Councillors received two year warning of rocket range threat 29/1/10
The row over who had advance notice about the cost cutting review of the South Uist rocket range shifted onto Western Isles Council today.
The local authority confirmed it was warned of the damaging proposals as early as the summer of 2007.
In turn, Southern Isles councillors were “immediately informed” of the UK Government’s
threat to the rocket range -
As in such events, the seriousness of the issue was discussed amongst island councillors
at informal council meetings, discussions and e-
The council unsuccessfully pressurised the MoD for more details and an urgent meeting.
Fears of job losses were also highlighted in the local and Scottish media six months later, in January 2008, and councillors voiced their concerns at meetings early that year.
Eventually, defence minister Des Browne conceded to meet Angus Campbell, then the
council’s vice-
The revelation puts a different perspective on claims that MP Angus Macneil had exclusive information on the review.
This week Labour candidate Donald John Macsween attacked the SNP MP for “neglecting his duty” in apparently failing to tell the council or community about the impending threat.
But the SNP point out that Mr Macsween is a councillor on Western Isles Council which knew about the cost cutting proposals at the same time in 2007 and again when it hit the headlines in January 2008.
A council spokesman said: “We were informed in July 2007 there was going to be a review.
“The news was circulated to Uist and Barra councillors as soon as possible.
“We wrote to the MoD and requested further information and asked of a meeting urgently.
“We did not receive any further information and there was no response to our request for a meeting.
“On at least two further occasions the council asked what was happening.
“We were told there would be a full consultation and it was too early to give a view.”
There was a robust insistence from the UK defence minister in 2009 that the base would be run down.
The council launched a task force backed by the community which resulted in an U-