are people I have known for years. I have no idea what’s happened.
“I wrote to Perth and Kinross Council and told them I am not an expert.
“Is there still a community council? Am I still a member? What do I do with the bank accounts?
“I have no experience of this so I wrote to them to give me an idea.”
Good news for us! Hopefully now people can see what a awful difficult situation he continually keeps putting us in.”
One of the departing councillors, Donna Grant, commented beneath the post announcing the resignations: “Good news for us! Hopefully now people can see what a awful difficult situation he continually keeps putting us in.”
On being asked who ‘he’ was, she replied: “I’m sure he will make himself publicly known soon enough.”
Fergus responded: “There are massive hints on Pitlochry Community News that it’s me. It’s a terrible shame.”
Speculation on ‘controversial’ restaurant
Fergus believes criticism aimed at him could be in relation to his proposal for a new Thai restaurant on the car park in Rie-Achan Road.
He wants to set up The Wee Choo-Choo for wife Isara and their daughter Mia to run.
In April 2021 they were given planning permission subject to a lease, which was finally granted by Perth and Kinross Council’s property sub-committee in November 2022 after two previous refusals.
“Based on no one talking to me, no one telling me they are resigning and no one explaining what happened, my assumption is that it is The Wee Choo-Choo,” he said.
Fergus says his battle to get the eatery up and running has reached an important stage as the lease for the car park has now been advertised.
“I don’t know what else controversial is happening in Pitlochry,” Fergus said.
Parking concerns voiced
In February 2021 the community council took a neutral stance on the planning application.
But its submission to PKC noted concerns from local residents over potential noise in the evening and a suggestion that “take-away evening hours be limited to reflect this.”
It added: “Car parking at the west end of Pitlochry is oversubscribed and the residents’ private car parks adjacent suffer from use by non-residents.
“The loss of car parking will exacerbate this.”
‘Tell me what I have done wrong’
However, it is understood that all five members of the community council – prior to today’s resignations – were not on the council at the time.
“I haven’t done anything unlawful,” Fergus said.
“I have applied through the proper channels to have a business.
“I am not opening a den of iniquity – just a restaurant.
“If the community council has something to say then say it.
“If I have done something wrong then tell me what I have done wrong.
“At the last meeting I declared a conflict of interest in discussions about Wee Choo-Choo so didn’t discuss it.
“I haven’t abused anybody or threatened anybody.
“If I have then they should report me, they shouldn’t just resign.”
Tributes to councillors
None of the resigning community council members opted to comment.
But tributes were paid beneath the post announcing their departures.
Rita Robertson wrote: “The unpaid volunteers on the committee do a great job.
“And I know from my dad and friends who have been on the cc the amount of hours and hard work that you all do going to meetings, all the phone calls, the emails.
“And all unpaid.
“Thank you for all your hard work.”
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “The community council is in abeyance until a by-election is arranged and a community council formed.”
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