Speyside and Glenlivet councillor Louise Laing set to conduct online surgery
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A MORAY councillor is set to host an online surgery for her constituents next week.
Louise Laing (SNP, Speyside and Glenlivet) is conducting an online surgery for constituents to discuss any issues they are facing.
The surgery will take place on Wednesday, May 27, with Cllr Laing available to meet between 6pm and 8pm. To book a time slot email louise.laing@moray.gov.uk.
Moray Council's IT team have been working to make online surgeries more commonplace since before lockdown, with Cllr Laing preparing to pilot software to support efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
However, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the IT department’s focus shifting to staff working from home, the trial had to be put on hold.
Cllr Laing, though, still feels it is important to connect with the community about the issues they are facing and, as a result, has made arrangements for constituents to meet with her using Skype or Facebook Messenger.
She said: "My ward is a huge area.
"If I can use online facilities to keep in touch with constituents and reduce my emissions in normal times then I’m excited to try it out.
In June last year, Cllr Laing brought forward the successful motion for the council to declare a climate emergency.
While the online surgery is useful during lockdown, it's not something that should be forgotten about post-lockdown, she added: "This pandemic has been devasting for many.
"Loved ones have been lost, businesses have failed and social isolation is an even bigger problem with people’s mental health suffering.
"We need to learn from what has happened and take the positives where we can find them.
"I have seen an increase in wildlife, the skies are now busy with birds instead of planes. I see families out for a walk together, neighbours shouting across the road and having conversations rather than a quick hello in the passing.
"I see communities pulling together and looking out for each other rather than presuming it’s someone else’s responsibility.
"People now have to time to garden, grow their own veg, cook proper meals and using the local shop is the new normal.
"These are the things we need to try and hold on to after lockdown.
"We need to decide what we want the new normal to look like. If anything, this crisis has proved that when the need is there people are willing to change the way they do things and it is up to politicians to enable that change.
"We have been forced to stop and as a result the planet is having a chance to recover.
"We shouldn’t go back to the old normal where we were accelerating the damage caused by climate change, we should instead use this time to make the positive changes we need and move towards a greener and more caring future that is better for the planet and for each and every one of us who live here."
