Alex Salmond has been informed to take down a big Sure signal from his entrance backyard in a row with council planning officers.
The former First Minister had the wood slogan - painted in saltire colors - put in exterior his Aberdeenshire house in 2020.
Council bosses have since dominated it constitutes political promoting and needs to be eliminated because it was put in with out permission.
However Salmond - who launched the Alba Get together final 12 months after quitting the SNP - insists the signal has change into an area landmark and says he has no intention of eradicating it.
He commissioned an area handyman to make the Sure signal from driftwood and mentioned it helps ramblers discover their approach via his house village of Strichen.
Salmond has lived in a B-listed former mill within the quiet hamlet for years and is well-known in the area people.
“The signal has been up for 18 months because it was carved from driftwood by native Strichen man Mike Morgan," he informed the Press and Journal.
“It’s a fantastic piece of labor and it’s not going anyplace.”
The previous SNP chief added: “I've requested the council’s chief government how a lot cash they've already wasted on this bureaucratic silliness. Apparently they've had a crew of officers out taking pictures.
"I've additionally added just a few selection remarks about their lack of contribution to the amenity of the village.
"The perfect of Strichen is all the way down to the voluntary efforts of locals like Mike.
"There are points about freedom of speech however, mainly, the council officers ought to get their priorities proper and their information straight."
Emails despatched between council officers claimed the placard “is an election-related promoting signal”, which might have wanted “promoting consent” earlier than being erected.
The letter added: “No such consent is in place and due to this fact the signal includes a breach of planning management.”
An Aberdeenshire Council spokeswoman mentioned: “Following a grievance from a member of the general public we now have assessed the check in query and suggested Mr Salmond that, ought to he want to preserve the signal, he would require commercial consent.”
To enroll to the Day by day File Politics e-newsletter, click on right here.