The energetic community consultation day held at the Rothesay Pavilion by the Bute Community Land Company and the successful Bute 2020 event hosted at Mount Stuart, both testified to the presence of driving enterprise on this lovely island.
Now the spirit sinks at the content of The Buteman online’s leading piece.
Entitled ‘Doubts raised over details of Forest Buy Out’, it arises from reactions following households on the island getting voting papers for a community ballot on the initiative.
Here, whimpering away, was the lack of guts that keeps Scotland a dependent culture.: Try this:
- How do we know it’ll be viable?
- Where’s the money going to come from?
- Does the land need to be purchased at all? Sure we can go there when we like anyway?
- They didnae talk tae me.
- It’ll be hard work.
- It could be flattened one night by a big gale and who’d tidy it up then? (And who would pick all those little piggies out of the branches of the fallen trees?)
- You can buy good quality wood pulp from Sweden and Russia for less than we can produce it. (And whose fault’s that?)
It’s hard to imagine a more depressing insight into a culture than this collection of frightened mother-suckers.
In Bute Community Land Company you have people driving an initiative designed to create not only a developed community amenity but a sustainable business to contribute to the ability of this island to support a working community owning a key resource of its own.
These people are working voluntarily for the good of Bute. They’re putting imagination, drive, time, effort, expertise and ability into it – for the common good.
Is this really all the rest of Bute can do in response?
Of course the team behind the project do not know everything – yet – but they’ll find out. Who does know it all at the start of any enterprise? That’s what enterprise is about. Going for it. Committing.
The difference between the team driving the purchase of the Rhubodach Forest and the let’s-do-nothings quoted above is that the latter think they know everything. What have they done with their knowledge? Buried it, like the talents, in the ground? What have they grown?
Maintenance, however good, is never enough. If a species, a community or a culture does not grow and change, it withers.
The engine of the Bute Commuity Land Company and Bute 2020 initiatives is to see Bute adapt, innovate and thrive.
The frightened ones have skills, experience and abilities to bring to a communal effort. But where’s the drive to help? It;s always easier to suck your teeth, whinge and sulk.
Get your shoulders to the wheel. Make it work instead of sitting back, willing it to fail, saying ‘I told you so’ – as if the failure was nothing to do with you – and feel justified. Then watch your island die. Does that give you a warm glow?
Shout at us if you like (that’s easy) for being frank about your spiritless negativity – but prove us wrong. We’ll be the first to celebrate you.
I was appalled by the Buteman’s article. Not only did the piece lack anything more than cursory research – where are the present councillors, where are the forestry experts employed in the industry now, the academics, the ordinary residents – but it also read as if someone on the newspaper or closely allied to it has a very large axe to grind.
In my view someone’s nose is out of joint because the BCLC jumped in with a Community Right to Buy, which even if it is unsuccessful (and boy isn’t the Buteman trying hard eh? top story in the paper this week), will have delayed the purchase by commercial interest by over 6 months (think of all that loan interest they’re paying — poor corporate loves). The Buteman should show more backbone and journalistic integrity, the flunkies it got to comment should stop being such old whingers and the island should get behind BCLC just to see what comes after a ‘Yes!’ vote, because a purchase is by no mean certain and the case has still to be made to the funders.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The history of landownership in Scotland is a painful one, in fact the term “absentee landowner” is synonymous with Scottish land. Over the years there have been many organisations who have tried to address this issue, from the Chartists of the mid 19th century through Trade Unions, SNP and the Labour Party and the issue is bound to evoke emotions. Since the Land Reform Act of 2003 there have been substantial and interesting changes taking place. Although the vast majority of land remains in the hands of a very small privileged class the phenomenon of Community Buy Outs has galvanised communities throughout Scotland. It’s not just the high profile Island buy outs but old military camps like that in Comrie. Communities now own a redundant nuclear shelter, post war holiday camps, Post Offices, Pubs, farms, wind turbines and yes a forest!
No one should pretend that these organisations offer an alternative to an economic system based on capital and profit. Actually, to succeed they need to be competitive and run along business lines. Where they differ is in their employment practices and the ability to regenerate local communities. If Rhubodach is bought by a faceless, probably London based business, access and employment will be on their terms. But if you BCLC buy it- I know who to come to and can be assured you will listen! This proposed purchase is not simply about Bute, it’s about reclaiming land for the communities of Scotland.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
For Tony Edwards: Well said.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
So, the Rhubodach forest goes on the market and there is the chance for the local community to buy it. That should be nice and easy shouldn’t it? First hurdle – put together a community company to register an interest within 4 weeks of the land going on the market: so that means set up and register with companies house, with a constitution, board members etc. within a fortnight. Next hurdle – demonstrate significant public support of at least 10% of the local electorate; talk to as many local people as possible, prepare a petition and obtain over 1700 signatures. Next hurdle- identify and obtain funding and find suitably qualified people to undertake a feasibility study and business plan; writing briefs, interviewing consultants, completing funding applications, attending events and meetings with planners, forestry experts, economists, government officials and politicians, nationally and locally. Next hurdle- organise a community consultation event, pulling together all the research information and details from successful buy-outs in other areas. Next hurdle – conduct a community ballot, with ballot papers returned from at least 50% of the local electorate, and a majority of 50% of respondants in favour of the buy-out. Next hurdle…..well, if the effort, energy, skill and sheer drive and determination that has already been demonstrated by BCLC gets them as far as winning the backing of a substantial majority of the people of Bute in such a short timescale and under such exacting conditions, then I’m sure finding the money to actually buy the forest should be a doddle for them.
It is of course absolutely right and proper that a local newspaper presents opportunities for the public to have their say on topical issues, and you would expect a balanced view to be presented. However it’s hardly balanced to have a full front page article about a project of major consequence to the island and potentially the largest community ballot in Scotland’s history one week, and then to give the same prominence to the views of 2 (yes, thats 2, not 22 nor 202, just 2) detractors of the scheme, the following week.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
For DCM: Good to see Bute nailing the relative strengths of the positives and the negatives. This makes sense in terms of the visible energies of the place.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The best answer to the ‘nay sayers’ is for BCLC members to carry on, as before, putting in their time and effort to try and achieve something good for the island. Whether this project succeeds or not it shows that there are many people here who have the energy and the interest to change things.
There’s never a shortage of people standing to one side telling others not to bother. What a pity the Buteman gave a couple of them the front page!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
“Who does know it all at the start of any enterprise?”.
“[Where is] the drive to help?”
Two very good questions. Which is precisely why someone should have the testicular fortitude to ask the difficult questions:
* How do we know it’ll be viable?
* Where’s the money going to come from?
* Does the land need to be purchased at all?
Or to raise points like:
* It’ll be hard work.
* It could be flattened one night by a big gale.
* You can buy good quality wood pulp from Sweden and Russia for less than we can produce it.
You can only overcome this through discussion and debate, not diatribe!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Discussion and debate are good, but only if it’s balanced.
Imagine if me and my mate had real concerns about the Pavilion project in Rothesay – where is the money coming from?; how will wages be paid?; how will a grade A listed building be maintained?; – would we get the front page of the Buteman to air our concerns in public?
I don’t think so.
Public debate is good and valid questions need to be answered but remember that over 350 people attended the consultation day and the vast majority were in favour of the buy out.
Diatribe is an interesting word – last weeks front page looked a bit like diatribe to me!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
There are 25 families who have owned more than 50% of the land in Scotland for over 400 years. Most of those have turned part of their land ownership into Trust. Which just means keeping hold of the land but developing a unique and beneficial relationship with the public purse?
This helps to ensure that buildings and land remain open and accessible to the people of Scotland, whilst also providing jobs and stimulating local economies, but on their own they are not financially viable companies. In fact this is the way of the UK economy, faming is also total dependant on government subsidies, as is Cal Mac, the Bus and Rail companies and lets not forget the Banks on which our entire system is based.
Forest subsidies in Sweden are based on Regional considerations; in some areas the forest companies receive regional and national handouts.
I am not a member of the Bute Community Land Company, I do not have the time or energy that these committed people have. I would urge them not to be afraid or ashamed of gaining government grants. No private foresting company will buy this land without government incentives. Far better that those benefits remain local.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Go for it, Bute!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0