Author: Stuart Findlay

A FLAGSHIP scheme to return power to local communities could be scuppered by red tape, it has emerged.

The Community Challenge Fund (CCF) was launched by Highland Council in 2013 to allow work currently carried out by the council to transfer into local hands.

Nairn River Community Council has been working on proposals to take over grass-cutting and grounds maintenance in the town for the past two years but its plans look dead in the water after a council official told them any project costing £12,500 a year would need to go out to tender.

It would leave the volunteer-run group and others across the Highlands trying to take over local services competing against professional firms for jobs.

Council depute leader David Alston, who chairs the local authority’s CCF group, said he had not been told about the threshold amount and vowed to look into it.

“I was not aware of procurement rules leading to that threshold and I will personally investigate it,” he said.

“It may have come from the procurement department of the council who saw it as an issue as there would come a point where it becomes difficult to transfer a service to a community without going through the usual process.”

Nairn River estimated its project would cost well in excess of the fund’s threshold amount and now fear it cannot go forward.

Community councillor Simon Noble helped take it forward and said there had been several positive meetings with council officials during the past two years. He added they were aware of how much the group’s plans would cost and were assured they would be able to implement them using the CCF.

“A number of communities will have thought this fund would be brilliant for them, not knowing they will end up against professional firms,” said Mr Noble.

“It is hard to believe there is a strong political will to achieve community empowerment, they have clearly not attempted to remove the obstacles. The indications are this fund is not a serious policy because it cannot be implemented in any kind of serious way.”

Nairn River chairman Tommy Hogg was similarly aggrieved.

“It is very disappointing, we feel as if

they have been stringing us along. The £12,500 figure was never mentioned and we would have been looking for well above that, you’re talking treble the amount,” he said.

“We are not happy that it took two years to come to this conclusion, a lot of work went into it at our end. Why couldn’t we have been told about this sooner?

“For the figure they are saying, once you factor in the tools, equipment and overheads you would be talking about a couple of weeks of work for two or three men. It’s just not viable.”

The CCF is designed to support community empowerment by allowing local groups to take control of services currently provided by the council. The fund is used to cover the costs of transferring the services and for a budget to run them.

A total of £1 million a year is being set aside by the local authority for the fund.

“The procurement process the council operates makes it virtually impossible for a group like ours to take this on,” added Mr Hogg.

“We wanted this so we could make Nairn look as nice as possible for ourselves and for visitors. I have been listening to what people have been saying for years and there was a real need for it to be taken forward but unfortunately, the town is the one that will suffer.”

Author: The Grow Trust

A couple of weeks ago four Councils in Scotland announced they were pulling out of COSLA, the spokesperson at the time of the announcement was Councillor Mark MacMillan, Leader of Renfrewshire Council.

One of the reasons he stated for the split was Subsidiarity; a European principle whereby decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen. This is closely related to another principle that of Solidarity, when we really are in it together.

To ensure that these principles can produce what you want, the citizen, that’s you, needs power to do and resources to carry out the decisions.

Two excellent principles;    People in communities across Scotland from Lochside  Dumfries to Linwood, Renfrewshire from Beith, Ayrshire to Banff, Aberdeenshire really would have the right to make local decisions regarding their communities, have the power to spend money, decide priorities and work to achieve their plans for their future.

Our Councils could use their existing power to devolve powers to communities, there it is Subsidiarity in action, and work with and support communities, there’s that Solidarity.

Can’t be done!    So says the Council officials and Councillors, communities don’t have……. here it comes……….the capacity to do this, and the Council will, wait for it, work in partnership with other organisations to…yes you guessed it…. build the capacity of community organisations.

This capacity building which has turned into a near art form over the last thirty years is an endless stream of capacity building programmes and training.  Diligence and governance testing,   option assessments. The issuing of Directors accountability and transparency guidance. Strategic plans, business plans, succession plans and operational plans are endlessly produces. Public bodies issue policy documents, implementation plans and of course capacity building programmes.    An industry has mushroomed from this building of capacity.

What has been many Councils alternative approach to this lack of capacity?

They set up ALEOs. – Arm’s Length External Organisation

These new ALEOs Boards are in the control of appointees made by the Councils.    Service level agreements are drawn up by the recently transferred staff of the Council and Council officials.

Based on these agreements the Council pays the ALEOs.    The Councils also match fund lottery funding and other funding. Once established the Council say they have nothing to do with the running of them, the ALEOs are independent organisations.

The sound you hear in the background is the whole credibility of this set up being stretched to its limits. However, OSCR, the charities referee, and the local Councils are in agreement, these bodies are independent organisations.

A quick recap, an organisation, set up by Councils, comes into existence. With no track record of running services, (there’s that lack of capacity) buildings, services and budgets are handed over to them.

To ensure there is capacity. The Councils transfer staff, budgets and property to these organisations. Capacity deficit –  Problem Sorted!

What could it have been like if the Councils stopped and had a think before they set up these ALEOs? What could it have been like if the principles of Subsidiarity and Solidarity were used?

If the Councils applied the same capacity solution to communities what could have been done?

For assistance they could have re-read what Campbell Christie former chair of Falkirk FC and Union leader, said in his Commission’s report he urged Councils and public bodies to grasp the opportunity of greater community control and ownership, they could have looked a bit closer at the Community Empowerment bill which urges greater community control and ownership.

They may well have thought that some form of Community ownership could have been set up which was owned by community members and users of the services, local communities and the local Council all having their share. A very successful example being MONDRAGON in Spain.

Instead ALEOs were set up which are unaccountable to communities and whose facilities are now under their control.

In football parlance, the Councils parked the bus right across the goal line. As you can imagine this makes life very difficult for any community and their organisations to actually get something done.

The Council officials and Councillors stand with their arms spread wide in front of them, palms up pleading their innocence. Honestly ref we did nothing.

This doing nothing has been the real problem. To stop action, growth and change, those with power don’t have to do anything, they just don’t give any power up. In the confines of local democracy it becomes increasingly frustrating and energy sapping for community organisations to keep going.

When you keep going as organisations have done solutions do emerge to the sloped pitch, dubious tactics and the dodgy ref, and like all new ideas and solutions they need time and support to develop.

Beith Community Development Trust are in the process of stepping outside the Council controlled asset transfer bubble and buying their own property. Linwood Community Development Trust are in the final stage of an asset transfer of land from their Council.

What is interesting about these two approaches is that in the case of Beith the Council has no control over the process at all. In the case of Linwood there are no buildings involved they will build their own. Both face the unfair competition of ALEOs using their position and strength to come forward with plans which could undermine the plans of the two development Trusts.

The Trusts will succeed due to the support they have locally, their track record and the legislation which will shortly be introduced.

They are in a frame of mind where they are no longer willing to accept the status quo; they are no longer willing to merely tinker with a way of working which is broken, they are willing to deliver the change their communities want.

The Councils and other public bodies, if they continue on the road they are on will become irrelevant to communities who will not be willing to legitimate their Councils actions. That willingness is what local democracy is built on.

These public bodies if they are willing to build a new relationship with the communities they represent, and yes the dreaded capacity word can be used here, should send their Councillors and Officials on capacity building courses and programmes delivered and designed by their own communities. Emerging from this would be a different form of local democracy, a new relationship between communities and Councils which would embed the principles of Subsidiarity and Solidarity.

A better and more positive alternative to developing anymore unaccountable organisations which if the status quo is not changed may number the Councils themselves.

Keep on the right road.

Author: Transport Scotland

To view a copy of the full report click here

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence collected as part of this study has clearly demonstrated that CT offers a wide range of economic, social and health benefits. The findings of the research should assist in filling the gaps in the Scotland-specific evidence base and will provide Scottish Ministers with the information required to make more informed decisions on future CT policy.

However, it is also important to note that the scale of the contributions which CT makes to the positive outcomes outlined remains unclear.

Benefits of CT

The review of the literature and subsequent primary research demonstrated the wide ranging benefits of community transport. As well as promoting accessibility & social inclusion, social interaction, independence, rural sustainability and other policy areas, CT providers themselves act as employers and local buyers, supporting the whole community in which they operate.

 The extensive cross-cutting nature of CT is perhaps unique amongst transport services. The evidence demonstrates that CT is far more than a point-to-point transport service – the CT services examined show the importance of, for example, social interaction on the bus and the role CT plays in encouraging often vulnerable people to attend medical and other appointments they would not otherwise make. A further stand-out point was the role played by drivers in the early detection of emerging issues with a passenger’s health and well-being.

 From an economic perspective, the potential cost savings provided to social services, the NHS and local authorities, combined with the unremunerated productive hours offered by volunteers, suggests that CT generates significant economic benefits. From a social perspective, the contribution of CT across a wide range of policy areas is clearly beneficial. Moreover, by tackling issues such as poor accessibility, social isolation etc, CT is making an important contribution to reducing inequalities, a key item on the Scottish Government policy agenda.

Challenges with CT

Whilst the cross-policy role of CT is of considerable value, it also presents its own challenges. CT continues to be viewed almost exclusively as a transport service, a point which is even reflected in the fact that Transport Scotland commissioned this research study. Funding generally comes from local transport departments and a combination of Trusts and Charities, with some limited support from the NHS. Consultations suggest that there is an urgent need to review this approach and ensure that CT is more fully integrated across the full spectrum of policy areas it supports.

The wider funding picture is also a challenge for the CT sector. Whilst the research supports the view that CT offers substantial cost savings for local authorities, it is not immune from the increasing pressures on public sector funding, particularly in terms of revenue budgets. Indeed, our consultations with the case study providers suggest that a number of services have been withdrawn in recent years following the discontinuation of funding. Associated with this is the absence of certainty and the inability to plan long term as a result of time limited funding streams. This ties back to the point that CT is fundamentally viewed as a transport service and supports the argument that the cost burden should be shared across all policy areas which benefit.

 From a research perspective, this research has demonstrated the diversity of the CT sector and the challenges faced in developing a consistent approach to funding and organising the sector.

Author: Scottish Government

An innovative community renewables project in Orkney has received £1.35m from the Scottish Government’s Local Energy Challenge Fund.

Orkney Surf ‘n’ Turf will combine electricity from 2 tidal turbines and a wind turbine on Eday, which often produce more power than can be used in the area. The excess electricity will be used to produce compressed hydrogen, which will be transported to Kirkwall, where a specially designed fuel cell will convert the hydrogen to electrical power for buildings and berthed ferries at the harbour.

This will not only reduce harbour costs, but will also bring new employment opportunities to local communities, as well as an additional source of revenue to be invested in local projects.

Surf ‘n’ Turf is the sixth project to be supported by the Local Energy Challenge Fund, which has already offered funding of over £20 million to initiatives that will reshape how energy is delivered and used in communities throughout the country.

Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said:

“The Scottish Government is defining a distinctive approach to Scotland’s future energy provision; putting communities at the heart of decisions about their local energy system; and empowering them to take an economic stake in new developments.

“This project will have the only training facility in the UK with a programme to support the use of hydrogen in marine vessels. It will help Kirkwall harbour operate from a green energy source which will help reduce the costs.”

Mark Hull, Community Energy Scotland said:

“We are absolutely delighted with the news. This project reflects a huge amount of hard work, cooperation and community will and will be the start of making a real difference for energy use and benefit in Orkney.”

A second round on the Local Energy Challenge Fund has been launched and the Scottish Government are keen to the next wave of innovative projects come forward. Chris Morris, Local Energy Scotland said:

“The Local Energy Challenge Fund is open to wide range of applicants and we look to communities and businesses in Scotland bringing forward there innovative local energy ideas”.

“Development support is available to help you take forward your projects and I would encourage Scottish businesses, universities, communities and third sector to find out more via www.localenergyscotland.org”

Author: BIG Lottery Fund Scotland

The Scottish Land Fund has today stepped in to make community ownership a reality for two local community trusts.

The Culbokie Community Trust in the Highlands and the Newburgh Community Trust in Fife receive awards of £96,691 and £51,925 respectively to purchase locally important pieces of land using the Scottish Government’s Community Right to Buy scheme.

In Fife, the people of Newburgh and the surrounding area will be able to take ownership of the former town reservoir at Lochmill and associated woodland and grazing site, thanks to an award of £51,925. As well as protecting the area – which extends to 25.92 hectares – as a tourist destination and area of natural beauty, the Trust will look to improve amenities so as to provide new recreational and education opportunities for local people.

Andrew Arbuckle chair of Newburgh Community Trust, said “Local residents will be delighted by this Scottish Land Fund decision. The 95% vote in support of the purchase provided the strongest possible evidence of how valued the loch is to those living in the area. With this support, Newburgh Community Trust will look after this part of its heritage so that it can continue to be enjoyed as a wonderfully secluded and beautiful natural recreational area.”

The land at Glascairn in the heart of Culbokie

Plans to create a new village square in the heart of Culbokie will be taken forward by the Culbokie Community Trust, thanks to a grant of £96,691. The trust will purchase a half-hectare of land at Glascairn in the centre of the village to be developed as a gathering place for community activities and events, as well as providing space for a community cafe, flexible business units, car parking, and six small bungalows.

Penny Edwards, Chair, Culbokie Community Trust, said: “This project will put a new ‘beating heart’ in the village and it will become a focal point for village life. It has already brought people together for a common purpose and now that we are in position to purchase the land we look forward to engaging even more with the community and bringing the project to fruition.”

The Scottish Land Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by the Big Lottery Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The First Minister announced in her Programme for Government that the Scottish Land Fund will be increased to £10 million from 2016-20.

Author: The Stove

High streets across Britain are fundamentally changing, and Dumfries is no exception. The combined impact of the economic downturn, out of town complexes and online shopping is leading to more and more town centre closures. The effect on Dumfries is unmistakable, from the closure of national chains stores, to long established family-owned businesses, each leaving behind empty husks in what once were regarded prime locations. With their empty displays these unwanted buildings contribute to a worrying sense that the town is in perpetual decline.

However there have also been signs of different life; the Electric Theatre Workshop has turned a disused shop into a space for practicing and performing theatre, as well as the central hub for winter festival, Big Burns Supper. Although shops have struggled, cafes and restaurants are continuing to generate business, prompting a number of new openings and refurbishments. These changes remind us that high streets have historically been places to “debate and meet”, as retail-consultant Mary Portas stated in her 2011 report for the UK Government. It is her opinion that high streets must return to this role as “multifunctional, social spaces” if they are to serve any purpose in the future, commerce forming just a part of their civic service rather than dictating it.

The Stove Network shares this vision – it aims to demonstrate that rethinking the way we use the vacant buildings on the high street can have a profound and beneficial impact on the local community. By opening its new accessible public arts space at 100 High Street, it will be placing creativity and risk taking right at the centre of local efforts to re-imagine Dumfries as a contemporary regional capital.

Five Great Events for the Opening of The Stove

The retail chains that previously occupied these spaces were concerned with telling us what we want. The Stove will instead respond to what we need, a collaborative effort between artists and others in the town to cultivate a place that will serve us as citizens rather than consumers. This means including the public in the operation of the Stove itself and the Tuesday Drop-In sessions are one example. These weekly meetings will invite one and all to discuss the Stove’s operation, and to voice their own ideas about what it should be doing more of to contribute towards the regeneration of Dumfries town centre. The Charter14 event held during last year’s Guid Nychburris festival, asked Doonhamers to put forward their own ambitions for the town’s future as part of a new “People’s Charter”, and is another example of The Stove Network’s approach.

By offering ready access to art and the tools of its creation in the very centre of the town, the Stove stands to thoroughly involve the people of Dumfries in bringing about constructive change to the place we call hame, turning an otherwise forlorn relic of times gone by into a symbol for a new future for Dumfries – one conducted on our own terms. “High streets will thrive if we re-imagine them”, Mary Portas suggests, and what better way could there be to inspire new ways of thinking about the high street than through art?

Five Great Events for the Opening of The Stove

The retail chains that previously occupied these spaces were concerned with telling us what we want. The Stove will instead respond to what we need, a collaborative effort between artists and others in the town to cultivate a place that will serve us as citizens rather than consumers. This means including the public in the operation of the Stove itself and the Tuesday Drop-In sessions are one example. These weekly meetings will invite one and all to discuss the Stove’s operation, and to voice their own ideas about what it should be doing more of to contribute towards the regeneration of Dumfries town centre. The Charter14 event held during last year’s Guid Nychburris festival, asked Doonhamers to put forward their own ambitions for the town’s future as part of a new “People’s Charter”, and is another example of The Stove Network’s approach.

By offering ready access to art and the tools of its creation in the very centre of the town, the Stove stands to thoroughly involve the people of Dumfries in bringing about constructive change to the place we call hame, turning an otherwise forlorn relic of times gone by into a symbol for a new future for Dumfries – one conducted on our own terms. “High streets will thrive if we re-imagine them”, Mary Portas suggests, and what better way could there be to inspire new ways of thinking about the high street than through art?

Author: Stop Climate Chaos

In Paris, in December 2015, global leaders are expected to conclude negotiations for a new deal to tackle climate change and address its impacts. As a country that has already committed to take ambitious action on climate change, Scotland has a key role to play.

To see a short video in support of the For the love of campaign…. click here

For the love of country walks and Scotland’s beautiful seasons. For the love of the food on our plates. For the love of our global neighbours. For the love of the Arctic and the Great Barrier Reef. For the love of all the things we care about, we’re taking action on climate change, and we’re not alone. 

We all love things that are already being affected by climate change, or will be in the future. With new leadership in the Scottish Government, we must make sure that the new First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, remains committed to tackling the defining issue of our time.

Stop Climate Chaos

Author: John Cassidy, The Herald

If you ever had any doubts about this read the excellent, “The Body Economic” by David Stuckler and Sanjay Basu Staff and volunteers in community organisations know this. NHS staff know this. Social services staff know this. It’s getting worse and not gradually! It is interesting that the International Monetary Fund in 2012 apologised for underestimating the impact of its austerity packages on the health and wellbeing of the poorest people in bail out countries!

At a conservative estimate, in Scotland we currently have 6 major health epidemics on the go. These are having an increasingly devastating impact on individuals, families and our poorest communities … and the economy.

The recent paper from Locality, a leading nationwide network of community enterprises, development trusts and social action centres, entitled “Saving money by doing the right thing” illustrates how unprepared we are to deal with these epidemics. The hit and miss approaches of our attempts may even makes matters worse and cost lots.

Using the helpful language of the Locality paper our 6 health epidemics – poor mental health, obesity, substance misuse, self harming, prescription drug addiction and loneliness – which are often interlinked in people’s lives can be characterised as “help me” epidemics.

We’re frequently not that great at responding to “help me” and when we do try we frequently become engaged in what the authors of the Locality report call ‘failure demand’. Failure demand and costs stack up when our first attempts to respond to a ‘help me’ situation are based on an inappropriate medical approach.

Or they may be based on a response from social services which cannot for a variety of structural, regulatory or cultural reasons take account of the whole context in which the situation has arisen. So things escalate, more and more agencies become involved and in the end all this activity may not address the critical determinants of the condition. This is well illustrated in the detailed case studies in the Locality report.

However we are much, much better, even world class at dealing with “fix me” types of health complaints. I have recent first hand experience of this with two hip replacements. It is time to look at how we can get seriously as good at responding effectively to the “help me” situations. We need to reduce failure demand. We can’t afford not to if we are to tackle health inequalities with determination, resolve and lower costs. We also need to make best use of increasingly critical health resources and assets we have in Scotland. This is especially true of the national health improvement budget, and our many amazing community led health and wellbeing improvement organisations.

We do need to “do the right thing” which a bit different from what we are currently doing. We need to look at how we resource health and wellbeing improvement. We should examine the current imbalance between the resourcing of the medical (fix me) and social (help me) models of health improvement. But that is not all we need to do by a long chalk. We do need to look at the restrictive nature of the regulation of public services. We do need to understand and value local energy, knowledge and resilience in tackling health and wellbeing problems. An offer has been made to the Scottish Government from Scottish Communities for Health and Wellbeing (www.schw.org.uk) to establish in Scotland a world leading community led approach to help deliver our national strategy on health and wellbeing improvement and reduce health inequalities. We need to help empower people to help themselves. We need to focus on purpose not outcomes and we need to manage value, not cost. We need bold, imaginative well-informed leadership at all levels. We urgently need to move on, in a serious way, from the overwhelming and at times encouraging but ultimately disappointing ‘official’ rhetoric on health and wellbeing improvement of the past few years.

John Cassidy is a volunteer director of both Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust and Scottish Communities for Health and Wellbeing

Author: Hometown Foundation

“Deep disappointment” and “extreme regret” at the loss of homes, jobs and opportunities for young people.

That was reaction of the Hometown Foundation charity to the dismissal by a Scottish Government Reporter of their appeal against the refusal of planning permission in principle for their £500 million Owenstown development in South Lanarkshire.

The philanthropic project, which was aimed at putting people first, may now be lost to Scotland altogether with other sites being looked at in England, Wales and Ireland. Its rejection raises concern from the charity that neither the planning nor political system is in tune with public opinion or the desires of individuals.

“Owenstown is a proposal that supports local democracy and puts the individual and the community at the heart of its existence,” said Bill Nicol, Director of the Hometown Foundation.

“However a community that owned and managed its own affairs might have been regarded as a threat by some. Over the last few years, we have seen a growth in politicians and officials right across the country who are failing to meet the needs of the community they are meant to serve.

“At the end of the day, it is individuals and communities who are being denied the opportunities for a fresh and prosperous future.

“Although the Owenstown concept may have been too advanced for some there is a growing appetite for devolution of more power to local communities.

“The Hometown Foundation is already in the process of utilising a number of the Owenstown principles, particularly in the fields of education and community empowerment, to help community groups who wish to have greater control over their own affairs.”

The Reporter’s findings follow a two-day public hearing in January into the plans for the project which had been scheduled for 400 acres of a 2,000 acre site near Rigside in the Douglas Valley. It examined the decision by South Lanarkshire Council in April last year to reject the application.

The project was first announced more than five years ago and would have created 3,200 homes and up to 10,000 jobs without the need for public funding. There would also have been offices, restaurants and shops, land and buildings for industry, a hotel and a care home, as well as two new primary schools and one new secondary school. The Foundation had also planned to create a new technology and innovation centre to develop ideas to harness the potential of emerging technologies, locking in sustainable employment to the local area.

The town would have been owned and managed on a co-operative basis by its residents and all surplus funds generated would have been reinvested in the community instead of being taken out by property developers or landowners. The principle of Owenstown is based on social reformer Robert Owen’s ideas at nearby New Lanark 200 years ago.

In his finding, the Reporter says he had to determine the appeal in accordance with the Council’s development plan.

Director Bill Nicol said:”This decision will mean the loss to local people of new homes, vital jobs, industrial units and an innovation centre. There’s nothing else on the horizon of any consequence from South Lanarkshire Council and it’s a great pity for young people whose best hope may now be to emigrate.

“Local people were all in favour of the development and councillors had no right to ignore their wishes by hiding behind minor planning matters which could have been easily resolved. It is also deeply disappointing that some local politicians, including Claudia Beamish MSP, have put their prejudices ahead of the needs and expressed wishes of many of their constituents.”

According to opinion polls carried out on behalf of Owenstown’s developers, there was overwhelming support for the project. Mori in particular said it was one of the clearest results they had ever seen.

“This represents a massive loss to the area and Scotland as a whole. We have spoken to authorities in England, Wales and Ireland about the concept and they have no difficulty understanding its potential,” said Mr Nicol.

“We will now be investigating the opportunities that exist in other less blinkered parts of the country.

“What we can’t understand is why our local and national elected representatives can’t grasp something which is ambitious, visionary and morally right – perhaps it’s because they didn’t think of it first.”

Full details of the Owenstown project are available online at www.owenstown.org

More information about the Hometown Foundation

Author: BBC

Coll becomes first Scottish island with 4G

Ultrafast mobile network is live on the Isle of Coll. The inner Hebridean island has become the first off Scotland to have access to 2G, 3G and 4G telecommunications services.

Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure Keith Brown described the roll-out as “a massive breakthrough” which could “help transform the local economy”.

The switch-on – in partnership with Vodafone and community organisations – means local people, businesses and the wider community can have faster and more reliable mobile access, ultimately boosting business opportunities for islanders.

Mr Brown said:

“The Isle of Coll project is a great example of what can be achieved when a community has the ambition and the commitment to making such a development work.

“A state-of-the-art telecoms mast – funded by the Scottish Government as part of our Demonstrating Digital programme, which supports our digital world class 2020 vision – allows communities and businesses on Coll to access mobile services for the first time.

“It’s very encouraging to see a local community and a service provider – in this case Vodafone – work with the government to develop an innovative solution for an area that is otherwise unlikely to receive mobile coverage.

“This community ownership model provides a template that has the potential to be adopted in other remote areas across the country, improving connectivity to Scotland’s islands and rural towns and villages.”

Vodafone UK Chief Technology Officer Jorge Fernandes added:

“Our partnership with the Scottish Government and the local community is the ideal business model to be able to deliver ultra-fast 4G mobile communications to remote locations, such as the Isle of Coll.

“Thanks to the enormous effort of our engineers, we can now give islanders high-speed mobile data access to services that will enable greater economic development and improved social inclusion. This initiative is real evidence of what we can achieve together, when the required fixed connection is in place to link our 4G network in remote places to the national fixed line infrastructure.”

Lavinia MacLean-Bristol, Chair of Development Coll, said:

“The ability to communicate has a real impact on families and businesses within small, remote communities such as ours and this project will help to make a big difference.”

Derek Graham, Programme Director with the Demonstrating Digital team at Scottish Futures Trusty, stated:

“This is a great example of what can be achieved in a collaborative environment, allowing locals and visitors to the Island of Coll access to mobile and data services for the very first time. We very much look forward to seeing the many benefits that the introduction of mobile technology will have on the lives of those visiting, living and working on Coll.”

The project has resulted from a successful collaboration between the Scottish Government, Scottish Futures Trust, Vodafone, Mono Consultants, Wireless Infrastructure Group and the local community.

The Coll project is the first of several pilots that the Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust will use to evaluate the potential for this approach to be replicated to address mobile not-spots in other remote communities in the future.

This pioneering project demonstrates community ownership of telecoms infrastructure. Development Coll, a local community trust established to generate income through local enterprise is taking ownership of the mobile mast and has assumed responsibility for its maintenance.