SNP ministers admitted they should ask more islanders to join a group of mainland-based experts overseeing millions of pounds of investment in their communities.
The rethink comes after the Holyrood government was branded “urban-obsessed” last year when it emerged that east coast council chiefs had been brought in to rule on island funding.
We reported almost every member of the eight-strong Islands Programme investment panel was based in mainland cities.
The group was asked to evaluate bids for grants from the £4.45 million Islands Programme.
The panel featured Aberdeen City Council chief executive Angela Scott and Dundee City Council corporate services director Robert Emmott.
The remaining places were filled by three Scottish Government officials, two from the Scottish Futures Trust and one from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Finlay Carson, convener of Holyrood’s islands committee, wrote to Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon in November asking her to consider expanding the panel.
Ms Gougeon has now responded, agreeing changes could be made to the group.
Panel expansion
She said: “My officials are considering additional island-based non-conflicted potential members with infrastructure investment experience.
“They will work towards increasing the number of investment panel members based on islands or who have extensive island-specific investment skills.”
Scottish Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron had previously called for the panel to be expanded.
“I’m glad the Scottish Government is reconsidering the balance of this important group,” he said.
‘Unique challenges’
“Islanders want reassurance that people with expertise of their communities and the unique challenges they face are heavily involved in this organisation.
“That hadn’t been the case previously, and it’s welcome ministers appear to be seeking to put this right.”
The Islands Programme last year awarded cash to a total of 11 schemes, spread across 31 islands.
They included a new visitor centre and EV charging points at Old Man of Storr, nine ‘island pit stops’ at Arran and Cumbrae providing better facilities for visitors, a new nursery at Kirkwall and an upgrade of seafront infrastructure at Tobermory.
Ms Gougeon said the next round of the programme, for 2023/24, would be delivered through a “simplified and streamlined bid model”, learning lessons from last year.
