Sole islander forced off ferries agency board after ship launch row

Murdo Maclennan, a crofter from the Isle of Lewis, had hoped to serve a second term as a non-executive director of CMAL

The sole islander on the board of Scotland's ferries agency CMAL has been ousted, just months after a row over who gets to launch CalMac ships being built in Turkey.

Murdo Maclennan had complained that two Edinburgh-based civil servants were to be invited to launch MV Lochmor and MV Claymore instead of islanders whose communities would be served by the ships.

His intervention led to a U-turn, but CMAL chairwoman Morag McNeill subsequently withdrew her support for Mr Maclennan serving a second term as a director, a decision then endorsed by Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop.

CMAL said it was not appropriate to comment on individual board members but it thanked Mr Maclennan for his three years of service as a director.

While the government-owned ferries procurement body did not disclose the reason for Mr Maclennan's removal, first reported by the Stornoway Gazette, some islanders believe it is linked to his critical scrutiny of CMAL decisions.

Joe Reade, chairman of the Mull and Iona Ferry Committee said: "We are appalled that Morag McNeil has dismissed the only islander on the CMAL board, and that Fiona Hyslop has rubber-stamped it.

"Murdo Maclennan worked conscientiously to give a voice to islanders within CMAL, and we have a great deal of respect for him."

After the launch of Loch Indaal by the wife of a CMAL director, Mr Maclennan suggested islanders be invited to launch the next two ships

The first of the new Islay-class ferries, MV Isle of Islay, was launched in March last year by Morag McNeill at a ceremony at the Cemre shipyard in Turkey.

The second vessel, MV Loch Indaal, was launched three months later by the wife of CMAL vessels director Jim Anderson.

CMAL flew 10 staff members and guests to Turkey for the second launch ceremony, costing more than £10,500 for flights, accommodation and other expenses.

Mr Maclennan, the first islander to sit on the CMAL board, then suggested it would be fitting for someone from the Western Isles to launch the next two ships.

He was under the impression this was agreed but earlier this year he was surprised to learn that invitations had been sent instead to two civil servants.

After raising the issue with Ms McNeill, an Edinburgh-based lawyer, he sought permission to write to the transport secretary flagging his concerns, and she told him she had no power to stop him doing so.

He then added his name to a joint letter sent by island councillors to Fiona Hyslop, and copied to Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes.

This resulted in a U-turn which saw the third ferry launched in August by Kay MacLeod, a long serving CalMac employee who works at Tarbert ferry terminal.

Mr Maclennan subsequently learned that Ms McNeill had withdrawn her previous support for him to be re-appointed for another three-year term as a CMAL director.

Morag McNeill, pictured, launched the first of the new Turkish built ferries last year. Standing beside her are CMAL chief executive Kevin Hobbs and vessels director Jim Anderson.

It is understood Mr Maclennan had earlier been given a favourable performance review by Ms McNeill before she withdrew her support.

"You have to ask what has happened to make her change her mind," said Joe Reade.

"Can it really be because she did not get her choice of which civil servant gets flown to Turkey to launch a ferry?"

Kenny M MacLeod, a councillor from Harris, said it was a "massive own goal" that showed that CMAL and Transport Scotland were out of touch with the needs of islanders.

"To bring an islander onto the board and then kick him off for speaking up - it beggars belief that they would do this," he said.

Mr Maclennan's term as a non-executive director has now expired, meaning that the boards of both state-owned ferries companies CMAL and CalMac currently have no directors who live in island communities.

Uisdean Robertson, who chairs the transportation committee of Western Isles Council, said it was important that a replacement island representative was appointed quickly,

"With Murdo being removed, we should hopefully replace him with somebody who is an islander - and I mean living on an island, not someone who left here when they were three," he said.

CMAL is 100% owned by the Scottish government but Transport Scotland said it would be inappropriate for Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop, seen here with CMAL boss Kevin Hobbs, to influence board appointments

CMAL and Transport Scotland said appointments to the CMAL board were governed by the Ethical Standards Commissioner's Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland.

A CMAL spokesperson added: "We thank Murdo Maclennan for his contribution as a non-executive director, and for his commitment to supporting the island communities we serve.

"The process is now under way to appoint an island representative to replace him."

Transport Scotland said it would be inappropriate for a government minister to attempt to influence a recommendation made by the chairperson of a public body.

"We will be seeking applications from individuals who can bring experience of living and working on the islands, including Gaelic language skills, alongside the required skills, knowledge, and experience necessary for board appointments," a spokesperson added.