21/1/2010Have your say in our Rhubodach Forest Community Ballot

At the Bute Forest Consultation Day Rothesay Pavilion Sunday January 17th. Photo by zak355.

Bute Community Land Company (BCLC) says:

To satisfy the Scottish Government that we have a clear mandate from the community to purchase the Rhubodach Forest we have to conduct a Community Ballot. Ballot papers will be posted on Monday, January 25, to every Bute resident who appears on the electoral roll. It is essential that you return this with your vote as soon as you can. There will be no postage to pay.

The deadline for receipt of votes is 5pm on Thursday, February 11, and the votes will be counted, and the result announced, at the Pavilion the following day.

The Buteman reports that for the vote to be valid, half of the island's entire electorate - that's 2,610 people from a total roll of 5,220 - must vote. For the purchase to proceed, a simple majority of all the votes cast must be in favour of the buy-out - meaning that if at least 1,306 'yes' votes are received, the proposal can go ahead.

Read BCLC's feedback after the Bute Forest Consultation Day on Sunday the 17th of January and become a member HERE.


harry ross says:
leave the forest alone, better ways to spend money
Kaz Molloy says:
A great opportunity for the community and the island that should not be lost. This could become our legacy for future generations. Get out and vote!
Zak says:
Bute will be on tv and radio throughout Monday 8th February on the Morning, Lunchtime and Evening BBC Reporting Scotland News plus on BBC Radio Scotland.
wee mack says:
Wake up and smell the coffee, this land will not be owned by the people of Bute or the members of the BCLC (read it):
http://www.buteforest.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/C.Memorandum-and-articles.pdf

Why is Peter McDonald aka Fyne Homes so keen (read it):
http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/communitiessummit/show_case_study.php/00102.html

Fyne Homes - Biomass Heating and Community Energy Company. This heating runs on wood chip, no wood no grants for the project. Read the proposal plans for a slurry plant small-scale hydro-electric power installations:
http://www.buteforest.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/ButeCommunityCompany-Application.pdf

Another grant. Some nimby's were up in arms at a fish farm at Inchmarnoch and a wind farm at Loch Striven. But this is ok. If the people of Bute owned this land it would be fantastic, but this is not what it seems. Who asked these people to form the BCLC anyway?
Site Admin says:
BBC News Scotland has a prominent article about the Bute ballot over Richard Attenborough buyout today (Monday 8 February 2009).
wee mack says:
Fantastic report on TV yesterday, thousands of people are going to pay cal mac ferry prices to go on a 3 mile woodland walk 7 miles out side the main town in the middle of nowhere with no parking and no amenities, never mind, loch lomond the trossachs, welcome to rhubodach wood land walk the next centre parks. If people can't see this for what it is, I fear for the future of humanity. DON'T VOTE.

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