I am one of the few people of my generation, who left the island for education & work, but has been able to return to Uist after only twenty years away. I have had the good fortune to become a croft tenant and progress things in a modest way.
Reduce ‘red tape’
It is not easy to return to the islands if there are no suitable jobs, and it is up to the Comhairle to create job opportunities by reducing planning restrictions and conditions, whilst continuing the support for businesses here.
The cost of land and crofts in Uist has risen sharply in recent years, making it too expensive for many young couples & families, to buy land & build homes. The impact of such costs prevents people returning home.
We need the land to be more affordable and to have a supportive Planning department which encourages building. More homes being built would create more work for the construction industry and give a boost to the local economy.
SNH, RSPB and other agencies have too much influence on the planning process and the Council has to remember that development for people and crofts are the most important aspects of life here.
Living on crofts and land use are central to our lives and we should find ways of improving croft profitability to support crofters and their families. If we think of each croft as a small business, then we need to find ways of making crofting more profitable and sustainable. I will work to find ways of making the crofts profitable, to help us support our families.
Transportation
I support the Lochboisdale to Mallaig route, but it must be done to benefit the people of Uist & Barra, and not be used as a political football. It is odd that the people making a lot of noise about the ferries at the moment are the very same people who voted against the Comhairle’s recommendation to introduce the Mallaig service to Lochboisdale a few years ago.
Evening buses should be introduced to allow everyone to travel to functions, especially our young people who have difficulty getting to and from events.
The Comhairle must work to complete the Spinal Route project to have two way roads
in our ward. Upgrading the un-
If I am elected, I will not be afraid of challenging such decision making and will make openness & transparency standard practice. Councillors’ decisions and their voting record should be made public.
Rural Schools
We need rural schools with all the facilities which the rural schools in Lewis enjoy. We should have had a swimming pool in Daliburgh but two South Uist Councillors voted to use the insurance money elsewhere. Our schools deserve the support of our community and Council to ensure our children continue to get the best education they can.
Home Care Service
Our elderly need reassurance that the home care services will be available over the next few years. The Comhairle needs to invest in the homecare service and protect the funding to provide this.
South Uist & Barra is the only ward in the Western Isles which does not have all night home care. This is a critical service which two of our local Councillors did not support. They voted for the all night service to be given to all other areas throughout the Western Isles, but not for South Uist & Barra.
Every other resident in the islands has all night care, if they require it, and it is about time that people here receive it too.
Conclusion
The Comhairle’s budget is over £120million per year, and it is up to the Councillors to use the money for the purposes for which it is given by the Scottish Government. The Comhairle should not fund operating deficits in ‘white elephant’ projects in Stornoway.
The Comhairle has generally been operated as an enlarged Stornoway Town Council,
and areas like South Uist & Barra have been deliberately under-
It is interesting to note that those councilors who have not supported the Stornoway Labour Party clique have been subjected to continual criticism, both at public meetings & in print, by those acting on behalf of the Labour party establishment.
I also find it curious that the people who make great play saying that the Comhairle should be independent, are those people who have been working on behalf of the London based Labour Party.
The proposal to separate parliamentary powers between London and Scotland must be progressed to improve the economic viability of Scotland. Particular attention must also be given to the economic viability of our Island areas, and we need to do all we can to protect and promote South Uist & Barra.
Councillors must listen to the people in their ward, to develop their ideas, and to work towards an economically sound future for us all.
Calum Macmillan, Independent
Barraigh, Bhatarsaigh, Eirisgeigh & Uibhist a Deas
Barra, Vatersay Eriskay and South Uist