Standing up for what you believe in

It is good to have a politician with commitment and a belief in what they stand for, as well as being prepared to support their constituents ahead of party alliegence.

Anything else would be spineless and duplicitous, and putting your voters behind your party.

At the recent meeting between local hauliers and the Government Officials, I am told that the MP showed his true colours.

There were various sessions at which the hauliers had private discussions about strategy, and the arguments to be put forward.  They were ably assisted by the MP who told the hauliers the approach to be taken in the negotiations and discussions. He then followed this up with "And don't tell the officials that it was me who said that".

The hauliers are left with the feeling that they were being pushed down a pre-determined path with MacNeil playing both sides; knowing the trivial points which the Government would accept and pushing the hauliers accordingly.

Moreover, I understand from my sources that the MP, MSP and Chair of Transport were all well aware of the proposals, having been privy to the detail of the changes some months back.  Indeed, I understand that they may all have been involved in discussions with the Minister about the haulage proposals last Autumn.

So, far from fighting the islands corner, it increasingly looks like they have bitten their tongues and/or been utterly powerless to change the Ministers mind.  And then faked faux-outrage at the plans they already acquiesced to.

Is this why the Comhairle are not pushing this matter as hard as they should?

It could be worse.....

Much as we might like to have a go at the Council, we could be in Edinburgh, where they can't find their St Andrew's Sq with both hands.

No-one, but no-one, but no-one is coming out of this with any credit.

"It's everyone else's fault" will be the refrain as they all independently change their minds, in light of the change in circumstance and exactly as instructed by the Party hierarchy.

Latest estimates to complete the scheme range from £700m to £13.7/6 and a bag of wine gums.  However, the price will have to include humiliation for the Council group leaders and a few heads of Councillors and Officers.

Will the last person....

..leaving the rural areas, please put the lights out.

The lights are going out all over the islands, as part of the Budget cuts.

Other than the various 'hoods in Stornoway (and Parkend) you'll need your torches if you go out late at night.

Drive carefully........

Death by 1,000 cuts

So, Hebrides News reports that ADS is to be restricted - read prohibited - for business travellers and Comhairle employees.

So if I book a flight, who decides if it is private or business?

Me, or a faceless civil servant, who tries to later claim back the ADS discount?

Actually, that doesn't matter too much, as it is all administration.

Where the real problem lies is the change in the philosophy about the operation of the scheme.

Public sector bodies are supposedly already excluded - but the Comhairle/WIHB/etc seems to have been taking the urine, and only now have the Government realised what's going on.

Now apart from the body cavity searches at the airports, you are going to be asked if you are travelling on business or leisure. Just who is going to answer to the expensive former, rather than the cheaper latter. Still, the boxes will have been ticked, and the principle of cutting the provision will be established.

Next, a maximum number of journeys a year?

Only left-handed students on Tuesdays?

And thence to RET.

You can see where this is going, and the deafening cries of outrage from our MP and MSP will show exactly where they stand....

ADS extended?

It looks like you can now book ADS flights for next summer via the FlyBe website, implying that that the ADS scheme has been extended.

Good news, but yet again delayed until almost the last minute.

No doubt there will be a Ministerial announcement next week which makes lots of promises what will happen after the Election.

Anyone from Labour want to tells us what they are promising?

Disco Taxi

As the schools were closed on Friday, the family have all been away getting reacquainted with the cities and seeing relatives.

Last night must rate as one of the most bizarre endings to an evening that I have ever had.

Grabbing a cab, we should have been topped off by the loud rock'n'roll coming from the vehicle as it turned to pick us up.

As we got in and drove away, the driver tuned on the internal disco lights - think the long strings of multi-coloured lights that run around a room. Or in this case, around the inside of the cab.  The entire inside.

The kids loved it and when asked by the driver if they wanted the music higher, they yelled in approval.  You couldn't hear yourself think above the music and the kids whooping it up.

We had to stop at an Oddbins - emergency supplies! - and as the boss collected a nice bottle of White Rioja, the kids were being serenaded with "White Lightening" from the Grease soundtrack and being encouraged by the driver to get up and dance in the cab.  Which they duly did.  The look on the faces of the kids who parked next to us was wonderful.  Embarrassment mixed with disbelief.

The staff in the Oddbins were asking what the noise was, and the boss blithely commented "My taxi", and exited with the vino, as if it was an every day event.

All in all, it nicely rounded off a day which saw us almost gatecrash a wedding in which the bride arrived at the ceremony in an utterly outrageous pink stretch hummer limo.

Thomas Cook to close

I'm told that Thomas Cook in Stornoway is closing at the end of the month, and that staff were told this last week.

It was inevitable that as we all use the internet more and more that the need for a local service would decrease, but it is still sad that we are losing another shop from the high street.  With the charity shops proliferating and the number of empty premises growing - just what is happening with the old HebCelt offices, since the Council acquired them? - the town is looking emptier and emptier.

I don't have the solutions, but I know that busy shops will do more for the community than a new civic square.

Shuttle launch

This morning we stood on the balcony at 6:21am and watched the shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral, along with probably half the other guests.

It was truly spectacular, and with the temperature being over 65F it was gloriously warm for the kids in their pyjamas.

The launch site was about 50 miles away, but the sky was lit up from the moment the engines were fired. (I have a video but at the low-speed here it was taking forever to upload the 189Mb. It'll have to wait my return to civilisation.)

The birds went crazy as the craft soared, and just ahead of the arrival of the sonic boom, they went really berserk for just a few seconds.

Going to the launch site really wasn't an option, as traffic was predicted to have been very heavy and we would have had to leave about midnight to find a non-ticketed spot.

A once in a lifetime opportunity, that we hope the kids will always remember.

Parking charges

Highland and Islands Airports Ltd are due to introduce parking charges at Stornoway airport very shortly.

I don't have the details of the actual charges, but I am told that the Comhairle's objections/observations have been brushed aside by HIAL, on the grounds that the Comhairle have already introduced parking charges in Percival Square.

More details to follow soon.

MacNeil's expenses

With over half the MPs expected to have to repay some expenses, I look forward to the full list of those who were on the fiddle have looted the public purse for private expenditure proved unable to accurately complete an expenses form by themselves.

But what has happened about our MP's travel expenses that were in dispute, and on which he sought guidance after the event (or possibly clarification of an alleged earlier piece of advice)?

I an told (not highly reliably it must be admitted) that they have been refused, as the journey could have been done in a single day, and hence the overnight expenses were unapproved.

I am also told that this decision is being appealed, again, but hopefully we will have clarity in the coming weeks.

Update 9pm: I didn't know that the announcement as coming today, and I was very pleasantly surprised that such a small amount was disallowed. It looks like my information about Mr MacNeil was totally wrong, which I am happy to admit. However, the sheer rottenness of the expenses system has been laid bare and is being (slightly) improved thanks to the enforced openness of the FoI system.

Highland Airways

With the website down, and the BBC reporting an urgent meeting between staff and management it appears that my prediction was right, although I deliberately did not identify the firm.

Phone calls and emails over the weekend updated me on the position, and I am told that the administrators are being appointed this morning, after last minute negotiations over finance stalled.

What will happen to the scheduled flights, and especially the vital hospital shuttle between Benbecula and Stornoway?

I understand that the flights will continue to be run by the administrators in the short-term until the company's situtation is fully understood, but I also understand that the expectation is that the route will be handed to another operator as soon as it practicable.

Sad news, which reduces our choices for travel.

Taygran Trader

She may not have been the prettiest vessel to ever ply the route between Stornoway and Ullapool (seen here in her TT years), but the introduction of competition on the route was one of the best things to happen to the islands.

Without the ruffling of feathers that she brought, we would not have got the cargo ferry, or indeed I suggest, the recognition of the importance and significance of the route to the islands.

Indeed, I would go so far as to say that the introduction of RET is a direct consequence of the very brave decision by the owners to run the route.

In other fields, many have tried to upset the apple cart and challenge an established operator with varying degrees of success, but each and every attempt has improved the future for the islands.

It is with some despair that I hear that one of the revolutionaries may not last the course, and if this is true it is going to be a very sad day later this week when the announcement is made. Despite an initial campaign against them by (or perhaps pro-incumbent) by some Councillors, they are now a vital and integral part of the community.

Possibly until as early as tomorrow; when we will all mourn their passing.

I hope I am wrong, but my sources are such that I have little doubt as to the accuracy of the information.

Council tendering processes

No, I'm not going to mention that instance again (just yet) for reasons that will become apparent at the next series of Council meetings.*

I'm trying to be helpful here, but one major cost that the Council incurs has not been the subject of tendering for a huge number of years.

I believe that putting this out to tender would save money, by getting a better price (perhaps 10% lower), and by allowing better monitoring of costs which I believe are running wild and uncontrolled.

So why has this £500,000 pa cost never been put out for tender?

It nearly was, but the last report around 2006 which was originated by Council Officers and demonstrated huge potential benefits never made it to the Committee. Apparently, it was blocked by more senior officers and not by Members, who never knew anything about it.

Why is the usage of petrol and diesel by Comhairle vehicles not the subject of tendering and consequently more tightly controlled?

To do so - perhaps by the use of fuel cards, which could benefit other business on the islands - would also allow the Council to monitor usage and consumption per vehicle, and it should reduce the number of Council vehicles doing the 'bacon roll' run every morning.

The narrower financial issues make it a matter for Commercial Operations Board; the wider economic impact issues make it a matter for Sustainable Development; and the broader policy issues make it a matter for Policy and Resources.

Although the Chair of P&R would have to declare an interest and step aside, there is nothing to stop his firm tendering in a fair and open process.

Just what is the downside to this proposal? Nothing. So why is it not on any agenda?

* Councillors: you will be asked to take a decision that has already been made for you, and is already being implemented. The justification for the decision is entirely false, and is about getting very senior officers out of the mess they made for themselves. More details to follow when I see the report, which will be taken in private and probably given to you at the last moment.

Council gritting policy

As the snow falls once again, bathing the town in a deadly sheet of snow-covered ice, I look from our house window gazing across the beautiful scene.

It surely can't be long now until the gritters make their way out and about and spread the precious load of rock-salt across the roads, car parks, pavements and collapsed pedestrians that give the town a post-apocalyptic, rather than post-Christmas, look.

Stornoway town centre this morning

Last week they made their appearance in town in the late afternoon, with the grit being carried from the back of a lorry with shovels to be cast onto pavements.

However, one service was running absolutely as normal.

At 7:45am on Sunday the road sweeper made its way through town to make sure the roads were clean beneath the snow before Church started.

Good priority choices.

Fuel cards

So whatever happened to the great launch of fuel cards in the islands, due last Friday?

It was cancelled, as none of the petrol stations would accept the cards.

Which is where the headline on a Comhairle press release

Council complains over fuel monopoly

would be funny if it weren't quite so sad, with the Council Leader owning one of the big three petrol stations in Stornoway.

The last investigation by the OFT cost the local petrol stations a huge sum of money and delivered nothing, except enormous reports showing that they were making a 'reasonable' return. But if they start throwing around 'monopoly' accusations, whilst simultaneously being perceived to be acting in concert over the fuel cards, then they risk reopening the (wrong) debate again.

Fuel Duty rates

No-one can argue that fuel prices are very high at present - although some may argue that for environmental reasons they need to be higher - and the issue of fuel duty rates rears its ugly head again.

The argument from our MP runs like this...

The soaring prices we are seeing at the pumps now are just a glimpse of what is to come next year. In addition to rising inflation, 2010 will see increased VAT and the UK Government's absurd fuel duty escalator which will push prices through the roof [...]

We need the full fiscal powers of a normal, independent nation so we can set fair taxes that do not penalise rural motorists.

Fuel duty is about 70% of the price of every litre, and yields an additional £260m for every 1% higher. Scotland's share is therefore, in round terms, £25m for every 1% change in in fuel price.

Now the maths get more complex. And here I use round numbers for ease of arithmetic.

Price of fuel: £1.20/litre
Duty and VAT: 84p (70%)
The petrol: 36p (30%)

A reasonable price for fuel is exactly what Mr MacNeil? You have never answered this question or even given the slightest indication of the proximity of the balance position or the fuel duty regualtor, but you started issuing press vague but vituperative releases when petrol was over £1/litre, implying that 90p/litre might be somewhere in the right region.

Ok, lets redo the maths:

Price of fuel: 90p/litre
The petrol (unchanged): 36p (40%)
Duty and VAT: 54p (60%)

That 10% change in duty implies a fiscal cost of £250m each and every year.

Which could be funded by cutting student grants in half, or by removing all the support for ferry, rail, air and other transport directorate services.

I am sure that Mr MacNeil has thought this through and can tell us exactly where this money can be found, in a way that won't be painful for any sections of the community. Or not.

(I do know where it could be found, but I'd love to hear his explanation)

As one door closes....

One good thing about free enterprise is that where one company may see nothing but a cost, another is always ready to see an opportunity.

Keyfuels are ready to step in and fill the gap left by the withdrawal of BP Fuel Cards, and they plan to launch on Friday.

Even taking their press release with a pinch of salt, it appears that there are simple business reasons behind the withdrawal of the BP card and the decision by Keyfuels to step in.

I'm applying for a card tonight, and will let you know how I got on.

Update 5 minutes later: There are no service stations on the islands that take the cards at the moment, which might be what the launch is all about!

Withdrawal of BP Fuel Cards

The story on Hebrides News about the partial withdraw of the BP Fuel Cards starts off fine....

Many employers in the Scottish islands are facing a massive threat when an oil giant withdraws a vital fuel discount.

Island businesses warn around 20 jobs could go in the Western Isles as BP bans the use of its discount card - which provides fuel at 7.5 pence a litre cheaper - at some independent filling stations in the islands.

The islands affected are Lewis, Shetland, Skye and Arran where filling stations are not run under the BP brand. The discount stops in four weeks and some island firms say their costs will soar by up to £30,000 annually as a direct result.

So far, so reasonable and you can see why the hauliers are up in arms.

It could cost the economy of the Outer Hebrides half a million pounds it is said.

Whooaa! That doesn't seem right.....

This is a very serious matter which deserves serious consideration, but let's try and get the numbers right and substantiated.

• Assume that the hauliers fill up on the mainland any lorries that are running across the Minch
• The hauliers use a mix of large lorries and small vans
• The discount is only available to the larger businesses, so the smallest hauliers are excluded
  

Now comes the maths, and please let me know where I go wrong.

• 7.5p a litre costing £500,000 to the economy, equates to 6.7m litres
• As I can't do the modern stuff, that's about 1.46m gallons
• With the mix of vehicles, an average mpg of 10 is probably on the low side, but that gives us 14.65m miles pa
  
• I estimate that the three big hauliers in Stornoway have perhaps 20-25 vehicles on the go on the islands at any time
• Add on other businesses that may qualify and I estimate perhaps 50 lorries are on the go at any time (Full Time Equivalent)
• That implies each lorry travels 293,000 miles per annum
• Or 5,635 miles a week
• Or 940 miles per day (6 days a week)
• At an average speed of 20mph (town deliveries, starting and stopping etc.) that means that they are operating about 47 hours per day, which is good going by any reckoning, but must play havoc with the tachograph.

So let's do it the other way, with what I guess might be more accurate figures.....

50 lorries/vans working full time 10 hours a day at an average speed of 15mph, getting 15mpg, five and half days a week, 52 weeks per annum = 143,000 gallons per annum. That's about 650,650 litres, which at an additional cost of 7.5p per litre gives an additional cost of £48,800 per annum. Even allowing for a huge error in my assumptions, it looks like £100,000 is a more accurate top line figure.

Unless you know different.

Sorry about being a pedant, but I do like numbers.

Synthetic fury over fuel card withdrawals

According to The Gazette, Angus MacNeil MP is furious about BP withrdrawing the fuel cards from businesses in the islands and has written to the Chancellor demanding that he bring pressure to bear on the company.

Yes, withdrawal of the cards would be a serious blow, but let's look at the knee-jerk reaction from our occasional MP....

Writing to the Chancellor: WTF use is that?  He'll write back to say that he cannot interfere with commerical business decisions.  MacNeil will blame Labour, Labour will refute any invovlement.

Contacting BP: Not on the agenda. Why not? They are the only ones who can change the policy.*

Getting the Scottish Government involved: Not on the agenda either. Could this be because MacNeil is more interested in blaming Labour than actually achieving anything.  cf MacNeil's actions over the rocket range

* Actually, the cards are provided by Fuel Card Services Ltd, who are a completely separate business, and are an agent of BP, whose existence is predicated upon getting a cut of the BP turnover by driving large volumes through the cards and through the BP Stations.

As the most likely companies to have to deal with the loss of discount are the local hauliers who have failed to pass on the benefits of RET, is there not a wider issue here about lack of joined up policies that between Edinburgh and London that needs to be sorted before blame is spayed everywhere, regardless.

On the buses....

It seems that Bus na Comhairle are powered by free-range caviar-fed gold-plated rocking-horse shit, rather than simple and hideously expensive diesel.

That has to be the case, given their financial performance this year......

That's caught your attention hasn't it?

Well it certainly caught the attention of the Councillors last Monday, when the Chief Executive was given a serious bollocking - particularly, I understand, by Roddy MacKay - over his inability to control the deficits.

"If this were a commercial business..." went the oft-heard refrain.

Bus operators will be gnashing and wailing and rightly complaining about unfair competition when the truth appears in the annual accounts. Except it doesn't, as the buses are no longer considered to be a Significant Trading Operation, and hence the losses don't need to be disclosed in the accounts.

Oh yes, and as the matter is 'commercially sensitive' the Councillors can't go public with it, as it might affect the ability of BnC to compete with the private sector.

That is 'compete' in the sense of having a bottomless pit of money to use to drive the competition out of business, so that only BnC survives; and so that it's existence can be justified as a 'public service'

WTF is going on, and why is our money being squandered? And hidden from the public?

And where BnC leads, is the rest of the DSO going to follow?

Enough teasing, but sit down -- losses at the DSO last year were £100,000 of which the buses lost £84,000.

Bus owners of the islands unite, you have nothing to lose but your livelihoods.