News / Useful meeting with shipping minister
HIGHLANDS and Islands council leaders have described a meeting with shipping minister Mike Penning over the proposed cuts to coastguard stations as “very useful”.
The four conveners presented the MP for Hemel Hempstead with a 32 page dossier outlining why their communities were opposed to closing either Stornoway or Lerwick coastguard stations as well as the proposed withdrawal of the two emergency towing vessels (ETV) stationed in the northern isles and The Minches.
Under Lib-Cons coalition plans ten of the UK’s 18 Coastguard stations would close with Aberdeen being the only 24- hour station serving Scotland.
A second station monitoring the waters to the north and west of Scotland would be retained in Lerwick or Stornoway, but its operational hours would be reduced to “daytime only”.
The proposals have been met with disbelief and have united Scotland island and coastal communities in its opposition.
On Monday, the leaders of Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles and Highland councils received assurances from the minister that no decision had been taken and that the consultation on the future of Lerwick and Stornoway Coastguard stations were genuine.
After the hour long meeting, Shetland Islands Council convener Sandy Cluness said that they have had a sympathetic hearing during which the minster had been prepared to take on board much of the evidence presented in the dossier.
“The delegation presented the case very strongly, and emphasised to Mr Penning a number of the points outlined in our briefing paper. He expressed a desire to work with us in a constructive and creative way, and I welcome that.
“In addition to the commitment he gave late last year to visit Shetland, Mr Penning also agreed to visit the Western Isles later in the year.
“The delegation appreciated that gesture as I think that only by going out to the two areas will he get a feel for the level of opposition there is to closure and how vital the service is. The meeting was a very worthwhile exercise”, the SIC convener said.
The minister said he could not pre-empt the outcome of the consultation process and added that a final decision on the future of the two island coastguard stations would not be taken before the summer at the earliest.
In an interview with the local BBC station in Shetland, Mr Penning said: “My mind is still open on this, and the consultation is still open.
“I have not set a date for implementation because I want people to realise that we are studying what the consultations are; and safety will be paramount for me.”
Later this week, on Friday morning, the chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Sir Alan Massey, will be in Shetland to hear staff’s concern at the Lerwick station.
He will also meet with local MP Alistair Carmichael and MSP Tavish Scott the night before.
A rally in support of retaining the coastguard station at The Knab is being organised by a local support committee.
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