Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Press Release
3 December 2008
Community Planning Partners Set Out Plans To Assist Local Economy
A meeting of the Outer Hebrides Community Planning Partnership today agreed to support a raft of proposals to assist the area at a time of severe economic hardship.
It is estimated that more than three hundred jobs have been lost in the Outer Hebrides in the past 6 months alone. These have mainly been in the fish processing, construction and Harris Tweed sectors. The voluntary sector is also facing severe economic pressures.
Proposals were recommended to the Partnership including:
- an acceleration of the capital programmes of NHS Western Isles and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar,
- accelerated invoice payments to local businesses,
- development of tendering and procurement procedures which, within legal constraints, are sympathetic to the needs of the local business community,
- consideration to be given to a ‘Keep Business Local’ campaign
- consideration of a short term loan guarantee programme to assist otherwise sustainable businesses over short to medium term credit and cash flow challenges
- a summit meeting and ongoing dialogue with local banking officials to ensure their support for the local business community
- the possibility of support for local businesses falling below HIE’s minimum grant thresholds.
The Chairman of the Community Planning Partnership and Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Angus Campbell, speaking after the meeting in Leverburgh, Harris, said: “A downturn in the economy of Scotland and the UK hits the Islands particularly hard and the Partnership believes it is incumbent upon us to do what we can to support the local economy. People in the Outer Hebrides are losing jobs at an alarming rate and we must try to stem that and at the very least, stabilise the situation. However, at a time of global economic hardship that is no easy task but we have today agreed to support a range of proposals that I hope the Comhairle and the other Community Planning Partners will implement as soon as possible”.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and the Chamber of Commerce, which represents the private sector on the Partnership, have agreed to carry out a survey amongst businesses in the Outer Hebrides to assess what affect the economic downturn is having.
Earlier this week the Comhairle and HIE wrote to the Scottish Government outlining the hardships facing the economy of the Outer Hebrides and urging the Government to pave the way for renewables development in the Islands. The Comhairle and its Community Planning Partners are also optimistic about setting up a fund to assist the Harris Tweed Industry.
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Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Tel: 01851 822622 (Work)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk
Ruairidh Maciver
Communications Assistant
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Tel: 01851 822615 (Work)
Tel: 07881 774601 (Mobile)
email: ruairidh.maciver@cne-siar.gov.uk
