A working single mum from Kingussie Pippa Hadley’s upbringing and employment within her family’s former business – The Cross at Kingussie – has given her awareness of the challenges faced when operating within the seasonal flow of tourists, and for the last sixteen years she has been a single working parent, raising her daughter and finding employment locally. It is this duality of perspective she believes will make her an effective voice for the community.
She said: “I know what it is like to try and find affordable accommodation to rent, which becomes harder every year due to the increasing strain on our limited council properties, our ever rising house prices and a trend of seasonable employment in average wage sectors.”
“I also understand the frustration of decisions made at a local level being overturned by a national one – I spoke up to protect the amenity of local residents during a planning process for a recent development, gathering views and signatures against proposed cost-cutting measures. Our voices were heard by the CNPA, but their decision was overturned by the Scottish Reporter in favour of the developer, to our frustration.”
“I would like to strengthen our local voice and work on greater community involvement, hopefully improving the conversation in how our local area is run.”