Highland Counting Officer and Police appeal for common sense in Referendum campaign.

12th September 2014

The Highland Counting Officer for the Scottish Independence Referendum and Police Scotland have appealed for a common sense approach to Referendum campaigners in Highland following the appearance of two large items on the rock face of the former Ballachulish Quarry in Lochaber.

The items which included a large Saltire flag assumed to have been installed overnight on Saturday 6 September and a ‘YES' poster on Monday 7 September were believed to have been placed there by a climber or climbers who drilled into the rock face and bolted the items to the rock.

Ballachulish Quarry is owned by The Highland Council and as such the Council is duty bound by law not to allow the use of Council facilities and resources for the support of point of either view or option during the pre-Referendum period.

Counting Officer, Steve Barron said: "Permission from the Council was not requested to erect the flag and poster in Ballachullish Quarry and permission would not have been given.

"Regardless of the Referendum period, the health and safety implications and risks are considerable for anyone climbing in the quarry. The Council monitors the rock slopes regularly to mitigate the risks to the public health and safety.

"I would urge anyone wishing to campaign to do so through the appointed Referendum Agents in Highland and to be aware of the Highland Referendum Poster Policy which is available at www.highland.gov.uk/elections."

The flying of the Saltire of course is not in itself prohibited within the pre-Referendum period and The Highland Council continues to fly the Saltire at council premises within its Flag Flying Protocol. The issue with this particular incident was the association of the word ‘YES' immediately below the Saltire which was designed to persuade or influence individuals to vote for one particular outcome. The Council is prohibited by Section 2 of the Local Government Act 1986 from publishing any material which “promotes or opposes a point of view on a question of political controversy".

The Council was duty bound to undertake the removal of the materials and employed a specialist rope access contractor to undertake the works at a cost of £833 which were carried out on Wednesday.

Police Scotland Inspector Alastair Garrow said: “Campaigners must observe the law and should respect both private and public sector property. There is also a considerable risk to individuals who attempt to place campaign material in sites such as this. If anyone has information in relation to this incident they should report this to police."