Meeting of the Parliament 19 February 2015
Pivotal to successful delivery of the marine plan in both the national and local contexts will be the points that are covered in paragraph 43 of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee report, which notes Marine Scotland’s role in providing advice on conflict resolution between different sectors and intervening in such circumstances as required. More importantly, it sees the committee call on Marine Scotland to be proactive in engaging with local authorities and relevant others to ensure that they are aware of the support that is available.
Proactive engagement both in that regard and in respect of the general expertise that can be called upon will be essential when it comes to local authorities, because there is a concern that some, at least, are not as well equipped to develop the regional plans as they will need to be. The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities advised the committee that it holds no central data on the level of experience and expertise in marine planning across the 32 authorities, and a conversation with a senior official in my council regarding available and appropriate expertise for that did nothing to ease my concerns about how well placed, as things stand, those who are charged with drawing up a plan for the area that I represent may be.
I hope that, despite the best—or perhaps more accurately the worst—efforts of the Westminster Government and the RSPB, we will ultimately have offshore wind developments to factor into consideration along the Angus coast, along with inshore fisheries, recreational angling and the activities of a commercial port with the dredging that that requires.