Earlier this year, Kenny Shand, who lives in Pilmuir, was instrumental in having a new Evac Chair brought into Forres House Community Centre. The chair makes it possible for people with disabilities, who would not normally be able to leave the top floor of the centre without help, to escape from the building should the lift be out of order during an evacuation.

He was also responsible for encouraging Moray Council to bring forward plans to install a proper disabled access to the front of the Moray College building on Leys Road.

His long-term plan is to provide a resource centre with full disabled access, which could be used by the able and less able-bodied people in Forres, as a base for all the community groups to work together.

One of the other items on his shopping list was to provide a proper access to the Califer Hill viewpoint for wheelchair users and the less able bodied and this has now taken a step forward.

Kenny brought the issue to the notice of the Forres Neighbourhood Forum some months ago, and the group, along with development worker, Lee Barton, have been helping him pursue the project.

After several communications between the council and the forum, it was unclear who owned the site. As a result, no-one knew whose responsibility it would be to improve access at the site. This also meant that the Forum were unable to seek funding to carry out any works until the situation was clarified.

After several months and following further investigation, when the council stated that it definitely wasn't them, the Forum asked Moray Council member, Lee Bell, to help them find out who did own the site.

However, members learned at the August Forum meeting, that Moray Council had finally confirmed that they did own the viewpoint and as such would be responsible for any alterations or improvements.

This was confirmed in a letter to Kenny Shand, from Moray Council spokesman, John Black.

"There was some uncertainty as to the ownership of the viewpoint," he said, "but the council's solicitors have now established that it is owned by the Moray Council as statutory successors to the Moray and Nairn Joint County Council, who acquired the land from the Forres Town Council in 1971."

He added that as ownership had been confirmed Moray Council proposed to improve the path between the car park and the viewpoint in the near future.

This is a distance of approximately 65 metres and will provide better access for wheelchair users.

"Its very good news," Mr Shand said. "Things are now moving in the right direction."

He said although he was unsure when work would go ahead, he had been assured by Mr Black that when plans were drawn up he would be asked for his input.

"They have a lot of Disability Discrimination Access projects to deal with at the moment," he added, "so he will not be able to get back to me as quickly as I might like."

Mr Shand said the council was also proposing to provide a sign and a picnic table at the Califer viewpoint, suitable for use by persons using a wheelchair.

t.mclaren@forres-gazette.co.uk

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