Death by quango
I really, really, hope that this story is untrue, but given the nature of the source I have to believe that the facts are as given here.
The community in Tolsta are trying to develop a small wind power scheme.
Lewis Wind Power provided the community with the bird movement data, which indicated that the site chosen by the community was possibly the best anywhere - the red-throated divers were nowhere nearby, and no protected birds flew through the site at all; bypassing it to north and south.
Since the Lewis Wind Power scheme was refused, Scottish Natural Heritage have told the community that the bird data given to them by LWP is unacceptable and they must commission new studies that meet with the approval of SNH. This might be due to the inconvenient 'fact' that it doesn't produce the result SNH want.
This attitude probably puts the community plans back by two years, and may be beyond their resources to finance. But don't worry, there is plenty of money to pay for the SNH staff; their jobs and their communities are not being disadvantaged in any way.
Now the directors of the scheme have received a letter from SNH telling them that they cannot proceed with any development without the full approval of SNH, and reminding the board that if they do anything then they may face huge fines and possible criminal prosecution; and they helpfully provide details of the potential jail time they could get for maliciously trying to develop the economy.
And remember, this is being done in our name by the authority of the Scottish Government, for our benefit.
It is clear that the policy is now to totally sterilise the moorland of North Lewis from any development, irrespective of the community view, and to place another layer of unelected authority above the community, above the Council, and apparently even above the Minister.
Doesn't it just fill you with a warm glow, when you have a bunch of superannuated civil servants destroying our island and telling us how to live our lives, from some nice comfy offices in Inverness or Edinburgh.
"Bonfire of the Quangos", anyone?
Update 19/5/08: My chronology may be slightly askew, but it doesn't change the story -- corrected details to follow.
The community in Tolsta are trying to develop a small wind power scheme.
Lewis Wind Power provided the community with the bird movement data, which indicated that the site chosen by the community was possibly the best anywhere - the red-throated divers were nowhere nearby, and no protected birds flew through the site at all; bypassing it to north and south.
Since the Lewis Wind Power scheme was refused, Scottish Natural Heritage have told the community that the bird data given to them by LWP is unacceptable and they must commission new studies that meet with the approval of SNH. This might be due to the inconvenient 'fact' that it doesn't produce the result SNH want.
This attitude probably puts the community plans back by two years, and may be beyond their resources to finance. But don't worry, there is plenty of money to pay for the SNH staff; their jobs and their communities are not being disadvantaged in any way.
Now the directors of the scheme have received a letter from SNH telling them that they cannot proceed with any development without the full approval of SNH, and reminding the board that if they do anything then they may face huge fines and possible criminal prosecution; and they helpfully provide details of the potential jail time they could get for maliciously trying to develop the economy.
And remember, this is being done in our name by the authority of the Scottish Government, for our benefit.
It is clear that the policy is now to totally sterilise the moorland of North Lewis from any development, irrespective of the community view, and to place another layer of unelected authority above the community, above the Council, and apparently even above the Minister.
Doesn't it just fill you with a warm glow, when you have a bunch of superannuated civil servants destroying our island and telling us how to live our lives, from some nice comfy offices in Inverness or Edinburgh.
"Bonfire of the Quangos", anyone?
Update 19/5/08: My chronology may be slightly askew, but it doesn't change the story -- corrected details to follow.
18 comments:
Fair comment about the wind schemes, but no need to bash civil servants. It really does let your arguements down when you start coming out with such nonsense.
Saying
No
Helpfully
Here's a suggestion: stop trying to promote useless schemes which demand money from other taxpayers, as wind power invariably does.
How would that be for a start?
7:25
Too right - in the end it is yet another way of sticking your hand out for other folks money, a way of life inherant in the Western Isles and needs to stop.
8.18 am
Surely by your rationale all industry that receives any kind of taxpayer assistance would have to go for private finance. Goodbye defence, infrastructure, healthcare and any other taxpayer assisted industries. Ask yourself how many mainland communities have benefitted from these types of centrally or partly centrally funded projects. In conclusion you are talking absolute and utter rubbish.
Surely by your rationale all industry that receives any kind of taxpayer assistance would have to go for private finance. Goodbye defence, infrastructure, healthcare and any other taxpayer assisted industries.
Utter c**p. 'Defence' provides, well, 'defence'. And the other industries provide some benefit as well.
Wind power provides exactly NOTHING--NOTHING--in return for taxpayer subsidy.
Since we have to keep the conventional generation going regardless--you know, the stuff 'wind' is supposed to 'replace'--we may as well just stick with the conventional.
'Wind power' schemes are merely legalised theft from taxpayers, and give nothing back at all. As such, it is de facto if not de jure morally wrong, and shouldn't be subsidised, any more than 'perpetual motion' schemes should be.
Wind power: the biggest scam, rip-off and con game of our time.
11.50 am
My point still stands. You believe it's ok to issue multi million pound contracts to create work in other areas, on useless schemes, that are of debatable efficacy to the economy or to the social fabric of the nation; yet we are not to be accorded the same rights to jobs and investment.
Anon 11;12
I was coming back but but 11:50 got you first. Far from rubbish it is common sense. Defence, Health etc are National issues creating national employment and paid for FOR ALL from the Taxpayer. Wind farms create only substadies for builders and land owners, highly expensive energy when they are working but more importatntly grubby little handouts for useless individuals (I expect you) and utterly useless councils like this one.
Think before you rubbish others joined up thought. Bet you don't live within 20 miles of Eishken or Pairc and the threat of Turbines, Pylons and an Interconnector.
lemme guess which party the ones who have in their DROVES said "A" in your poll (top right main screen) belong to... now lets see, they couldn't possibly be SNP, could they?
Tolsta Community Development Ltd is a local development company set up to diversify the local economy, create job opportunities and contribute to the local community income, while safegaurding the exceptional quality of our environment. This environment has been looked after by us in Tolsta long before SNH, RSPB and all the other 'do-gooders' suddenly discovered us. TCD is well supported in the village and it has well over 100 members in Tolsta and our Directors - unlike SNH, RSPB and 'do-gooders' are elected by us. We welcome visitors to our midst so they can enjoy the environment which we Tolstonians have protected and will continue to protect. But quite frankly if any visitor does like it there is a turning point before Glen Tolsta and they do not have to come here. Likewise anyone who has moved into our village can accept us as we are or get out. We are justifyably proud of our heritage!
Anon 2:08
Classic zenopobic c**p you hear from bigotted small minded reclusives. Actually i visited your village once - I emphasise once.
Carry on sitting at the end of your crofts with your hand out for other folks money - a long lived tradition i suspect of your history.
Anon 2:08
Wow
A cave man with access to IT
2.08
Calum Iain MacIver (driver of Tolsta Wind, but clearly with no links to WIDT) really should give up posting on this blog.
those turbine blades should sort those Tolsta witches out
According to hebrides.biz (who runs that?) this posting has ruffled feathers. You "feather ruffler", you :)
Anon 2.08
Facts!
I am not Calum Iain Maciver.
I am not a director of TCD
I always pay my way and do not rely on hand-outs.
I'm fascinated by the 'kings and queens on handouts'who are now protesting so much about getting other peoples money.
just a small point here, HE is the xenophobe, yet you decided after visiting his villiage ONCE that they were all small minded (:-P) and all sat at the end of their crofts doing nothing but sitting with their hand's out for money? and you suspect its due to their history? 9:01
where are those corrected details?
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