News / Isles continue push for full Crown Estate control
NICOLA Sturgeon has used a visit to Kirkwall to restate the SNP government’s pledge to hand greater decision-making powers to island communities.
Speaking at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands (COHI) on Monday morning, Scotland’s First Minister reaffirmed that – once Crown Estate powers are devolved to Holyrood – she will make sure the income goes “directly to island communities”.
Sturgeon said an Islands Bill would be drawn up following a consultation this summer on plans to hand greater autonomy to the island regions.
SIC leader Gary Robinson welcomed that announcement, and said he hoped local people would take the opportunity to participate in the consultation.
“It’s really important when it comes that folk make their views known,” he said.
Robinson said the council was “still pressing hard” to ensure that control over – in addition to income from – seabed developments is handed to Shetland.
“There are some question marks over control of the Crown Estate,” he said. “We’re making a good case there. They’re receptive so I’m hopeful of a positive outcome on control as well as the income.”
There are various viewpoints on which organisation(s) should be reponsible for administering funds and marine developments. Shetland MSP Tavish Scott has argued in favour of the NAFC Marine Centre, while several councillors are keen for the SIC to be involved.
“I think we’re well placed given that we have the ZCC [Zetland County Council] and OCC acts in the Northern Isles and have been dealing with things like marine planning for some time now. It would make absolute sense for us to hold that function as well.”
During last year’s independence referendum campaign, Sturgeon’s predecessor Alex Salmond unveiled a prospectus on greater powers for islands in the event of a Yes vote.
Sturgeon said on Monday that the SNP remained committed to fulfilling any pledges within its gift having lost the referendum.
But Scott called on Sturgeon to initiate “meaningful plans” to devolve powers to the islands – otherwise “we can only assume that the SNP remains stuck in its centralising ways”.
Sturgeon said: “When powers over the Crown Estate are devolved to the Scottish Parliament, as they are intended to be as part of the Smith [Commission] process, we will make sure all the income from leasing the seabed instead of going to crown estate commissioners, goes directly to island communities – making sure local people have that revenue that comes from developments in their own area to invest back in the community.
“We want to look at how we give councils in Highlands and Islands communities more ability to take decisions that determine conditions in their own area.”
Scott, who along with some local politicians in Shetland has repeatedly railed against centralisation of powers such as police and fire services under nationalist rule, said: “The SNP agreed with the Smith recommendations of devolving full powers to the islands.
“Either the First Minister doesn’t know the detail of the agreement or she is reneging on the Smith Commission.
“Power doesn’t come in the form of a cheque handed to communities, it comes by being able to write the cheque.
“Surely the First Minister would agree that the best people to steward the Crown Estate resources around islands like Shetland are the people who live there?”
SNP Highlands and Islands list MSP Mike Mackenzie described today’s announcement as an “excellent move” that would “help make island communities stronger” following “decades of empty promises” from the Liberal Democrats and other parties over island devolution.
“Devolving more autonomy to our islands and enabling decision making to the people who live and work in these unique parts of Scotland will only strengthen the communities – and help them prosper for future generations,” Mackenzie said.
“The Community Empowerment Bill currently making its way through parliament will also give more powers to communities to have their say over decisions that impact on them.”
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