A good week for ‘Our Islands Our Future’

November 28, 2014 at 9:17 am

The leaders of Scotland's have welcomed the findings of the Smith Commission. From the left Angus Campbell, Steven Heddle and Gary Robinson. — The leaders of Scotland’s have welcomed the findings of the Smith Commission. From the left Angus Campbell, Steven Heddle and Gary Robinson.

The leaders of Scotland’s three island councils have declared the findings of the Smith Commission as a major landmark for the Our Islands Our Future campaign.

The commission was set up following the referendum and its recommendations will form the basis of legislation on more powers for Scotland. Through Our Islands Our Future, the councils in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles are working together to achieve a further devolution of powers to the islands they represent.

In his report, Lord Smith says: “There is a strong desire to see the principle of devolution extended further, with the transfer of powers from Holyrood to local communities.

“The Scottish Government should work with the Parliament, civic Scotland and local authorities to set out ways in which local areas can benefit from the powers of the Scottish Parliament.”

A key aspiration of Our Islands Our Future is for the three councils to take over the Crown Estate’s responsibility for the foreshore and seabed around their islands. Lord Smith says responsibility for the management of the Crown Estate’s economic assets in Scotland – including the seabed and foreshore – should be transferred to the Scottish Parliament.

“Following this transfer, responsibility for the management of those assets will be further devolved to local authority areas such as Orkney, Shetland, and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar,” the report says.

OIC convener Steven Heddle said: “This is a major achievement for the campaign, with the island authorities the only councils referenced by name in Lord Smith’s report. Devolution of the Crown Estate’s assets will give us the ability to ensure development in our waters is sustainable and delivers the maximum benefits for our communities.

“This has been a good week for Our Islands Our Future,” said Councillor Heddle, adding: “Our joint campaign is clearly making a difference for the three island communities, and adds value to the extensive lobbying we carry out individually.”

The Smith Commission report is available online at www.smith-commission.scot/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/The_Smith_Commission_Report-1.pdf