Stornoway Coastguard station has been saved from the axe after a strong community
campaign forced a government U-
All jobs will be retained as new proposals seek to employ 23 staff with the Lewis
maritime base continuing as 24-
But all staff will have to reapply for their jobs as posts are also being redesigned with different duties and job titles. Coastguards salaries are expected to rise under the plans.
Richard Wilson, a senior manager from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, flew from Glasgow on the first plane this morning to make the announcement to staff.
He broke the news at 12.30pm -
Stornoway PCS coastguard union representative Dave MacBeth said: “Its great news for Shetland and Stornoway but staff here are thinking of colleagues at Forth and Clyde who will lose their jobs.”
He added: “The mood in the Stornoway station here is positive though we want to see the meat on the bones of the announcement
“Staff are happy -
“The original cuts were ludicrous. If only they had consulted and got staff’s input then all this would not have happened.”
Mr Macbeth said island coastguards were overwhelmed by the backing from islanders, campaigners, politicians, the maritime fraternity, Western Isles Council and the wider community.
He said: “We can’t thank people enough. Everybody has worked and campaigned hard for Stornoway and Shetland coastguards.
“Given its size, to get 15,000 signatures on a petition the Western Isles was just amazing.”
MSP Alasdair Allan said: “This is a huge victory for the many campaigners who have
worked incredibly hard on behalf of these local coastguard stations, which have been
saved today. But above all it is a victory for common sense and for those who recognise
that safety at sea is much more important than financial savings. The Maritime and
Coastguard Agency (MCA) simply got it wrong in their proposals and have abandoned
their ill-
“The great strength, I believe, about the campaign which has been mounted against these cuts is that it did not take the bait which was offered by the MCA in their proposals. The campaign did not accepted the premise that one coastguard station, such as in Stornoway or Shetland, should be pitted against another.
“I believe a case has been made based on solid arguments of public safety, and based on what I believe is the compelling idea that the coastguard service should be comprised of staff that have a local knowledge of their part of the country. I am pleased that the MCA have now recognised the argument that has been made to keep this local link between the coastguards and our coast.
MP Angus Macneil, who has been at the forefront of the campaign to save coastguard services, said: “For Stornoway and Shetland this is a massive victory and a tribute to the community campaigns that battled to save these vital services.
“The original proposals were driven by cost cutting rather than practical or safety concerns and it was essential that the UK Government reconsidered its flawed proposals.”
Mr Macneil added: “The decision to continue with closure of the Forth and Clyde stations is a real blow for the communities concerned, and will test those serious safety concerns that have been raised over recent months. We cannot forget that any cuts the coastguard put lives as well as jobs at risk.”
U-
Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan and PCS coastguard union representative Dave Macbeth when the news was announced