Politicians' objections to proposed biomass plant on Lamlash a positive for (Scottish) democracy

The fact that two Members of Scottish Parliament (MSP's) and a Member of the UK Parliament (MP) have raised expressions of objection to a proposed biomass plant to be built on the coast of a small Scottish Island is an encouraging decision, and one that weighs, on this occasion, heavily in democracy's favour. What it demonstrates above all is that, when decisions are to be made at the local, small-scale level, the interest of politicians in issues such as these adds weight to oppositions already expressed by the public in the form of (global) civil society movements. Although small scale in nature, it is the publicity of movements such as these that allows local civil society movements to grow and, possibly, to become movements of global civil society - witness the growth of the climate change movement 350.org, for example.

The point being made here is that if issues are raised in objection to a planned development, and details of these are fully made public, it is not long before more objections can be raised and planning applications or decisions that go against the public interest can be refused or altered to fit the demands of the public whom the elected government serves in the first place. This is a positive sign for local democracies and small-scale political movements to become more active in their local communities, in order to try and achieve positive change in their societies and communities on a daily basis. The fact that an opposition movement based on a planned biomass plant on a tiny Scottish island is garnering interest far beyond the shores of the Isle of Arran is testimony to both the power of the internet and the freedom of expression which local democracy attests to.

The proposed biomass plant off the coast of Arran in Western Scotland has already had over 200 objections raised on the North Ayrshire Council website, yet more are needed to make these objections gain credible weight and to make sure they are aired in both local and (perhaps) national government offices. or in parliament. Movements such these are always likely to start small-scale, but it is when members of the public and local communities start to take notice, perhaps due to similar expressions of objection against previously planned developments in their own local and societal communities, that local democracy really comes into it's own and can prove to be a powerful force far beyond the inefficiencies of larger, more bureaucratic and centralised governments. End of rant.