No islanders on Board? Ferry owners criticised by communities

THE BOARD

The owner of Calmac’s ferries and harbours has been criticised for having no islanders on its board.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), wholly owned by the Scottish Government, has an eightstrong board comprising a non-executive chairman, three non-executive directors and four executive directors, all appointed by ministers. None, however, lives on, or is from, the islands.

Joe Reade, chair of the Mull and Iona Ferry Committee, called for the issue to be urgently addressed. “None of the CMAL board has any direct experience of what life in an island community is like or can appreciate the issues that are of most concern to us,” he said. “Perhaps our ferries would not be in such bad shape if the opinions and feelings of those that use and rely on them were represented at board level.”

Bill Calderwood, secretary of the Arran Ferry Committee, echoed concern: “It would be very useful to have the views of the locals and the people who rely on these ferries reflected directly to the people who make decisions that affect us all,” he said.

CMAL, however, insisted board positions were open and advertised widely to encourage applications from “anyone with relevant skills, qualifications and experience”.

It said: “The board’s decision-making is informed by the extensive community consultation and engagement our project teams manage on a regular basis.

“Every major vessel and harbour project we deliver involves numerous interactions with ferry and harbour users, through meetings, events and exhibitions, consultation exercises, surveys, as well as more general day-to-day email exchanges and calls.

“Our combined regular community engagement takes place, on average, daily. Focusing only on our board of executives does not describe the full picture.”

CMAL’S board, from top: Erik Østergaard, chair; Kevin Hobbs, CEO; Heather Ferguson, finance director; Jim Anderson, director of vessels; Ramsay Muirhead, director of port infrastructure and planning; Morag Mcneill, non-executive director; Paul Croucher, non-executive director; Graeme Wood, non-executive director