Crofters threatened by heavy fines
FARMERS and crofters are being penalised unfairly when making mistakes in filling in their Single Farm Payment (SFP) and/or Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) application forms, according to Shetland MSP Tavish Scott.
He and his Orkney party colleague Liam McArthur are accusing the Scottish government of introducing “draconian” penalties, higher than those applied by other EU member states.
Mr Scott said: “Crofters and famers in Shetland face being hit with enormous penalties for often minor offences.
“Acting in good faith, using previously approved government maps and guidance, they are now being told they have ‘over declared’ the size of their land.
“This heavy-handed approach by the Scottish Government will win the SNP no favours in the crofting and farming communities.”
LEADER
COMMUNITY groups hoping to get a share of the tiny LEADER funding budget of £220,000 are requested to submit a project brief by 8 November.
The budget was slashed earlier this year when the Scottish government transferred parts of its Rural Priorities programme the local action group (LAG) distributing European LEADER funds.
This left six local projects stranded which had already started the process under the Rural Priorities criteria.
To enable everybody with a viable project to get a fair share of what little is available under LEADER, the local action group will meet on 18 November to consider all the outline applications received by the end of the deadline.
LEADER principles and the criteria by which proposals will be assessed can be obtained from the website: www.shetlandleader.org
News club facilities
WHALSAY Golf Club’s new junior golf facilities, made possible thanks to a £5,000 grant from sportscotland, were opened on Friday.
The new facility comprises a 150 yard driving range, a three-hole mini par 3 course and a practice green with practice bunker. It was underpinned by a structured coaching programme.
Since 2007, five club members became trained and qualified to coach stage one, and the club’s junior membership has grown to 40.
The club’s junior secretary Allen Anderson said: “Since we started on the clubgolf programme there has been a big increase in the number of juniors who are taking part and also joining the club.
“Before we built these new facilities there was really very little practice, unless you went out on the course and the main greens. So the new facility has made a big difference and is a great help to what we can offer the juniors in coaching.”
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