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Highland councillor cleared by standards watchdog over wind farm complaint row

Hugh Morrison was accused of failing to declare an interest in a planning application for the Sallachy wind farm.

Hugh Morrison has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Standards Commission. Image: Andrew Cawley/DC Thomson
Hugh Morrison has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Standards Commission. Image: Andrew Cawley/DC Thomson

A Highland councillor has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a complaint was raised about his involvement in a controversial wind farm application.

North, West and Central Sutherland councillor Hugh Morrison put across his case during a Standards Commission hearing in Inverness today.

The complaint concerned the Sallachy wind farm project, which divided community opinion.

The project was unanimously approved by members of Highland Council’s north planning applications committee in April 2022.

But it had attracted a lot of interest in the lead-up to the decision, with 123 objections and 144 comments in support.

A complaint was made last November that councillor Morrison failed to declare an interest in the application before it was considered.

But now the Standards Commission has found that he had no reason to do so.

As a result, he was not in breach of the commission’s code of conduct.

What was the complaint?

The allegation was that councillor Morrison participated in the consideration of a planning application, despite having previously expressed support for it.

Mr Morrison denied there had been any breach.

He outlined his position during a three-and-a-half hearing at the council’s Glenurquhart Road headquarters today.

This impression of the Sallachy windfarm from Ben More Assynt was presented to the council. Image: WKN

And at the end of the hearing, panel chairwoman Ashleigh Dunn concluded there had been no breach.

She said: “The panel did not find that councillor Morrison failed to ensure he was acting fairly, or that he had failed to avoid any suspicion of pre-judging, bias or a lack of fairness in relation to the planning application.

“As such, there would have been no requirement for him to have declared an
interest and withdrawn from the meeting.

“The panel concluded, therefore, that councillor Morrison had not breached the code.”

Hugh Morrison’s ‘relief’ as saga ends

Speaking after the decision, councillor Morrison told the Press and Journal the outcome was a relief.

“It’s been a burden hanging over me for seven months now,” he said. “I’m pleased with the outcome and glad it’s over and done with.

“I think it was someone who was not happy with the committee’s decision that day, and decided to target the local member.

“But we have a constituency to please, whether they are for or against wind farms. And we take each one on its own merit.”

Highland councillor and hotelier of the Smoo Cave Hotel, Hugh Morrison.

Before today’s hearing, the complaint was investigated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner, Ian Bruce, a regulator appointed by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

Mr Bruce concluded that there was no need for councillor Morrison to declare an interest.

However, the Standards Commission still decided to carry out today’s hearing because it was not felt it had sufficient information to make a decision.

Councillor Morrison added: “I’ve been found not guilty of this three times now.

“That says it all.”

The wind farm

Sallachy wind farm is a nine-turbine development on the shores of Loch Shin.

It won the support of several local community councils. Among these were Ardgay, Durness, Lairg and Scourie.

However, Rogart Community Council did voice concerns about the high volume of traffic that would run through the village.

German developer WKN initially wanted to install 22 turbines at the site.

It revised its plan to nine after Scottish ministers rejected its first proposal.

It had been seen as having an unacceptable impact on the Reay-Cassley designated wild land area.

Conversation