Caithness and Sutherland is a great area so let’s talk it up, says HIE chairman
Businesses and community groups in Caithness and Sutherland have been asked to consider how they can play their part in making the far north as successful as possible over the next five years.
Organisations from across the two counties were represented at a board engagement event this week hosted by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and were told that their feedback was essential to the work of the region’s economic and community development agency.
Chairman Alistair Dodds said afterwards it was important to “talk up” the area.
He and the HIE chief executive, Stuart Black, were taking part in a two-day visit to Caithness and Sutherland centred around a board meeting in Wick.
Speaking after the meeting with businesses and community development organisations in Mackays Hotel on Monday evening, Mr Black explained: “We were asking them, what would success look like in the next five years for Caithness and Sutherland?
“Other questions were around what part can your organisation play, and how can HIE and its partners best support you? We had businesses and communities from as far afield as the Kyle of Sutherland, Lochinver, Golspie, and a lot of Caithness representation.”
Mr Dodds pointed out: “Another thing we asked people was where can HIE be better? We’re a learning organisation, we want to get better all the time, we want to try and improve, we want to try and provide a good service to businesses and communities – and the only way you can do that is by listening to their feedback about how we are doing, or not doing.”
Mr Black added: “Some of the things that come up as challenges are common when we run these events from Argyll to Shetland – the same issues around affordable housing for young people, transport, childcare, skills availability, workforce availability…
“Broadband also came up. There are obviously some ‘not-spots’ around the north of Scotland.
“On the other hand there was quite a lot of focus on opportunities as well, particularly things like offshore wind – you’ve already got the Beatrice wind farm and the jobs that has created – and food and drink. We went to see Rock Rose gin but we know that’s just one example of a range of different food and drink businesses that are successful.
“And tourism – the NC500 has brought a lot more visitor interest to the north of Scotland, no question about it. There are some issues with road infrastructure but in terms of marketing the area it has definitely brought more attention, more numbers, more eyes on the region.”
Mr Dodds said: “There were a couple of comments about promoting the area optimistically. It’s easy to talk about things that aren’t working well, and I felt there was a general feeling that Caithness and Sutherland is a great area so let’s talk it up – let’s talk it up to government, both the Scottish and UK government, and emphasise the opportunities that are here.”
Mr Black highlighted the agency’s aim to be a leading net-zero region.
“We think that already people look to this area and think this is where it’s happening around renewables,” he said.
“The [Inverness and Cromarty Firth] Green Freeport also came up. We’ve got one of Scotland’s biggest inward investments at the moment, the Sumitomo factory which is being built adjacent to Nigg.
“That has created attention on Scotland but creates a lot of attention on the Highlands and Islands.
“We’ve got things like the MeyGen project. It has probably not gone as quickly as people would have hoped, but it’s the world’s biggest tidal generation activity and it is happening here.
“And the spaceport is particularly of importance.”
David Richardson, development and engagement manager at North Coast 500 Ltd, was among those attending the event.
He said: “I thought HIE’s board engagement event was very useful indeed and I was delighted to be invited.
“However, given the time available and the wide range of interests present, we could only discuss matters of great importance to the future prosperity of Caithness and Sutherland at a superficial level.
“Moreover, Caithness and Sutherland is far from being one homogenous area, Caithness being totally different to south and east Sutherland, and both being totally different to north and west Sutherland – so, given the various opportunities and threats facing each, I’d like to see all relevant parties get together in separate meetings to discuss their differing needs and commit to action points that will make a real difference on the ground.”
