“Thank you convenor. I would like to sincerely thank senior accountant Norman Macdonald, Robert Emmott, Malcolm Burr and Derek Mackay for their assistance in drafting this amendment.
Lots of
emails have been exchanged and I thank them for giving up their time so freely.
I'd like
to also thank the Scottish government for giving the Comhairle an increase in
funding.”
Unadopted
Roads
1) the SNP Scottish Government
is providing special funding for the replacement Bernera Bridge, and it is therefore
proposed that any of the £450,000 of funding, previously allocated by Comhairle
for replacing the Bernera Bridge but no longer required due to the special
funding, be reallocated on a ring- fenced basis to surface dressing of
unadopted roads; with this being allocated on a 60:40 split
(L&H:U&B).
“Unadopted roads is a much-neglected part of our
infrastructure. I have seen in the minutes of many a community council spanning
our islands, the issue of road maintenance and unadopted roads being raised
time and time again.
This amendment would address these issues and thus
help meet the aspirations of communities across all our islands.
There is a clear need here identified by many of the
people we represent and we should help them by meeting this need today.
Stornoway
Primary All Weather Pitch
2) to meet the undisputed need for school children to participate in
outdoor exercises and sports activities all year round and to provide a much
needed community resource, the council provide an all weather pitch at
Stornoway Primary at a cost of £350,000 to be financed by a) mainland placement
underspend (100k/100k) and, should the mainland placement underspend not be
realised, that the £100k (or part thereof) be funded from balances and b)
Saving on Loan Charges (250k/350k)
“We have all now been briefed to the fact that
Stornoway Primary is the third biggest primary school in Scotland.
However, the facilities for such a size of school
fall way short of the standard I’m certain we would all wish to provide – this has
been acknowledged by many members of the council on several occasions, over a
number of years.
So many of
our children have gone through primary, year upon year, playing on sloping,
unmarked tarmac, in muddy patches of ground resulting in children sitting in
wet, dirty clothes during lessons - this is not acceptable anymore!
The money
has been identified. Now let us act today and allow our children at Stornoway
primary to play on a decent surface and participate in organised sports.
Children
who haven't had it easy over the last few months.
Children
who deserve a chance tom play outside and realise all the benefits that sport
and play can offer them.”
Dental
Provision
3) to provide a dental chair in Taigh Cridhe Uille Naobh, to make a
ring-fenced contribution to the IJB Budget specifically for TCUN Dental
facility within the surgery space at Taighe Cridhe Uille Naobh, to establish
local provision of dental care. To embed dental provision within the care home
at the Health and Well-being Hub in Daliburgh, ring fenced provision to IJB of
£50,000 to be financed by allocation of Savings on Loan Charges (50k/350k),
such funding only to be available for this purpose and otherwise reverting to
the Comhairle.
“With
regards to the dental chair, a very important, hugely important issue.
The
communities in Uist on this issue, I believe, have been severely let down.
I'm sure
every member here would like to show their support for the communities in UIst
who have identified a reasonable need - that they should have the dental
provision they deserve. Evem from Stornoway, I recognise that.
Surely we
want to would getting bogged down in a bureaucratic argument about budget
process, again I say to you, members, we have the opportunity to act positively
today and we should seize that opportunity.”
Concessionary Fares
4) to meet the vital need to provide a long stated aim of the council
to link all of the Western Isles for all those living and working in the
Western Isles that the Comhairle reinstate the concessionary fares in the sound
of Barra and sound of Harris crossings at a cost of £10,000 financed by
allocation of Savings on Loan Charges (10k/350k).
Abbatoirs
in Uist and Barra
5) to support abattoirs in Uist and Barra to assist the quality assured
production of local supply into the food chain to facilitate producers in Uist
and Barra having a croft to customer product, provision of £40,000 financed by
the allocation of Savings on Loan Charges (40k/350k).
“In terms
of abbattoirs, I'd like to address the proposalk to support the abbattoirs in
Uist and Barra.
We all
know that there will be challenges ahead. We need resilience in the crofting
communities to enable them to provide the local produce we need, our
communities need, safely and efficiently.
Given all
the uncertainty surrounding Brexit our crofters will want us to show we
understand the difficulties they could face, and take the necessary action to
support them.
This is
our chance to reassure our crofting communities in Uist and Barra that we are
listening to them.”
“I don't
want to get involved today in arguments of the process about the setting of the
budget - I feel that demeans the debate.
What we
all know is that the council is setting its budget for the next financial year.
Every member must be allowed to have a say today, all those who put us here
expects it.
To reduce
this to a bureaucratic argument serves no purpose other than avoid
debate.
Yesterday,
Monday, the council leader said there was virtue in this amendment, and I
couldn't agree more - I agree wholeheartedly.
That's
why I am moving this amendment and I urge you, members, to support this
amendment.
Let's do
the right thing, by our communities, they are waiting to hear from us, that's
for sure.”
Voted for amendment
Cllr
Gordon Murray (Stornoway North)
Cllr
Calum Macmillan (South Uist, Barra, Vatersay and Eriskay)
Cllr
Donald Manford (South Uist, Barra, Vatersay and Eriskay)
Cllr
Grant Fulton (Harris and South Lochs)
Cllr John
Mitchell (Harris and South Lochs)
Cllr
Ranald Fraser (Uig, Bernera and North Lochs)
Cllr
Charlie Nicolson (Stornoway South)
Cllr Rae
Mackenzie (Stornoway South)
Cllr Calum
Maclean (Locha Tuath)
Cllr John
A Maciver (Loch a Tuath)
Cllr
Kenny Macleod (Ness and West Side)
Cllr John
Norman Macleod (Ness and West Side)
Voted against amendment
Cllr
Norman Macdonald -m Convenor (Uig, Bernera and North Lochs)
Cllr
Roddie Mackay - Leader (Stornoway North)
Cllr
Alasdair Macleod (Point)
Cllr
Norman Macdonald (Point)
Cllr
Finlay Stewart (Point)
Cllr
Keith Dodson (Stornoway Soutb)
Cllr
Angus McCormack (Stornoway South)
Cllr Iain
M Macaulay (Stornoway North)
Cllr Neil
Mackay (Stornoway North)
Cllr
Donald Crichton (Loch a Tuath)
Cllr
Kenny John Macleod (Ness and West Side)
Cllr John
Mackay (Ness and West Side)
Cllr Paul
Finnegan (Harris and South Lochs)
Cllr
Uisdean Robertson (North Usit and Benbecula)
Cllr
Roddy Mackay (North Uist and Benbecula)
Cllr Iain
M Macleod (North Uist and Benbecula)
Cllr Paul
Steele (South Uist, Barra, Eriskay and Vatersay)
Cllr Iain
Macneil (South Uist, Barra, Eriskay and Vatersay)
Cllr
Angus Morrison (Uig, Bernera and North Lochs)
