David Ross
Highland Correspondent
Scotland’s three islands councils can look forward to receiving all the
Crown Estate’s income from the seabed round their shores, if there is a Yes
vote in the independence referendum.
News that Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles stand to get 100 per cent of
the rent from leases for the likes of cables, pipelines, fish farms, wave,
wind and tidal devices, piers, local authority harbours and moorings,
surprised many.
In the Scottish Government’s “Scotland’s Future guide to an independent
Scotland”, the proposal was more than 50 per cent of income.
It is among one on the new powers and rights unveiled by the First Minister
yesterday to give island communities greater control over their local
economies and natural environment while being represented at the heart of
government in an independent Scotland.
Described by Angus Campbell Western Isles Council’s leader as “a historic
day for our island communities”, it is widely seen as a mark of the success
of the islands’ campaign for more powers launched last year.
This was predicated on the belief that whichever way Scotland votes, more
powers would be coming to Holyrood, so the islands should get more power as
well.
The UK Government is expected to publish its plans soon for the islands in
the event of a No vote.
Under the prospectus “Empowering Scotland’s Island Communities” unveiled by
Mr Salmond in Orkney, there would be an Islands Act. It would place a duty
on the Scottish Government and other public bodies to ‘island-proof’ their
functions and decisions, to ensure the facts of island life were recognised.
There would also be a Minister for Island Communities and a new Scottish
energy regulator, which would ensure that the regulated energy market
supports renewable energy generators on the islands and crucially “the
development of the necessary island grid connections.”
Mr Salmond said: “Today’s prospectus is the most comprehensive package for
empowering Scotland’s island communities that has been put forward by any
Government. It recognises the unique contribution that island communities
make to modern Scotland.”
Convener of Orkney Islands Council Steven Heddle the Scottish Government’s
document represented “a comprehensive commitment to islands in general.”
But LibDem MSP Orkney Liam McArthur criticised the Scottish Government for
not doing more for the isles with the powers it already has, accusing the
SNP of “holding issues hostage” in the referendum run up.
A Crown Estate spokeswoman fsaid: “There were already ways in which
authorities could control and manage the foreshore.”
0 Comments