Shared Campus update...

Good meeting of the Port Glasgow Shared Campus Working Group tonight.

Members were shown photographs of progress on the new £44m campus on Kilmacolm Road and were pleased to hear that the contractor has made up most of the time lost during the poor winter weather and is on track to complete the project by summer next year. It was agreed to organise a site visit  for the group after the summer school recess so that members can see progress at first hand.

The next meeting of the working group will also take place after the recess.

The week ahead...

Monday
At work until lunchtime then down to Greenock for a Members' training session on the role of the Audit Committee. In the evening I will be chairing a meeting of the Port Glasgow Shared Campus Working Group. I hope also to catch part of a meeting of Port Glasgow West Community Council.
Tuesday
At work until mid afternoon then down to Greenock for a meeting of the Peter Stanton Memorial Trust. In the evening I will be attending a meeting of Kilmacolm Community Council.
Wednesday
At work in the morning. In the afternoon I have meetings at 3.00 (with the Chief Executive), 4.00 (Inverclyde Alliance Board pre-agenda) and 4.30 (Labour Group).
Thursday
Work in the morning with a meeting of Inverclyde Community Health and Care Partnership Sub-Committee at 3.00
Friday
Public Holiday

The week ahead...

Monday
At work all day. In the evening I am holding a joint surgery with my new Labour colleague James McColgan in Boglestone Community Centre from 6.00 to 7.00.
Tuesday
Breakfast meeting with other Labour Council Leaders in Glasgow before heading to work. In the afternoon I am attending Royal visits at Kilmacolm Community Centre and the new Beacon Arts Centre. In the evening I am attending a reception at the set of 'Waterloo Road' in Greenock.
Wednesday
At work in the morning. In the afternoon I have a meeting with the Chief Executive at 3.00 and then the Labour Group at 4.30. I hope to attend Newark Parent Council at 6.30.
Thursday
At work all day with an evening meeting as well.
Friday
At the first COSLA Leaders meeting in Edinburgh since the election before going into work for a couple of hours on my way home.

The week ahead...

Starting to get back to normal this week.

Monday
At work until 4.30 then down to Port Glasgow for meetings in Woodhall at 5.00 (presentation on community facility feasibility study) and 6.30 (Task Group).
Tuesday
At work until 1.00 then home to Kilmacolm for a personal appointment. Have meetings with the new SNP Group Leader and Lib Dem Councillors in the late afternoon. In the evening I have a meeting of the Kilmacolm New Community Centre Board.
Wednesday
Work again until 1.00 then down to Greeenock for a meeting with the Council's Head of Environmental Services, followed by a meeting of the Labour Group at 4.30.
Thursday
Work in the morning then down to Greenock for the Statutory meeting of the Council at 4.00. In the evening I will be attending a meeting of Slaemuir Tenants' and Residents' Association.
Friday
Working all day. Labour Party celebration in the evening.

Inverclyde Labour Group AGM...

I was confirmed as Labour Group Leader at our annual general meeting tonight with my colleague Jim Clocherty re-appointed as Depute Leader.

Joe McIlwee was re-appointed as Chair and newcomer Vaughan Jones appointed Vice Chair.

The Secretary also goes to a newcomer, James McColgan, with Gerry Dorrian continuing as Group Whip.

Labour's nominee for the post of Provost, Robert Moran, will continue as Treasurer.

In his report the Chair, Joe McIlwee, reflected on what had been a successful year for the Group, culminating in last week's tremendous election results.

At a special meeting following the AGM the Group approved Labour's nominees for next week's statutory Council meeting, including:

Provost - Robert Moran
Leader - Stephen McCabe
Depute Leader - Jim Clocherty
Convener of Environment & Regeneration Committee - Michael McCormick
Convener of Education & Communities Committee - Terry Loughran
Convener of Health & Social Care Committee - Joe McIlwee.

The week ahead...

Things should start to get back to normal this week after the election.

Monday
Public holiday but no rest for the wicked as I have to finalise arrangements for the new Administration.
Tuesday
First day back at work after more than a week off, so a lot of catching up. Hope to get into the Council in the afternoon.
Wednesday
At work until early afternoon. I will then be meeting the Council's Chief Executive followed by the Labour Group Annual General Meeting.
Thursday
At work all day.
Friday
At work all day.

More evidence of SNP infighting...

Following on from attempts by SNP Councillors to have one of their colleagues removed as a candidate fresh evidence of turmoil within the ranks of Inverclyde SNP has surfaced.

This time the candidate in focus is the little known Professor Alex de Ruyter who is standing in Inverclyde North.

An anonymous press release has been issued, clearly by someone within the SNP, claiming that the "SNP candidate for Ward 3 Inverclyde North is actually an Ozzie who works in England."

Mr de Ruyter is described as an SNP apparatchik with no connection to Greenock. The press release claims that he only joined the SNP within the past year and has been parachuted into the constituency by friends in the party.

It says that Mr de Ruyter lives and works in Cantebury in England and only commutes north to establish visibility and campaign in Inverclyde North.

If - and I have no reason to doubt it - Mr de Ruyter does live and work in the South of England it would interesting to know how he intends to discharge his council duties if he is elected on 3 May.

Perhaps the answer lies in the SNP's manifesto where they talk about streaming Council meetings over the Internet?

The voters of Inverclyde North deserve to know the answer.