Recent Activities

Financial constraints, since 2006, have severely constrained the capability of the Chamber to operate effectively.  However, in spite of this, the executive has met regularly to attend to correspondence, to discuss the running of the Chamber and to meet with CnES and HIE Innes Gall re finances. This resulted in some financial support from the Comhairle, but regrettably not from the Enterprise Company.

Exec. members have attended the following:

At these meetings we are often the only private sector voice.   Our time is given freely without any financial support, on a purely voluntary basis.  This has been increasingly difficult to resource. 

The executive members of the Chamber, in recent months, have been valiantly continuing to represent the interests of members at such forums.  The executive continues to advocate on behalf of its members on many local issues such as, in particular, the various initiatives being undertaken by the Stornoway Regeneration Group and on wider regional issues such as the Outer Hebrides economy, branding, and the growing concerns around the use of National Advertising Portals.  The latter concern being put to Scottish Ministers and our local MSP directly by the Chamber on behalf of members.

Crossroads

The Chamber is now at a crossroads.  There are many positive inputs we could make and activities we could undertake, for example the supply chain register detailed below, but we do not have the wherewithal to pursue them with the vigour they require.

We are keen to see the local economy strengthened throughout the Outer Hebrides, across all sectors. 

For example, in the construction sector , we are concerned that large capital projects in the past have entailed the employment of largely mainland firms both in consultancy and construction terms and these have arguably not delivered maximum economic benefit within the islands’ economy. 

More generally, we are particularly keen to see profits being made by local organisations re-circulated within the local economy to the benefit of all. 

The OHCoC believes that energy activity (both renewables and hydro-carbons west of the Hebrides) offer an excellent opportunity for economic growth in the Outer Hebrides. Going forward we wish to build private sector support activity in this area and propose to undertake the following tasks:

• developing the profile of the Renewable Energy Supply Chain Group

• developing knowledge within the Chamber membership and wider business community in regard to the business and economic potential arising from renewable energy developments 

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  engaging with developers to make the business case for significant Outer Hebrides content in local projects

• engaging with  membership and the wider business community to stimulate and support new approaches to the development of local consortia to respond to future project tendering 

   

• developing a business directory to utilise, for example, as a marketing tool to developers in the renewable energy market 

• supporting appropriate awareness-raising seminars and events.

The CoC also believes that population issues are critical to the future of the Outer Hebrides and will be critical to the future well-being of business activity.  This is another area that concerns our members.  We believe we are well placed to address this concern.  We propose to assist by carrying out a survey of sole traders and entrepreneurs to assess their potential for growth.  In addition, we would hope to identify, and develop a network among successful entrepreneurs with a local connection to involve in enterprise education.