The original post raises some very good questions.
When we hear about all these projects, wind farms, tidal arrays etc kicking off we're often encouraged to support them with '£X pounds of benefit to the local economy' or 'X jobs during construction followed by Y long term roles.
Although I welcome any investment I think we should be given a clearer picture of the real benefits to the county, not for the purpose of spin or for getting support, but to highlight areas where real local wealth is created through spending or jobs.
At the moment the main financial benefits seem to be going to hoteliers and other accommodation providers. Although some of these are local, and they do employ (generally low paid)staff, much of the money will leave the county to the corporate owners.
HIE and other governmental depts should be looking on how to encourage greater benefits, particularly in communities like ours that have large industries leaving the area in the near future. Planning permission should only be granted on conditions of minimum local employment, or on a commitment to employ X apprentices. In Shetland, the council only permitted the building of Total's gas plant on the condition they built a hotel, open and available to the public, to house their staff instead of a traditional workers camp.
Any big project will always bring transient workers, but there is ways and means to benefit the community and it should be the role of HIE/the council to maximise that.
Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; Nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.
- Charles de Gaulle
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