Home   News   Article

Lack of local representation on Hial board is 'a huge blind spot' says Stone


By Gordon Calder

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

THE "obsessive drive" towards air traffic centralisation could have been stopped if representatives from Caithness and other areas in the north were on the board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd( Hial).

So claimed local MP, Jamie Stone, who believes the lack of members from the county is "a huge blind spot".

Hial manages and operates 11 regional airports, including Wick John O' Groats but has no one from the county on its board.

Mr Stone said he is "sick and tired" of the Scottish Government's appointment system failing to make local representation on public bodies a priority.

He said: "The whole point of public bodies like Hial is to act in the interests of all of us in the Highlands and Islands. Not having anyone from Caithness is a huge blind spot. I am convinced that the more people we have on these boards that represent the diversity of the Highlands, the more likely we are to achieve results that matter for people."

The Liberal Democrat MP added: "Caithness is home to Wick airport. It is baffling that it has no representation in light of the struggles faced by the airport and the obsessive drive towards centralising air traffic controllers. I am convinced this would have been stopped if more people from each part of the Highlands and Islands were properly represented." He said it is "a grave oversight" not to have local representation on the board.

Trudy Morris, the chief executive of the Caithness Chamber of Commerce, said: "We believe it would be beneficial to see more representation from the different areas Hial serves. The needs of communities in the north Highlands are different to those even in more central parts of the region, and it would be good to see these communities represented at a board level. First-hand, local input can ultimately be beneficial to an organisation which has to make decisions with the potential to impact on communities across the Highlands and Islands."

However, she added: "This must be balanced with the knowledge that board positions, especially for a public body like Hial, carry with them serious responsibilities and require people with the right experience and knowledge. We would certainly encourage those in the north Highlands who have this experience to apply for positions as they arise, and equally would encourage Hial to do everything they can to promote more opportunities for local representation on their board."

Andy Bruce, who founded and ran Far North Aviation in Wick but is now retired, said it is "essential" to have local representation and people with an aviation background on bodies such as Hial.

"You need to have the expertise to ask questions. It is really important to get someone on the board who lives in the area and has an aviation background."

Mr Bruce does not think it would be a problem to get representatives from the far north and argued if that was the case it "would make 100 per cent difference" to the controversial plans to centralise air traffic control services in Inverness and downgrade Wick John O' Groats airport.

A Hial spokesman said: "The Scottish Government manage the recruitment of our board members. Members are appointed to the board based on their abilities, skills and knowledge to ensure effective oversight of the company."

A Transport Scotland spokesman stressed board recruitment is not based on people’s place of residence.

"It is based on their skill set and what the board believes it requires to offer challenge to the executive team at Hial. Part of the recruitment process is that they have to have a clear and proper understanding of remote communities, but the primary purpose of the role is the skill set that they bring to the board," he said.


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More