Sepa cut is no surprise
IT was no surprise to read that Sepa and NatureScot’s budgets have been slashed yet again by the Scottish Government (“Concern as Scots Gov cuts Sepa’s funding by one-quarter”, October 1). We have witnessed the decline in their ability to scrutinise and respond to wind farm applications for more than a decade due to their lack of resources. This of course suits the Scottish Government and developers down to the ground as there is less opposition to their plans: eye-watering profits for developers and millions in rent for the Government when planning permission is granted for development on public land.
This is a gross conflict of interest as it is the Scottish ministers who give consent to large-scale wind farms and they are therefore effectively lining the Government’s own pockets. Non-domestic rates from wind turbines on private land are also collected by councils and paid directly to the Scottish Government, resulting in another nice wee earner.
The Scottish Government knows that consultees, including local authorities, are already hard pushed to respond to applications in time if at all, but despite that it is hell-bent on reducing planning determination timescales. This will also make it virtually impossible for rural communities to fund-raise in time to employ professional help.
The Government is doing a grand job of cutting off all opposition from all directions to its plans to wreck this once-spectacular country.
Aileen Jackson,
Scotland Against Spin
Uplawmoor.
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