MSPs back call for ferry between Lochboisdale and Mallaig
17 January 2012
Highlands & Islands Labour MSPs, David Stewart and Rhoda Grant, are backing Storas Uibhist in their call for the introduction of a ferry between Lochboisdale and Mallaig.
David Stewart said "My colleagues and I have campaigned long and hard for this service to be introduced.
"We have waited years for this ferry review and are immensely disappointed that, once again, the Scottish Government has failed to take into account the views of the community of South Uist.
"When we carried out our own consultation on this, over 1200 people responded to us in favour of such a service being introduced, the vast majority of whom were from the South Uist area."
Mr Stewart continued,
"We understand the questions in the Scottish Government’s survey were too vague and clumsy to make the responses valid and we believe that the people of South Uist were at no point asked if they would prefer Oban or Mallaig as a mainland port."
Mrs Grant said,
"We are seeking urgent clarification from the Transport Minister about the wording of the survey as the results of this conflict directly with everything we have heard from the local community over the last few years."
Mr Stewart said,
"We intend to again seek the views of the local community on this important matter as we cannot believe local opinion on this could have changed so greatly in such a short space of time."
Link : http://www.storasuibhist.com
Council faces" significant reductions from standstill budget"
16 January 2012The standstill allocation of money by the Scottish Government for council services in Western Isles mean " significant reductions in real terms for Western Isles Council to spend on its services for the public " over the next three years, according to Rhoda Grant MSP.
She said
,"When these allocations are looked at again taking into account the effect of price rises , a different picture emerges from the so-called ‘same level of funding’ claim.
"Next year, the Scottish Government’s revenue allocation to Western Isles Council will be worth £3 million less than it is in today’s monetary terms.In 2013-14 it will be worth £5 million less , and the following year it will be worth £8 million less.
"Despite these cuts in value and despite overall rising prices, the Scottish Government are ordering councils such as Western Isles to maintain the level of vital services.
"This cannot be done while the Scottish Government refuses to fully fund its 5-year council tax freeze, demanding instead that councils slash their spending on services."
Matt Bruce, Chair of the Western Isles Constituency Labour Party said
," The reductions in annual figures seem worse for the Western Isles than for any other Local Authority.
"When you bear in mind how sparsely populated the Western Islands are, the high cost of fuel and low incomes, the economy of the Islands will be hit worse than the rest of the Highlands.".
The allocations for Western Isles Council are ( in £ millions rounded up )
2011-12 (current year) £112
2012-13 £ 110
2013-14 £ 109
2014-15 £ 108
The real terms value of these revenue allocations to Western Isles Council are :
| Year | Cash terms ( millions rounded up) | Real terms
-at 2011-12 prices (millions rounded up) |
| 2011-12 | £112 | £112 |
| 2012-13 | £110 | £107 |
| 2013-14 | £109 | £104 |
| 2014-15 | £108 | £100 |
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