The Western Isles Council's political
administration is at odds over a living wage for the poorest paid employees.
Responding to an enquiry from my colleague Cllr Gordon Murray, the
administration's political Leader Cllr Angus Campbell insisted that the living
wage has been paid, although he went on to qualify that position by admitting
that the Special Islands Needs Allowance (SINA) element has not yet been paid.
The purpose of SINA is to compensate for the additional costs of island
communities which are not already accommodated for in the needs based
assessments. 2014/5 budget £20 million for all islands.
The Living Wage is defined as "a wage that is high enough to maintain a
normal standard of living", the bare minimum to cover basic living costs,
currently considered to be £7.65 per hour for Scotland.
For mainland Scotland essentially £7.65 per hour is considered to be the
minimum necessary to maintain a normal standard of living. It is accepted
that island communities have costs additional to that of other communities,
that is reflected in the definition for SINA and it is entirely reasonable for
union representatives to consider that these additional costs fall hardest on
the poorest paid. One such example is fuel poverty.
If the council insists that the "living wage" (the minimum needed for
a normal standard of living) is the same in islands as everywhere else, is it
in danger of undermining the principals for which Special Islands Needs
Allowance is received?
Donald Manford
A journal written by the SNP opposition group on the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council).
