SIC spends less on flights than other islands

SHETLAND Islands Council (SIC) has spent less on flights over the last few years than the Orkney and Western Isles councils, according to new figures.

Data obtained by the TaxPayers’ Alliances under a freedom of information request shows that the SIC has shelled out £716,064.87 on flights since 1 January 2015.

In contrast, Orkney Islands Council spent nearly £900,000 on flights during the same period, while air travel cost the Western Isles around £849,000.

Understandably, the three island groups had the largest air travel bills of all of Scotland’s 32 councils.

While most of the SIC’s flights were to the Scottish mainland, return trips to Turkey and Vancouver cost over £1,000 per person.

Sending six people to Glasgow and back in August 2016, meanwhile, cost the council almost £2,000.

The figures cover flights for travel between 1 January 2015 through to the present day.

Council policy states that all flights are to be economy with the cheapest flight option being chosen.

SIC convener Malcolm Bell stressed that efforts continue to be made to hold meetings via video or audio conferencing to save on unnecessary trips south.

“When we do travel, we’ve made efforts to make sure they’re as efficient as possible,” he said, referring to the cheapest fares and scheduling more than one meeting around trips.

Bell added that it was “quite pleasing” to be placed behind Orkney and the Western Isles in the table of air travel spenders as it reflected the efforts made to minimise the need for heading off-island.