‘Not good enough’ – South Mainland councillors furious about lack of Levenwick progress

The A970 at Levenwick. Photo: Dave Donaldson. 

All three South Mainland councillors have slammed the council’s lack of progress on improvements to the A970 main road at Levenwick.

A full business case for a new 6.8 metre, two-lane road with safety barriers between the north and south Levenwick junctions was expected to come before councillors last month.

But members have still not seen the report, and at Monday’s policy and resources meeting councillor Allison Duncan said that was “not good enough”.

He said that there was “a promise that hasn’t been kept” by officials.

Mr Duncan, George Smith and Robbie McGregor were incensed after assets manager Robert Sinclair suggested the tendering process for the road should begin before a full business case is approved.

Mr Smith said he was “astonished” that the SIC was apparently changing its own policy of approving business cases before moving to the next steps.

But finance manager Jamie Manson said there was “flexibility with the policy”.

“My advice would be to proceed with tendering,” he added.

Mr Manson said he was hoping to bring reports about the Levenwick road timeline to the March cycle of meetings, leading Mr Duncan to reply: “Seeing is believing.”

Mr Duncan quizzed Mr Sinclair on how many crofters in Levenwick had been contacted about the planned works, before adding: “Up to a few weeks ago, no-one had been in touch”.

Policy and resources chairman Steven Coutts said he was “quite conscious” that a number of questions had focused only on Levenwick, and asked members to move away from the subject.

“These questions wouldn’t have come today if the report had come before us last month,” Mr Duncan replied.