THE Scottish Government has been urged to put local people at the heart of the consultation around the creation of a new Galloway national park.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth raised the matter with Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.
He said: “Local people should take part in the consultation not only to give their view on whether they support it, but to shape the powers, boundary and vision of any proposed Galloway national park.
“If the Government decides to go ahead with the proposal, will she give an assurance that any national park will be made in Galloway, for the people of Galloway?”
In response, Mairi Gougeon said: “Yes. I absolutely give that assurance. I thank Colin Smyth for raising that hugely important point.
“I absolutely encourage everyone who lives in the proposed area in Galloway to have their say through the events that I mentioned. All that information will be published and circulated to them.”
