Newsletter, issue 1,  August  2008                 www.scottish-islands-federation.co.uk

SIF NEWS

Hello and welcome to the first SIF (Scottish Islands Federation) newsletter, which we hope will soon become a regular feature! We would like it to be informative but also interactive, so please use our “feedback@scottish-islands-federation.co.uk” to tell us what you think.

Since SIF’s initial “Voice for the Islands” conference on Mull, the interim board elected at the conference has worked on refining the organization’ s Mems and Arts. The federation is now registered as a company limited by guarantee.

An outline strategy has also been developed whilst sources of funding are being explored to enable SIF to employ dedicated staff and deliver the aims and objectives agreed at the Mull conference (for conference report, go to www.scottish-islands-federation.co.uk/conference-2007.htm).

Topic of the issue    

Fuel costs rising by a reported 300% in the last year are threatening to bring the islands’ economy down.

Fishing and farming, the islands’ primary industries, are severely affected. Alastair Mackie, a fisherman for more than 20 years on Mull said "Things are looking very bleak. It is getting to the point that we will not be able to afford to go to sea at all, which effectively makes the fishing industry here redundant. There are probably more than 20 households principally dependant on fishing income. The loss of that income to the local economy will be devastating and will seriously affect the whole community. Our main asset, the boats themselves, are virtually unsaleable and when people on the mainland talk of 'negative equity', they have no clue as to how bad it could really get."

Shane Cadzow of Cadzow Bros, who breed the famous Luing cattle, said: 'The cost of producing winter feed from silage has gone through the roof - at least doubled in the year - as has the cost of fertiliser. Farmers get no tax rebate for petrol used in quad bikes, and no rebate on the tax on red diesel, unlike fishermen, and our fuel bill has gone up by many thousands of pounds in the year. It will all force up food costs in the shops.'

As well as fishing and farming, major island contributors to the Scottish economy, such as the Islay whisky industry are struggling to cope with massive increases in production and distribution costs.

Small island hauliers who provide the day to day essentials from the mainland to islanders are finding their already tight operating margins quickly dwindling.

Pensioners are terrified to run their new oil fired central heating provided by the Scottish government due to the huge rise in the costs of heating oil.

Tourism is equally affected: Eileen MacDonald, the proprietor of the Doune Braes Hotel on the west side of Lewis, said that she set her rates for customers last year when the cost of her heating oil was 39p a litre. Her last delivery cost 65p per litre. This by itself would not have hit her too hard, but, the 'combination effect is cutting in again, and tourism on the Western Isles is well down. The hotels that she has contacted up and down the islands say that they are down by between 40 and 60%. They too are on oil.

Ian Gillies, the Scottish islands Federation chairman, is calling for government to take immediate and practical measures to overcome the fuel price rises’ crippling effects. “The current crisis is going to drive our primary industries, and therefore our island communities, to the very edge of banktrupcy and eventual extinction. Something real and practical has to be done now. We are looking for positive and immediate action: a reduction in the excise duty on fuel for farmers and fishermen, a reduction in VAT and in road tax for islanders would be a start.”

Add your stories by emailing them at “feedback@scottish-islands-federation.co.uk”

NEWS

SIF REPRESENTATION ON R.E.T. at the Parliamentary Enquiry into the future of Scottish Ferry Services.

This extensive community consultation was led by Charles Gordon and Alison MacInnes, MSPs, on behalf of the Transport and Climate Change Committee. The Committee is making its submission to the Scottish Government this June and a response is expected within 6 weeks with parliamentary time scheduled for September/October.

Transcripts of the Ferry Enquiry can be viewed on the Scottish Parliament website: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/ticc/inquiries/FerryInquiryHome.htm 

 On behalf of SIF, Len Scoullar, of Argyll and Bute Council, said:

•    SIF welcomes the RET pilot trial in the Western Isles as well as Coll and Tiree, as an indication of this government‘s commitment to look at island Ferry and Air travel as an extension of our national roads networks.

•    SIF will keep a close eye of the trial to see what impact it has on numbers of visitors this summer and in the next two years.  Will there be for instance a displacement effect towards the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree? Will other islands see visitors number go down as a result of cheaper fares to theses islands?

•    In the meantime, there has to be a proportionate decrease for islands not included in the RET trial in terms of passengers fare and freight charges to those islands.

This statement is part of a wider transport policy which the federation is in the process of developing. (See SIF transport policy on www.scottish-islands-federation.co.uk).

Scottish Ferries more expensive to run than Concorde? True or false? Every island thinks that its ferry service is the most costly per mile. Let us know what your

ferry costs per mile for an adult passenger and for a car. We will compile a table of your responses!

Community Energy Scotland (CES) to take over from HICEC in July 2008.

Community Energy Scotland will take over from the Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company in July 2008. Its purpose is to build confidence, resilience and wealth at community level in Scotland through sustainable energy development.

Community Energy Scotland will inherit the work and staff of HICEC and build upon HICEC's legacy, delivery advice and grant funding on sustainable energy development across Scotland. Unlike HICEC, it will be a membership-based organisation, with membership open to non-profit distributing community groups. For this year (2008-2009) its focus will remain the Highlands and Islands although CES will provide support to groups applying to the Big Lottery’s Growing Community Assets programme over the whole of Scotland.

CES will provide free advice, grant funding and finance for renewable energy projects developed by community groups to benefit their community. This extends to non-profit distributing organisations such as social enterprises and housing associations. CES will assist from the earliest stage of a project idea through to helping to ensure it is running properly once completed.

For example, they can help you if you want to fit renewable energy equipment into a building to help reduce your running costs and use of fossil fuels such as oil. They can also help if you wish to develop a larger-scale project to generate and sell energy to gain a long-term income for your community or organisation. If your group is interested in joining Community Energy Scotland, or you simply want to find out more, the link below until such time as CES has developed its own web presence.
www.hie.co.uk/community-energy.html

ISLAND OF THE MONTH

Eigg, a “switched on ” island.

By tapping into sources of renewable energy, Scottish islands such as the Isle of Eigg are leading the way towards becoming Low Carbon Communities. This a concept which the Scottish Government is keen to encourage, as Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Energy, told islanders at the Mull conference. 

On 6 June 2008, the Isle of Eigg Electrification Project, which allows power generated from renewable energy sources around the island to be supplied to all residents through the new island wide high voltage distribution network, was formally handed over to Eigg Electric, the result of two years hard work.

This new and innovative system can generate up to 95% of the island’s annual energy demand through a combination of Hydro Electric, Wind Power and Solar Energy, a first in term of system design. 

John Booth, chairman of Eigg Electric, who spent the equivalent of one and half year full time employment on the project, said: “I feel the success of the project is due in a large part to the fact that Eigg Electric remained in control of the project from beginning to end. We made it our business to understand how the system worked and we did not hand it over to an outside consultant. This undoubtedly made for closer cooperation with the contractors and saved us a huge amount of time, effort and money. We are now able to advise other communities as “Community Renewables Consultants.”

Not content with this achievement, the island community has now embarked on the BIG GREEN CHALLENGE, and is among those contestants that made it to the second stage. “The Eigg Electrification project has raised everyone’s awareness about our carbon footprint, and we are looking at ways of saving even more carbon emissions. We are looking at all sorts of schemes, from community composting to electric vehicles, it is very exciting,” said Lucy Scott who is coordinating the bid.

This story of “empowerment” in more ways than one, achieved entirely on the efforts of the community to resolve their own needs and finding their own solutions, is a tremendous testimony to community achievement.

It also shows how smaller islands can lead the way with innovative solutions in many fields. As was outlined at the 2006 European Small Islands Network Conference in Islay, islands are ideally suited for pilot studies, since they can act as “transferable development models,” particularly in the fields of renewable energy, social modelling and the environment.

Technical Data:

The generation system comprises a new 100kW Hydro Scheme and 2 smaller 6kW schemes, a  24kW wind farm comprising 4 x 6kW Proven wind turbines on 15 m masts, and a 9.5kW photovoltaic system, combined with a battery inverter system and two diesel generators.  The distributing system comprised 9 HV to LV transformer stations, 11km of HV cable and 9km of LV cabling and meters and changeover switches in each property.

The total cost of the scheme is £1.6 million. Funding came from the European Regional Development Fund, HIE Lochaber, Highlands & Islands Community Energy Company, the Big Lottery, Scottish Community Household Renewables Initiative, Energy Saving Trust & Highland Council, with Triodos Bank assisting with financial arrangement.

European perspective

Gearing up to the European Year of the Islands in 2010, a number of islands conferences and events are happening all over Europe. Through its membership of ESIN, the European Small Islands Network, SIF will endeavour to keep you up to date with events, proposals and information.

ESIN AGM,  9 -11 September 2008, Hotel Kasnäs,  Kasnäs, South West Archipelago,  Finland.

   The 8th annual meeting of the European Small Islands Federation (ESIN) will be hosted by FOSS (Finland Öar/Suomen Saaret), the Finish Islands association. The conference programme will feature topics such as the Maritime Policy of the European Union and the small islands, Islands development and the Cohesion Policy. Island Cultural exchanges and the European Year of Islands 2010 will also be discussed alongside the proposed Charter for the European Small Islands put forward by the Island of Elba and the ANCIM network.

Keynotes speakers will include Stefan Wallin, Minister of Culture and Sports, on the topic of “Islands and their young people.”  (check SIF’s ESIN page for full programme).

ESIN ‘s Young Islanders Project Swap will also take place in Kasnäs on 8 September. Young islanders involved in youth related work  or having a project that involves international cooperation, will meet to find a partner organization for their projects.

You can also contact George Paterakis (info@mediadellarte.gr) if you are interested or if you need more information

NOTICEBOARD

Islands can benefit from fully funded courses with the Social Enterprise Academy.

The Social Enterprise Academy can now offer fully-funded ILM endorsed leadership and management programmes and modules to those involved with social enterprises based in the Highlands & Islands, thanks to an ESF (European Social Fund) grant which is being matched by the Scottish Government and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

Nicola Welsh, formerly of Nadair Trust, has been appointed Programme Manager for the area and will be based in Inverness. She will work with the 8 Highland based academy tutors and will endeavour to tailor learning and deliver training locations to suit learners. This is an extremely exciting development and expansion of the Academy's work of developing excellence in leadership and management in the social economy. Check this at the Social Enterprise Academy website: www.theacademy-ssea.org.

BBC Documentary on young islanders’ lives  

The BBC is planning a documentary about young people living on British islands. Themes the team is interested in include what island life is like, how communities are maintained and the choices young people make about their future (e.g. deciding whether to stay on their island or move to the mainland, carry on family businesses or find other work etc).

If you are interested in taking part in the programme or know someone who might be interested, please contact:

Esther Ingram

BBC Vision

MC4D3, Media Centre

201 Wood Lane, London,W12 7TQ

e: esther.ingram@bbc.co.uk

t: +44 (0)208 743 8000

Contact email: “feedback@scottish-islands-federation.co.uk”