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
Highland Council faces significant reductions from standstill budget
16 January 2012
The standstill allocation of money by the Scottish Government for council services in the Highlands mean " significant reductions in real terms for Highlands Council to spend on its services for the public " over the next three years, according to Highlands
and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant.Commenting today, 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 Highland Council will be worth £13 million less than it is in today’s monetary terms."
She continued
,"In 2013-14 it will be worth £24 million less , and the following year it will be worth £36 million less.
"Despite these cuts the Scottish Government are ordering councils such as Highland 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."
Former MSP and Black Isle resident, Maureen Macmillan said, " Voluntary organisations which support some of the most vulnerable people in the Highlands, through service level agreements with Highland Council, are having great difficulty making ends meet.
"Funding was frozen at last year's levels, and will remain so for the next 3 years, whilst at the same time costs are increasing.
"It doesn't take a genius to work out the consequences."
The allocations for Highland Council are ( in £ millions )
2011-12 (current year) £490.34
2012-13 £490.07
2013-14 £490.90
2014-15 £491.08
The real terms value of these revenue allocations to Highland Council are :
| Year | Cash terms ( millions rounded up) |
Real terms -at 2011-12
prices (millions rounded up) |
| 2011-12 | £490 | £490 |
| 2012-13 | £490 | £477 |
| 2013-14 | £491 | £467 |
| 2014-15 | £491 | £455 |
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