I'm glad the Scottish Government listened to my calls for the Nairn Bypass to be brought forward to as soon as possible within the overall project timescale. This is what I have been arguing for, as it is the most urgent part of the dualling programme.

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 40 A96 dualling and Nairn Bypass, Roads Capital Programme 2026/27 ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #A96 #Nairnshire #Nairn

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 39 Jubilee Bridge, Grow Nairn ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn

Bearsden South (East Dunbartonshire) Council By-Election Result [1st Prefs]: 🔶 LDM: 38.1% (+14.9) 🎗️ SNP: 17.2% (-6.2) ➡️ RFM: 15.5% (New) 🌹 LAB: 14.2% (-1.9) 🌍 GRN: 8.1% (+0.9) 🌳 CON: 6.2% (-17.0) 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 SFP: 0.8% (New) No Inds (-4.7, -2.3) as prev. Lib Dem 'Gain' from Con - Stage 5. Changes w/ 2022.

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 38 Des Scholes RIP, Jubilee Bridge, Road closures, Glass recycling, BeConnected ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn

#GreenPartyEnglandandWales candidate defeats #ReformUK in Derbyshire County Council by-election. Seat previously held by Reform. www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-n...

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 37 Jubilee Bridge closure, Bank of Scotland closure, Play Sufficiency Assessment ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #BankOfScotland

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 36 Coping with snow, Ardersier Masterplan Consent Area, railway bridge works, potholes ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #Cawdor #Ardersier

Another of Farage’s friends has pro-Putin views David Coburn, a former MEP and leader of UKIP in Scotland, has a long history of speaking out in support of the Kremlin

Locally I would add to this: • Mikeysline - oursupport.mikeysline.co.uk • James Support Group - jamessupportgroup.com Remember: it's OK not to be OK.

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 33 Ward Business Meeting, Beach Sprints, Happy Christmas ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #SSEN #rowing

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 32 Festive bin collections, BESSs and other energy projects, new cycle shelters, more A96 disruption ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #A96 #BESS

Did you know that 75% of Scots want Holyrood control of everything except defence, and 50% of Scots want control of that too? indyposterboy.scot/total-control/

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 31 Budget consultation, A96/Ardersier Port traffic lights, Another BESS, Road closures ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #A96 #ArdersierPort #BESS

Delighted to see Emma as our candidate for Inverness and Nairn next May. #VoteSNP

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 30 Moray FLOW-Park, Area Committee ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #MorayFlowPark

Just had email. Moray FLOW-Park now just "north" site, so off Findhorn and Burghead, and bases only. Plans for anchorages off Nairn now dropped. More later. #Nairn #morayFlowPark

Here's a rather more correct version . .

There are lies, damn lies, and Lib Dem election leaflet bar charts and we got this yesterday to remind me of that. Note the relative heights of Lib Dem and SNP but, far more hilariously, note that both Labour's 13% and the Ref/Con bar of 11.3% are over half the height of the SNP's 33%.

Hardly "Breaking news" 😂

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 29 FLOW-Park motion, A96 Resurfacing, Moss-side Road and bus stop closures, Nairn High Street closure, Ardersier Port extension ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairn #MorayFlowPark #A96

I'm sure those of us living in Highland, where we have just completed introduction of a 20mph speed limit in most urban areas, will note that 30km/hr is about 19mph.

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 28 FLOW-Park meeting, A96/Arsersier Port, Road closures, Nairn Academy update, Nairn Dune Resilience public update event ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #MorayFlowPark #NairnAcademy

The developer has pulled out of tomorrow night's #MorayFlowPark meeting. Now waiting to hear if it's going ahead at all. offshoresolutionsgroup.com/moray-flow-p... #Nairnshire #Nairn

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 27 Moray FLOW-Park, Asylum seekers in Inverness, Masterplan Consent Areas, A96/Ardersier Port, Reuse & Repair Fund ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #MorayFlowPark #A96

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 26 Moray FLOW-Park, Bank of Scotland, Asylum seekers in Inverness, Highland Council ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #MorayFlowPark #Nairnshire #Nairn

'Highland Council to remove flags flown near asylum seeker barracks' ... and flags were gone by the time I drove past on my way home. Good. I'm proud of the saltire and I don't want to see flying it ruined, like the flag of St George, by racists. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 25 Pre-determination, FLOW-Park public meetings, A96 re-surfacing ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #MorayFlowPark #A96

Caerphilly exposing the cracks in Broken Britain. bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/10/24/_...

Garve and District Community Council making some excellent points about why breaking up #HighlandCouncil would be a Bad Plan. www.gdcc.scot/news/should-...

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 24 Moray FLOW-Park, Marine survey off Nairn, Want a grit bin?, Beauly to Peterhead 400kV pylons ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #MorayFlowPark #Nairnshire #pylons

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 23 Masterplan Consent Areas, Bank of Scotland, Bowls Club on Showfield, BESS on Granny Barbours Road, Inside the new Academy, Drains work on A96, Community Networking Event ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #BESS #A96

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 22 Storm Amy, road closures ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #StormAmy

Blimey, pretty much the whole of #Nairnshire other than #Nairn itself is currently without power due to #StormAmy Keep track on outages and get advice here powertrack.ssen.co.uk/powertrack

Isn't it odd* how unionists still insist that the throwaway comment 'once in a generation opportunity' was some king of contract that must be abided by, but BetterTogether's Vow and actual promise of a federal UK within 2 years can be ignored. * By odd I of course mean predictable and dishonest.

In their response to the 2.75m people who have already signed the petition "Do not introduce Digital ID cards" the government has said: 'For clarity, it will not be a criminal offence to not hold a digital ID and police will not be able to demand to see a digital ID as part of a “stop and search.”'

this is an extraordinary canary in the coal mine

#HighlandCouncil has launched a survey about the housing needs and future aspirations of *all* local households in the council area. To take part, you should be aged over 16 and be a main householder. The online survey can be found here. researchresource.welcomesyourfeedback.net/s/18n2jv

Yes eleven years ago, yes now, yes always! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

11 years ago, Scotland was inspired to think big. To imagine a better future, in our own hands. Today, the case for independence is stronger than ever. Independence is the fresh start Scotland needs - with lower bills, a fairer society, and our rightful place in Europe.

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 21 Bank of Scotland, Cawdor & West Nairnshire Community Council, Moray FLOW-Park, Nature Restoration Fund ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #Cawdor #BankOfScotland #MorayFlowPark

Blog: Year 4, Week 20 Having problems, planning applications, buying a plot of land, social media, East Nairnshire Community Council, Full Council, Senior Citizens Lunch Club, Nairn Library, pavement parking... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn #Cawdor #Auldearn

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 19 Harbour fire petition ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairn

My colleague Cllr Michael Cameron on BBC Radio Scotland on the day after the shooting of Charlie Kirk making some very good points about the toxic nature of some social media posts. (Starts with Stephen Jardine reading out a text from someone else which is relevant.) fediverse.tv/w/2sm6UTjA1K...

If you're thinking of buying a small plot of land in the Highlands for what appears to be a very reasonable price then beware: the land may have little hope of ever getting planning permission. www.highland.gov.uk/news/article... #Achnabobane #Inchbae #Garve #RoyBridge #SpeanBridge #Daviot

Our new Secretary of State for Scotland. Previously had to repay £12,600 in false expenses claims and subject to allegations about bullying women. Delightful.

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 18 Toilets near the harbour, trusted traders, housing need and demand survey ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn

My councillor blog: Year 4, Week 17 Area Committee, council borrowing, gasworks remediation works, A96 resurfacing, Scottish Water’s proposed compound, Sewage works outfall on East Beach ... open.substack.com/pub/pauloldh... #HighlandCouncil #Nairnshire #Nairn

My response at Corporate Resources Committee today to the Inverness Courier's article with the headline "Highland Council in top 10 most indebted UK local authorities in borrowing per person terms" and why it's not a valid way to compare councils' debt fediverse.tv/w/jaHxGpmz7D... #HighlandCouncil