A Moray watchdog group which was on the verge of folding amid claims of bullying and intimidation among members is back on track.
Innes Community Council – which covers areas including Lhanbryde, Pitgaveny, Spynie, Urquhart, Garmouth, Kingston and Mosstodloch – looked doomed at the turn of the year.
But after five members threatened to resign, the group was given three months to recruit replacements by Moray Council or face being dissolved.
Three of those who said they were going to quit have now done so and — under the guidance of the chairman of the Joint Community Councils of Moray (JCC) and Elgin Community Council Alastair Kennedy – there have been changes for the better.
Community council secretary, Anne Skene, said last night: “It’s really encouraging the way it’s going. Alastair has been very supportive.
“We still need to find three new members, but on the whole the last couple of months have gone very smoothly.
“There was a stramash, and it could have been better. We went through a sticky patch, and I think it will actually work a lot better now because people are wanting it to succeed and it’s the only way to go forward.
“In a community, you get a mix of people and you throw all of the personalities up into the air, and they come down and we have to plan to work and gel together.”
Community council member Jim Mackie said the group needed more representatives from Lhanbryde, Mosstodloch and Pitgaveney.
He said: “Three of the five that resigned at Christmas have left, and it’s really settled down.
“Everything is under control. I don’t know why it was such a mess.
“We currently have seven members, and we are looking for 10.”
Mr Kennedy will oversee the group until August.
He said: “I think we have taken them and got them going again. We’ve tried to give as much support as possible. The group are more stable. They are working away together on a few different things.
“There were some differences, but these have really been resolved and they are now working together.”