Call for industry to help Shetland plan
NHS SHETLAND chairman Ian Kinniburgh has called on local industry to fully engage with attempts to create a new overall plan for the islands.
Mr Kinniburgh, who is vice chairman of the Shetland Community Planning Partnership, said that some sections of the islands’ private sector had refused to take part in the scenario planning process.
He did not identify which sectors of industry he was referring to, but urged them to take a more positive stance to the exercise.
“So far 850 folk have contributed to this process, which is four per cent of the community,” he said.
“We are being told that is a really high participation rate for a community scenario planning exercise, but I am conscious that some of the industry groups have not played into this yet.
“We have had some industry representation but it’s not across the board so we can’t be convinced that some of the things we are trying to plan fully represent their aspirations as well.
“We have tried to engage them but they have been reluctant to engage for their own reasons.
“It will be no good for the plan to develop and for them to come along a little bit later and say this is rubbish, this doesn’t take into account a really important part of the community in which we live.”
His comments came after more than 100 delegates gathered at Islesburgh Community Centre on Monday to take the community plan forward.
The gathering broke up into small groups to debate the four scenarios representing Shetland 20 years hence in the event of good and bad decision making in the face of buoyant or difficult economic circumstances.
Those attending watched local actors on film performing dramatic versions of the scenarios in a restaurant, a café, a bar and an internet chatroom, which was designed to represent the best option.
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Mr Kinniburgh said the event had come up with a range of ideas for addressing the challenges ahead that would be compiled and put out to further community consultation by the end of this month.
“If we can plan effectively and tap into the Shetland spirit then we can weather the storm that everyone is forecasting is going to happen and we can build a sustainable Shetland where people want to live, work and visit,” he said.
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