Have your say on national islands plan

A SERIES of events are scheduled to take place across Shetland in June to gather the public’s thoughts on Scotland’s proposed national islands plan.

A consultation on the plan is ongoing and islanders are being asked for their views on the challenges they face, such as population retention, connectivity, economic development, housing and transport links.

The national consultation will feed into Scotland’s first national islands plan, which stems from the introduction of last year’s islands act.

Islands minister Paul Wheelhouse previously said the plan was an “opportunity for us to develop a strategic direction for optimising support to island communities, taking into account factors like ageing populations, public service provision, biodiversity and enhancing skillsets”.

The first public consultation event in Shetland will be held at the Islesburgh Community Centre in Lerwick on 3 June.

The following day the Baltasound Hall in Unst will host an event, with a session in Yell – likely to be at the Mid Yell Hall – scheduled for 5 June.

On 6 June there will be an event at the Symbister Hall in Whalsay before things are concluded at the Brae Hall the following day.

All of the events will start at 7.30pm apart from the Brae event, which will kick off at 5.30pm.

The national consultation, meanwhile, is open until 6 July, and can be found here.