Ministerial working group to look into joint council campaign

The Scottish Government has confirmed that a ministerial working group is to be commissioned to look at the Our Islands — Our Future campaign.

The news has been welcomed by the leaders of the three islands councils behind the initiative — Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles — all of whom want additional powers and resources to give them a greater ability to shape the destinies of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.

Political leader of Shetland Islands Council, Gary Robinson, says: “While our campaign is politically neutral, we certainly welcome the opportunity to engage with the Scottish Government and are very pleased that a working group will be set up and that our campaign is being taken seriously.  We need to ensure that, whatever the outcome of the referendum, we have secured the very best future for the three islands and their communities.”

Welcoming the announcement, Councillor Steven Heddle, convener of Orkney Islands Council, said: “From the start we’ve sought early engagement with the Government on the important issues that underpin Our Islands — Our Future.

“These issues are of fundamental importance for our communities, so having the opportunity to raise and discuss them at ministerial level is a very positive step forward for the campaign.”

Leader of the Western Isles council, Angus Campbell, added: “Our aim is to ensure that the three island groups have the means to improve the well being of the communities of their areas and contribute more to national prosperity. In our view the best way of doing that is by devolving further powers to island areas.

“We believe the constitutional debate currently taking place in Scotland offers a unique opportunity to engage in serious debate on these opportunities to improve, we believe, the lives of those living in the islands but also for the Scottish and UK Governments to derive the maximum possible benefit from the islands’ economic, cultural and social resources. We want to fully realise the potential of our islands.”