VAS admin role ends after nearly 40 years

VOLUNTARY Action Shetland (VAS) has stopped providing admin support to the local Association of Community Councils (ASCC) after the council removed grant funding.

The support and liaison role is now set to move to Shetland Island Council’s community planning department.

VAS has expressed its disappointment at losing the income and has questioned whether the council would be able to do the job for the same amount of money.

Last financial year the Market House based organisation received £12,743 for the providing the community council liaison officer role.

VAS chairwoman Marilyn Stewart said it is a “very sad situation” that following an ASCC meeting on Saturday, the organisation had now been “forced” to give up its role.

The matter is due to be discussed at Tuesday’s SIC development committee meeting, where councillors are recommended to agree that admin support should be provided in-house by its community planning and development service.

A consultation run by the SIC showed that it was the first preference of the majority of Shetland’s community councils to have the local authority carry out in-house admin support.

Stewart said VAS has been “unable to achieve agreement with the SIC” on the matter.

“For nearly four decades VAS has steadfastly provided support to community councils through being an acknowledged point of contact, through having built up a bank of experience of how best to support councils and of course, through the administrative and personal support given.

“However, we have been unable to achieve agreement with the SIC, so therefore, regrettably we cannot continue to support the ASCC.”