These meetings are a refreshing change to the party-based political posturing and wrangling we endure at higher levels in government. The members represent the community as a whole and, since they come from all over the area, the scattered villages of the peninsula. The public - that means anyone - is even allowed to speak. But the most remarkable aspect of these meetings is the cheerful, co-operative fashion in which they take place led, as they are, by two young women, Rosie MacLachlan, WACC's Chairman, and Jac Crosbie, its Secretary. Despite heavy commitments elsewhere, Rosie and Jac seem prepared to give freely of their time to the many meetings, telephone calls and letters to which their posts commit them: Rosie, for example, is a crofter, works on the fish farm, is a member of the Kilchoan Coastguard and Fire Brigade units, and a mother of two small children - amongst other things.
Perhaps the most important part of the Council's work is lobbying on behalf of their remote community, and it is surprising how many battles this small group has won - even though some may take years. A good example at last night's lengthy and busy meeting was a report from the Chairman that the community had received a categorical assurance from the Scottish Ambulance Service that the ambulances which come down the peninsula would "never be without double crew again" - meaning, a driver and a paramedic. This follows several incidents over the last few years when the Strontian ambulance, which takes a minimum of 40 minutes to reach Kilchoan and over an hour to return to the nearest hospital, arrived on scene with only a driver, rendering it impossible to carry a casualty away.
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