Argyll’s Eilean Eisdeal, one of two Scottish winners of the Scottish Gas Green Streets energy saving competition, conducted the first of its community consultations on how to save energy on Easdale island.
The Green Streets Award has given the community £130,000 to develop a range of energy saving strategies for the spectrum of very different properties on the island. There is an added incentive to do especially well because, in a year’s time, out of the 14 UK-wide winners, the one initial winner judged to have made the most progress in energy efficiency in its community will be awarded another £100,000.
Kevin Roxburgh, Director of Scottish Gas and Jack Welsh, the Project Manager were present at the session on Friday 15th January and set the scene for what lies ahead for Easdale.
The entire community is in the frame on this. Scottish Gas have initiated this competition to encourage communities to rise to the challenge of the Scottish Government’s energy saving target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 42% by 2020.
Waseem Hussain, from Argyle Architecture Ltd, outlined the challenge faced by Easdale.
The island has many older cottages built over two hundred years ago and these create special challenges in terms of energy efficiency. They won’t have damp proof courses. They won’t have cavity walls. They will have small windows which limit solar gain.
The Island’s three main public buildings, the Community Museum, the Hall, and the Ferry Shed, also have energy needs to be assessed. These problems are compounded by the Island’s status as a conservation area.
Jim Mather, Argyll’s MSP, facilitated a brain-storming session, recorded and given shape using the mind mapping technique Mr Mather favours. This successfully stimulated the audience, harvesting many ideas to improve the consultation process; to broaden community engagement to help householders with their individual heating and insulation needs; and to improve the public buildings.
This meeting was chaired by Keren Cafferty. It represented the first stage in the process of engaging the island community in this innovative and ground-breaking project.
The event was judged to have been very successful also as an act of community cohesion with this small community demonstrating how powerfully it can come together to act in the common good.
Well done Easdale Island! They do seem to be very good at winning lots of funding.
I’d be interested to know which “mind mapping technique Mr Mather favours”.
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If Easdale island is really looking to save energy – perhaps they should look at a fixed link to replace the heavily subsidised ferry?
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What a fantastic opportunity for this community! Well done to Easdale Island.
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Happy to oblige
The software used by Jim Mather is Mind Genius – Mind Map
You can get a 30 day free use version of the software, which is Mind Genius Version 3 – Business Edition, from the Mind Genius Web site http://www.mindgenius.com )
A fixed link survey has already been done but as with many small islands it is the “island” that is the attraction for the inhabitants
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” it is the “island” that is the attraction for the inhabitants”
That I understand but it is their lifestyle choice not mine – I have little choice when it comes to paying my council tax which funds the ferry service – a fixed link offers a long term cost effective solution.
Not happy with a fixed link – then why doesn’t Easdale Island apply for yet another grant to subsidies their own private ferry.
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The island is not just the attraction to the isanders but to the many who use the ferry -and offset the subsidy – by visiting the island. Try it sometime! It is a much more rewarding experience than mumping at home thinking of how your Council Tax is being used. Some of our life experiences have a far greater value than their cost.
I would be interested to know how many years ferry subsidy would be required to build a fixed link and all you would then have done is destroyed another unique and individual facet of Scotland’s west coast; and you would still have to pay for its upkeep.
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“Some of our life experiences have a far greater value than their cost” – Aye, especially if someone else is finding them.
As for the island I have been there once or twice, and used the ferry – but then again I could still visit the island if there was a fixed link.
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Well done Easdale, this is a great story.
I am a frequent visitor to Easdale Island and one of its many qualities is that there are no cars or quad bikes. Children play freely there without the worry of speeding traffic. If a fixed link was built costing hundreds of thousands of tax payers money the walk from Seil Island to Easdale would force some islanders to aquire vehicles thus destroying a unique way of traditional Scottish life.
Tourism would suffer immensely also. Visitors enjoy the ferry crossing and may not wish to visit a place that used to be an island that now has a fixed link.
The ferry is staffed by professionals all year round, who make an informed choice as to when the crossing is safe or not especially during the stormy winter months. There would be a serious risk to life without such a person on duty to protect the public.
The issue of a causeway was raised relatively recently and the community majority strongly voted NO!
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Rubbish – How would a fixed link force islanders to aquire vehicles?
“Tourist enjoy a ferry crossing” – great – theres an opening for a privately funded business – however, I don’t see why myself and the rest of Argyll should be be paying a subsidy out of OUR council tax to finance tourist jollies!!!
“There would be a serious risk to life without such a person on duty to protect the public”
Complete pants! – Tell me – can you cross a busy road without the aid of an informed professional?
“The community voted no”- not exactly a surprise – but it is not the very, very few island residents and absentees that fund this service it is the rest of Argyll and Bute taxpayers.
Ask the rest of Argyll (the people who pay for this service) if they want to continue to throw money away on a heavily subsidised service or get value for money long term with a fixed link and I suspect you may get a different answer.
You want an island idyll – that’s your choice t only that we p You want a ferry fair enough – finance it yourselfs
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So, Andy McArthur, where do you live and what hidden subsidies do you benefit from? And why do you have such a negative attitude to Easdale Island?
Argyll & Bute undertook an extensive investigation into whether or not to build a fixed link, including a public consultation and health and safety considerations. The decision was for the island to remain an island. It’s time to move on…
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As one of the sixty plus homeowners on Easdale, I pay exactly the same level of council tax as your correspondents for which I receive two public services. One black bag of household refuse is removed weekly and the ferry carries me across to Seil Island and back.There are no roads,no made up footpaths, no public toilets, no public library, no street lighting and if a policeman ever visits the island it is a matter of considerable interest to the inhabitants!This last of course is one good reason for living here. We are still able to leave windows open and doors unlocked; something which would undoubtedly change if there was a fixed link. Scotland’s economy depends upon tourism. Remove the added excitement of a cheap boat-ride to an Island and you remove the incentive to come and see what we have to offer by way of peace and tranquility, beautiful views and a sense of adventure.
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I have no axe to grind towards Easdale Island, it’s inhabitants or ferrymen – I simply want best value money for my money and that’s what a fixed link would bring.
As for your ‘extensive investigation’ – it seem’s that the Luing fixed link option is back in the news within the last 24 hours – Wasn’t that investigated extensively too?
“time to move on” – no – time to move with the times
As for my hidden subsidies I’m a resident in a rural area of Argyll – so you tell me – I’d love to know if I’m also a tail wagging the dog!
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I`m sick of the comments about tourism and any proper development that may effect the industry.Tourism is not a panacea it is used as an excuse for poor wages and reduces the chance of young people renting or buying property and coupled with no real jobs they leave never to return.Were left with an ageing population who have `fled` to the west and want to save the planet but not pay for it,its the poor stupid yokel who fishes or has to work with their hands who`ll suffer perhaps the yd be happier too with a fleet of high powered ribs exploring every quiet corner and completely ignoring the local culture,all in the name of ecotourism.And while were at it lets sell all coastal parts of Argyll to RSPB so they can save the birds that are so scarce,you know like the geese and the raptors and skuas and spend money trying to bring back corncrakes because they’ve been so successful elsewhere.And while were at it the rarest bird of all you know the local bird,the one that does all the living and dying in this shire,and pays all the taxes and tried to pay or make a decent wage out of the sea,lets get rid of him because he is a criminal and destroying this playground of ours. Lets welcome the new clearances.
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In response to Caroline Parry:
On the island there are quad bikes and heavy construction vehicles that are regularly seen being driven along the footpaths. A car was also delivered onto the island last year and driven around. Yes, I believe this threatens the safety of islanders and visitors, especially the children.
When the ferrymen decide the weather is too bad to run the ferry some residents provide a serivce without life jackets and most likely without insurance. Some people will always take risks – ferry or no ferry.
Unfortunately plans for development, which appear mainly to benefit the pub, could also lead to loss of security, peace and tranqulilty for the residents. Doors will need to be locked and windows shut.
The full time resident population has reduced significantly over the past 5 years – from around 56 adults to 41.
The clearance appears to be happening.
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For Lowry:
When the Isle of Berneray, off the north coast of North Uist, got a causeway in place of a ferry link, it suffered its first ever robbery when two men on a motor bike robbed the little Post Office.
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Many thanks for this comment, newsroom. Did you know that Easdale Island already has experience of theft and vandalism on the island? In particular the ferry takings were stolen at the time of a stone skimming event not long ago. More recently serious damage to property is being investigated by the police.
It’s interesting that you have not mentioned the positive information included in the Scalpay/Berneray fixed-link report:
Conclusions:
Social
The fixed links have significantly enhanced contact between the small
islands and the mainland – it is estimated that the number of journeys has
increased from 1,188 to 2,108 by Scalpay residents and from 436 to 626
among Berneray residents
A significant range of social benefits has been identified by both
communities – Almost all those on Scalpay reported the bridge as having
a very positive impact on access to friends and family, better access to
shopping and to services. On Berneray, shopping, services and access
to culture and leisure were the major social benefits
Respondents feel that the links have contributed to an improved quality of
life – 97% in Scalpay and 90% on Berneray
The financial benefits accruing to the island communities as a result of the
fixed links is significant – amounting to £115k per annum on Scalpay and
£27k per annum on Berneray. This is equivalent to £828 per household
on Scalpay and £408 on Berneray
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