Ferries Community Board

The remit of the group is to collate and inform CalMac of the community view to ensure a greater involvement of the communities served by the services. We’re looking for the honest opinions of the communities we serve in order to best improve our services. The Ferries Community Board is independent of CalMac and has a few key aims:

• To give direct representation of key sectors within the communities to the CalMac Ferries Board.
• To advise on the best form(s) of engagement with the community to share and engage on aspects of the ferry services, including frequency of engagement.
• To provide a forum to seek opinions as required and reflections on ministerial strategic direction to the CalMac Board.
• To create a channel for effective and improved community engagement.

The Ferries Community Board exists to put these goals into action.

The board comprises 10—12 communities split by geographic representation. They meet at least twice a year (at different locations across the network) to discuss matters related to Calmac services for the community. The meetings aim to be a channel for effective and improved community engagement. CalMac representatives are not present at these meetings but we do provide secretariat services to record the minutes and outcomes. The work of the group will involve solution-focused discussion and members will be asked to provide constructive input that moves the agenda forward.

The community board is made up of everyday members of the community in places where CalMac services provide an important link. You don’t need to have experience of local government or other boards to become a member, we are looking to hear the authentic voices of the local community to fully understand any issues that might be affecting them.

• Members shall in general represent the voice of the local communities and shall report back to their representative communities following each and every community board meeting.
• All members are required to attend both meetings annually.
• The group will receive all possible assistance from CalMac, including provision of specialist technical assistance and secretarial support.
• Members of community board will receive reasonable out of pocket expenses including travel costs to attend meetings and will be provided with ferry travel for that meeting.
• Membership will be for 18 months, with an option to extend. A member can resign at any time in writing with a notice period of one month being required.
• The final decision of any Membership application or termination will sit with the Chairperson.

If you’d like to contact your local board member in order to raise an issue or provide feedback on your behalf, please find your nearest member in the list below. All board members represent the entire network and not just their local island/area, though your local member will be best placed to help you with any queries or concerns.

The Board has been influential in putting forward new policies and creating initiatives that have benefited communities across the CalMac network. We look forward to welcoming and supporting more of these creative endeavours in the future. Notable outcomes from the board meetings so far have included:

• Single track road leaflet initiative. A specially created leaflet to help unfamiliar drivers navigate single track roads and create a safer driving environment for everyone.
• A business symposium entitled ‘Strengthening Communities: Diverse Approaches to Business Success’ which gathered a diverse range of island business owners to discuss best practice and enjoy talks from industry professionals.

Please view the minutes from our latest meeting and the minutes archive below. Simply click on the appropriate date to open the PDF of that month’s meeting.

You can also find the Ferries Community Board on  Facebook.