Outer Hebrides proposed motorhome tax! (1 Viewer)

[mikebeaches]

It appears a local Scottish MP has proposed a tourist tax on motorhomes visiting the Outer Hebrides!

But the Islands' tourist board is up in arms and says it is ill advised:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-41333126

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/..._islands_is__ill_advised___tourist_body_says/

http://www.hebrides-news.com/msp-criticised-over-motorhome-tax-21917.html

 

[WillH]

Already posted in multiple threads.

 

[mikebeaches]

Already posted in multiple threads.

So how much is the proposed tax?

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[WillH]

THe MSP was talking about raising £80,000 so working on present numbers between £20 and £40 per van. It will not happen however as he has been shot down in flames from all sides. It's absurd in a way because we know fine well Scotland gets more funding than the rest of the UK, the Western Isles gets more than the rest of Scotland. The amount of grant funding they have enjoyed is spectacular.

 

[Robin McHood]

@WillH is quite right of course. I mean what were the Scottish Government thinking?
Imagine trying to come up with suggestions on how to pay for the facilities needed by motor-homers. Who do they think they are?

After all look how much the SG already wastes in providing road equivalent subsidies on the ferries to allow MHs to get to the islands as if they had simply driven there rather than used a ferry and all the infrastructure required at its actual cost.

And then that subsidy to keep fuel costs down to the same as the Central Belt, the utter swine.

AND what was all that removing the tolls on Scottish bridges? Gives me apoplexy just thinking about it

AND what about all that wasted time getting EU grants to improve the roads and infrastructure up there so we can do the NC500 on roads that actually have two lanes!! So much better if we'd stuck with our traditional single track roads with passing places

ALL that 'extra' funding that Scotland gets should of course be spent on building more motorhome parks than wasted on ameliorating the worst effects of Westminster's social policy...

Of course that should be true of everywhere else that gets extra funding too like EVERY region in England except for London and the SE counties.

Absolutely disgusting.

If you agree with me I can send you the address of the Scottish Common Good fund who will be happy to receive your balancing payment so you can't be accused of taking advantage of all those terrible SG initiatives

 

[WillH]

Something I did notice were all the EU flags discreetly fixed to the new causeways, harbours, linkspans etc. We live on the west coast but get little in the way of funding from any source. Forgot to mention the subsidised airfares as well.

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[Robin McHood]

Something I did notice were all the EU flags discreetly fixed to the new causeways, harbours, linkspans etc. We live on the west coast but get little in the way of funding from any source. Forgot to mention the subsidised airfares as well.

This is a good resource for where EU funding comes from and goes to. A lot (unlike bridges and other infrastructure) is not directly visible. The other problem is that much EU funding requires active input from the local councils (if you don't ask, you don't get) and the councils in Southern Scotland generally have been particularly remiss in not fighting that corner. Of course they then blame that lack of funding on either the SG or the EU. Often EU funding has to be matched partially by local funding and again Local councils have been poor at ponying up the required funds which means you don't get any of them. Again the blame is usually laid at the door of the SG or the EU.

Of course when something is a success local authorities, for political reasons, make as little mention of the fact that it is European funding as they can get away with.

Have seen much of this in helping fund raise for a charity where we were often stymied by local inertia/non-engagement, and then all the credit being taken by the local authority when we were successful. We always made specific mention on our literature or publicity of the actual source but that doesn't have the same reach as even one article in a local paper.

You will see for example in the Leader program, SW Scotland was the third highest recipient of EU funding in Scotland.