Dave Thompson MSP

I was delighted to launch the Sunart Community shares offer in Strontian with Dave Hollings (Community Shares Scotland) and Jamie McIntyre (Director of Sunart Community Company and resident of Strontian) on October 3rd to help raise money towards an £850,000 community hydro scheme that will provide not only an economic boost to the area (by making money from water) but will also aid the environment as well.

Sunart is the first in Lochaber to offer what it considers an exciting new way of investing in renewables through its community share offer, launching with the aim of raising as much of the required £850,000 set-up costs as possible from private individuals and organisations. It is heartening to learn that the total pledged so far is rising all the time and fast approaching £100,000. I also intend to take up some shares so in a small way I too can help the community and the environment.

Initiated by the Sunart Community Renewables Community Benefit Society, the gross income is estimated to be at £107,000 per year, shares will soon be available to investors aged 16 and over (who can expect to earn 4% interest on their investment), all electricity generated will be sold to the National Grid and any surpluses generated will be donated to a local community benefit fund. The evening culminated with a family ceilidh, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I would like to wish everyone involved in the project every success. Construction of the project will be commencing in 2015.

It was an honour to be asked to open Hanover Housing Nevis Mews homes in Corpach. This is a new development and it was great to meet some of the residents and sample the lovely food.

It was fantastic to be involved in opening such high quality affordable housing in Lochaber and with the support available from the Scottish Government; I hope Hannover will continue to develop more such housing.

As part of my work for the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee (RACCE) I attended a meeting on October 3 in the Parliament regarding the proposals for a Rural Parliament, which turned out to be a very positive meeting indeed.

It was broadly agreed that local governance will benefit the people of the Highlands as it will usher in a new found confidence that ultimately follows being part of the democratic process. Areas of attention highlighted were general amenities, broadband (speed and availability of connection), transport infrastructure, and how the Rural Parliament might assist in other areas, such as, unemployment, homelessness and delivery of health and social care.

It is envisaged that there will be a renewed resurgence in community confidence when folk have more of a stake in decision making and that a Rural Parliament will go a long way to achieving that aim.

The Scottish Government has awarded £250,000 to Scottish Rural Action to take forward plans for a Scottish Rural Parliament.

The group’s inaugural meeting will take place between 6-8 November this year with up to 400 delegates, set to attend. I would like to wish them all the best taking forward their ambitious and positive plans.

I would like to welcome the news that firearms officers will no longer be carrying sidearms on routine duty and that firearms officers attached to Armed Response Vehicles will now only be deployed to firearms incidents or where there is a threat to life.

This is an issue I have been pressing for some time, including writing to Sir Stephen House, Chief Constable of Police Scotland and meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill to raise my concerns on the matter.

The decision to strike a balance between the legitimate concerns of the general public and the duty of the police to keep folk safe is a victory for common sense and just shows what can be done when people and organisations focus their minds around an issue.

The Referendum campaign was the most profound experience of political engagement I have ever had the privilege to be involved with.

We have seen Scotland’s people involved in democratic politics in an amazing way and this energy and enthusiasm will be used to move Scotland forward.

However, given that we know that the promises of “Federalism”, “Devo Max”, or “Home Rule”, offered to us were instrumental in securing the NO result, we have to keep the pressure on the UK Parties at Westminster to stay true to their word.

One thing is for sure, we will not be short of volunteers. Since the referendum, the membership of the SNP Lochaber Branch has grown from 85 members to 453 members and this trend is being reported all over the Highlands and Scotland as a whole.

Our job now is to mobilise that community to help us get as many Indy MPs, elected in the Westminster elections next May so we can and keep the pressure on the UK Parties to deliver for Scotland.