Highland Council to participate in Scotland’s Islands 2011

The Highland Council is to participate in ‘Scotland’s Islands 2011’ – a themed year that will showcase and develop islands life, locally, nationally and beyond through developing tourism, and provide opportunities in the arts, sport and cultural experiences.

Members of the Council’s Education. Culture and Sport Committee approved the allocation of £32,250 from the Service’s Corporate Discretionary Budget and noted the support of the Eilean a Chèo and Caol and Mallaig Discretionary Wards Budgets subject to the overall funding package being put in place.

Scotland’s Islands 2011 will include Shetland Islands Council, Argyll and Bute, North Ayrshire, Orkney, Shetland, Western Islands and The Highland Council participating in the themed year.

An initial implementation plan for Scotland’s Islands 2011 is to look at 4 areas of work targeting: between the islands; to the islands; from the islands; and for the islands.

Taking forward the “Between the Islands” aspect of the Year might include:

The following measures would help to take forward the “To the Islands” aspect of the Year:

To help take forward the “From the Islands” aspect of the Year, the following opportunities have been identified:

“For the Islands” measures would include:

Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee said: “We are delighted to be able to support Scotland’s Islands 2011 and hope that the project gets off the ground quickly enough for 2011 without any delays.

“We are happy to support another opportunity to promote and develop cultural and sporting activities in our island communities. The higher profile brought about by such events can lead to a wide range of benefit in employment tourism not to mention the enrichment of life for local people.”