Consultation to let islands have a say on their future

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on a proposed Islands Bill, that it says will see island communities acquire additional powers, stronger representation at Holyrood and the creation of a National Islands Plan.

The consultation will seek views on:

• Island-Proofing – whether a legal duty should be placed on Ministers and relevant public bodies to ‘island-proof’ their functions and decisions.
• Empowering Island Communities – what additional powers and functions could be passed to island councils to benefit or better protect the island communities they serve.
• National Islands Plan – whether a legal duty should be placed on all future Scottish Governments to prepare a ‘National Islands Plan’, setting out on-going commitments across all policy areas of Government to support, promote and empower our island communities.
• Local Government Electoral Wards – whether the Local Government Boundary Commission in Scotland should have discretion to recommend wards with less than three councillors so that populated islands are not placed in an electoral ward that contains a significant proportion of mainland population.

Welcoming the consultation, Councillor Steven Heddle, convener of Orkney Islands Council, said: “It comes as a direct result of the Our Islands Our Future campaign. Working alongside the councils in Shetland and the Western Isles, we presented a compelling case for a further devolution of powers and responsibilities to the islands.

“In June last year, the Government published Empowering Scotland’s Island Communities, its detailed response to our campaign. Since then we have continued to hold regular discussions with Ministers on how best to take forward the commitments the Government made when the document was launched in Kirkwall.

“The consultation that gets under way today gives us all the opportunity to comment on and lobby for measures that require legislation and should be included in a future Bill for the Islands.”

He added: “The consultation paper includes a section on Island Proofing – measures the Government could take to ensure the special circumstances of the islands are always taken into account during the early stages of policy development. It also seeks views on what additional powers should be devolved to the islands councils to benefit the islands and recognise their special status.

“I would encourage people across our community to contribute their views and ideas, and be bold in their ambitions for Orkney as the consultation will shape this important islands-specific legislation, which will have an impact on all of our futures once it comes into force.”

The consultation runs for three months.

To find out more and take part visit https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/islands-team/islands-bill-consultation