North Uist buyout ballot to go-ahead despite objections

North Uist buyout ballot to go-ahead despite objections 16/5/14

A community ballot over a proposed land buyout of North Uist will go ahead despite mounting objections from many angry islanders.

The majority of 100 residents at a fiery public meeting in Lochmaddy on Wednesday night urged the island’s three councillors to ditch the idea.

It followed a similar heated debate in Paible School on Tuesday.

Many islanders were very vocal in telling the councillors that the Granville family, headed by Fergus Leveson-Gower, 54, the 6th Earl of Granville who is a cousin of the Queen, were good landlords. Very few present wanted to consider a feasibility study.

But councillors Archie Campbell, Uisdean Robertson and Neil Beaton held their ground in the onslaught of criticism insisting there was silent support on the island to undertake a feasibility study to examine the pros and cons of running the island under community ownership.

A postal ballot over the issues is likely to be held in late summer after an information pack is distributed to each household.

But there was anger that despite the mantra to canvas everyone, some residents will be denied a chance to vote as their villages are on private land or owned by the Scottish Government.

The Newton - Loch Portain area, Clachan Sands and by Balranald as well as Scolpaig Farm is not owned by the Granvilles and - in the face of accusations the councillors were breaking-up the community - it will now be considered if any of these areas would be included in a buyout proposal.

After the meeting Cllr Uisdean Robertson said the reason for a postal ballot was to give all residents a chance to have their say.

Mr Robertson pointed out: “There are a lot of people in the community who feel a buyout proposal should be explored.

“Many people are not comfortable nor will speak up at public meetings and want to look at the facts and figures quietly and then make up their own minds.”

The councillor said feedback from both meetings indicated a degree of peer pressure.

He said: “Some said they felt pressure to put their hands up when they didn’t want to.”

Mr Roberton stressed that while there is a huge affinity for the Granvilles there are worries for the sustainability for the community.

Formal figures show an imbalance in the population ages with larger numbers of elderly people while there are less children.

He said under young people under 16 years made up 13% or less in parts of the island while the number of retired people stands at 27%.

There is a “dearth of people” to work as carers for older, infirm folk, he highlighted.

He added: “You need inward investment to attract young people,” pointing out that North Uist was badly missing out of the extra public funding being directed into other island buyout estates.

Mr Robertson said the three councillors would take the flak and hold the ballot as they are “very concerned where North Uist will be in the next four to six years.”

He said: “It would easier for us just to sit at home and not upset anybody.”

But severe funding cuts are looming from Western Isles Council and Highland and Island Enterprise as well as other agencies” which will have a serious impact on North Uist, he said.