Local Democracy

If you've never been to the beautiful Isle of Lewis, go this summer. White beaches, standing stones, flowers on the machair, Gaelic psalm-singing (which sounds like no other church music in Europe - a Chinese or Mongolian feel to it) and monstrous alcohol consumption on a Saturday night (an Englishman is best advised to avoid Stornoway dockside bars) followed by a real Sabbath - no shops, taxis, bars - you go for a walk or go to church.

Before the 366 wind turbines get built.

Scotland is rapidly getting covered in the things. Last year on Arran we could look across to Ardrossan and see ten or a dozen on the hills above, while over on the other side the spine of Kintyre is covered with them.

The consultation process seems to have worked well. You can clearly see its usefulness.

The Executive received 4,200 representations on the LWP plan (133 turbines), with just nine in favour, while all but two of the 1,450 representations on the BMP scheme (234 turbines)were against.