Sunday 27 September 2015

The week ahead...

Monday
In the morning I have the Inverclyde Council pre-agenda.
Tuesday
In the late afternoon I have a meeting with Greenock Chamber of Commerce followed by the annual general meeting of River Clyde Homes. I hope to attend either the Park Farm TARA or Kilmacolm Community Council if time permits.
Wednesday
I am through in Edinburgh at COSLA for a meeting in the morning. In late afternoon I have a meeting of the Labour Group.
Thursday
In the early afternoon I have my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive followed by a Policy & Resources Executive Sub-Committee.
Friday
I have an afternoon meeting provisionally in the diary but it yet to be confirmed.

Sunday 20 September 2015

The week ahead...

Monday
In the morning I am attending a meeting organised by Duncan McNeil MSP with Ferguson Marine. In the evening I am attending meetings of the Woodhall Task Group and the joint Port Glasgow Community Councils.
Tuesday
I have a busy afternoon with two members' briefings and a meeting of the Policy & Resources Committee. In the evening I have a surgery in Kilmacolm Community Centre.
Wednesday
In the morning I am attending a meeting at River Clyde Homes with Slaemuir TARA representatives followed by a meeting of the Council's Strategic Leadership Forum. In the afternoon I have a meeting with officers and my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive. This is followed by a meeting of the Labour Group.
Thursday
In the evening I am attending the AGM of St Michael's Primary School Parent Council followed by the St Stephen's High School Awards Ceremony.
Friday
I will be through in Edinburgh most of the day for the COSLA Leaders' Meeting.

Sunday 13 September 2015

The week ahead...

Monday
At lunchtime I have a meeting with Labour MSP Mary Fee and in the late afternoon a meeting of the Council's Members' Budget Working Group. In the evening I will be attending a meeting of St Francis' Primary School Parent Council.
Tuesday
In the morning I will be attending the funeral of local Labour Party legend Mary (McEwan) Thomas. In the early afternoon I have a meeting with Fraser Donaldson of Inverclyde Foodbank. In the evening I will be attending a meeting of the River Clyde Homes' Board.
Wednesday
In the early afternoon I will be attending the Veterans' Roadshow in Paisley Town Hall. Later in the afternoon I have the Inverclyde Alliance Board Pre-agenda and my weekly meetings with the Chief Executive and Labour Group.
Thursday
In the morning I am meeting with an official from COSLA and in the afternoon I have a meeting of the Riverside Inverclyde Board. In the evening I am attending the the Port Glasgow High School Awards' Ceremony.
Friday
No Council commitments at this time.

Sunday 6 September 2015

The week ahead...

Monday
In the afternoon I have a meeting of the Port Glasgow Regeneration Forum. In the evening I will be chairing a meeting of the Clune Park Task Group.
Tuesday
In the afternoon I have the Policy & Resources Pre-agenda and a meeting of the Education & Communities Committee. In the evening I have a surgery in Boglestone Community Centre.
Wednesday
In the morning I have a meeting with the Corporate Director for the Health & Social Care regarding a constituent. In the afternoon I have meetings with the Chief Executive and Labour Group. In the evening I will be attending a meeting of Newark Primary School Parent Council.
Thursday
No Council commitments at this time.
Friday
In the morning I have a meeting with Audit Scotland.

Thursday 3 September 2015

Inverclyde stands ready to assist...

Who could fail to be moved by the refugee crisis engulfing Europe at present and in particular the shocking pictures on our television screens and in our national newspapers?

I have been approached by both the Leader of Scottish Labour, Kezia Dugdale MSP, and Yvette Cooper MP, the Shadow Home Secretary, to see if my Council could assist with a Scottish and UK wide response to this crisis and I have indicated that Inverclyde stands ready to assist in anyway we can.

I will be discussing this matter in detail with officers next week. In the meantime I have asked the Chief Executive to contact the Scottish Government to indicate our willingness to assist in any government response to this crisis.

Contrary to press reports, I have not been invited to the summit called by the First Minister for tomorrow. I can only assume the reference to Council Leaders in her statement to parliament was meant to mean representatives of COLSA. I have asked the Council's Chief Executive to clarify this matter with the First Minister's Office.