Chances of moratorium on energy projects ‘slim to none’
A LOCAL moratorium on any new large-scale energy developments is highly unlikely, the depute political leader of Shetland Islands Council has said.
Gary Robinson said the chances of a stop on all major energy projects in Shetland were “slim to none”.
He was speaking after it was revealed last week that Tingwall, Whiteness and Weisdale Community Council (TWWCC) are set to ask for an event where Shetland decides whether to demand any new energy projects are stopped.
The letter, written by TWWCC chairman Andrew Archer, said elected representatives would then potentially sign a declaration calling for a moratorium on further developments “until a coherent plan and strategy are in place”.
It is set to be discussed by the Association of Community Councils at its next meeting on Thursday 2 July.
Robinson took issue with the belief that local councillors would be asked to back the moratorium when it was discussed at Monday evening’s Lerwick Community Council meeting.
He said it felt that the whole thing was being “aimed at the wrong body”.
And he said councillors could not legally stand out against large-scale developments – or would exclude themselves from any further debate on the subject in the council chamber.
“MSPs and MPs should be the target for this rather than councillors,” Robinson said.
“This is asking the council to take a side in that that it legally can’t take.”
He said that asking local councillors to back a moratorium on any new energy developments was “something councillors legally can’t do”.
The councillor for Lerwick North and Bressay said part of the code of conduct for elected members covered planning and energy projects.
“Any elected member can’t stand up and say ‘I don’t like that windfarm’ or ‘I don’t like windfarms full stop’.
“As soon as they do they exclude themselves from taking part in the process.”
Robinson said he was not entirely convinced the TWWCC letter referred to councillors directly, claiming the wording was “ambiguous”.
Archer’s letter called on a public meeting – like those being held in parts of north-east Scotland – to be held to decide on calling for a possible moratorium on energy developments in Scotland.
It said that they would be “inviting all community councillors and elected representatives to attend”.
Archer said the major energy developments planned for Shetland would have a “profound impact on our communities and our landscape”.
“Across many communities there is a strong and growing feeling that these developments are being done to us rather than with us,” it said.
“Local communities do not feel listened to or meaningfully involved in decisions that will reshape the places where we live.
“If these projects formed part of a clearly coordinated plan or wider strategy, the situation might feel different. Instead, there appears to be no overarching vision for how all these developments fit together or how their combined impacts will be managed.”
And he said TWWCC had “little confidence” that Shetland Islands Council would be able to “protect communities from the worst impacts”.
“Our community council’s experience during the Viking construction was that SIC appeared unwilling to challenge SSE and reluctant to stand up for local concerns.
“We see no clear evidence that this has changed.”
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