News / Crofters feel bite of SIC cuts
TWO agricultural grant schemes worth £160,000 to crofters and farmers in Shetland will be scrapped as part of massive cuts to local authority spending.
On Wednesday Shetland Islands Council’s development committee went beyond their officers’ recommendation by ending discretionary grants from their rural development scheme and agricultural business scheme.
The grants, which no other authority pays out, are used to help with the cost of fertiliser, herd improvement and arable crops.
Shetland South member Billy Fox won substantial support when he proposed removing both schemes and only reviewing them once council finances were on an “even keel” again.
The move will help the SIC meet its savings target of more than £30 million over the next two years.
Economic development project officer Jon Dunn had proposed reducing the grant schemes by £40,000 and £20,000 respectively.
Fox said that according to the latest available figures the local agricultural industry had an annual output of £8.89 million in 2010, while it received more than £9.26 million in European grants.
“The industry is receiving more in grants than what they are producing,” he said.
He added that while he was looking at the figures the previous night, he was contacted by a local farmer who agreed that the industry would accept such a sacrifice.
Shetland West member Frank Robertson moved the recommendation, arguing the schemes helped younger crofters who had just entered the industry.
When it came to the vote he only won the support of committee chairman Alistair Cooper.
The decision still has to be ratified by the full council. It will not affect the Shetland Animal Health scheme.
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