20 November 2009
This group was formed in the 1970s following the building of 5 council estates in the West End of Alness to help house the workers and their families who had travelled from all over Britain to work at the Aluminium Smelter at Invergordon and the Oil Rig yard at Nigg. The majority of members were tenants and this is the case today although many have bought their homes under Right To Buy and others have bought homes built around the same time and since on private estates and the former Scottish Special Housing estate.
In 1976 West Alness Residents were given the lease of Coulhill Hall, later to become West End Community Centre. This was after a demand grew for recreational facilities on the estates and only four of the shop shells provided in Firhill had been let. The remaining two became the Centre, which is the hub of the West End Community today. See www.westcommunitycentre.org.uk for more details there.
Today the majority of the 12 committee members on WARA are tenants, with a few home owners. Over the years, other groups were formed on the individual estates in the West End and did sterling work in their areas. However, once the immediate needs were met through successful campaigning and hard work on behalf of the tenant/resident membership, two of these folded and their work was taken over by the original West Alness Residents Associaition and their funds disbursed as requested or held as a budget to maintain the environmental work eg the flower barrels in Westford.
Group members have attended meetings of TCG, Ross-shire Area Forum, Regional Network meetings for the Scottish Government to name but a few and continue to take a keen interest in tenant participation.
With Firhill, Coul Park, Kirkside and Westford groups, they formed West Alness Save and Value Energy Project (WASP) which was a highly successful Energy Saving and Fuel Poverty group. Initially funded for a year by Scottish and Southern Energy, the group constituted and continues to meet from time to time. One of the trained volunteers undertakes work for people who have energy – related problems intheir homes and WASP, as a group of tenant/residents works with Alness Transition Town Group.
One member worked on the new Tenant Participation Strategy for the Highland Council and work continues providing social events for the young people and children in the West End, as well as hosting Alness Lunch Club. Close links developed and have been maintained with Coulhill Primary School over the years.
