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‘Statistics’ of Support for Cycle Event

“We find more and more people now realise this event is one of terrific international potential such that we believe there is widespread support for the Etape Caledonia coming to Highland Perthshire. 

“Around 80% of the people who attended the information days were very supportive of the event and, with the huge demand for bed space that will come with the thousands of people....coming to the area'”.

P&K Economic Development Chief quoted in the Perthshire Advertiser Friday 18 May

Statistical ‘Truth’

The actual attendance statistics of those open day gatherings are:

              Kinloch Rannoch Village Hall, 24 April

·  16 people attended in total. 13 attendees were positive about the event with 3 being negative. (81% positive)

Aberfeldy Recreation Centre, 25 April and 1 May

·   39 people attended. 24 attendees were positive about the event with 15 being negative.  (62% positive)

Pitlochry Lesser Town Hall, 26 April

·   30 people attended. 28 attendees were positive about the event with 2 being negative. (95% positive).

The conclusions drawn from these figures - totalling 85 people - are laid out by Ken MacDonald above. According to him it amounts to ‘widespread support’ locally. There is no indication of how that ‘supportiveness’ was gauged. It is suggested that those who went along only to find that the event is to be held, and no other options were available, were then resigned to it as a fait accompli and this resignation was scored as ‘support’.

Smokescreen

The PA article is supported by quotes from hoteliers and tourism interests in support of the event, as might reasonably be expected. But all of this is a smoke screen to distract attention from the issue in question: that the wholly undemocratic, arrogant and manipulative means taken by the council’s Economic Development department to progress this project is NOT justified by the end that it sought.

Local communities - and the reputation of the council – need to be protected by democratic means from the uncontrolled whims of high handed (though, in their own terms, high minded) mandarins.

What Next?

It is sinister that decisions made behind closed doors which ignore the conditions attached to them regarding consultation with the public before their proper ratification, can be cynically manipulated with a charade of 'community engagement'.

If no spoke is put into the wheel of such steamrollering as soon as it is apparent then the way is clear for many further misuses of delegated powers to ensue.

Brendan Murphy