Water investment
It's been a long time coming, but the planned major investment by Scottish water takes us a long way towards the Comhairle's objectives.
We've discussed this repeatedly in Environmental Services, partly on the basis of improving general water and sewerage services throughout the islands, and partly because of the development constraints being placed on new housing in areas such as North Lochs and Tong.
With the centralisation of control of the water industry, the Western Isles lost a major input into the process when the Q&S II programme (Quality and Standards) was set-up, as the investment was judged on pure financial return, rather than any other basis, meaning investment was centred on the big conurbations, and little or nothing happened here. The local staff were fabulous, but they had little influence on the centre, and the Water Commissioner - a smooth Edinburgh lawyer - had little interest in anything outwith the central belt.
Recently we had the Scottish water team in front of the Committee to make an announcement of the likely large spend in the islands. I must say that we were slightly sceptical, having heard it all before, but no-one wanted to rock the boat unless it was true.
The only omission from the list is Arivruach, which appears to have disappeared again. It has been in the top five of the list for at least the past eight years, but keeps getting leapfrogged by other schemes. It's happened again.
We've discussed this repeatedly in Environmental Services, partly on the basis of improving general water and sewerage services throughout the islands, and partly because of the development constraints being placed on new housing in areas such as North Lochs and Tong.
With the centralisation of control of the water industry, the Western Isles lost a major input into the process when the Q&S II programme (Quality and Standards) was set-up, as the investment was judged on pure financial return, rather than any other basis, meaning investment was centred on the big conurbations, and little or nothing happened here. The local staff were fabulous, but they had little influence on the centre, and the Water Commissioner - a smooth Edinburgh lawyer - had little interest in anything outwith the central belt.
Recently we had the Scottish water team in front of the Committee to make an announcement of the likely large spend in the islands. I must say that we were slightly sceptical, having heard it all before, but no-one wanted to rock the boat unless it was true.
The only omission from the list is Arivruach, which appears to have disappeared again. It has been in the top five of the list for at least the past eight years, but keeps getting leapfrogged by other schemes. It's happened again.
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