Inter-island ferries - an update

The following email was issued to Councillors today.

Dear Councillor

Following discussion at today’s Policy & Resources Committee and the press coverage in today’s Gazette, the Leader has suggested that I circulate the following documents to Members.

The first document is the Comhairle’s submission to HIE seeking assistance of £75,000 for the Inter-Island Business Development Scheme (IBDS). This submission was formally requested by HIE’s representative on the Ferry Fares Member / Officer Working Group. The document was sent to HIE on 25 October 2006 and I hope clearly demonstrates that an application was made to HIE.

The second document was commissioned by HIE from Reference Economic Consultants to advise them in regard to the monitoring requirements that they would require for the implementation phase of IBDS. Commissioning independent consultants to advise on the monitoring of the scheme, would appear to suggest that HIE, at one stage, were seriously contemplating involvement in IBDS.

I trust these documents are helpful, but if there are any questions I would be more than happy to assist.

Calum Iain MacIver

Director of Development

With HIE and (bizarrely) the MSP denying that any application was ever submitted, you have to ask why HIE are taking this stance.

Is the apparent rigid adherence to 'you must use my form' overruling common sense, involvement in the process, and strategic vision, or have they just not got the money and are trying to back out of a committment they thought they could avoid?

Is it true the MSP never contacted the Council about their position, before supporting HIE?

The subsidy has - rightly - been retained and the money found from somewhere, despite the huge pressures on the budgets (more of which later) and in the teeth of the economic development agency deciding not to deliver, er, economic development.

Well done to the Council in rescuing themselves from the hole they had just dug.