A north-east councillor has hit out at council chiefs over the continued choice of venue for Banff and Buchan area committee meetings in Fraserburgh.
Fraserburgh and district councillor Ian Tait had been vocal in his disapproval, earlier this year, when the committee voted to move out of the town’s historic council chambers in Saltoun Square until improvements were made.
Now, the independent councillor has taken issue with the problems members of the public could have with the choice of venue at Fraserburgh’s community and sports centre.
Mr Tait said: “I have received a number of complaints from members of the public saying that they could not hear what was being said. One couple, who had to sit the whole day, could hardly hear a word.
“It’s equally important that people hear what is being said by councillors and council officers.
“It really was, in my view, a very unsatisfactory venue,” he added, explaining that the former venue in the council chambers had a microphone system in place which provided clear audio for members of the public.
The councillor has now submitted a complaint to Aberdeenshire Council about the situation which he hopes will be resolved by the next area committee meeting in Fraserburgh.
A local authority spokesman said last night that they were looking into the councillor’s complaint ahead of the group’s next meeting on September 30.
He said: “Officers are exploring options for a resolution to the issue before the next meeting.”
Councillors had initially agreed to a six-month trial relocation from the chambers after they was deemed unfit following an exceptionally busy meeting after Christmas.
They later approved a programme of works to improve the former venue. A vote in June, which could have returned meetings to the chambers before these works began, was defeated.