Oil leak 50…….we should have a party to mark this auspicious occasion. Let’s hope we don’t need another 50…….but if we do, then so be it, the fight goes on until we win. Sorry Bob, probably not what you wanted to hear I know but tough, you know what to do if you want this to go away.
As a special treat, we’ve got an interesting snippet of information from the Highland Council regarding how our elected representatives decided to that the council was going to stay neutral despite having received numerous concerns from members of the public and indeed their own councillors.
The consultation for the application STS application came in late 2015, after the Highland Council had adjourned for Christmas. The closing date for a response was late January 2016 later extended to February 8th however, the Highland Council called it’s first planning committee discussion on the application on February 17th, more than a week after the closing date for objections and after the Highland Council response had been submitted. This seemed unusual, however a member of the ruling independent group clarified the situation by stating that the independent group (led by Cllr Isobel McCallum of the Black Isle), had already discussed the issue amongst themselves at a closed meeting before the deadline. They’d been assured by Cllr Richard Green (Ind. for Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh) that the transfer procedure was totally safe and so the independent group had let the application go through without objection. When you look at the PDI committee meeting video, Cllr Green doesn’t appear to be in favour of STS and indeed points out that it’s not just collision that could be an issue – also fire, shifting cargo etc.
If this is indeed true, and we have no reason doubt this as it came from someone at that closed meeting, we find it unusual that a councillor from the west coast with no experience on oil tankers or boats that big (watch the PDI video) should be dismissing concerns so readily, especially when it will impact the east coast economy as well as that of the wider Highlands. While he obviously has been to sea, we would welcome him providing details of his experience in ecological impact assessment that would allow him to provide such reassurance.
We can only go on what we’ve been told and as far as we know, no minutes were taken, so if you were at that meeting and have a different version of events then we want to hear from you.
