National Islands Plan: annual report 2023

Implementation and Measurement of the National Islands Plan

Strategic objective 13 – Support effective implementation of the National Islands Plan

Commitment 13.1 Establish a robust process to ensure the timely publication of a detailed Implementation Route Map setting out clear actions with defined responsibilities for action and timescales to support the delivery of the National Islands Plan.

Commitment fulfilled – This commitment was fulfilled in 2021. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2021 for further details.

Commitment 13.2 Develop indicators applicable to each Strategic Objective in collaboration with Scottish Government agencies, local authorities, island communities and relevant island socio-economic actors based on the SMART criteria and building on the National Performance Framework and Sustainable Development Goals.

Implementation Route Map 2023

• Further research is being undertaken to gather the necessary data in order to set the baselines for our measurable outcomes.
• We will undertake a further iteration of the National Islands Plan Survey.

The Scottish Islands Data Dashboard Report and interactive dashboard were published in December 2023. This dashboard brings together Scotland’s island-level data indicators, and the accompanying report draws out key findings relating to each of the strategic objective topic areas set out in the National Islands Plan.

In 2022-23, EKOS were commissioned and have delivered a list of existing data indicators which can be used to monitor each of the Strategic Objectives in the National Islands Plan. Where possible, the existing data sources identified in this framework, in conjunction with the new Scottish islands geography, were combined together in a new Scottish Islands Data Dashboard to provide a further mechanism to monitor the National Islands Plan. The dashboard is organised around each Strategic Objective, and shows the latest evidence from each of the most relevant indicators.

Indicators have been drawn from both secondary data analysis or existing sources as well as the primary data collection being carried out in the Scottish Islands Survey (2023).

The recent release of the Scottish Islands Region Geography has facilitated new islands evidence sources, including the National Records of Scotland Scottish Island Regions population dashboard, household estimates occupied and vacant dwellings data publication and the Sub-Scotland Economic Statistics database. Charts on households (including second homes and vacant properties) have now been added to the NRS Island regions interactive dashboard. In addition, future regular house price data by Registers of Scotland will be published for Scottish Islands Regions, and can also be used as an indicator.

These have been used in this new dashboard which is a compilation of Scottish Islands evidence, in conjunction with other sources.

This new interactive Scottish Islands data dashboard uses existing data. It presents the data categorised by the 12 strategic objectives. Some data is not available at a Scottish Islands Region level, so has been inputted at a local authority level instead. It is clear on the dashboard where this is the case.

National Islands Plan Survey 2023

Work on the Scottish Islands Survey 2023 is being conducted by the James Hutton Institute on behalf of the Scottish Government. In November 2023, the survey, which asks about experiences of everyday island life, was sent to 20,000 residents of Scottish islands. The survey closed in January 2024 receiving 4,414 responses. Analysis is currently underway and findings are being compared to the National Islands Plan 2020 to measure change in island communities. The final report is expected to be published this summer.

Commitment 13.3 Host a series of islands based focus group workshops, to discuss and agree the specific actions linked to each of the 13 Strategic Objectives in the Plan.

Commitment fulfilled – This commitment was fulfilled in 2020. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2020 for further details.

Commitment 13.4 Review the availability, usefulness of, and the wider barriers to, island level data both at an individual island level, groups of islands and consider the creation of a “Scottish Islands” data level in order to better understand the challenges faced by island communities.

Commitment fulfilled – This commitment was fulfilled in 2020. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2020 for further details.

Commitment 13.5 Create a Young Islanders Network constituted by young people from all Scottish islands that will have a consultative role in the implementation of the National Islands Plan to ensure that the delivery of the Plan fully considers the interests and priorities of young people.

Commitment fulfilled – This commitment was fulfilled in 2020. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2020 and commitment 1.4 in this report for further details.

Commitment 13.6 Establish a National Islands Plan Governance Group to ensure close monitoring of the Implementation Route Map. This group will oversee the delivery of the National Islands Plan and feedback on progress to the Islands Strategic Group and other interested parties.

Commitment fulfilled – This commitment was fulfilled in 2021. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2021 for further details.

Commitment 13.7 Work with island communities to ensure that the Plan is widely promoted and understood by all sections of society.

Implementation Route Map 2023

• We will continue to consult and collaborate with our island communities on a regular basis.
• We will continue to support the Islands Strategic Group to allow us to work closely with our local authority partners on delivery.
• We will continue to support the National Islands Plan Delivery Group to ensure that work is driven forward in a collaborative way that truly involves island communities.

The implementation of the National Islands Plan continues to be supported by both the Islands Strategic Group and the National Islands Plan Delivery Group.

The Islands Strategic Group (ISG)

The ISG was established in 2016 to consider issues affecting the inhabited island communities of Scotland, and to ensure greater involvement of the relevant councils in helping identify and design solutions to the unique needs and challenges these communities face.

Membership of this group comprises of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Council Leaders and Chief Executives across all local authorities with islands. The group met twice during 2023 and covered a wide range of issues including housing, transport and health care services.

The National Islands Plan Delivery Group

To ensure that the National Islands Plan leads to meaningful, positive and sustainable change, there needs to be accountability and ongoing collaboration with local authority partners, stakeholders and island communities for the duration of the Plan.

The National Islands Plan Delivery Group (NIPDG) was established in June 2021. The group supports implementation of the Plan, ensures close monitoring of the delivery of the Plan and its accompanying Implementation Route Map. Delivering a fair, integrated, green and inclusive plan requires strong collaboration and partnership, and the Delivery Group provides this collaborative working space.

Over the course of 2023, the Group convened twice to discuss issues including – but not limited to – energy and just transition, community wealth building and the National Islands Plan review consultation.

The National Islands Plan Review

Please see commitment 10.2 for more information on the review.

The Scottish Islands Federation

We continue to fund the Scottish Islands Federation (SIF) to build on its work of bringing together people living on Scottish Islands, sharing and disseminating information and good practice and promoting the interests of Islanders.

SIF is a membership organisation representing over sixty members and is overseen by a board of twelve volunteer directors from across all six island local authority areas. SIF’s work creates and develops links to island communities which support delivery of the National Islands Plan, providing a conduit between island communities and Scottish Government policy and decision-making.

Through various channels including learning exchange virtual events, working group discussions, social media, and direct emails, island communities are empowered to influence delivery of the National Islands Plan.

SIF’s online events, including an annual members’ evening, facilitate discussion across focused areas of the National Islands Plan including the Carbon Neutral Islands project.

Scottish Government officials meet regularly with the SIF project officers to discuss how the National Islands Plan is being supported and implemented, and to hear real time feedback and suggestions from island communities.