News / Charitable trust inquorate again
SHETLAND Charitable Trust has again been unable to make an investment decision into the controversial Viking Energy wind farm.
Around 40 anti-Viking campaigners had turned out at a meeting of the trust in the town hall on Monday morning to lobby against the request for an additional £6.3 million for the wind farm.
Seventeen trustees, all councillors, turned out for the meeting, but with six trustees (Viking directors Bill Manson, Alastair Cooper and Caroline Miller, as well as Allison (Flea) Duncan, Frank Robertson and Florence Grains) declaring a non-pecuniary interest and leaving the room, the meeting became inquorate.
Shetland Charitable Trust needs twelve members present to be able to take decisions.
As vice-chairman Jim Henry was about to kick off proceedings, it was up to anti-Viking campaigner Rosa Steppanova to remind trustees that they were inquorate.
At that stage Gussie Angus stood up and left the room. He was followed by fellow trustees Rick Nickerson and Jim Budge, as they slowly broke up.
A decision on whether to invest further funds into the 370 megawatt windfarm will now be made by the newly elected councillors once they take up their seat on the charitable trust after the May election.
Veteran councillor Florence Grains said she was appalled that Monday’s meeting had been called as the trust was in the middle of a transformation process.
She said: “We are in the midst of a consultation over the change of the charitable trust, and should not be making a decision for somebody else to carry out. It should be left to the people that can honour a decision they have made.”
Monday’s development was welcomed by Sustainable Shetland campaigners. Rosemary Macklin said this had been the quickest meeting she had ever been to.
“It is quite outraging that they should be voting on £6.3 million to hand over to a project that has not got the backing of the community, when at the same time they are talking about closing all these small primary schools, and all this commotion that has been going on over the last few months.”
Sustainable Shetland vice-chairman Allen Fraser said the meeting had been handled in its “usual shambolic” way.
“It looks as though the public reaction against the wind farm and against Fergus Ewing’s announcement has been very strong, and that certainly has influenced the meeting today,” he said.
Become a supporter of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.
Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.
Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has over 630 supporters who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.
Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -
- Bring you the headlines as they happen;
- Stay editorially independent;
- Give a voice to the community;
- Grow site traffic further;
- Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.
Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.