North Ayrshire Council is to write to the Scottish Government calling for a halt to the privatisation process for Clyde and Hebrides ferry routes, including Cumbrae, and Wemyss Bay-Rothesay services.
Labour councillor Alex Gallagher was successful in his recent motion to get NAC to write to the Scottish Government calling for a halt to the privatisation process for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Routes.
At present, Serco are vying with long established Caledonian MacBryane for the service, and a decision which could be made after the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May, which Labour believe is a delaying tactic.
Labour councillors used a QC’s opinion to suggest that EU rules could be used to stop the privatisation process in its tracks.
Cllr. Gallagher, who has the Isle of Cumbrae in his ward, said: “With this motion we have tried to protect the interests of our island communities. With their unanimous rejection of the motion, SNP councillors have betrayed those interests.”
“The QC’s opinion reveals that there is a clear position in EU law which would allow the tendering process to be halted at any time without penalty to the Scottish Government.”
“When the SNP handed the Northern Ferries routes to SERCO there was an increase of the Scottish Government subsidy to Serco but a long period of disruption and disaffection, with manning reductions and strikes. There is no evidence that a private owner would or could provide a better service to our Arran and Cumbrae communities.”
Councillor Gallagher added: “The people of Cumbrae will find it particularly upsetting that SNP Cllr Alan Hill actually moved the amendment against my motion.
“It is one thing slavishly following SNP policy but it is quite another thing to lead the charge to the privatisation of ferry routes in your own ward.”
“The motion calls on the Scottish Government to bring a halt to this unnecessary and unwanted privatisation process. The only pity is that SNP Councillors, led by Alan Hill, cannot find the courage to defy their party whips and support our position.”
The motion also paid tribute to ferry workers at the public sector company, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), and their "vital role in maintaining lifeline ferry services to our constituents on Arran and Cumbrae and other island communities" and stated that the council believes in supporting and promoting publicly owned and operated ferry services to Cumbrae and across Scotland.

Councillor Alan Hill responded: "

"It’s disappointing that Alex Gallagher is peddling the same nonsense and half-truths that he raised at the recent council meeting.

"First of all let me say that I care very much about local ferry services. Unlike  Alex, I make use of the Cal Mac ferry service to Cumbrae on an almost daily basis. I am also very keen to ensure that local services, timetables and fares are protected and improved wherever possible.

"As Alex knows very well, the Scottish Government is not tendering ferry services in Scotland through choice but because they have been instructed to do so by the European Union. The last tendering process took place when Labour was in office and guess what ? They complied with the European legal position and tendered the services.

"Then Labour MSP Alasdair Morrison attacked those arguing against the tender process saying that “it is easy for single issue protest groups to bask in the luxury of knowing that their outrageous, populist, law-breaking strategies will be ignored by responsible governments.”

"So there you have it, Labour in Government does one thing and in opposition argues the opposite line. This is just the sort of unprincipled nonsense that brings politics and politicians into disrepute. I would have thought that Alex Gallagher might have learned by now that the public sees through this sort of Labour hypocrisy. Did he learn nothing last May ?"