Scalpay residents to vote on taking over island after landlord offers land at no charge

Published on 25/10/2012 12:37

Residents on the Western Isles port of Scalpay are to vote on whether they will take ownership of the island.

• 320 residents to be balloted as landlord offers gift of island.

• Only expense would be legal fees.

Fred Taylor, the current landlord of Scalpay, has offered to gift the land to the residents, rather than other community land buyouts which see the buyers attempt to raise the funds.

A ballot on the gift will ask two questions, should the islanders accept the gift, and if they do, should they join with the nearby North Harris Trust, which successfully used taxpayers’ funds for a £2.2m buyout in 2003.

The ballot papers, which are to be sent out at the end of the week, are to be returned by November 6.

Scalpay, located off the coast of Harris, relies mainly on the fishing industry for income and has an above-average number of elderly people among the population

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