North-East Carbon Capture Plans Need UK Government To Up Its Game

Peterhead SNP councillors Stephen Smith and Leeann McWhinnie have called for the UK Government to significantly up its game on plans for the North-East’s carbon capture and storage project.

The call follows confirmation that 2 new seabed sites for storing captured carbon have been licensed off the North-East coast.

The SNP councillors have urged the UK Government to prioritise funding carbon capture in North-east Scotland.

Carbon capture and utilisation storage (CCUS) sites in Scotland have been repeatedly sidelined by the UK Government after it reneged on a promise to fund a site in Peterhead in 2015, and St Fergus in 2021.

Commenting, Peterhead South and Cruden SNP councillor Stephen Smith said:

“The allocation of these two new sites offshore is welcome but we need the UK Government significantly upping its game on carbon capture.

“The Buchan area has been badly let-down in the past with broken promises following 2014’s referendum and again in 2021. It’s time to give this project the priority it deserves for the sake of the environment and the economy and the UK Government needs to stop playing politics with it.”

Peterhead North and Rattray SNP councillor Leeann McWhinnie added:

“The Scottish Government announced £80million for the North-east CCUS project but, despite being promised £1 billion in the Conservatives’ 2015 manifesto, that promise has been broken not once, but twice.

“Unfortunately, we’re tied to having to wait for Westminster to act on this. It would be so much different with control over our own affairs.”

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Broch Councillor Hails Beach Awards for Fraserburgh

Fraserburgh and District SNP councillor Seamus Logan has hailed awards for Fraserburgh’s Tigerhill and Waters of Philorth beaches from the Keep Scotland Beautiful group as part of the 2022 Scotland’s Beach Awards scheme.

Scotland's Beach Awards are the benchmark for quality, celebrating clean, well-managed and sustainable beaches. The award-winning beaches demonstrate excellent beach management and environmental best practice, and the maintenance of high standards.

Welcoming the awards, Cllr Seamus Logan said:

“This is tremendous news for Fraserburgh and comes just as summer has started.

“Both of the town’s beaches are great assets for locals and are huge attractions for tourists who visit the area so these awards are great news. It’s really important people using the beaches have confidence in the quality of the beach and bathing water.”

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Local Councillor Hails Beach Awards for Cruden Bay and Peterhead Lido

Peterhead South and Cruden SNP councillor Stephen Smith has hailed awards for Cruden Bay and Peterhead Lido beaches from the Keep Scotland Beautiful group as part of the 2022 Scotland’s Beach Awards scheme.

Scotland's Beach Awards are the benchmark for quality, celebrating clean, well-managed and sustainable beaches. The award-winning beaches demonstrate excellent beach management and environmental best practice, and the maintenance of high standards.

Welcoming the awards, Cllr Stephen Smith said:

“This is tremendous news for Cruden Bay and the Lido and comes just as summer has started.

“Both the Lido and Cruden Bay beach are great assets for locals and are huge attractions for tourists who visit the area so it’s important they can have confidence in the quality of the beach and bathing water.”

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Macduff Councillor Welcomes Scottish Government Funding for Tarlair

Troup Ward SNP councillor Ross Cassie has welcomed over £360,000 of funding from the Scottish Government towards the rescue of the historic Tarlair Pavilion and outdoor pool complex.

This funding is from the second-year allocation of the Scottish Government Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) which is designed to support coherent investment decisions that respond to local community priorities for their places. The PBIP is expected to be a five-year Programme, lasting until 2025/26 with further injections of funding to be confirmed annually.

Central to the delivery of the Programme is ensuring that investment decisions are shaped by the evidenced needs of local communities, regenerate and revitalise towns and villages, help tackle inequality and disadvantage, and accelerate Scotland towards ‘net zero’ emissions goals. Projects are also expected to offer sustainable and impactful benefits to the places in which they are delivered.

Welcoming the funding, Cllr Ross Cassie said:

“Restoring a once popular attraction to its former glory is to be welcomed. The pool along with the restoration of the iconic art deco pavilion will become a jewel in the crown of Macduff.

“I’m delighted for the Friends of Tarlair which will allow them to progress to the first stage of their ambition to bring the whole site back into productive use.”

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