Support for the Orcadian language is just one of the key areas of focus in the second Islands Plan published by the Scottish Government. Community Wealth Building – strengthening the local Orkney economy – is a central feature of the revised Plan.
Launching the revised plan while visiting Orkney and Shetland, First Minister of Scotland John Swinney said:
“Island communities are a key national asset and are central to our vision of Scotland as a successful country in which to live, work and study.”
“Islanders have told us clearly what they need to pursue their ambitions: homes they can afford, transport they can rely on, and more accessible local services – this plan will deliver for our island communities. It is focused, it is practical, and it puts islanders in the driving seat of their own future.
“When our islands thrive, Scotland thrives.”
The First Islands Plan.
The first version of the Islands plan was published in 2019 and at the time was hailed as a game changer. It emerged out of ‘Our Islands Our Future’, a superb collaboration between the councils of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. Instigated by the then Leader of OIC, Councillor Steven Heddle, it eventually led to the Scottish Parliament passing The Islands (Scotland) Act in 2018.
Taking the Act forward into actual practice was the task of the Islands Plan. There was extensive consultation work done for the first version of the Plan on how to improve the way public bodies and every layer of government work together to address the needs of islands. Impact assessments were to be carried out before any changes were made to policies and operational strategies, at any level.
This was not working as it should, and often failed to deliver on the great hopes which had been raised when the Islands Act was passed in 2018.
Orkney has been significantly impacted by the loss £millions of EU funding after the UK left the EU. The ending of free movement has been disastrous for young people and musicians. It has led to staffing shortages across many sectors.
There was extensive island discontent over two major potential changes Shelved: HIAL’s Remote Towers Project and Highly Protected Marine Areas Scheme Scrapped. More recently the decision by VisitScotland to close its successful iCentre in Kirkwall with only scant regard given to how islanders might feel about this, is yet another example of the good intentions of the Islands Plan being ignored by public bodies.
The Second National Islands Plan 2026.
The second National Islands Plan, after extensive engagement with communities and local partners, has come up with 7 strategic objectives aimed at promoting population retention and attraction:
- Connectivity – Improving transport links and digital coverage to strengthen two-way access to markets, jobs and services.
- Housing – Delivering more affordable homes and making sure the right types of housing are available where people need them.
- Health and social care – Making it easier to access health and care services closer to home, including through video consultations and remote diagnosis.
- Economy, education and skills – Supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and giving islanders opportunities to learn and train locally.
- Climate, nature and energy – Helping islands move to clean energy, protect their environment, and benefit from renewable energy projects.
- Poverty and social justice – Tackling higher living costs on islands and making sure people can access the support they need.
- Empowered communities and culture – Supporting local leadership, building community capacity, and supporting island cultures, languages and heritage.
Community Wealth Building (CWB) is central to how this second Island Plan should deliver the transformational change that Orkney and the other island authorities require.
Once it comes into force, the Bill will place duties on the Scottish Ministers, local authorities and relevant public bodies to embed CWB as a core element of economic development through the mandatory preparation of a Ministerial CWB Statement and local CWB action plans. – National Islands Plan 2026.
On his visit to Orkney on Sunday 22 February The Orkney News interviewed First Minister, John Swinney, and asked him how Community Wealth Building could work for Orkney and local businesses.
The idea behind Community Wealth Building is to retain the money generated in the islands within the local community: through strong local supply chains; fair work; and that public investment is for the benefit of those who live in Orkney.
The new plan also commits to strengthening the Islands Impact Assessments which have been abused by some public bodies in the past who did little to no consultation with islanders on changes which would directly affect them.
We will identify practical improvements and set out clear, targeted actions to support consistent and robust application of ICIAs across all relevant areas, and work with public authorities and island communities to embed them more systematically in policy development and decision-making. This will include commissioning advice from island organisations to identify best practice in community engagement, with a particular focus on involving young people. – National Islands Plan 2026
The Islands Plan, because of the Scottish Languages Act 2025, will explore ways to “support local language promotion and community regeneration… for instance in relation to Orcadian and Shetlandic.”
It is thanks to islanders who have raised their concerns over the years, since the first Islands Plan was published, and who responded to the consultations that have taken place, that the revised Islands Plan has included these changes.
Click on this link for the timetable for the implementation of the National Islands Plan 2026.
Luke Fraser from the Scottish Islands Federation said:
“The Scottish Islands Federation welcomes the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to island focused policymaking through the National Islands Plan II and we look forward to working in collaboration to implement the key priorities.
“Ongoing, dedicated support for islands is essential – not as an extension of rural policy, but as a recognition that islands face some fundamentally different challenges and opportunities.
“As the Plan moves into delivery, sustained focus, long-term investment and meaningful partnership will be key to ensuring it delivers lasting benefits for island communities.”
Fiona Grahame
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