Islands population proposal ditched

A PROPOSAL has been ditched, that would have seen financial incentives provided to try to stem (and indeed reverse) depopulation taking place on many of Scotland’s islands.

The so-called Islands Bond would have involved up to £50,000 being provided to up to 100 households, including newcomers. However, a consultation exercise has resulted in the idea being dropped.

Says the Scottish Government, here: “Consultation respondents were fairly evenly split between those in favour and those opposed to the bond; however, those in favour of it were largely non-islanders.”

The scheme was drawn up as part of an agreement struck last year between the SNP and the Scottish Greens to provide a majority in the Scottish Parliament.

Pictured: Looking west, from the island of Luing, Picture credit: Place Design Scotland

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