[Stronsaylimpet] News on replacement ferries!

[Limpet editor]

/From BBC Radio Orkney:/

There's been a breakthrough in the political deadlock over the 
replacement of Orkney's internal ferries. The Scottish Government is 
committing to a process to address the renewal of the fleet in a letter 
received by the Islands Council last night.
There was no mention of Orkney's ferries in yesterday's Scottish Budget 
speech, but Deputy First Minister John Swinney has announced he is 
setting up a ferry taskforce with the local authority which will meet 
monthly from January. He wants it to wind up in September with the 
objective of moving the fleet renewal forward and delivering a solution 
which will feed into the next Scottish Budget, for 24/25. There's no 
promise of money or of taking responsibility for replacement away from 
the Islands Council.
Speaking on Friday morning's Around Orkney, Council leader James Stockan 
welcomed what he called the most positive development yet in the long 
running struggle to replace the ageing inter-isles fleet. He said he's 
waiting to see the detail of how the taskforce will work, and he quoted 
a text he received from Mr Swinney last night which described this as a 
genuine constructive proposal which the Scottish Government will be 
taking forward.

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