(Updated 02.20) Weather. Roads.  Ferries. Information sources.

WEATHER

Overnight: Cloudy and misty. Rain – heavier over the Isles and Kintyre. Extensive fog over high ground. Min temp night: 1 C.

Day:  Cloudy. with occasional light rain. Light winds. Max temp day: 7 C.

ROADS

Deer Warning: A83 between Dundaramh and Strone Point – deer have being seen on this section of road, in numbers, nightly, for the past fortnight.

A85 30th January – 10th February 2012: Transport Scotland are notifying roadworks for the A85 between Taynuilt and Connel. This is a carriageway resurfacing job with temporary traffic signals and single lane traffic convoyed through in each direction.

• A83 at Rest and Be Thankful: Open.  Latest information on A83 from Transport Scotland here. Warnings of increased risk of landslide remain in force.

Transport Scotland  – on 11th January 2012 –   opened this webpage specifically for the A83 at Rest and Be Thankful. It is reviewed weekly and will be updated in the event of any new landslip.

FERRIES

Caledonian MacBrayne are warning the users of all ferries out of Oban to allow for increased journey times to Oban from 30th January to 10th February inclusive. This is due to carriageway resurfacing roadworks on the A85 between Taynuilt and Connel.

• Western Ferries, Hunter’s Quay (Dunoon)-McInroy’s Point (Gourock): Sailing as schedule.
• Argyll Ferries, Dunoon-Gourock (passenger only): Sailing as schedule.
• Seabus, Helensburgh-Kilcreggan-Gourock (passenger only): Sailing as schedule.
• CalMac, (West coast ferry operator): Sailing as schedule, except for notifications below.

CalMac service notifications for 10th February

• Colintraive-Rhubodach: a With smaller vessel on this route for the moment delays may be possible. Extra sailings will be carried out when required.

CalMac has issued advance warning of service changes for the Islay service from 12th-15th February inclusive. In order to complete the company’s overhaul programme in time for the summer season, it has been necessary to deploy one of the vessels from the Islay service to another route. An amended timetable for these four days will be operating as below on the Islay Service. Normal service is hoped to resume on 16th February.

• Sunday 12th February:  Depart Kennacraig 13:00 & 18:00. Depart Port Askaig 09:45, 15:30 & 20:15.
• 13th, 14th and 15th February: Depart Kennacraig 07:00, 13:00 & 18:00. Depart Port Askaig 09:45, 15:30 & 20:15.

CalMac has issued advance warning of timetable changes for the Tayinloan-Gigha route – for a prolonged period, 6th February to 29th March inclusive – except for 14th, 15th and 16th March,  applying during slipway works at Tayinloan. The timetable for this period will  be as follows:

ALL Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays

• Depart Tayinloan – 08.00; 09.00; 10.00; 11.00; 12.00; 16.35; 17.35.
• Depart Gigha – 07.35; 08.30; 09.30; 10.30; 11.30hrs; 15.30; 17.05.

Tuesday and Sunday(s) normal scheduled timetable service will be operating.

TRAVEL INFORMATION SOURCES

Online Information

• BBC Travel News (best up to date)
• Traffic Scotland – Current incidents  (not reliably up to date)
• Argyll Ferries – Service status
• CalMac Ferries – Service Status
• Western Ferries (note on service status at foot of home page)
• West Coast Motors – Service Updates
• Scottish Citylink Coaches
• ScotRail
• Glasgow Airport – Flight Information

Phone information only

• Hebridean Air Services: 0845 805 7465 (Flights between Oban and Tiree, Coll and Colonsay)
• Seabus: (Helensburgh-Kilcreggan-Gourock passenger ferry) 01475 721281 (Clyde Marine)
• Isle of Kerrera-Gallanach ferry: 01631 563665
• Isle of Easdale-Ellenabeich ferry: 01852 300559 (ferry shed) or 01631 562125 (Argyll and Bute Council)
• Isle of Lismore-Port Appin ferry: (passenger ferry) 01631 562125 (Argyll and Bute Council)
• Isle of Luing (Cuan)-Seil ferry: 01631 569160 or 01631 562125 (Argyll and Bute Council)
• Port Askaig (Islay)-Feolin (Jura) ferry: 01496 840681 (ASP Ship Management)
• Corran Ferry: (Ardgour and the Ardnamurchan Peninsula) 01855 841243 (Highland Council)

It took a considerable time for the fire to be brought under control and Glensanda does not have normal road access. The fire was understood to have been caused by sparks from a welding operation on a conveyor belt, which set alight and burned out the accommodation block at the stern of the ship.

Eight days later, the ship was moved out to an anchorage south of the Lynn of Lorn (pictured there below, with the fire damage to the accommodation block visible). The Svitzer Marine tugs, Musselwick and Anglegarth did much of the work of the move, with the Coastguard tug, Anglian Sovereign and the tug Keverne in attendance.

The concern was that, with low tides at the time, the weakened hull might settle at the bottom of the berth, buckle and fill – which, with the ship part loaded when the fire started, would have put the quarry out of action for a long time.

On 20th July 2010 she left the Oban anchorage, towed by the tug Boulder, with the tug Keverne providing steering assistance. We tracked her  passage north of the Orkneys, to avoid any difficulties in the Pentland Firth, arriving at Ijmuiden on 28th July.

She was not an easy visitor at Ijmuiden but was eventually relieved of her cargo of stone over a three day operation. She also had a basic cleaning and repair job done there, to get her into a state where tenders could be invited for her transfer and permanent repair at an appropriate shipyard.

When this was completed, the tug BB Troll left Aberdeen on 2nd December 2010 to go to Ijmuiden to take Yeoman Bontrup on tow to the Remontowa yard in Gdansk in Poland.

Now, over a year later, in February 2012, just for completeness in the narrative of her progress, Yeoman Bontrup has now reappeared on AIS in Gdansk, apparently afloat (at a plausible location. This is new AIS information, I think, from either Wednesday 8th February or the morning of Thursday 9th February.]

Fairly-recent photos showed her with the superstructure steelwork fully assembled and painted, and (most recently) with the propeller re-installed and with scaffolding up around the funnel.  I have no idea what the state of progress is on replacing the cargo-handling gear (conveyors etc).

Appearance on AIS does suggest that Remontowa are succeeding in getting to the end of the job: some at least of the electronic equipment is there and working and there are power supplies (even if shore-supplied) and shipboard distribution.  Good.

Hugh McFarlane

Jamie McGrigor, Highlands & Islands Conservative MSP and the Scottish Conservative Environment Spokesman, held a Member’s Debate in the Scottish Parliament yesterday evening (8th February) on plans to designate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) in the Western Isles.

A number of his constituents from the Western Isles travelled down to Holyrood to watch the debate and in the afternoon they unveiled a protest banner (above) outside the Parliament.

In the debate Jamie McGrigor highlighted the widespread concerns of his constituents about the proposed designations and their possible impact on fishing and other economic development. He also is spoke out about the way Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has handled the consultation process.

Ahead of the debate itself, Jamie McGrigor said: ‘The plans to yet again turn these fishing grounds into a conservation area have raised a lot of concern among the local community and I felt that it was only right that this serious issue be debated in Parliament.

‘There is virtually unanimous opposition to the Western Isles Council’s proposals and it is vital that they listen to the views of local people. They have so far been excluded from having a proper say and when these changes could have a drastic impact on their lives this is simply not acceptable.

‘These proposals will cost the area hundreds of thousands of pounds and could cripple the local economy. Our fishermen need all the help they can get in these tough economic times but instead these plans would be a kick in the teeth.

‘While it is extremely important that the rich variety of wildlife we have in Scotland is maintained, we must not rush into any decisions.
“There has been a total lack of evidence that fishing activity has had any negative effect in the area and I hope the SNP listen to the concerns of local fishermen raised in this debate and see that this proposal cannot go ahead.;

The motion for the debate

Motion S4M-01532: Jamie McGrigor, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 07/12/2011
Designation of Special Areas of Conservation.

That the Parliament notes with alarm concerns expressed by local communities in the Western Isles regarding procedures and scientific data used by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) for designating special areas of conservation (SAC) in East Mingulay and the Sound of Barra; notes that the concerns were assessed by SNH, which, in the case of the East Mingulay consultation process, deemed them to be unfounded, and notes that the designation process is continuing for both sites, despite continuing local concerns and what it understands to be government-sponsored evidence of substantial economic damage and little quantifiable benefit as a result of SAC status.
Supported by: Liz Smith, Nanette Milne, Murdo Fraser, Mary Scanlon, Margaret Mitchell, Margo MacDonald, Annabel Goldie, Willie Rennie

The evidence of ‘An Island Parish’

Before reading Jamie McGrigor;s speech at the debate yesterday evening, the many who have been watching the hit series ‘An Island Parish, featuring Barra, will have seen for themselves how accurate is the case the fishermen of Barra – and Jamie McGrigor speaking for them here – put forward for the impact on the questionable sustainability of island life in the face of these Marine SAC proposals.

In the last seen episode, there was a powerfully telling scene where some besuited boys from Edinburgh – with no life behind then beyond study and politics – appeared on Barra to lead a ‘consultation’ meeting on these very proposals.

No sane adult could even have looked at the picture of the hall – full to the rafters with sound, experienced, intelligent, communal  and physically  hard working human beings – living on the edge, faced with well meaning but empty policy wonks from the city – and not known with certainty where the right of the matter lay.

Things read very differently confined within the neat boundaries of A4 paper from the way they feel wresting survival from The Minch.

Jamie McGrigor’s speech at the debate

(Wednesday 8 February 2012. 5pm.)

‘Presiding Officer,

‘I want to begin by thanking those MSPs who signed my motion and particularly Margo MacDonald and Willie Rennie whose cross party support has enabled today’s debate to take place. I do not understand why Labour’s Rhoda Grant would not support the motion and I notice that no government troops have added their signatures on this occasion. I extend a warm welcome to the Parliament to those constituents who are in the public gallery to hear today’s debate.

‘I also thank those organisations and individuals who have provided information or briefings in advance of today, including Andrew Thin, the chairman of SNH, who has offered to brief individual MSPs.

‘My purpose today is to highlight the strongly felt concerns of many constituents – and the virtually unanimous opposition of Western Isles Council to the Barra proposal- and, I hope, to increase understanding on both sides of this debate. The focus of my remarks today will primarily be on the Sound of Barra proposal.

‘This debate mirrors closely a previous Member’s debate I held in Parliament in April 2002 about an earlier attempt to introduce a special area of conservation in the same area which did not go ahead because it was shown that SNH’s evidence was simply wrong as the number of common- or harbour- seals was less than the 1% of the national seal population then required to justify such a designation within the proposed area.

‘But, without any apparent explanation or justification, the proposed designation of Barra was never taken off the table- why was this the case? And it has now been resurrected, with extended boundaries, and with different and additional goalposts this time, namely the sandbanks containing maerl beds and the reefs which were not previously deemed important enough to merit protection.

‘In SNH’s own consultation document it states that the proposed Sound of Barra designation would represent 0.1-0.4% of the overall UK total sandbank, 0.7% of the overall total UK common seal population and a mere 0.07% of the overall UK total reef resource. By any standards these are very low percentages. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) in 2007 assessed the Minches & West Scotland regional sea as not requiring “any additional areas for sandbanks/reefs for possible inclusion” in SACs.

‘In terms of seals, SNH itself states that “harbour seals are widespread in the outer Hebrides” and yet the seal population in the Sound of Barra is low, unstable and not fully understood. In terms of reefs, the JNCC also said in 2009 that the Sound of Barra “contains similar reef types to other sites in this regional sea.”

‘And in terms of the sandbanks SNH fails to give any supporting data for their assertion that they are “in good condition”, fails to acknowledge that they are continually in motion- as local fishermen know- and concedes even that what little maerl that remains alive “is often sparsely distributed”, not the case everywhere in Scotland.

‘All of this- and the lack of robust scientific supporting data- feeds into local concerns that the Sound of Barra proposal is being singled out for proposed SAC status and that SNH is determined to press ahead with this designation to avoid losing face. It is telling that the consultation response of the widely respected and independent Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) twice refers to the Sound of Barra data presented by SNH as “limited and the references sparse.” Detailed concerns about the scientific basis for the proposal have been identified in in Ian Mitchell’s comprehensive paper commissioned jointly by Western Isles Council and the Mallaig & North West Fishermen’s Association.

‘Surely, if we agree that decisions should be evidence based then SNH should have made an appropriate and thorough assessment of all other marine sites to ensure that the Sound of Barra genuinely is such an important location and the best area for SAC status? This simply hasn’t taken place and this is what concerns so many of my constituents.

‘SAMS has stated for example “This is not the only area of maerl worthy of consideration: the Sound of Harris is another excellent site and no doubt local people would wish to see a comparative study of the pros and contras of the two sites.”

‘Does the Minister agree with me that Ian Mitchell’s report appears to reveal collusion between Marine Scotland and SNH over reclassifying the designation so that the Barra sandbanks were made to fit the criteria? And if so, does he agree that is unethical at the very least as SNH are meant to be an independent advisory body to government and Marine Scotland is a tool of the government?
I want to touch on the economic impact of a SAC on the local economy.

‘The Scottish Government-commissioned Halcrow report in 2010 suggested the closure of the proposed SAC to mobile gear operators would result in a loss of landings worth £121,000.00 per annum. But industry feedback is that this is a gross underestimation of the value of the shellfish trawling and scallop dredging fish sectors which support a significant number of jobs both at sea and in onshore processing and are a crucial part of the fragile economy of Uist & Harris. And what angers local fishermen is the total lack of evidence that existing fishing activity has contributed to a deterioration in any of the marine features which SNH of course says are already in a good condition. Scallop fishermen know better than to draw their gear over rocks and risk losing it and, at the very least, information from existing scallop vessels should be incorporated into the designation assessment in order to retain existing scallop activity.

‘And despite assurances that have been given about fishing interests, the Minister should be aware of the impact such a designation is having on creel fishermen in Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland as reported in last week’s Fishing News- despite assurances given beforehand the EU is demanding ever more restrictions. There are also concerns about the impact designations might have on possible future renewables developments pertaining to the island of Barra.

‘Constituents have also asked me to raise their concerns at how SNH has gone about consulting the local community and local interests. One constituent emailed me this week to implore me to emphasise today “how bitter and disenfranchised we feel in regards to the whole so-called ‘consultation process.” He went on to criticise “the so-called experts from SNH who come to Barra and in public meetings cannot give answers on the very subject they are supposedly expert in.”

‘SAMS has expressed concern at the approach taken and the SNH consultation document that “pays little regard to future management strategies and stakeholder interests”, regretting the “polarisation” that has occurred and noting that “suspicion and distrust is exacerbated by the lack of transparency.” These are quotes; this must be a concern to all of us and lessons must be learned.

‘The same things were said in the 2002 debate, for example Fiona McLeod of the SNP said “SNH is not alone in being a public body that is not good at consultation with the public.” She went on to say they are “examples of public bodies that think going to the public and telling them what they are doing counts as a consultation.” But it is no good simply blaming SNH-it is the Scottish Government which makes the decisions.

‘I want to end by repeating some comments I made in my debate in 2002 and which are just as valid today: “ It is extremely important that the rich tapestry of fauna, flora and wildlife, which we are lucky to have in Scotland and which is the envy of Europe, is enjoyed by future generations. The right type of conservation is necessary. It is also vital that the needs and concerns of local people in areas of proposed designations are taken into consideration. The people who live and work the land and get their feet muddy are the people who know the environment best. In many cases, they are the reason that the species are there. They are the people who have been protecting the land and the wildlife for centuries, and who will make or break the protection.”

‘In his letter to me the chairman of SNH Andrew Thin says an “erroneous impression has been promulagated locally to the effect that designation will prevent local fishermen and others from continuing with activities that currently take place within the designated area.”

‘Local people in Bara and the Western Isles are still worried and feel their views and concerns are simply being ignored by the Scottish Government. I hope that the Government and the Minister will remedy this and as the government Minister did in 2002 look again at all the evidence before submitting the area for designation.

‘And finally I call on the Minister also to assure me that he will give notice to the people of Barra before he makes any decision so that they can begin to make plans about their future livelihoods and income streams should these be strangled by this designation.’

It is to take place in the Seafield Hotel, Kilkerran Road in Campbeltown at 5.30pm on Monday 20th of February.

Mr Semple is asking for a good turnout from Kintyre businesses as a powerful demonstration of support that would help to state the case.

Argyll-based Highlands and Islands MSP, Mike MacKenzie, has agreed to meet and discuss with those present the issues and opportunities a Campbeltown to Ayrshire ferry service would create – as proposed in the Scottish Governments Ferries Review. (Draft-ferries-plan-for-consultation)

Such a discussion would thoroughly brief him to report back to the Minister for Transport, Keith Brown.

Councillor Semple notes with pleasure the submission to the consultation on the proposal already made  made by Wind Towers Ltd.

They have let  Me Semple know the following: ‘… we have taken part in the survey and added the following comments:

‘Any ferry service between Campbeltown and Troon would be most welcome. However, Wind Towers Limited believe that a town of the size and importance of Campbeltown and the outlying communities deserve a 5-7 day service at least. Any vessel should be capable of taking some of the commercial traffic off the A83. If such a services were available the economic benefits for the areas would be significant and business and job opportunities in the area would be improved greatly.’

BBC Radio Scotland has also taken up the issue and is to transmit an interview by Euan MacIlwrath with John Semple on its ‘Out of Doors’ programme on Saturday 11th February.

Details of the consultation regarding this proposal can be found here on the Scottish Government website  – look at  sections 135 – 140.

The specific proposal is for:

• a service operating between Kintyre, via Arran to Ardrossan (or Troon)
• operating one or two days per week
• scheduled to allow for a meaningful day return trip to the Scottish mainland (what about a meaningful visit to the Kintyre peninsula?)

The consultation asks for community views on the following proposals:

• To retain the Kintyre to Portavadie service as is;
• Whether a vehicle service as described between Campbeltown and the Scottish mainland (for example Troon) would be well used.

Councillor Semple’s view is that a 2-days-a-week will not be sufficient to maximise the potential commercial benefit – but that this would at least be a starting point, It would then be up to the community to demonstrate serious use of the service to support any argument for its extension.

The proposal for the passage to go via Arran seems unnecessary since Arran already has a multiple daily service between Brodick and Ardrossan in Ayrshire.

This may be no more than a sop to the proposal to remove the Lochranza to Claonaig vehicle and passenger ferry – which, as we have said in our review of the Draft Ferries Review,  we feel – and we hope have shown there, is poorly thought out.

Making a triangular service as proposed, frm Campbeltown to Bropdick to Ardrossan – would be neither a viable commercial service nor a satisfactory replacement for the secondary service from Lochranza to Claonaig. This currently offers Arran residents a swift route north to Oban, Fort William and Inverness.

Commercial interests may also not be convinced by the slow route via Arran – and a key issue is clearly whether and why Ardrossan or Troon wold be  the most productive Ayrshire destination. This is a matter of exploring the relative impacts on tourism and on Kintyre businesses.

Such a service must be conceived of and marketed well as a two-way benefit. It’s much more about bringing visitors and business initiatives into Kintyre than in letting Campbeltown folk go for a day’s shopping in one of the Ayrshire towns.

Good connections between the two places will let visitors to either take a trip to the other – and of course, as Kintyre Express already knows and serves, the market for access to the word class golf courses at Troon and Cambeltown/Machrihanish is there to be developed.

We do not see a larger ferry as interfering with the Kintyre Express business in this field – as the 12 seater fast passenger RIB service they provide can be target marketed on golfers and is very much a glorious experience of its own.

Councillor Semple says: ‘From previous campaigns with the Dalriada Business Action Group,  I know that getting a good response from commercial interests is essential to persuading government to take notice. You can help by filling in the short survey, It will only take 5 minutes. The closing date is the 30th March.’

The council has been open about the £4.454 surplus but has been very quiet indeed about the full extent of a top up they have received.

Councillor James Robb, an experienced accounts analyst, is already asking why, in the light of this situation, the council persists in claiming that there will be no money for a new leisure centre for Helensburgh for a decade?

Where did this additional revenue come from?

It has been given by the Scottish Government in response to a combination of a sharp move by COSLA to settle some internal scores – compounded by the incompetence of Council Leader Dick Walsh in the Autumn of 2010 in the negotiations over Argyll and Bute’s annual revenue grant for 2011-12.

What happened was a blend of score settling (because Argyll and Bute’s Council Leader had got across some council leaders closer to the heart of COSLA) and Councillor Walsh being complacently asleep at the wheel over the months of these negotiations.

Earlier, Argyll and Bute had successfully played the system and got more from the annual revenue funding formula than it was entitled to have. When grants called ‘Supporting People’ were introduced to the formula, with ring-fencing, it was obvious that these would redress the inflated allocations to Argyll and Bute – and some other councils in the same position, if to a lesser degree.

The problem then was that these councils would have faced a sudden sharp drop in their annual revenue budgets.

It was agreed at COSLA that these councils should not lose out immediately but be managed back down to their proper formula allocations over time  – at 6% of total per year. Other Councils took a small reduction in their own Supporting People share to allow this smoothing to happen.

In the revenue budget negotiation for the 2011-12 budgets, COSLA askd the Scottish Government to remove this smoothing or ‘top up’ system. This change and the draft local authorities budgets were put to the Leaders of all 32 Scottish local authorities in two successive meetings over a period of months.

Argyll and Bute’s leader agreed both to the changes requested by COSLA (on 25th September 2010) and to the revenue budget for Argyll and Bute these changes produced (on 19th November 2010).

He had two chances to spot the hit and took neither. In each case, the leadership gave approval on trust, without either being given or independently calculating the financial impact. This was a clear dereliction of duty.

The result was a disaster.

Realisation came the hard way when the revenue grant figures for each of the 32 local authorities were published. Argyll and Bute first got the highest budget cut in Scotland.

This was then virtually doubled  (to an immediate funding deficit of around £11 million) – due to the changes COSLA had requested and the Council Leader had blindly agreed, which had removed the ‘top up’.

A few other councils were also affected – but none as catastrophically as Argyll and Bute. Some councils  – notably connected to senior COSLA officials – were substantial beneficiaries from the COSLA manoeuvre, at the expense of some weaker councils and, big time, at the expense of the dozy Argyll and Bute.

But it was all too extreme. Argyll and Bute would have been left on its uppers – and the people, who were not responsible for any of it, would have suffered.

In an immediate bail-out the Scottish Government found extra funding to help the hapless Councils affected and Argyll and Bute got an additional £2.455m in 2010-11 and £1.308m in 2011-12. This has to be set against the additional £5.6 million cut it suffered because of COSLA’s mischief and the Council Leader’s incompetence.

Councillor Walsh was not, of course, alone in these negotiations and agreements. It has to be asked what on earth the responsible Council Officers  – the CEO and the Head of Strategic Finance – were doing? Was it not their job to do the sums and to brief the Council Leader?

Now the very SNP Scottish Government about which Councillor Walsh has just railed wildly in an odd press release issued through his ‘political’ group, the Alliance of Independent Councillors, has agreed that COSLA can unwind this mess of its own making.

Basically, the Scottish Government has reinstated the ‘top up’, allowing Argyll and Bute and the other affected councils to drop gradually to their due annual revenue grant, mitigating the immediate fall Councillor Walsh had agreed, without the inconvenience of checking the figures.

It could be said that the Scottish Government disallowed the Council Leader’s own goal against Argyll and Bute and gave him our money back.

The government initiative, through the new Financial Settlement, supports a return to the ‘Supporting People’ funding arrangements. agreed in the 2007 Financial Settlement.

The Table on p271, para 2.10, of the draft budget shows that, although there are errors in the papers, the position is of the order below. (Note: AEF is Aggregate External Finance and SP is the ‘Supporting People’ top up as before the COSLA intervention.)
                      2011-12             2012-13          2013-14            2014-15
AEF for Year   £220.284m           £219.286m       £217.825m        £216.647m
SP Top-up     £     1.308m           £    4.888m       £    4.267m        £    3.685m
Available        £221.592m           £224.174m        £222.092m       £220.332m

This adds up to is an additional cumulative £12.832m to Argyll and Bute Council over the three years, 2012-13 to 2014-15, approved by the Scottish Government through ‘Supporting People’ funding.

Without that the cumulative funding surplus on p281, para 2.48, the budget would be showing not a surplus of £4.454m but a funding deficit of £8.378.

The big issue now, with no ring-fencing on the Supporting People funds – is what to do with this money.

This cements the assertion by Argyll and Bute’s MSP, Michael Russell, that there is no need to close schools. The deceived Helensburgh is also  likely to have plenty to say -  and in James Robb they have a councillor who is determined to pursue this matter but weary with the constant struggle to get transparency and honesty from this Administration.

This fall back route would be the back up for traffic  in the event of any further landslips closing this stretch of the A83.

This is a solution that Argyll and Bute’s MSP has been been campaigning for over the last few months.

He says: ‘I am delighted that Alex Neil and John Swinney have  responded so positively to my request, as the constituency MSP,  for funding to allow the haul road to be used as an emergency alternative route for the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful in the event of any future land slips.

‘I am also very pleased that the Forestry Commission has been able to source some additional and immediate money which will mean that the project can be brought forward quickly.

‘I have been working on this with Forestry and other interests  for some time and whilst there is still work to be done on the surveying and detailed examination of the forestry road in Glen Croe, the tremendous support that has come from the Timber Transport Group, Forestry Contractors, the Commission, the local Police, Argyll & Bute Council, Transport Scotland, Scotland Transerv and now the Government has meant that we have  achieved funding and a commitment to go ahead in a very short period of time.

‘This will be a huge boon to all those who have been badly affected by the issue.

‘The £100,000 study announced by Keith Brown (Ed: Transport Minister) two weeks ago will also help take forward the long term, permanent solution to the problems at the Rest but a short term, fall back road for all traffic, in convoy, will save time and money and increase safety if there are any more incidents.’

With forestry haul roads built to take large and heavily loaded vehicles, this is the ideal temporary back up to this section of the A83, capable of carrying all of the traffic that uses this vital arterial road into and out of Argyll.

Responses

From Jamie McGrigor, MSP

Commenting on this announcement, Highlands & Islands Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor, who has consistently lobbied the Scottish Government  on this issue, working closely with South Kintyre Councillor Donald Kelly of Argyll First, says:

‘I am delighted that the Scottish Government has taken up the idea promoted by myself and Donald Kelly to upgrade the forestry track in Glen Croe as an alternative route should the A83 be blocked.

‘It is good to see common sense come into play as the A83 is such an important lifeline to Argyll, especially Campbeltown and Kintyre. This will be money well spent if it can keep open this vital route which has been plagued by so many blockages of late. The economy of Argyll is greatly dependent on the route and I hope that work goes ahead on this upgrading project as soon as possible.’

Councillor Marshall introduces the statement as follows:

‘Dear All

‘Please find attached response from Cllr Dick Walsh, Leader Argyll & Bute Council in relation to a recent press release from SNP Cllr Louise Glen Lee which seeks to blatantly misrepresent the truth in relation to the Administration of the Council’s draft budget proposals.

‘Regards

‘Cllr Bruce Marshall’

Below is the full text of the Council Leader’s statement and below that is coverage of some issues arising from it.

The Council Leader’s statement

‘It is a matter of regret that we read the detail in the latest press production from the Argyll and Bute SNP propaganda machinery with its purpose to blatantly misrepresent the budget position currently in draft form, mislead your readers on what actually took place at the recent Executive meeting, also to mislead the readers of our local press and in so doing to disguise their lack of understanding of the process.

‘Clearly their version of events is simply not the truth.

‘I further regret the constant politicking that our communities are currently experiencing through misleading articles in the press that follow SNP press releases from misinformed novices and their disinterested colleagues that serves only to undermine a lot of good work in challenging times, unfairly attacking hard working officers and members.

‘A reasonable person could conclude that by this type of activity and thinking this is no more than a desperate attempt to use and abuse the press with the intention of securing votes at the next Local Government Elections.

‘For the avoidance of doubt and keeping to the facts it is heartening to read that at least the SNP acknowledge that the budget is currently only in draft form. As a helpful reminder though it is important to point out again that this draft is a base for members to construct their final budget proposals from. No final decisions have been taken and will not be until the Council’s budget meeting proposed for 16th February.

‘With regard to what actually happened at the last Executive meeting we initiated and unanimously agreed a process that has historically been the case now for a number of years and that is to refer simplicitor (sic) all the budget detail to the full Council budget meeting. For the avoidance of any doubt and the records will confirm this no one attending the meeting including the SNP member on the Executive objected to this course of action.

‘As you know we carried out an extensive budget consultation with our communities in an attempt to establish their priorities and the services that were important to them and we will be considering all of the views/responses prior to finalising our proposals.

‘For all elected members we have organised six budget seminars with the purpose of explaining each stage of the service review process as well as the compiling of the draft budget papers and the contents. Through this arrangement all members had an opportunity to clarify, to discuss, debate any issue of concern. Further to this invitations were given to any opposition members who wished to have individual sessions with the Council’s Head of Strategic Finance. It is a matter of regret that none took up the invitation.

‘As a result of the constant attacks on the reputation of the Council interested members of the press and public should actively pursue the attendance records to clarify the SNP vigilance and the importance they attach to budget issues. For example the SNP Group Leader only attended 3 out of six seminars.

‘The SNP Group Leader attempted to raise a local operational issue related to two employees who would have been identified and that was totally inappropriate at this meeting. I further advised that there were processes for this and to raise the matter with appropriate Executive Directors. This advice was accepted without question or any debate. Senior members in the SNP should have known better in particular their Leader. I asked if there were any strategic issues that members wanted to raise and had it confirmed by all that there were none. Again the records will show that this is fact.

‘With regard to the request for a meeting Cllr MacIntyre in his communication requested a meeting within the week. I agreed to meet with the Leaders in Kilmory on Friday 3rd February. Having requested this meeting they declined to attend. I will however be considering another date for this meeting.

‘From reading the various comments from the SNP Group members it is very apparent that they clearly are very selective in the areas that they mislead/misrepresent on and conveniently have ignored the fact that the budget pack is currently only in draft form .
The Administration on the Council has still to present its budget and this will be done on 16th February  and only then should we be judged.

‘As previously mentioned we have gone to considerable lengths to consult with our service users our communities and with with the media as well as putting in place regular and robust arrangements for informing our elected member colleagues and we are planning that our budget proposals like last year will very much recognise the views that have been expressed to us by our communities. Further the draft budget pack has been put together in a very transparent way to assist the reader understand the areas for consideration.

‘As I have stated I very much detest the current behaviour and it is my hope that our local press editors will call a halt to this negative politicking. I am constantly asked the question, how can our communities possibly trust the SNP following the recent experiences in Argyll and Bute of broken and empty promises. They instance the Community of Dunoon and Cowal for example, being let down and treated with contempt over the ferries. What about RET and Bute. What about the new Ferries promised that never appeared and do not feature in the Government’s capital spending programme. The conveniently delayed ferries review full of promises with no indication on how it will all be financed.    Consider their audacity in requesting local Councils to forego local priorities in favour of national ones eg Forth Road Bridge etc .

‘The further and unanswered questions on what have the local SNP members been doing during all this. The answer is as with everything else wrongly criticise and blame everyone else who dares to raise a question or criticise their poor performance.

‘Their lack of action and silence has been noticeable- again the records/facts are available for all who wish to peruse them.

‘I fully recognise that we cannot satisfy all the demands that are placed on us especially at this time of challenge where difficult decisions have to be made and strong Government is required and that with this brings criticisms- all I ask is that the facts are presented to avoid  unfair attacks on hard working officers and members.

‘Some helpful advice on how to spot media hype and propaganda :-

‘It serves our vested interests to believe it, but our vested interest has nothing to do with the truth.

‘ “Bound by political affiliation” – Desperate for power and therefore attempting to rubbish or discredit (our officers) any work no matter how robust and thorough carried out by their opposition – united in desperation.

‘One question being asked currently by concerned individuals. Do you want your Local Government Services to be run from Edinburgh  or the local constituency MSP after May and do you wish to be used as a pawn in the drive for Independence no matter the consequences for us.’

Editor’s Note 1: We believe that the word given in paragraph six above as ‘simplicitor’, is more properly ‘simpliciter’. It is a legal term meaning that an action is done ‘in a direct or summary manner; without condition; summarily’.

Editor’s Note 2: The word ‘disinterested’ in paragraph three above is wrongly used. It means ‘unbiased or having no personal vested interest’. We would intuit that the Council Leader meant ‘uninterested’.

Procedural impropriety

The immediate breach of protocol is that this has been issued by his party group as a statement from ‘ Cllr Dick Walsh, Leader Argyll & Bute Council ‘  (Ed: our emphasis) – and not as a statement from the leader of the Alliance group, from whom the press release formally emanates.

Statements from Councillor Walsh in his role as  Council Leader should properly be sent from the council’s in-house communications service. That office cannot, of course, engage itself in ‘party political’ activities, or not overtly.

Where press statements come from his political group, fighting for re-election – which is clearly the context in which this outpouring sits and by which it would seem to have been driven – Councillor Marshall should present it as being from the leader of the group.

But then the statement actually IS from the Council Leader, since, it begins by defending a budget process which is the responsibility of the ruling coalition whose administration he leads.

And in this case, the statement should have come from the council’s communications office – except that it could never have licensed a partisan and rambling political pot pourri of this order.

All in all, the exercise represents the sort of undisciplined administration which should give rise to concern. It is also misleading, in purporting to be an official council statement.

The budget process

What cannot be disguised in this statement is the fact that the detail of the budget will, as usual – be withheld from elected members of the  opposition until the actual meeting next Thursday (16th February) when they will be asked to vote on it.

This is indefensible within the loosest understanding of responsible governance.

Councillor James Robb had earlier written to the Council Leader asking for advance access to the detail of the budget speech. We asked him this morning what Councillor Walsh’s response had been. He has not even had an acknowledgment of his request.

In his statement, Councillor Walsh makes much of the six budget seminars offered by the administration to councillors – with the SNP Leader, Councillor Robert Macintyre, attending only three out of the six.

This is not a straightforward issue.

The seminars were not on the emerging detail of the budget, they were largely on the process of putting a budget together.

There is something essentially patronising about this which would alienate many members, particularly since the administration has some major and expensive budgetary errors on its record over the past eighteen months or so.

One has only to mention the hugely costly chaos over the Council Leader’s uninformed consent to the reintroduction of ring fencing on the redundant’ Supporting People’ grants that make up part of the annual revenue grant from the Scottish Government to local authorities. And then there were the sequence of errors in understanding and calculating the GAE grant for rural pupils which became a major feature of the failed school closure proposals.

The former left Argyll and Bute’s 2011-12 budget in a fearful mess – with the biggest loss of revenue in Scotland – and required generous intervention from the Scottish Government, following a humiliating begging visit from Councillor Walsh and Depute Leader, Councillor Ellen Morton.

On the other hand, Councillor Walsh’s claim of poorly attended budget seminars will be correct. It does not reflect well on too many elected members, amongst whom, from our own first hand observation during disputes over evidence in the long running school closure disputes, confidence in anything involving numbers is not notable.

It is an incumbent upon councillors that they work to become competent in key areas – like finance – where they may not, in their previous and other lives, have to perform. In this, it is to Councillor Walsh’s credit that, over the years, he has worked hard to develop his own competence in this field and, while he makes mistakes – sometimes in large, as with the ‘Supporting People’ Grants – he remains the one-eyed man leading the mainly blind council members. There are no more than a handful of councillors capable seriously of challenging him on financial matters.

Councillor Walsh is also correct that if councillors do not record objections to procedures or decisions at the time of discussion, they cannot legitimately bleat afterwards.

‘The man not the ball’

The start of the statement is a direct personal attack on a fellow councillor. In this, the Council Leader would appear to have been listening to his Communications Manager who not long ago advised an audience of communications industry workers to ‘Get Personal’.

As executed here by the Council Leader, this is a particularly stupid ploy. The intention to put down Councillor Glen-Lee has the opposite effect of signally recognising her early impact.

And the off the wall sign-off

We have absolutely no idea what Councillor Walsh thinks he is doing with the four little homilies curiously tacked on at the end of the statement, entitled: ‘Some helpful advice on how to spot media hype and propaganda’.

We can only hope that these too are not inherited from his Communications Manager. If they are not, it would indicate that the Council Leader has been researching off piste before going off piste.

Any insights into how to interpret these nuggets of wisdom would be appreciated.

‘Careful monitoring continues and the recent spell of dry weather has helped to stabilise the hillside.   As a result of this development the Wig Wag signs have been returned to normal operation.  Other safety measures such as the traffic management, the tilt meters and instigating patrols of the hillside in the event of a deterioration of the forecast weather conditions, remains in place.

‘Additionally, Graham Edmond, Head of Road Maintenance at Transport Scotland says:

‘ “Transport Scotland fully understands the impact landslides can have on communities and we continue to plan for and manage the risk associated with them across Scotland.

‘ “Around the Rest and be thankful in particular, we are looking at protective netting, shelters and the potential for planting on the hillside. The improvement and strengthening of the nearby forestry road, as an emergency alternative, is also being investigated as discussed at previous meetings.” ‘

Further information is available on the Transport Scotland’s Rest and be Thankful website page.

There’s that old joke that if you ask 10 economists a question you will get 11 answers. If one thing is certain the numbers and opinions being bandied about by economists, think tanks and Uncle Tom Cobley and all is set to rise exponentially as the Independence Referendum gathers pace.

In the latest edition of the National Institute Economic Review there is an interesting article by Dr Angus Armstrong.

Interesting because as the divisions between those writing from a unionist perspective and those writing from an independence perspective crystalise we can begin to see that there is in fact some agreement in some areas but differing conclusions on others from the selected evidence.

As Dr Armstrong’s paper contains a lot of sound analysis on which agreement exists that is the best place to start. Dr Armstrong’s contribution to the debate was welcomed by John Swinney.

On the question of retaining the pound Dr Armstrong sets out the common criteria for a monetary union as:

• a high degree of cross-border trade relative to domestic trade including intermediate and final products
• capital and labour market mobility
• both nations have similar structures and cycles

Around 40% of Scotland’s exports go to the rest of the UK. We would continue to be part of a single market at existing UK level and within the EU.

With that comes capital and labour mobility, and given common language and a long standing history of free movement plus starting from a similar structural base, there is no doubt about the value to both nations of a common currency at least in the immediate term.

Some of the more extreme unionists may well argue that as England is the larger economy it can manage very well without access to the Scottish economy, but this is far from the case in a global market in which we would both be competing.

(Click on the image above to move to the original where it is interactive.Then hit the Back button to return. )

Present interdependency and mutual trading interests demand a continuing open market in both directions. Of course it is in Scotland’s interest to expand trade with other markets and encourage investment from other parts of the world.

That process is already well under way as the long list of those who have signed up to invest in Scotland over the last few years prove, laying a basis, not for any reduction in cross border trade between Scotland and rUK, but for a continuing expansion into world markets just as the Irish achieved in the post 1950s period.

Dr Armstrong argues that sharing The Bank of England would place Scotland at potential disadvantage, having to share bank interest rate but not necessarily obtaining the same credit rating and implied present low interest rate on borrowings.

I will come back to that when we get into the detail of debt share and asset distribution.

In the concluding part of his introduction Dr Armstrong says

‘There may be many intangible benefits from independence but the Scottish Parliament [Scottish Government] is likely to find the implicit financial constraints on economic policy, especially fiscal policy, are even more restrictive than being a full member of the UK’.

For ‘many intangible benefits’ read ‘unrealised potential’ to explain the nature of a contested future. The implication is that independence is a move into   unknown and uncharted territory, forgetting it is a well-trodden path.

Staying within the union is presented as stable, but that is equally open to question and may be much more an act of blind faith given the growing difference in both social and economic policy direction between Scotland and Westminster.

A separate article in the National Institute Economic Review (NIER) on the UK economy notes that the UK currently suffers from deficient demand, and that present fiscal policy is contributing to this deficiency. It is suggested an easing of fiscal policy would provide an economic boost.

This update on the UK economy forecasts that real gross national income and GDP will contract during 2012. The forecast ‘growth’ areas are Public Sector Net Borrowing (£7bn) and unemployment reaching 9.1%.

All of which points to a further deterioration in the UK economy. Perhaps time for the Plan MacB that George Osborne has refused to consider. The longer he leaves it the more difficult it will be to get recovery underway and restore some confidence in the UK economy.

There is an estimated £700 billion in company’s bank accounts just waiting for the right conditions to invest. With the right signals and incentives that money would at least begin to flow and help stimulate growth.

I came across an everyman’s guide to fiscal intervention that suggested building a bridge would create lots of construction jobs as an example of something that would cut unemployment, raise tax and National Insurance revenue, increase the money supply at local level as money circulates through local businesses and cut the dole bill.

Scotland is doing just that with the construction of a second Forth road bridge – the biggest Scottish infrastructure project for a generation.

Dr Armstrong’’s article discusses statistics relating to Scotland’s fiscal debt and share of UK debt but there is no comparative analysis to set this in context.

A current account deficit comes about where annual expenditure is greater than income. The shortfall identifies the Public Sector Net Borrowing Requirement (PSBR). This is then added to Public Sector Net Debt (PSND) being the amount of accumulated national debt.

Of course in the good years the current account should generate a surplus enabling total national debt to be reduced.

Both measures are usually expressed as a percentage of Gross National Product (GDP) and it is these figures that are used for international comparison and by the markets to calculate a country’s credit worthiness.

Dr Armstrong calculates Scotland’s average annual fiscal deficit at 4% and Scotland’s share of UK national debt at 70% of GDP based on a geographic share of North Sea oil.

NIER expect the UK’s deficit on the current account to be around 7% of GDP and UK net debt at 60.5% of GDP in the current year. The bad news is they are projecting net debt to grow to 75.7% of GDP by 2016/17.

Dr Armstrong notes that to meet Maastricht Treaty obligations the annual general government deficit should be no higher than 3% of GDP and gross debt no more than 60% of GDP. A country above these percentages has an excessive deficit.

The UK government has to report these figures under Maastricht Treaty obligations but there are technical variations in the way these figures have to be calculated.

Using the Maastricht calculation formula the UK general government net borrowing rose from 2.7% of GDP in 2007 to 10.2% in 2010. Gross debt rose form 44.5% of GDP in 2007 to 76.1% in 2010. (ONS)

The Treasury prefers is own methodology and complains it is ‘assessed uniquely’ within the EU. Terrible thing it is to be unfairly treated by a Union of which you are a member!

I have already mentioned NIER’s October projections of UK net debt so it is only right to also look at the Chancellors figures in his Autumn Statement last November as they are required to be reported under Maastricht.

The Chancellor’s statement shows UK gross debt at 84.2% of GDP for 2011/12 rising to 93.9% in 2014/15 and easing slightly to 89.7% of GDP by 2016/17 using the Treaty formula.

Finally I think a comparison with other EU countries places the UK situation and Scotland’s independence inheritance in a wider context. For this purpose I am using my tables of estimated fiscal debt and gross debt as a percentage of GDP for 2011 from Global Finance. The actual outturn figures are likely to be slightly different when known but that will be the case with all future projections quoted in this article.

(Click on the image above to move to the original where it is interactive.Then hit the Back button to return. )

Only three EU countries, all Northern European, have a projected deficit under 3% – Sweden, Finland and Estonia. Sweden has a population of  9 million, Finland 5.3 million and Estonia 1.4 million which puts the question of size advantage in perspective.

Germany, the EU’s largest economy, projected deficit stands at -3.7%, an improvement on their 2010 outturn of -4.3%. The average for all EU countries is -5.1%.

The 2011 projection for the UK was -8.1% but the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement projects the Treaty deficit at -9.5%.

The projection for UK Gross debt as a percentage of GDP stands at 83% against the EU27 average of 63.7%. George Osborne thinks the outturn will be 76.5% but on a rising curve as reported above.

Giving the Chancellor the benefit of the doubt, with gross debt at 76.5% of GDP, the UK, the second largest economy in the EU, would be the 8th most indebted nation of all 27 members.

Scotland will start from conditions it will inherit from the UK. Those figures stand comparison with other EU nations. Dr Armstrong’s calculations of a 4% fiscal and current account deficit and debt of around 70% of GDP do not look insurmountable.

Scottish Government competence, as supported by the electorate, suggests that our potential is to rank much higher in the European league tables than is the case with the UK’s current poor ratings.

Dr Armstrong suggested that Scotland could not rely on getting the same low interest rates on its debt as the UK. Truth is nobody knows for certain but Scotland’s assets and as the highest performing national/regional economy in the UK after London and the South East suggest that AAA rating does not look elusive.

Dr Angus Armstrong was Head of Macroeconomic Analysis at HM Treasury from mid 2004 until he joined the National Institute of Economic and Social Research as Director of Macroeconomic Research in September 2011

Russell Bruce 6th February 2012

References

• Armstrong, A., Scotland’s Currency and Fiscal Choices in National Institute Economic Review No 219 January 2012 ppF4-F9
• Autumn Statement, November 2011, HM Treasury, The Stationary Office
• Eurostat, Government finance statistics Summary tables — 2/2011 Data 1996 – 2010
• Kirkby,S. and Whitworth, R., Prospects for the UK economy in National Institute Economic Review No 218 October 2011 pp54-76
• NIER The UK economy in Economic Overview, National Institute Economic Review No 219 January 2012
• ONS (2011) Statistical Bulletin Government deficit and debt under the Maastricht Treaty

They will be especially busy with the completion of the Gallery in preparation for the almost four month long exhibition: The Artist Rooms exhibition. – Robert Mapplethorpe, the Scottish Tour.

Mapplethorpe is a world renowned, often controversial photographer famous for his fabulous black and white shots and for the eroticism of his work.

Good to see the Burgh Hall not playing safe.

The venue is getting more and more requests from groups and individuals wanting to add their events to the programme by hiring the hall.

This means lots of jobs to be done to keep the project progressing – including getting the hall ready for its first wedding.

The Burgh Hall team are happy to hear from anyone interested in getting involved and have some opportunities of interest coming up.

They want to see the hall in literally sparkling shape or the wedding, to make the day special for the bride and groom.  They would be delighted is anyone offered to arrange a clean-up party during the week beginning 27th February.

On Saturday 24th March there is  a reception and private view to launch the very prestigious Artist Rooms Robert Mapplethorpe exhibition, mentioned above.  This will need a small team of volunteers to help with setting up the hall, serving refreshments and taking coats.

From Saturday 24th March for three months they will be opening the gallery  for The Artist Rooms exhibition from Tuesdays to Sundays from 12,00 until 17.00 (until 15.00 on Sundays).  They are looking for a team of volunteers to do duty  in the gallery over this period – meeting and greeting visitors, recording visitor numbers, keeping an eye on security.  Anyone who could cover some hours here and there is asked to get in touch.

The Burgh Hall team are are also looking for a Bar Organiser to take over from the inimitable Dave McEwan-Hill, who is busier than a busy person and needs to focus on other commitments soon.  Previous experience important.

Eve4ryone who can help in this programme at the fabulous community project to get the lovely Burgh Hall back into  tip top operation to contribute to life in Dunoon is asked to  email Ann Campbell: annbcampbell@aol.com

Programme preview

• Saturday 11th February:  10am to 4pm – Dragon Festival in aid of Clic-Sergent
• Thursday 16th February: DGS at the Heart (Dunoon Grammar School Talent Showcase)
• Thursday 1st March: YouthSTUFF sharing of ‘GLEE’
• 24th March to 8th July:  The Artist Rooms on tour with The Art Fund – Robert Mapplethorpe – The Scottish Tour
• Sunday 25th March: Michael Marra supported by ‘The Hazy Janes’
• Monday 26th March: Mull Theatre presents ‘Italia n’ Caledonia’
• Saturday 31st March: Kilmun Mausoleum Project Talk – Paul Murton on the making of ‘Grand Tours’
• Friday 27th April – Saturday 28th April: YouthSTUFF ‘Trashion Show’
• Date to be confirmed:  Piping Recital with world class performers

The meeting is being organised by the Woodland Expansion Advisory Group, set up to identify the types of land for future tree planting.

The meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss and give feedback on some of the emerging conclusions being formulated by the Group.

Over 100 responses from across Scotland were received by the Group after it requested views on how to tackle issues surrounding woodland expansion.

Dr Andrew Barbour, chairman of the Woodland Expansion Advisory Group said: ‘From the outset we have been very keen to consult as widely as possible and receive views from a wide a range of interests.

‘The Group is undertaking a series of seven public meetings across Scotland to consult all interests and we hope the proceedings in Oban will offer a lively and constructive debate.

‘By February we will have a clearer picture of how we think the conflicts between tree planting and other land uses can be minimised.

‘We will wish to share our thoughts with those being directly affected so that we can be confident that our end proposals will be realistic and practical.”

The Oban meeting will take place on Wednesday 22nd February and will start at 1830 hours. All those who wish to attend and receive further details of the venue should register well in advance by emailing the Woodland Expansion Advisory Group: weag@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

The Woodland Expansion Advisory Group consists of 18 members from backgrounds in farming, conservation, forestry, land use and community relations. More information on the Group and its membership is on its website here.

The consultation period for the recently published draft plan for Scottish ferry services ends on 30th March 2012.

Ferry services and everything to do with them are embedded in the daily lives, cultures,  interests and consciousness of the west and north coasts of Scotland and their inshore and offshore islands.

They keep us together; they are in our blood; we are all interested in them. No review of ferry services is going to be without the scrutiny of varied and intense needs and interests.

There are two key issues arising from the review that will be examined here but first, here is a note on other major issues:

• The general process of the review has been to set each community’s ideal ‘model service’ against the actual current provision, in order, it says, to determine how relatively adequate today’s service is. It is hard to see this as much more than over pandering to populism. That a service may be short of the ideal does not, per se, make it an inadequate service – and who doesn’t ideally want a ferry that’s there ready to go just which you feel like it. With the increasing cost of fuel and with the – necessary – pressure now against the use of cheaper but environmentally destructive bunker fuel, the review’s openness to what customers want is likely to ricochet. It can only unnecessarily raise expectations it will have to disappoint. In an economic situation likely to get worse and to be slow in recovering, it would have been reassuring to see government setting a more realistic tone.
• The review recognises the obvious logic of having a single governing principal for fare setting across all routes. This will eventually be the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) scheme, already pilots in the Western Isles and to start progressively piloting across the Argyll islands from this autumn.
• RET will apply to car and to foot passenger fares. Commercial vehicles will see their RET-based fares replaced by ‘an enhanced pre-RET discount scheme’ said to have already been generous – on the argument (whose logic is impermeable), that they have failed largely to pass on their lower RET-based delivery costs to their customers.
• Multijourney books of tickets will go, to be replaced by RET single tickets, set not be undercut by the best price of a single journey on a multijourney deal. The thinking here is that many travellers buy multijourney tickets but do not use them all, driving the unit price beyond their initial calculations. Single RET-based tickets cannot waste money as they’re essentially buy-as-you-go but at the discount rate.
• The Government – rightly – wants to see integrated ticketing across the various transport systems. This would make travel arrangements and travelling itself much simpler and more convenient for residents and visitors alike.
• There is an issue with poor or erratic maintenance of piers and harbours not owned by CMAL, the state-owned ferry infrastructure company – as is the case with Argyll and Bute Council’s neglect of the pier at Craignure, currently a source of substantial difficulty. Where CMAL reinvests the harbour dues charged, local authorities, as Argyll and Bute in this case (said to be earning £1 million a year at Craignure), do not always do so. The reviews asks if CMAL should acquire the piers and harbours used for the state-owned CalMac (and Argyll Ferries?)  services that it does not already own. This would increase efficiency. A single responsible authority is a much more accountable situation.

Two issues in the recommendations that require interrogation are:

• demand management
• secondary routes

Demand management

This issue has arisen because of the success of the RET pilot. It has led to ferries to some destinations, particularly at peak time, being so busy that it has had ‘an adverse effect on peoples’ ability to book and travel on their preferred sailing’. This refers to island residents and businesses – and obviously applies mainly to car places.

The review makes the point that the RET principle  creates a uniform fare structure – and indeed that uniformity is what the review itself has already accepted as necessary across the routes. Losing sight of this last fact for the moment, it goes on to note that this prevents ferry operators to manage fare structures to differentiate between specific varied needs.

The report notes that: ‘The requirement for some form of demand management was well supported by a range of organisations with a significant interest in ferry services in the 2010 consultation exercise.’

Of course it was. But there is need for sufficient realism to understand that we cannot have it all ways: cheaper year round fares; lots of visitors in the season, attracted by affordable accessibility; but priority to travel when we want to.

RET fares are a privilege – they may, in a way, be fair and they are certainly a substantial support to maintaining habitation on remote islands – but they remain a privilege.

We choose to live where we do and for the all too short summer season, it seems reasonable to expect that the price of the economic survival of our islands that comes from a busy stream of happy visitors is a degree of short term inconvenience for ourselves.

A lot of journeys can be booked ahead normally with forethought – and beyond that, if a late need to travel means accepting an available place on an inconvenient sailing, that is vastly preferable to seeing island populations wither and die.

The solution in the review is that: ‘… while RET will form the basis for the fares structure across all sailings, the operator will have the opportunity to bring forward proposals on how they intend to manage demand where there is excess demand. Stakeholders (the local Ferry Committee or User Groups or other stakeholders) must be consulted on demand management plans.’

Secondary routes

This problem arises from the review’s consideration of ‘secondary’ routes to particular destinations – and its proposed removal of some.

The review says:

‘We will consider the need for secondary routes. Where a community has more than one route then we have reviewed evidence that helps us to understand the value of that second route to the community. There may be a requirement to retain a secondary route if patronage levels on that route are quite significant, or comparable to the main route for the particular community. It is also quite possible that if the physical distance between the principal and secondary routes is large, and the secondary route serves a substantial
population, that the secondary route should be retained. Finally, the secondary route might also serve some additional strategic purpose, for example it might be part of a wider network of routes, the removal of which could have far- reaching consequences.’

Examples of the review’s consideration of the role of the ‘secondary route’ are the Isle of Arran and the massy Ardnamurchan peninsula.

In each of these cases the loss of the secondary routes will damage cultural, business and tourism development.

The Arran routes

The primary route for Arran runs between Ardrossan in Ayrshire and Brodick ln the east of the island. The secondary route runs between Lochranza in the north over the short crossing to Claonaig, near Skipness on the east side of Argyll’s peninsula.

The review proposal for the Isle of Arran is for ‘… the Ardrossan to Brodick service to be upgraded to a two-vessel service operating a more frequent shuttle service through to the late evening’; and for the secondary service between Claonaig and Lochranza to ‘… be reviewed following these changes to the Ardrossan to Brodick service’. For ‘reviewed’, read ‘removed’.

The Ardnamurchan routes

For Ardnamurchan, the principal route is across the narrows of Loch Linnhe between Corran Ferry on the mainland, south of Fort William in Lochaber and Ardgour on the peninsula. Ardnamurchan has two secondary routes, both running between the south coast of the peninsula and the Isle of Mull: between Lochaline in the south west of the peninsula and Fishnish on Mull; and between Kilchoan in the north west over to Tobermory on Mull. Both are vehicle and passenger ferries.

For Ardnamurchan, the review essentially considers the Isle of Mull and the Ardnamurchan peninsula together.

For Mull, the service between Oban on the mainland and Craignure on the north east corner of the island is clearly the principal route. The Fishnish-Lochaline service and the Tobermory-Kilchoan service are both secondary routes.

Of this service menu the reviews says:

‘the service between Oban and Craignure is the principal route to the Scottish mainland, while the other two routes are secondary, Fishnish to Lochaline and Tobermory to Kilchoan, connect Mull to the Morvern and Ardnamurchan peninsulas respectively. This is reflected in the patronage count with over 500,000 foot passengers and 100,000 cars using the Craignure service each year. This is around five times more foot passengers and twice as many cars as Fishnish to Lochaline. Tobermory to Kilchoan is the least used of the three routes with around 35,000 foot passengers and 5,000 cars per annum using this particular route.’

This statement is rather disingenuous, failing to reflect the substantial difference in the size and capacities of the respective ferries and their different service frequencies.

For instance, the MV Isle of Mull, on the Oban to Craignure route, does 60 services a week in winter, with a capacity of 80 cars and 1,000 passengers. The MC Loch Fyne on the Lochaline to Fishnish route, does 66 services a week, with a further 4 optional ones – with a capacity of 36 cars and 250 passengers. The Loch Linnhe on the Tobermory to Kilchoan route does 40 services a week with a capacity of 12 cars and an unknown (to us at this moment) number of passengers.

The proposal for Mull and Ardnamurchan is:

• To upgrade the Craignure to Oban service to a two-vessel service, operating as a shuttle-service through an extended operating day;
• Following the upgrade to Craignure to Oban, to review operations on the Fishnish to Lochaline service.  (Again, for ‘review’, read ‘remove’.
• To replace the current passenger and vehicle service on Tobermory to Kilchoan with a passenger-only service.

Consequences for Ardnamurchan, Mull and Oban

The irony of the review’s joint consideration of Mull and Ardnamurchan is that it has ended up virtually severing the connections between them.

The proposals would see no direct vehicle ferry service between the important landmass of the Ardnamurchan peninsula and the substantial Isle of Mull across the sound.

Most of the Ardnamurchan peninsula is part of the historical Argyll, a place of much greater and enduring substance than a mere local authority whose boundaries may be changed – as thy have – at any time.

The severance of one complete vehicle and passenger service and the reduction to a passenger-only service of the second one between them will do two things:

• it will weaken to eventual destruction the powerful historical cultural links between the two;
• it will keep tourist traffic away from Mull and away from Oban.

Why this last?

Because the Corran Ferry to Ardnamurchan is nearest to Fort William and well north of Oban,

Visitors interested in the great wilderness of Ardnamurchan have, at the moment, the ability to drive on to Mull by either Lochaline or Kilchoan – and Kilchoan is the only vehicle ferry into the lovely Tobermory. The route to Mull is a hugely attractive aspect of journey planning. Mull will lose a lot if these tw0 proposed changes come to pass.

And if Mull loses so will Oban. Most visitors currently exploring Ardnamurchan through the Corran Fery and crossing over to Mull, will leave Mull by Craignure for Oban. It is simply a fabulously attractive route.

Those driving on to Ardnamurchan by the Corran Ferry route and lacking any ferry route to Mull,  are likely either to drive the road route up Loch Eil to Fort William or return by Corran Ferry, then taking the A82 east through Glencoe to Tyndrum and Crianlarich, and on into the east highlands or south to Glasgow.

The retention at least of a capable vehicle and passenger ferry from Kilchoan to Tobermory would make a lot of sense in keeping open the cultural links and supporting the tourist trade.

 Consequences for Arran and Kintyre

The Isle of Arran used to be affiliated to Argyll, the landmass to which it is physically closest, with Kilbrannan Sound slipping to its west separating it from the Kintyre peninsula to which it is linked from its own small northern harbour of Lochranza over to Claonaig.

There is still a strong residual cultural affinity between Arran and Argyll, despite Arran being hived off to an unnatural local authority relationship with North Ayrshire.

The removal of the secondary ferry service between Lochranza and Claonaig will have three consequences:

• weaken and finally destroy the valuable cultural links between Argyll, through Kintyre and Arran;
• remove the useful fast route from Arran to the north, through Lochgilphead and Oban, on to Fort William;
• remove the route between Arran and Campbeltown, increasingly attractive with the two world class golf courses at Machrihanish the two restored grand hotels in Campbeltown (the Royal) and Machrihanish (the Ugadale); and the Auchrannie resort hotel on Arran.
• remove an important back up ferry route when the Ardrossan-Brodick service faces disrupting wind directions.

This service should not be removed.

A quick route to understanding then nature of the issue of these secondary routes is to consider the case of Bute. The primary route to Bute is the two-boat service between Wemyss Bay in Ayrshire and Rothesay. The secondary route is the minutes long grunt across the Kyles of Bute from Colintraive on the Cowal mainland to Rhubodach in the north of the island.

As it happens, this secondary route is well used and is, in fact. the route that can outstay most others in the CalMac portfolio in bad weather.

But imagine if Bute were to lose this secondary route.

This would see an island with no physical connection to the local authority area to which it lends its name – Argyll and Bute.

There is a lot more to some secondary routes than their status as such.

Read the Review and contribute to the consultation

• The Scottish Ferry Services: Draft Plan for Consultation is here: Draft-ferries-plan-for-consultation
• The online consultation questionnaire is here.
• Alternatively, responses and comments  – a questionnaire form of sorts is the last Appendix (4) to the draft plan document linked above – can printed off, completed and sent to: Colin Grieve, Transport Scotland, Ferries Unit, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ

For further information:

• Email: colin.grieve@transportscotland.gsi.gov.uk
• Or phone: 0131-244-1539

Note:  The photograph at the top is of the former Calmac and Sea Containers ferry, MV Claymore, which was renamed Sia (as she is above in Amsterdam) in April 2009 by her then Danish owners, refitted for cable laying. It is © AlfvanBeem and reproduced here under the Creative Commons licence.

Celtic Connections is once again celebrating a bumper year as the 19th festival draws to a close tonight. The attendances have reached over 100,000 and gross ticket sales topped £1.1 million for the fifth year running. This was the sixth year that the festival has been supported by its principal sponsor Scottish Power who are the educational arm of the festivals’ cheerleader.

Spread over 18 days across January and February, 2,100 artists from around the globe were assembled in Glasgow to make the greatest winter music festival in the world another piece of magic. The highlights of the 2012 festival included a poignant tribute to Gerry Rafferty (which will still be here on the Beeb’s iplayer) if you’re quick); a celebration of the centenary of Woody Guthrie; a spectacular collaboration between Jack Bruce and Lau; as well as performances by Bruce Hornsby, The Average White Band and Hue & Cry, James Vincent McMorrow and Treacherous Orchestra.

We were lucky enough to choose the Treacherous Orchestra last night (Saturday 4th February) and were treated to a brand of very unique grooves indeed. The band comprised five fiddlers, three flautists, who became two pipers, two guitarists, a bodhranist (is that a word?) a drummer, a double bassist, as well as banjo and accordion to complete the ensemble.

The strobe lighting that opened the show was excessive and incredible to behold. That was a warning of the audio and light storm that was to come but it was fantastic.

The Treacherous Orchestra has been encouraged by Celtic Connections since the bands inception 4 years ago. This year the festival was rewarded by its impetuous offspring finally producing a CD for us all to enjoy. We have been very patient. Patience has been a great virtue. Soaring tunes and belting rhythms brought to mind some great images and evoked the sounds of Pink Floyd and Fergie MacDonald at different times.

The sell-out crowd came warm and got hot waving fluorescent lights at times and up for the challenge from accordionist John Somerville to ‘Jump!’ The band – sorry Orchestra, led the way and the ABC jumped.

Gabby Young and other Animals got the gig started  and the crowd warm for the headliners. Gabby and her welldressed friends are destined to greater things in the future with their blend of European music made their own. The new album is available at the website and at all good music shops. The new animals will roar!

Music fans have attended approximately 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, which took place in 20 venues across Glasgow over 18 days in January and early February.

The festival is renowned for its ambitious programme of one-off shows, world exclusive performances and unique collaborative events.

The 2012 line-up explored the connections between Celtic music and cultures across the globe, bringing musicians from all over the world to Glasgow, with acts coming from as far afield as Australia, Greenland, Mexico, Mali, Pakistan, Serbia, Palestine, Senegal, Cuba, as well as most corners of  Europe, the USA and Canada.

On Thursday we caught up with a band from Tobermory and another one in support from Oban at the ABC02 in Sauchiehall Street.

Mull Historical Society is ‘Colin MacIntyre and friends’ and he is one great talent that deserves a much greater audience. Tom Morton on Radio Scotland and my good self on Oban Fm have been playing his new album, particularly City Lights, the new single at the drop of a fore and aft!

MacIntyre is a very clever songwriter who loves what he does and has a passion for the whole music business.At least he has now that he has extracted himself from the big music industry and is directing his own future. He played Samuel Dempster RIP as a tribute to his great Granddad – lost in the First World War aged 18. This comes from his last self-named album recorded back in Tobermory in his old classroom at An Tobar – called Island. It is the stripped down acoustic album whereas City Awakenings is the full four stars fuelled up rock record. Its a great night and the assembled audience go home well satisfied that the man from Mull is on a roll.

Washington Irving from Oban (in the main) supported MHS and they are a band on the make too! Already often likened to Mumford and Sons, that allows the boys to get all offended and strike out for their own sound. They are original and the early audience laps up the show.  Abbey Gallop is the single and the EP is available for you to inspect at the website. They are good and loud – a little too loud at times and as less is definitely more in acoustic music, albeit amplified acoustic music. Their songs deserve clarity and as they will be on the road to stardom, production values are all.

But it is all worth it though, as fans have come from all over Europe, the US and Canada to enjoy the fuss in the second city of Empire.

Did we earn a bob or two in the process? The results of an economic impact survey carried out at the 2011 festival revealed that Celtic Connections generated a total of £7.6m of new output to the Glasgow area and £3.1m to wider Scotland in 2011 alone. So yes we definitely did!

This year in the middle of the worst economic downturn since Woody Guthrie was at his height, the festival bucks that trend with sold-out shows that included Admiral Fallow, Treacherous Orchestra, ‘Bring it all home’ Gerry Rafferty Remembered, Bonnie Prince Billy, The Big Dish, Jack Bruce with Lau, James Vincent McMorrow, ‘Far, Far from Ypres’, Song For Ireland, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, Skipinnish, Blazin’ Fiddles and the hugely popular Transatlantic Sessions.

The Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas directed Transatlantic Sessions is now touring, bringing a dazzling international cast of Scottish and Irish Celticana fused with Americana’s best musicians to entertain and amaze across the UK following its sell-out success at the last few festivals.

The team set off for Lerwick after Thursday’s show before returning for tonight’s finale back at the Royal Concert hall. ForArgyll’s review of the Thursday gig can be found here.

The Danny Kyle Open Stage brings the cream of new musical talent together and they get a chance to perform in the Royal Concert Hall.
Some great talents have first played here in the last few years – David Ferrard, Malinky, GiveWay, Phamie Gow, the Lori Watson 3,  Breabach and The Chair.

A diverse panel of judges – from industry stalwarts to members of the general  public – then picked six winners from the eighty acts which took part this year. The winners are Barluath, Realta, Rory Butler, Marit Fait & Rona Wilkie from Oban.

Stop press! (is that what you do on the internet?)
Rona Wilkie has just been announced as the winner of the BBC Young Traditional Musician of the year. What a year lies ahead for the Newcastle University student.

So that’s it for another year then but the final word goes to Donald Shaw, our man from Taynuilt, one of Oban’s Cultural Ambassadors, and the  Celtic Connections Artistic Director, who is pleased, to say the least, at bucking the economic trends.

‘We’re delighted that this year’s Celtic Connections has been such a success – it’s an honour to be able to bring some of the world’s greatest folk, roots and traditional musicians to Glasgow. We encourage artists to embrace the festival spirit and try something new when they’re here, and I think we’ve witnessed some very special performances in our 19th year. We’re now very much looking forward to staging the Celtic Connections Big Top in Skye this March, when we’ll be joined by amazing acts like Rosanne Cash and The Civil Wars.’

So – a wee jaunt to Skye on 11th March it is then!! All right for a few bob for fuel and food Ed?

Campbell Cameron, Music Editor

The photographs above, © Campbell Cameron,  show:

• Transatlantic Sessions (top)
• Colin MacIntyre conducts

The question is whether the necessary reforms make it through the system – which is why it is important for all those working in the agriculture sector and those with an interest in it should contribute to the consultation just launched.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead says: ‘It’s vital for Scotland that the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy delivers what we need – a fair, flexible system that targets support at active farmers, allowing them to continue producing quality food and managing our magnificent countryside.

‘A second, more detailed, consultation on how the future CAP should be implemented in Scotland will be held further into the reform process but in the meantime I hope as many people as possible will let us know what they think of the current proposals that will set out the general shape of the future CAP.’

The immediate consultation to which Mr Lochhead refers has been sectionalised so that contributing is as quick or as detailed as you want it to be. If you have a care for a particular issue or area, you may contribute views on that alone – or on all sections.

Access to the sectionalised consultation is here.

Useful additional information includes:

• Scottish Government summary statement on EC proposals for the reform of CAP.
• Scottish Government website on CAP reform.
• Scottish Government blog on CAP reform (covers specific topics as well as input to public consultation sessions).

Argyll-based Highlands and Islands MSP, Mike Mackenzie, in echoing Mr Lochhead’s call for active participation,  has emphasised that the proposed reforms have a potential impact for the agriculture and the food sectors. He says: ‘Making sure we get a fair deal is crucially important, especially for our farmers and wider rural communities.’

Back in 2008 he became the only Scot ever to win the the coveted world title of the Super Bowl after a thrilling game by his team, the New York Giants, against the same opponents they face tonight in February 2012, the New England Patriots.

Lawrence grew up in Campbeltown before moving to Florida at the age of eleven.

After the thrill of the big win in 2008, two weeks ago Lawrence was the toast of New York when he kicked the Giants to the Super Bowl, winning the game against the San Francisco 49ers in overtime.

Born in Greenock, Lawrence moved to Campbeltown where his father, Larry, a medic with the US Navy Seals was stationed at RAF Machrihanish.

The family, – his father, his mother Margaret Ann – rom Port Glasgow and his two elder brothers, Jason and Mark, moved from the Machrihanish base to stay in Campbeltown’s High Street (above the Post Office). The boys went to St Kieran’s Primary School, closed for lack of pupils last year.

Back in the 1980s Lawrence played football under a different set of rules as he and his two brothers played for Longrow Boys Football Club. Already a highly talented footballer, Lawrence won the Longrow Boys FC player of the season for the under 10s and also played in the Under 12 side where he was again successful, winning a variety of trophies.

But tonight , in the Super Bowl, Lawrence has the opportunity to cement his hero status if he kicks the New York Giants to glory against New England Patriots in the Indiana state capital of Indianapolis. (Scot beats England to the Super Bowl will make a nice headline. Better than the rugby team managed yesterday.)

And if the Giants win, Lawrence Tynes will become – twice – the only Scot ever to win the Super Bowl.

Update 02.00 6th February: The Super Bowl is in full swing – with an audience of 150 million and an estimated 40% of all TV sets in the USA. The Giants have just pulled back to within two points of the Patriots – with a 33 yard kick by Tynes – Giants now 15-17 down.

The Giants started well – went to 9-0 up, then fell back to 17-9 down. Tynes had already kicked them up to 17-12 from 17-9, with a 38 yard kick,. before he got them up to 17.15.

Update 02.50 6th February: The New York Giants went on to beat the New England patriots by 21-17 to win Super Bowls XLVI.

Story from theKintyre Forum – and the link here also has a series of historical photographs of Lawrence in the Longrow Boys team.

All books it publishes are now warehoused and distributed in-house, resulting in greatly reduced overheads – and prices.

Further details are in the company newsletter and catalogue. This has a drop-down list giving prices to ‘Europe’or ‘Rest-of-the-World’, including airmail.  Postage by surface mail is also available by special arrangement. All books are post-free within the UK.

Argyll has a small group of specialist publishers, all of whom are culturally valuable. House of Lochar is a key member of this special group, led by author and bibliophile,Kevin Byrne.

The Reporter in charge of the appeal ruled against the appellants  – Kilchattan Wind Farm Ltd – supported the council decision and refused planning permission for the development.

In her report ( Kilchattan Wind Farm Appeal Report ), which is worth reading, the Reporter pays detailed attention to the landscape of Kintyre and the Mull and to the difference between the more ridged landscapes down the spine of Kintyre north of the Mull and the rolling open land of the Mull itself.

Her response to this detail and to the various forms of protection and distinction covering the area, would, in her findings, appear to suggest that wind farm developments on the Mull would be hard to justify. This judgment and the detail accompanying it will set a precedent for criteria in decision taking on wind farm applications for the Mull of Kintyre.

The detail of the briefing made it very clear just how influential Argyll First’s Sign for the A83 campaign has been. every point they have made has been accepted and is being investigated already.

The Argyll First councillors – Donald Kelly, John McAlpine and Dougie Philand say that they: ‘…are delighted that the Scottish Government have recognised all the issues raised in our ongoing petition, Sign for the A83.

‘This news should encourage any member of the public who has not yet signed the petition to do so now. (Sign for the A83)

‘We expect to present the petition to the Scottish Government in March. In the meantime we would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to sign the petition.’

Transport Scotland’s Network Manager North’s email to Councillor Philand

Sent: 03 February 2012 14:02
To: Philand, Dougie

Subject: A83 Rest and Be Thankful -

Dougie

The full brief has not been finalised as yet. I will provide a copy when it has. We are looking at a procurement lead in time of 2-3 months followed by 3 -4 months for the consultants to undertake the study, so we would be looking towards the end of the summer to have the report available to us.

As I say the brief is in the process of being finalised but it is likely that it will require the consulting engineer to examine the following issues:-

• Feasibility of providing an engineering solution at Rest and Be Thankful eg shelter (roof) protection that would allow landslide to flow over road or raise level of road on box culvert that would allow flow under the road/
• Feasibility of a new parallel alignment at RaBT
• Feasibility of a new alignment exploring possibility of an alternative route eg following a different valley altogether
• Review of safety of the A83 including pedestrian crossing facilities at Ardrishaig and Tarbert
• Feasibility of removing various pinch points eg Inveraray Bridge, Erines and Barmore Road, Tarbert
• Mention was made at Wednesday’s meeting regarding the diversion route should the road be closed south of Inverneil. The report will also examine the suitability of existing diversion routes including the feasibility of introducing new diversion routes similar to the RaBT forestry track diversion route that we’re currently investigating

Other issues will be considered separately and may if appropriate feed into the final report.

• The issue regarding trunking the A83 from Kennacraig to Campbelltown is a strategic issue and will be considered internally by Transport Scotland
• Upgrading of the Forestry Commission Track at RaBT to provide an Emergency Diversion Route will be progressed by Transport Scotland and our Operating Companty, Scotland TranServ.
• Long term plans to introduce vegetation to stabilise slope will be progressed with our Geotechnical expert, Mike Winter and other experts including the Forestry Commission. The conclusions of this will feed into the above report
• Installation of additional  geotechnical instrumentation at the site of the most recent landslide and Debris Flow Netting will be progressed by Scotland TranServ

As part of the above exercise it is envisaged that the consulting Engineer will also carry out a consultation exercise with local communities.

Regards
Andy

Andy Anderson
Network Manager North
Trunk Road and Bus Operations

In the recently published draft report on the Ferries Review, the Scottish Government seems – in our view, often overly  – willing to give islands the ferry service they wish for.

Given this stance, and given that two new vehicle and passenger ferries have recently been commissioned for the islanders of Raasay inshore off the Isle of Skye, it is hard to see why Kerrera should be denied.

Raasay, with around 94 residents, has under three times the population of Kerrera – around 35, which should leave Kerrera entitled to one serviceable second hand ferry.

If one of the determinations of the ferry review report comes about, the ferry doing the Lochaline-Fishnish run, just round the corner to the Isle of Mull, should be coming free. (The route is recommended for closure – a proposal we have to say we will dispute in our review of the review.)

Members of Oban Lifeboat crew and the Lifeboat Operations Manager met with Oban Yorkshire Building Society’s Branch Manager this morning ( 2nd February) to launch the building society’s Fundraising year.

The RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) is delighted that the Yorkshire has chosen the RNLI. as its Charity of Choice for 2012.

The Building Society has named its campaign Come Rain Or Shine to highlight the fact that RNLI volunteer crews go to sea on rescue missions whatever the weather.

The photograph above of the group outside the Yorkshire Building Society.  shows (L-R) : Andrew Mead, Sally Jackson, Peter MacKinnon, Carol Darling, John Hill, Jason Philp and Billy Forteith.

The photograph has been provided by Oban LIfeboat press team and is  by Steve Flanagan, courtesy of The Oban Times.