Constructive talks with new Islands Minister

Orkney Islands Council held discussions today with Islands Minister Derek Mackay MSP on the future of the county’s inter-island ferry service and next steps in the Our Islands Our Future campaign.

On his first visit to an island community since his appointment as Minister for Transport and the Islands, Mr Mackay met with OIC convener Steven Heddle, development and infrastructure chairman James Stockan and Orkney MSP Liam McArthur.

Councillor Heddle said: “It is encouraging that Mr Mackay has followed up on his recent appointment with an early visit to Orkney.

“We discussed the Smith Commission’s recommendation that the Crown Estate’s assets – including the seabed and foreshore around our communities – should be devolved to the islands.

“This was a key ‘ask’ for the Our Islands Our Future campaign, so our talks today were welcome opportunity to discuss how this will be taken forward by the Scottish Government. We also discussed the re-launch the Islands Area Ministerial Working Group (the forum for joint talks between the Government and the Councils) and measures we would like to see included in an Act for the Islands.”

Empowering Scotland’s Island Communities, published earlier this year, contains a commitment from the Scottish Government to the “principle of fair-funding in the provision of ferries and ferry infrastructure”. There is also a commitment to “meaningful negotiation” on the future funding of Orkney’s internal ferry service.

Councillor Stockan said: “We have lobbied hard on this, individually as a council and in partnership through Our Islands Our Future. The Government recognises that providing a ferry service should not place a disproportionate financial burden on the Council.

“Our talks today were constructive and we look forward to working with the Scottish Government in finding a solution to this long-running issue.”