Councillors will be asking the Scottish Government to hold a referendum on the Galloway National Park
The Rural Affairs Secretary says it will be unlikely one will happen.
Last updated 12th Dec 2024
Dumfries and Galloway councillors will ask the Scottish Government to hold a referendum for the national park, which is proving to be a divisive issue, following a vote in today’s full council meeting.
24 voted for the motion Independent councillor Dougie Campbell put forward and 13 for the amendment, including Conservative and Unionist councillor David Inglis who said he “would rather focus on the Nature Scot consultation” which ends in February.
Campaigners from the No Galloway National Park group gathered outside the council’s Dumfries headquarters earlier this morning before the meeting.
They organised a chant at their peaceful demonstration and held up banners and plaques, catching the attention of passers-by who equally showed their support by cheering or tooting their horns.
Liz Hitchmann, co-founder of the group, joined today’s meeting and said it was a victory for common sense:
“The NatureScot consultation has been so biased that a referendum is the only way to give everyone in the area a fair say. Of course, we would accept the result whichever way it went, but the important thing is that there is complete, unchallengeable clarity about what the people of this area want.
“Unfortunately, the NatureScot process has been so skewed in favour, with communications promoting the pro-park campaign website while ignoring ours, that we simply can’t trust them to reach a fair conclusion based on the true will of local people, and this decision shows that local people must not be ignored.”
Once the votes came in, she spoke with our reporter Ruth Ridley and told her she wants her group to be heard:
“We’ve got a lesser voice than the Galloway National Park Association because obviously, they’ve got government backing, they’ve got Nature Scot behind them. We’ve had to get as much media attention as possible like this to get our message across.”
Chair of the Galloway National Park Association Rob Lucas also attended today but doesn’t see the logic in today’s motion:
“I don’t see how you can have a referendum until you get to the stage where the government either comes forward with a firm proposal or decides not to go forward.
“With the government already facing massive pressures on spending, the idea of asking them to divert many hundreds of thousands of pounds away from health or education will probably be very unwelcome to the average Scottish taxpayer.
“It feels very much like a distraction from the core issue, which is that we should all be working together to ensure that the people of Galloway, South and East Ayrshire take part in the consultation.
“And if there is one thing Scotland has learned from its recent experience of referendums it’s that they are a very bad way to tackle complex issues and stoke social discontent and division. Do we really want that all over again?”
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said:
“The consultation on the proposal for a new National Park is underway and I am grateful that a date has been set for members of the Council to consider their response to it.
"Their debate highlighted concerns about access to paper copies of the consultation and I would urge anyone who wishes one to contact NatureScot and they will be sent copies.
"Alternatively, the full consultation survey is available online and all views will be listened to and fully considered.
“We recognise that there are differing views, which is why it is imperative that all those with an interest have their say – including whether or not they want a National Park in the area – before the consultation closes in February.
"Unlike a referendum, this consultation not only asks if people want a National Park in their area, but also what the area, governance and powers of a new park might be, and it allows everyone in Galloway, South and East Ayrshire and beyond the opportunity to consider the proposal and share their views.”