The 3rd Islands Forum will take place on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland on 9th and 10th October, chaired by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove.
The forum will focus on connectivity, recognising the importance of physical and digital connectivity to islands, particularly those with no fixed links to the mainland.
The UK government has invited eligible Council leaders and chief executives of Island communities in all parts of the UK to take part in the third forum.
The devolved administrations will also have a key role, with ministers from the Scottish and Welsh governments invited and the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
The Islands Forum helps to level up island communities by encouraging collaboration to tackle common challenges such as skills, connectivity and infrastructure, as well as to explore shared opportunities including the transition to net zero. It also allows the UK government to hear and learn from island communities to inform future policy.
October’s forum follows successful forums in Orkney in September 2022 and on the Isle of Wight in May 2023, where members agreed to collaborate further on net zero and skills. The Orkney forum also included a discussion with the energy regulator, Ofgem, leading to further direct engagement, unlocking important investments for Island communities.
Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove MP said:
“The Islands Forum is a significant bi-annual event bringing together Island communities who contribute so much to the UK.
Article continues below this advertisement “The 1st 2 forums in Orkney and the Isle of Wight clearly demonstrated the strong appetite for us to all work together to benefit communities. I look forward to meeting again on the Isle of Lewis, to discuss connectivity, reflecting the physical and digital connectivity challenges Islands face.
“I know the Isle of Lewis’ geography, heritage and language traditions will provide a thought-provoking location to discuss the unique issues facing our incredible islands across the UK.”
Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) Paul Steele said:
“People in the Western Isles and other UK Islands face unique challenges and the next Islands Forum presents another opportunity for us all to collaborate further, finding potential solutions with Government ministers.
“I look forward to meeting with Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove MP and discussing connectivity alongside future funding and growth opportunities.”
This gives sausage bob the chance to “welcome” this, that and the other, but not put in any of his own ideas. Not of interest to him at all, just another photo op. The tories days are numbered and sausage bob is in panic mode.
Just another jolly for already highly paid CEOs etc at council tax payers exp. What has ordinary island people benefited from these meetings ?. Just hot air and fake importance the lot of them – they couldn’t change a light bulb or use self scanning in supermarkets.
There is an election in the not so distant future and they are as unpopular as they ever have been in the last 40 years.
They are promising the Earth to get themselves elected.
Just remember that they are the party who promises much and deliver little (most of it deliberate lies) when they had half a chance of funding those promises.
Now they are promising stuff they have little intention of delivering with no money to deliver it even if they were Ernest (which they aren’t, because they never are).
Can we be levelled up with the Channel Islands please.
No, we can’t.
The Channel Islands are self governing, they have more autonomy than Scotland or Wales.
The Isle of Wight is just another English county.
Just look at that group – there’s never a machine gun around when you could really do with one.
Free lunches all round, compliments of us the Tax Payers.
Might do a FOI on this one to see what thecost is going to be for the isle of wight taxpayers for this jolly which could be accomplished by zoom,how many are going, what is the hotel and expenses costs, how much are the flights, etc etc.