By Keith Aitken in Edinburgh | 30 August 2013
Scottish ministers have agreed an outline plan that could see significant powers over resources and policy devolved to Scotland’s three island councils if voters back independence in next year’s referendum.
An inaugural meeting in Edinburgh of the Island Areas Ministerial Working Group brought leaders of the Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles councils together with local government minister Derek Mackay to formulate a remit and plan of work.
The meeting reached a broad agreement that control over the functions of the Crown Estate, which governs revenues from the shoreline and seabed, should be devolved to the authorities in the event of independence. Further discussions are scheduled to cover energy – the topic of the group’s next meeting in Stornoway in October – renewables, ferry services and other transport matters, and governance.
The talks reflect a long-standing wish by the islands for greater local autonomy, which has over many decades soured attitudes towards Scottish constitutional reform, seen by some islanders as merely substituting remote control from Edinburgh for remote control from London.
In June, the three authorities launched a joint manifesto, Our Islands – Our Future, which First Minister Alex Salmond broadly endorsed in the so-called Lerwick Declaration when the Scottish Cabinet met in Shetland last month. The working group talks follows from that declaration.
Significantly, though the island councils have not tied their demands to any particular outcome in next year’s referendum.
Speaking after yesterday’s meeting, Mackay said: ‘I look forward to developing this agenda in more detail and agreeing a prospectus for the future of the islands in the context of the referendum.’
However the council leaders, while welcoming the progress with equal enthusiasm, were more guarded about its relationship to the debate on Scottish independence. Steven Heddle from Orkney welcomed ‘this first step in an ongoing engagement’ while Angus Campbell from the Western Isles spoke of a ‘continuing commitment to gain a better future for our island groups’.
Only Gary Robinson from Shetland, where in the past local leaders have hinted at staying with Westminster if Scotland becomes independent, referred directly to the upcoming vote: ‘It’s particularly important as we approach a time of constitutional change to explore all the options that may be available to us,’ he said.
Responding to the meeting, Shetland Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott said that the Scottish National Party government had previously drained powers away from the islands, while his Orkney party colleague, Liam McArthur, portrayed the talks as a pre-referendum bribe.
