Councillors “excluded” from debating Our Future deal 19/8/14

A call has been made for the Comhairle to be reconvened urgently to discuss the UK Government’s response to the Our Islands Our Future campaign.

Local councillors have not been given their say in the framework agreed between the UK Government and the three Scottish islands councils in the event of a No vote in the independence referendum.

Westminster’s ten point plan for the islands - which the government has no legal obligation to honour - has apparently been agreed with the leaders of the Comhairle without direct reference to the elected councillors.

It will not be discussed at the council until after Scotland’s independence referendum thus preventing councillors from debating the deal before the crucial date.

The SNP group has called for a special meeting of the Western Isles Council to discuss the issue.

Cllr Philip McLean highlighted: It seems strange that the first opportunity we will get to debate the document is after the referendum vote.”

Mr McLean explained: “All members of the Comhairle were emailed a copy of the ‘framework agreement’ by the leader (Angus Campbell) last Thursday with a covering note saying that the document would be discussed at the next scheduled meeting of the Policy and Resources committee being held on 2 October.”

Cllr Rae Mackenzie said: “We’ve been promised the UK response since June and now we find out that despite the cost of Comhairle representatives attending meetings in London to make the case for ‘Our Island Our Future’ all we’ve been promised is an annual meeting and a desk in Edinburgh.

“Compare that to the real income for the islands that would be generated by having the rights over our seabed as has been pledged by the Scottish Government in their response.”

Cllr John A Maciver said: “It is now clear a no vote on 18 September would result in nothing new for the Western Isles.”

The new understanding between the Comhairle’s top leadership and the London government failed to give control of the islands’ seabed and coast to the local community as requested. Neither will the Western Isles get to control the income from seabed leases to fish farms, moorings, harbours and marine developments.

Totally absent is any mention of reinstating an emergency towing tug on the west coast to save any ship in distress and protect vital fishing grounds and the local coastline from an oil spill disaster.

There is no promise to install a energy sub- sea interconnector cable to export renewable electricity to the mainland. Proposals to try and tackle obstacles to the work will continue under the existing Renewable Energy Delivery Forum.

Instead, the agreement promises better communication with the islands’ councils.