The Leader of 嫩草影院 Council secured a 鈥榮ympathetic鈥 response to the area鈥檚 need for ferry funding, when she took 嫩草影院鈥檚 case to the Scottish Government鈥檚 Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands.
In a meeting held today (28 January), Councillor Aileen Morton raised the funding and service issues affecting ferries across 嫩草影院, with Paul Wheelhouse MSP.
Councillor Morton said:
鈥溎鄄萦霸 has the highest number of inhabited islands of all of Scotland鈥檚 councils. Ferry services therefore play a key part in keeping our communities connected, and in ensuring 嫩草影院 can support the national economy.
The Scottish Government provides support for ferry services in other parts of Scotland. 嫩草影院 deserves the same kind of support.
This is a fantastic area, with award winning businesses and people, and huge growth potential for our local and wider economies.
We are working hard to raise understanding, at all levels, of 嫩草影院鈥檚 challenges and opportunities.鈥
The focus of the discussion was the need for funding to support the ferry services currently operated by the council, including the need for capital funding to replace the Lismore ferry. However Councillor Morton and Chief Executive Pippa Milne also raised other ferry-related issues such as the wish for more sailings to Mull, increased capacity for Islay, improvements to the Dunoon town centre service and resilience for the main Rothesay service.
Councillor Morton gave a cautious welcome to today鈥檚 meeting:
鈥淲e arranged this meeting as another opportunity to stand up for 嫩草影院, and I am pleased that our case received a sympathetic hearing.
What matters however is action. The Minister confirmed his commitment last year to finding a funding solution for 嫩草影院鈥檚 ferries. This is still to be identified.
Similarly, it was announced last week that there will be delays to the improvement works at the Rest and Be Thankful due to budget pressures. 嫩草影院鈥檚 transport connectivity is crucial to its success and we need to see our aspirations matched by the Scottish Government.
I look forward to continuing discussions with the Minister after next week鈥檚 Scottish Government budget announcement.鈥
Today鈥檚 meeting comes a week after the council鈥檚 Leader raised the challenges facing the area with Scotland鈥檚 Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy. In the past week the Council Leader has also written to all party leaders pressing the case once more for a funding settlement from Holyrood that recognises 嫩草影院鈥檚 unique challenges.
