[Anne Lundon – Preseantair] Tha Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar a’ comharrachadh ceann-bliadhna shònraichte, ‘s e a-nis air a bhith a’ dol 40 bliadhna. Tha gu leòr a’ coimhead air ais air na ciad bhliadhnaichean dhen chomhairle mar an fheadhainn a b’ fheàrr. Ach, chaidh teagamhan gu leòr a thogail mus d’ fhuair iad cead tòiseachaidh agus bha dùbhlain romhpa cuideachd. Seo Aonghas Dòmhnallach.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Dh’ fhosgail a’ Bhànrigh oifisean na comhairle gu h-oifigeil ceithir bliadhna as dèidh dhan chomhairle tòiseachadh. Mhol coimisean Wheatley air ath-leasachadh riaghaltas ionadail gum biodh na h-eileanan nam pàirt de chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd. Ach, chaidh dithis gu math comasach an sàs sa chùis, Dòmhnall Stiùbhart nach maireann agus fear a bha e fhèin bliadhnaichean as dèidh sin na fhear-gairm air a’ chomhairle.
[Sandy MacMhathain] Ultimately, we were able to convince the government not to adhere to the principles set down by Wheatley but actually to go along with a reservation which had been made by two members of the commission, that the Western Isles would be formed into a single unitary local authority.
[Dòmhnall Màrtainn] Agus nuair a bha iad a’ deasbad an t-suidheachaidh ann an Taigh nan Cumantan chaidh aontachadh an uair sin gum biodh a’ Chomhairle aig na h-Eileanan an Iar mar a bha Comhairle Arcaibh agus Sealtainn. Bha na trì comhairlean sin eadar-dhealaichte, bha na cumhachdan aca a bh’aig na sgìrean agus na roinnean air tìr-mòr.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Chaidh dithis gu math ciallach, seòlta os cionn a’ chiad Chomhairle – an t-Urramach Dòmhnall MacAmhlaigh agus Mgr Calum MacGillFhaolain agus thòisich iad gu math misneachail.
[An t-Urr Dòmhnall MacAmhlaigh] ‘S ann a tha mi smaoineachadh tha feadhainn nas fhaide air taobh na Gàidhlig na bha iad nuair a thòisich Comhairle nan Eilean. Tha feadhainn eile ann, a’ cheart uimhir sin, tha iad car caoin suarach mu dheidhinn ach tha mòran de rùn math a-nise anns a’ chomhairle.
[Mgr Calum MacGillFhaoilain] Uill ‘s e an dòchas a th’agamsa gun dèan a’ chomhairle ùr tha seo, gun dèan i rud nach do rinn Comhairle Siorrachd Inbhir Nis riamh agus gun toir i aiseag dhòigheil dha na h-eileanan beaga.
[Dòmhnall Màrtainn] Thug iad fa-near gu robh na seirbheisean anns na h-eileanan a deas – anns Na Hearadh, Uibhist agus Barraigh aig ìre fada, fada na b’ ìsle agus gu dearbha fhèin ann an iomadach suidheachadh cha robh mòran de sheirbheisean ann.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Agus, ged nach robh na làithean duilich fad às, tha e furasta a dhearbhadh gu bheil na h-eileanan nas fheàrr dheth bho thàinig a’ chomhairle.
[Dòmhnall Màrtainn] Gu mì-fhortanach an dèidh a’ chiad ochd bliadhna, dh’ fhàs an t-airgead aig an Riaghaltas gann agus bha aca an uair sin ri tòiseachadh a’ toirt sùil air dè an dòigh anns am b’ urrainn dhaibh sàbhalaidhean mòra a dhèanamh agus thog sin tòrr strì agus tòrr argamaid anns na coimhearsnachdan.
[Sandy MacMhathain] This is one occasion where I think the reform of local government was successful and we are reaping the benefit of it today. We have succeeded and succeeded well.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] ‘S i a’ cheist a-nise, dè am piseach a thig air na h-eileanan san ath 40 bliadhna. Aonghas Dòmhnallach, BBC An Là, Sna h-Eileanan Siar.
[Anne Lundon – Presenter] The Western Isles Council are celebrating a special year, it’s now been going for 40 years. Many look back on the early years of the council as the best ones. But, there were plenty doubts before they received permission to begin and there were challenges ahead of them too. Here’s Angus MacDonald.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] The Queen officially opened the council offices four years after the council began. The Wheatley Commission recommended a reform of the local government so that the Western Isles would be part of the Highland Council. But, two very proficient individuals got involved, the late Donald Stewart and a man who himself years afterwards was the council Convener.
[Sandy Matheson] Ultimately, we were able to convince the government not to adhere to the principles set down by Wheatley but actually to go along with a reservation which had been made by two members of the commission, that the Western Isles would be formed into a single unitary local authority.
[Donald Martin] Upon debating the matter at the House of Commons it was agreed then the Western Isles would have a council similar to that of Orkney and Shetland. Those three councils were different, they had powers that areas and regions on the mainland had.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] Two very sensible, adept individuals were in charge of the first council – Reverend Donald MacAulay and Father Calum MacLellan and in the beginning they were very confident.
[Rev Donald MacAulay] I think more people are pro-Gaelic than when the Western Isles Council first began. There are others, as many as that, who are somewhat bitter about it but there are many with good intent now in the council.
[Ftr Calum MacLellan] Well I hope that this new council will do something that that Inverness-shire Council never managed and that it will provide a suitable ferry service to the small isles.
[Donald Martin] They took into consideration that the services in the Southern Isles – In Harris, Uist and Barra – were at a much lower standard and indeed in many respects there were hardly any services.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] And, although the hard times weren’t completely behind them, it’s easy to see that the islands are better off since the council began.
[Donald Martin] Unfortunately after the first 8 years, funding from the government became scarce and they then had to start looking at ways to save and this caused a lot of conflict and arguments in the communities.
[Sandy Matheson] This is one occasion where I think the reform of local government was successful and we are reaping the benefit of it today. We have succeeded and succeeded well.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] Angus MacDonald, BBC An Là, in the Western Isles.
[Anne Lundon – Preseantair] Tha Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar a’ comharrachadh ceann-bliadhna shònraichte, ‘s e a-nis air a bhith a’ dol 40 bliadhna. Tha gu leòr a’ coimhead air ais air na ciad bhliadhnaichean dhen chomhairle mar an fheadhainn a b’ fheàrr. Ach, chaidh teagamhan gu leòr a thogail mus d’ fhuair iad cead tòiseachaidh agus bha dùbhlain romhpa cuideachd. Seo Aonghas Dòmhnallach.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Dh’ fhosgail a’ Bhànrigh oifisean na comhairle gu h-oifigeil ceithir bliadhna as dèidh dhan chomhairle tòiseachadh. Mhol coimisean Wheatley air ath-leasachadh riaghaltas ionadail gum biodh na h-eileanan nam pàirt de chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd. Ach, chaidh dithis gu math comasach an sàs sa chùis, Dòmhnall Stiùbhart nach maireann agus fear a bha e fhèin bliadhnaichean as dèidh sin na fhear-gairm air a’ chomhairle.
[Sandy MacMhathain] Ultimately, we were able to convince the government not to adhere to the principles set down by Wheatley but actually to go along with a reservation which had been made by two members of the commission, that the Western Isles would be formed into a single unitary local authority.
[Dòmhnall Màrtainn] Agus nuair a bha iad a’ deasbad an t-suidheachaidh ann an Taigh nan Cumantan chaidh aontachadh an uair sin gum biodh a’ Chomhairle aig na h-Eileanan an Iar mar a bha Comhairle Arcaibh agus Sealtainn. Bha na trì comhairlean sin eadar-dhealaichte, bha na cumhachdan aca a bh’aig na sgìrean agus na roinnean air tìr-mòr.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Chaidh dithis gu math ciallach, seòlta os cionn a’ chiad Chomhairle – an t-Urramach Dòmhnall MacAmhlaigh agus Mgr Calum MacGillFhaolain agus thòisich iad gu math misneachail.
[An t-Urr Dòmhnall MacAmhlaigh] ‘S ann a tha mi smaoineachadh tha feadhainn nas fhaide air taobh na Gàidhlig na bha iad nuair a thòisich Comhairle nan Eilean. Tha feadhainn eile ann, a’ cheart uimhir sin, tha iad car caoin suarach mu dheidhinn ach tha mòran de rùn math a-nise anns a’ chomhairle.
[Mgr Calum MacGillFhaoilain] Uill ‘s e an dòchas a th’agamsa gun dèan a’ chomhairle ùr tha seo, gun dèan i rud nach do rinn Comhairle Siorrachd Inbhir Nis riamh agus gun toir i aiseag dhòigheil dha na h-eileanan beaga.
[Dòmhnall Màrtainn] Thug iad fa-near gu robh na seirbheisean anns na h-eileanan a deas – anns Na Hearadh, Uibhist agus Barraigh aig ìre fada, fada na b’ ìsle agus gu dearbha fhèin ann an iomadach suidheachadh cha robh mòran de sheirbheisean ann.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Agus, ged nach robh na làithean duilich fad às, tha e furasta a dhearbhadh gu bheil na h-eileanan nas fheàrr dheth bho thàinig a’ chomhairle.
[Dòmhnall Màrtainn] Gu mì-fhortanach an dèidh a’ chiad ochd bliadhna, dh’ fhàs an t-airgead aig an Riaghaltas gann agus bha aca an uair sin ri tòiseachadh a’ toirt sùil air dè an dòigh anns am b’ urrainn dhaibh sàbhalaidhean mòra a dhèanamh agus thog sin tòrr strì agus tòrr argamaid anns na coimhearsnachdan.
[Sandy MacMhathain] This is one occasion where I think the reform of local government was successful and we are reaping the benefit of it today. We have succeeded and succeeded well.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] ‘S i a’ cheist a-nise, dè am piseach a thig air na h-eileanan san ath 40 bliadhna. Aonghas Dòmhnallach, BBC An Là, Sna h-Eileanan Siar.
[Anne Lundon – Presenter] The Western Isles Council are celebrating a special year, it’s now been going for 40 years. Many look back on the early years of the council as the best ones. But, there were plenty doubts before they received permission to begin and there were challenges ahead of them too. Here’s Angus MacDonald.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] The Queen officially opened the council offices four years after the council began. The Wheatley Commission recommended a reform of the local government so that the Western Isles would be part of the Highland Council. But, two very proficient individuals got involved, the late Donald Stewart and a man who himself years afterwards was the council Convener.
[Sandy Matheson] Ultimately, we were able to convince the government not to adhere to the principles set down by Wheatley but actually to go along with a reservation which had been made by two members of the commission, that the Western Isles would be formed into a single unitary local authority.
[Donald Martin] Upon debating the matter at the House of Commons it was agreed then the Western Isles would have a council similar to that of Orkney and Shetland. Those three councils were different, they had powers that areas and regions on the mainland had.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] Two very sensible, adept individuals were in charge of the first council – Reverend Donald MacAulay and Father Calum MacLellan and in the beginning they were very confident.
[Rev Donald MacAulay] I think more people are pro-Gaelic than when the Western Isles Council first began. There are others, as many as that, who are somewhat bitter about it but there are many with good intent now in the council.
[Ftr Calum MacLellan] Well I hope that this new council will do something that that Inverness-shire Council never managed and that it will provide a suitable ferry service to the small isles.
[Donald Martin] They took into consideration that the services in the Southern Isles – In Harris, Uist and Barra – were at a much lower standard and indeed in many respects there were hardly any services.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] And, although the hard times weren’t completely behind them, it’s easy to see that the islands are better off since the council began.
[Donald Martin] Unfortunately after the first 8 years, funding from the government became scarce and they then had to start looking at ways to save and this caused a lot of conflict and arguments in the communities.
[Sandy Matheson] This is one occasion where I think the reform of local government was successful and we are reaping the benefit of it today. We have succeeded and succeeded well.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] Angus MacDonald, BBC An Là, in the Western Isles.