Comhairle Continues to Support Crofting

Cllr Donald Crichton, Chairman of the Comhairle’s Crofting Committee, has responded to comments from the ‘Alliance Group’. 

Crofting Committee Chairman, Cllr Donald Crichton said: “ the Crofting Committee usually meets three times a year.  During 2020 Officers’ time and resources were rightly focused on the response to COVID 19 and no meetings took place.  Despite not being able to meet, the Comhairle has engaged with the Scottish Government during this time across a number of issues such as Crofter housing policy, greylag goose management, delayed payment to crofters among others.  We also welcomed the Crofting Commission’s announcement of locating Development Officer posts in the islands, something the Comhairle has campaigned for over many years.

The Cross Party Group is represented at either officer or member level when appropriate.  Our dialogue with government isn’t restricted to a cross party group and we are fortunate to have access to Ministers, when the concerns of the crofting community are strongly represented.

The Comhairle has a strong track record in supporting crofting as I’m sure Councillor Macleod would acknowledge, and I hope the absence of the Crofting Committee meeting doesn’t diminish or take away from that.  I appreciate Mr Macleod’s desire to meet and I look forward to his contributions when we meet as a committee later this month.”