The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) which the Deputy refers to is a programme for improvement works on small private/non-public roads. The eligibility criteria for the scheme are largely based on the Memorandum governing the scheme which was published in 2002 by the then Department of Environment and Local Government. The scheme is currently delivered through the Local Authorities.
Eligible roads are non-public roads, often leading to houses and important community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers, mountains, etc., or other non-public roads that provide access to parcels of land, or provide access for harvesting purposes (including turf or seaweed) for two or more persons. There must be more than one landholder on an LIS road and the road must be open to the public.
It is the responsibility of the relevant Local Authority to select and prioritise the road projects that will receive LIS funding, including on offshore islands, in line with the scheme criteria, their financial allocation, and the Memorandum governing the scheme.
The Memorandum does not preclude roads on islands being selected by the relevant Local Authorities. I do not, therefore, propose to ring-fence funding specifically for LIS roads on islands at present.
