A new action plan aimed at improving life on Scotland’s island communities has been published by ministers.
The new National Islands Plan implementation route map was delayed due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
And while it sets out 13 key objectives aimed at making life on the islands better, the Scottish Government states that the route map “does not yet include details of the investment required to deliver our commitments in the National Islands Plan”.
Instead, it says the new document will “inform future Scottish Government spending and investment”.
The route map outlines 13 key objectives for improvement, including dealing with population decline, improving transport, providing better housing and tackling fuel poverty, as well as improving digital connectivity.
It also seeks to improve and promote health, social care and wellbeing and contribute to climate change mitigation.
Other objectives include empowering diverse communities, supporting arts, culture and language.
The promotion and improvement of education for all throughout life is another aim.
Some of these can be delivered in a “short timescale” the document states, with work in the next two years, but others will take five years or more before changes can be made.
Islands minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said the last year had been challenging for everyone, adding that “island communities in particular have been, and continue to be, impacted by Covid-19”.
He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank our island communities for their resilience in response to the pandemic and for their continued dedication to combating this virus.”
The minister added: “The implementation route map will be published as a living document to enable it to respond to fresh challenges and changing circumstances as they arise.
“We will continue to work closely with key stakeholders to ensure that the voices of islanders are fully heard as we look to bring into reality the aspirations of those islanders who helped shape the National Islands Plan and all the objectives within it.”
Roddie Mackay, Leader of Western Isles Council, welcomed the plan and called for any new government to commit more resources to it. He said: “There is nothing on the list of objectives I would disagree with. What we would like to see is more funding and more accurate timescales.
“I would like to see a bit more pace in delivering these.
“A lot of the items are things that have been in discussion for many years.
“We have always prioritised digital connectivity, it has never been more apparent than in the past year that we need it.
“The Covid experience has brought a degree of urgency to addressing things like digital connectivity and wellbeing.
“We want the document to be a live real work in progress – not left on a shelf.
“We would look for anybody standing for government to commit to resourcing and activating the National Islands Plan with a degree of pace.
“We would look for the new government to commit resources to it if it is going to make any difference to the lives of islanders.”
