Budget 14th Feb, 2013 - Council Confusion.

Confusion reigns within the council ruling group as more councillors try to distance themselves from the consequences of their atrocious decisions.  They try and claim that "scoring exercises" done last year absolve them from their worst actions.

There is one, and one only, decision-making forum for deciding the council's budget at that was, 14th February 2013 at 4:00pm.  This is enshrined in democratic law and is to be done in public.  This is where all 31 elected councillors should make their choices. Whatever desperate excuses are given, 6 councillors voted to save the air service and 24 voted to axe it, that is the simple inescapable reality.

Council leader still attacking his critics

The increasingly puerile attacks by the Western Isles Council's leader on anyone who dares oppose their decision to axe the air service continue.

First, the SNP council group are attacked for invoking the basic democratic right of presenting a proper amendment against his proposal to end the service.

Then the Health Board are slated for not funding the council's transport responsibilities.

Next, the  Member of Parliament is condemned for not " standing shoulder to shoulder" to remove services.

SNP group challenges Bernera turbine decision

The following letter has been sent to the minister for Local Government and Planning, Derek MacKay MSP, as a response to the decision to refuse consent for two wind turbunes at Great Bernera.

The SNP group are keen to see a resolution of this matter, and so have chosen to write directly to the minister, while the administration decide what, if any, action they are going to take.

Thoughts on the Barra-Benbecula air service debacle

On Thursday, 14th February 2013, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar set its budget for the next two years. Councillors representing every ward from the each part of the Hebrides considered the options in front of them – two balanced budgets.

One budget, fronted by Councillor Rae Mackenzie from the SNP Group, committed to retaining the lifeline air services from Stornoway – Benbecula- Barra. The other budget, proposed by Councillor Angus Campbell (Stornoway South) and seconded by Councillor Roddie Mackay (Stornoway North) opted to cut the lifeline service so that there would be no inter-island air connection to Barra and reduce the Stornoway to Benbecula service to three days.

The budget saving the inter-island flights received six votes from the SNP Group and Councillor DJ Macrae (Labour). All other councillors voted to slash the service.

Fuel poverty conference report

Today’s Fuel Poverty Conference was a first class event and the timing couldn’t have been better with the Westminster government’s imminent bedroom tax about to hit the most vulnerable in the Western Isles ,dding further to their fuel poverty.

However we learned about initiatives to address the problem which been taken locally by TEAS and TIG including the recent application of external render to 55 houses which will result in lower fuel bills.

Bedroom Tax warning for Na-h-Eileanan an Iar

Angus MacNeil MP has warned an estimated 330 households in Na h-Eileanan an Iar will be hit by the UK Government’s bedroom tax.

The under-occupancy penalty will cut Housing Benefit of low income households by an average of £14 a week- or over £700 a year for tenants who are deemed to be living in a home bigger than their needs. The figures were released by the National Housing Federation ahead of a debate on bedroom tax today in the House of Commons, led by the SNP.

The case for specialist teachers

When the comhairle administration, in defence of their cutting of the specialist teacher provision, talk about the specialists being an extra provision that we don't need to provide, I feel they miss the point.

This provision is highly-valued by the whole community, as was shown throughout the budget consultations.

The education department have to be complimented for this provision - they have provided this service and the community have benefited greatly. That is why it is valued so highly.