Call to spread benefits of wind farms
A SURVEY carried out to ask how money from wind farm projects in the far north should be spent has found support for the creation of an area-wide fund.
RWE npower renewables commissioned Foundation Scotland to carry out a ‘Caithness Conversation’ from February to April to canvass the views of communities, businesses and individuals.
A key finding was the need for some of the community rake-offs from turbine ventures to feed into a Caithness-wide kitty which could bankroll initiatives to create jobs and economic activity.
But a local Highland Councillor yesterday poured cold water on the idea, claiming that it would be too late as a number of local community benefit schemes are already up and running.
The research aimed to identify what needs to change, as well as the types of initiatives which funding from wind farms should support.
Currently, there are 48 turbines operational in Caithness and 87 approved or under construction with a further 71 seeking permission and over 170 at the investigation stage. RWE npower renewables is investing over £75,000 every year through its wind farms at Causewaymire and Bilbster.
Concern about how the current regime is operating came to a head towards the end of last year when it emerged Halkirk District Benefit Fund, which administers the community dividend from the Causewaymire scheme, was sitting on a rapidly accumulating fund of £600,000 because of a chronic lack of applications.
The consultation involved over 320 individuals while it took in over 20 discussion groups and two public forums.
People generally thought community benefit funding should invest in sustainable employment opportunities and the social infrastructure of communities. Beefing up tourism opportunities and supporting community-led enterprises were also popular responses.
There was support for developing public services and facilities; creating new jobs; skills-based initiatives; and improving the environment. While community groups should be the main beneficiaries, the survey also revealed backing for the offering of loans to private businesses.
The majority of people felt it should not matter where funds are spent as long as they are used to support eligible activity in the area and that the creation of a Caithness wide-fund is sensible, reasonable and ‘fair’.
The preference was for the fund to be managed by a Caithness-based organisation though it was accepted that communities closest to the wind farm should continue to be targeted for support.
As a result of the findings, Foundation Scotland has issued a number of recommendations including that a strategic, Caithness-wide fund, possibly linked to particular themes, would not necessarily diminish the need for ‘local’ funds to continue.
Landward Caithness Highland Councillor Willie Mackay was interested to learn of the findings though he did not believe the setting up of an area-wide fund is a runner.
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"I would say it’s about three or five years too late as the pots of gold have already been assigned to each area and it would be difficult to remove them from that area," he said.
"I know it’s a good idea and the county could get great benefits from it and if that had been thought about in the first instance that would have been great.
"I can’t see it happening. People will say it’s our money and we’re going to keep it in our area."
He added: "There’s an awful amount of money floating around. The Halkirk case was quite controversial and was getting towards £1million and you have to ask what you’re going to do with all the money.
"It’s a fantastic idea, but it’s too late. I can’t see the locals, lovely people that they are, wanting their money spent in another area of the county."