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 TOP leaders of the community in the Western Isles last week met Scottish Office minister George Kynoch to press the case for a change of heart over local government financing - and push for money for the proposed Lochs community school.
The delegation pressed the case for an end to the policy of forcing councils to pay for all pay and price increases out of efficiency savings and pointed out the destructive side-effects of the limits on capital spending.
But the moves announced later by the Scottish Office to ease the effects of capping on spending for some councils do not affect the Western Isles because the level of yearly spending is £4 million below the Government-set maximum.
The delegation was made up of Calum Macdonald, MP; Convener Donald M. Mackay; Vice-convener Angus Graham; Council chief executive Brian Stewart; and Council communications officer Nigel Scott.
Mr Macdonald said later: "We made clear to the Minister the extremely serious impact on the islands' economy brought about by the Government's squeeze on local authorities. That can only be put right by the Government restoring the cuts that have been made, particularly in capital expenditure. It's hypocritical of the Government to announce support for the Berneray Causeway and a couple of weeks later to take away the money through the back door. Today's meeting marks the start of a continuing campaign to get the Government to recognise the real needs of the islands."
Mr Stewart said that the 45-minute meeting had been one of a series which the Local Government Minister had had with all the councils in Scotland. They had seen representatives from the new Argyll and Bute Council leaving their meeting when they had had been pressing for a share of the Special Islands Needs Allowance, which goes to the Orkneys, Shetlands, and Western Isles at present.
Mr Stewart said it had been made clear to the minister that there was no objection to extending SINA to Argyll and Bute as long as the total amount of money was expanded but that it would not be acceptable to subdivide the existing sum among more authorities. There was a difference between councils which happened to have islands and islands-based councils, it had been emphasised.
Mr Stewart said the Council had pressed hard on the points about the effects of having to absorb the effects of pay and price increases and on the damage done by the imbalance of spending on huge projects like the Scalpay Bridge which were intended to save the Government money on other services in the long term, but had the effect of absorbing much of the available capital spending at present.
Mr Stewart said: "I think he was surprised about some of the practical difficulties we had in balancing the budget because of the gearing of spending and the pay and price controls. The comments may register in terms of the years to come."
They also pressed hard the case for the Lochs Community School to win funding under the Scottish Office Challenge Fund for non-transport projects. This was believed to amount to about £18 million which was a relatively small sum but the Lochs School was thought to be one of the few educational projects put in for it and it was pointed out to the minister the benefits in terms of school rationalisation and facilities which would follow from the school being built.
It was thought that no decision would be made until late March but the delegation pressed the minister for a quick decision which could be announced when he and Secretary of State Michael Forsyth visit Stornoway in a fortnight for a meeting of the new Convention of the Highlands and Islands.
Original article Stornoway Gazette Feb 26 1997.
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