Re-opening of Uig Harbour hit by delay
The re-opening of Uig Harbour is set to be delayed by five days due to outstanding critical works at the Skye port.
The Highland Council announced today – Tuesday 28th November – that the harbour will reopen on Saturday 16th December rather than the scheduled date of Monday 11th December.
The council have said the decision was taken in consultation with its contractor RJ McLeod, and partners Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), Transport Scotland and CalMac.
The local authority said that the progress of the redevelopment had been hampered by Storms Ciaran and Debi which has resulted in delays to the removal of the existing fender system and installation of the new fenders.
The chair of the council’s economy and infrastructure committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: “While alternative plans require to be extended for a further short period, this will enable the works to be completed safely and to a high standard.”
Dunvegan play park bid receives £30,000 boost
A community project to build a new play park in Dunvegan has received a significant boost through £30,000 allocated by Highland Councillors in the Eilean a’ Cheò ward.
The Dunvegan Community Park project is being led by a sub-committee of the Dunvegan Community Trust.
The play park group said it was delighted to receive the boost to go towards its fundraising efforts which moves it a step closer towards its goal.
To date it has fundraised £4,000 through events and community support, while the group is set to launch a crowd funding campaign this week. The Dunvegan Community Trust has made an application to the Community Regeneration Fund.
The total cost of the park is estimated at around £180,000,
Skye school worker questions Unison pay deal
A pupil support assistant on Skye has expressed her disappointment with Unison’s acceptance of a pay deal from COSLA and said she was prepared to fight on for a fair offer.
Unison member Amy McNab (pictured left) works as a PSA at Portree Primary School. She has been one among hundreds of school and nursery workers across the country who has taken strike action in protest at the pay offer to non-teaching staff by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).
However, on Monday the Unison union announced that more than two thirds of its members had voted to accept to accept the latest pay deal.
The pay package, which will increase the wages of its lowest paid employees by £2,000 a year, is materially the same offer as proposed before the strike action which took place in September and November.
However, it now includes the backdating of a pay rise to April for all staff rather than some, and a firm committment to achieving a minimum rate of pay of £15 per hour for all local government workers by 1st April 2026,
Reacting to the vote, Skye PSA Amy McNab told Radio Skye – full comment below – that she was frustrated at the outcome and had voted against the offer.
Meanwhile, COSLA resources spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “Throughout this challenging process, we have listened carefully to our trade unions, met all their asks, and worked with Scottish Government to put an incredibly strong half a billion pound pay package forward.
“For the sake of everyone in our local government workforce, who are delivering essential frontline services, I am pleased that the pay offer has now been accepted by all of our trade union colleagues.”
Highlands MSP to “keep up pressure” on NHS Highland
Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has pledged to keep up the pressure on NHS Highland until services are fully restored at Portree Hospital.
The Highlands and Islands representative’s comments follow NHS Highland’s announcement that the urgent care service at the Skye capital facility will extend to seven days a week from the first week in January 2024.
Reacting to the news, Mr Halcro Johnston said: “I raised the lack of seven-day-a-week urgent care cover at Portree only last week with the heath secretary, and so I welcome news that some progress has been made.
“This is a step in the right direction, however, making a promise is not the same a delivering on it. There can be no complacency.”
He went on to stress: “The campaign has experienced too many false dawns already, and so I will keep up the pressure until I see services fully restored and the community’s needs are met”.
Gaelic language plan “vital” says health chair
The chair of NHS Highland has said its news five-year Gaelic language is crucial to the communities across the region.
Under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, NHS Highland has a statutory duty to play its part in promoting the language.
NHS Highland Chair, Sarah Compton-Bishop, said: “It is vital we raise awareness for the Gaelic language as it is an intrinsic part of the rich culture of the Scottish Highlands.
“As the biggest employer in Highland, Argyll and Bute there are many opportunities and benefits to promoting the Gaelic language across our area.
She added: “The plan will enhance patient experience for our Gaelic speakers across NHS Highland, as well as the patients we serve from the Western Isles.”
Dunvegan and Glengarry elect new community councillors
Eight candidates has been selected to serve on Dunvegan Community Council following the results of an election which was declared on Monday by the Highland Council
In total 224 postal votes were returned from an electorate of 503, which represents a 44.5 per cent return.
The members who were voted in are: Mandy Boswell, Donna Campbell, Sarah MacAskill, Lana Macintosh, Phillipa MacRae, Sylvia Meyer, Laura Shirley and Tim Wallis.
Meanwhile, Glengarry’s community council has also be established following a postal vote.
Overall, 211 votes were returned from a possible 341, which accounts for a return of 61.9 per cent.
A total of eight members were elected with Kevin Sutherland polling the highest number of votes at 150.
You can listen to the latest local news for Skye and Lochalsh live at the times below by clicking on the banner. 
Council education chair hits out at Dunvegan school funding snub
The Highland Council’s education chair has criticised the Scottish Goverment for ignoring the pressing need for a new primary school for Dunvegan by omitting the Skye institution from a key funding award.
All four bids from the Highland Council, including for Dunvegan, were rejected by the Scottish Government in its latest round of the £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme, which was announced on Monday.
As well as plans for a new primary school the proposal for Dunvegan also includes new housing and a community sports pitch.
In announcing the awards, Scottish Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said she was determined to deliver excellence and equity across Scotland’s schools, and ensuring that pupils are educated in modern, state of the art facilities is an important part of that.
She added that every Scottish local authority which submitted a bid has now received funding for a project across the three phases of LEIP funding.
However, speaking to Radio Skye following the decision, Skye and Raasay Councillor who chair the Highland Council’s education committee, questioned the Scottish Government’s judgement.
He said: “What is very galling is the fact that a strong bid was put in for Dunvegan, and the bid was accepted as being strong by the Scottish Goverment.
But the outcome within LEIP 3, seems to now suggest that councils who had not got funding in round 1 or 2, were given funding this time round. So in effect, the condition of schools, the need for replacements, the strength of bids was ignored in favour of every authority getting an allocation…”
He added: “This is some way undermines the whole process.”
The cost of the project has risen from £12.5 million when the plans were approved by the council in 2019 to £23 million in 2023.
However, councillor Finlayson contended that the project was not dead and buried despite the significant set back.
“Personally, I’m very, very disappointed at the outcome, especially for Dunvegan…I also feel that governments of all colours (politically) need to try to understand the challenges that rural areas and islands face in terms of many issues including education.
“I am still committed to and convinced that a new school, housing and a pitch will be in place in Dunvegan, even though it will take longer than I or the community had hoped it would.”
Fellow Skye and Raasay Councillor Ruraidh Stewart argued that the council was not blameless and said that communities of Highland has found themselves let down by the Councils SNP and Independent administration, which he claimed had consistently failed to prioritise the needs of our school communities.
He also criticised the SNP/Green administration in Holyrood for what he has called an “abandonment of our school communities”.
He concluded by saying that that the absence of LEIP funding did not negate the urgent requirement for investment in the Dunvegan, Beauly, Park, and St Clement’s schools, and pledged that he and his colleagues would continue to press the administration to invest in the learning estate and prioritise the well-being and future of Highland’s young people.
Rural and Islands Housing Plan challenged at Holyrood
The conservatives and labour have today challenge the scope of Scottish Government’s Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan during a debate at Holyrood today.
Through its Rural and Islands Housing Action plan plan, the Scottish Government has committed to delivering 110,000 houses by 2032 across the country, with 10 per cent earmarked for rural and islands areas.
However, Scottish Conservative MSP Rachael Hamilton said that the plan was insufficient with rural and island areas accounting for 17 per cent of Scotland population.
Meanwhile, Scottish labour member Mark Griffin has asked that the government set that an interim target for 5,500 houses to be completed in rural areas by 2026.
In an amendment to housing minister Paul MacLennan’s motion, Mr Griffin stressed that greater economic support from the Goverment was needed for infrastructure needed to allow local authorities, registered social landlords, community organisations and Scottish Government agencies to successfully retain and attract people to rural and island communities.
Breakish group to hold wind farm event
A Skye campaign group who standing against plan to site a wind farm in Breakish are hosting a public exploring community-owned alternatives.
The Breakish Wind Farm Action Group comprise of local community members who are in opposition to Swedish Developer Arise AB’S plans to site 16 wind turbines 180 metres in height in the south Skye settlement.
This Wednesday the group are hosting an event where a presentation will be given by Faye MacLeod of Campbell Stewart MacLennan and Co. Chartered Accountants.
The event will be held on Wednesday (1st November) at 7.30pm upstairs at Broadford Village Hall.
Green MSP backs Sabhal Mòr Ostaig to be granted university status
A Highland MSP is leading a campaign for Skye’s Sabhal Mòr Ostaig to be granted University Status as Scotland’s First Gaelic University.
Scottish Green MSP Arianne Burgess introduced a motion to support full degree-conferring powers to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig which passed by an overwhelming majority.
Speaking to the National newspaper Ms Burgess said granting the centre university status would place the Sleat-based institution it on the international stage and attract more people to the Gaelic language.
The Green MSP will now take the campaign onto the Scottish Parliament.
Voting open for Dunvegan and Glengarry Community Councils
Ballot papers have been sent to voters in Dunvegan and Glengarry to determine the make-up of their local community councils.
Postal ballot papers for ten contested Highland community councils have been mailed out today (Tuesday 31 October 2023).
The ballot papers need to be completed and returned by the deadline of 12 noon on Monday 27 November 2023.
Candidates were invited to submit a statement to support their candidacy and these statements are now published online at the community council elections section of the Council’s website
The counting of the votes for the ten contested Community Councils will take place from 12noon onwards on Monday 27 November 2023 and the count process will be broadcast live on the Council’s social media channels.
You can listen to the latest local news for Skye and Lochalsh live at the times below by clicking on the banner.