Cllr. Donald Manford Slates CNeS Leader on RET

The SNP Group at Comhairle nan Eilean is saddened by the position statement on RET issued on Monday 19^th March 2012 in the name of “all Councillors".

One of the things that makes people tire of the current way things are done in the Comhairle is the lack of willingness to accept the existence of different views that you would expect to be evident in any democratic body.

So when a highly politicised statement goes out during the Purdah pre-election period, supposedly in the name of "all Councillors", based on no more discussion than an email round Councillors on a Friday afternoon with a warning that if you don’t disagree with the wording on a pre-prepared draft text by the Monday lunchtime, the Comhairle will presume to speak for everyone, we know something is wrong.



The statement quotes Comhairle decisions of 15^th February 2012, but fails to make any reference at all to the significant events which have taken place since.

The SNP Group supports RET - it was an SNP Government that brought in RET - and we have supported Alasdair Allan MSP in his efforts to secure recent concessions such as the £2.5 million transitional relief for hauliers in the first year alone, reduced ferry fares for carriers of live shellfish (less than a quarter of the pre RET cost) and agriculture transport, and the extension of RET to vans up to 6 metres.

What is much worse is the complete failure of the Councillors who backed the RET statement to comment on reports that George Lyon MEP has called on the European Commission to investigate the legality of the Road Equivalent Tariff. This endangers the entire project not just commercial vehicles but passengers and private vehicles too.

The obvious question which needs to be answered urgently is as follows. Should the commission decide to investigate this complaint from an MEP representing this community, will the RET concession need to be suspended pending the outcome? This would increase the cost of a shellfish lorry from approx £450 on the longest routes to the pre RET £1400.

Instead of calling for the LibDem MEP to withdraw his threats and supporting RET, the Councillors concerned are tacitly supporting the investigation calls by remaining silent.

We call on the Councillors concerned to support the SNP Group in demanding the Liberal Democrats remove their threats against Road Equivalent Tariff, or give solid explanations for their reasons not to.

It also has to be said that had the Comhairle supported the SNP Group in working with the government RET could also now be operating on the Sounds of Harris and Barra. It would have cost less than the sum the Comhairle is using to fight a legal action to close schools.

Cllr Donald Manford

SNP Group Leader

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar