The week ahead...

Monday
In the morning I am attending an event at the City Chambers in Glasgow. In the afternoon I have a meeting with officers to discuss the implications for the Council of the Scottish Government's draft budget for 2016/17.
Tuesday
In the morning I am participating in interviews at River Clyde Homes. In the afternoon I have my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive followed by an all Members' briefing on the Council's budget situation.
Wednesday
In the afternoon I am meeting with other Clyde Valley Council Leaders in Glasgow to discuss the funding cuts announced by John Swinney and agree any joint action. I will then be returning to Inverclyde for the last Labour Group meeting of the year.
Thursday
No Council commitments at this time.
Friday
Christmas Day.

The week ahead...

Monday
In the afternoon I will be chairing a meeting of the Inverclyde Alliance Board and in the evening attending a meeting of the Woodhall Task Group.
Tuesday
In the morning I will be in Glasgow for a meeting of the Glasgow & Clyde Valley City Deal Cabinet.
Wednesday
In the morning I will be opening a corporate parenting event at the Beacon Arts Centre before heading to Edinburgh for a special COSLA Leaders meeting to discuss the local government finance settlement.
Thursday
In the morning I have a meeting at River Clyde Homes and in the afternoon a meeting of the Riverside Inverclyde Board. In the evening I will be attending a meeting of the Slaemuir Tenants' and Residents' Association.
Friday
In the morning I will be attending the Kilmacolm Primary School Christmas Service.

The week ahead...

Monday
In the late afternoon I will be chairing a meeting of the Council's Members' Budget Working Group. In the evening I will be chairing a meeting of the Clune Park Task Group.
Tuesday
In the afternoon I will be attending the Christmas Concert and Nativity at Kilmacolm Primary School. In the evening I have a surgery in Boglestone Community Centre.
Wednesday
In the late afternoon I have a meeting of the Labour Group. In the evening I will be attending a meeting of Newark Primary School Parent Council.
Thursday
In the afternoon I will be attending the Craigmarloch School Christmas Concert followed by my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive; a members' briefing; and a meeting of the Kelburn Action Group.
Friday
In the afternoon I will be attending the Christmas Concert at St John's Primary School.

Kilmacolm and Quarrier's Village Report...

This year’s Christmas lights switch ons will take place on Friday 4 December. The event in Quarrier’s Village will begin at 4.00 p.m. with the Quarrier’s Voices Choir leading the community signing. There will be refreshments in Carsemeadow afterwards. The Kilmacolm event will take place in the community centre at 6.00 p.m. with Kilmacolm Primary School choir performing. Again there will be refreshments after the lights are switched on.

The Council’s annual budget consultation is now underway. Details of how you can respond can be found on the Council’s website www.inverclyde.gov.uk. There is also a public meeting in Kilmacolm Community Centre on the evening of Tuesday 1 December at 7.00p.m. One of the options being considered for closing the Council’s budget gap is a 3% increase in the Council Tax for the year beginning 1 April 2017. The last time the Council Tax was increased in Inverclyde was on 1 April 2006. A 3% increase would raise £750,000 and add 69 pence a week to the charge for a band ‘D’ property.  

I have received a number of representations about parking regulations and enforcement in Kilmacolm from residents, traders and members of the Community Council. I raised these representations at a meeting of the Environment and Regeneration Committee on 29 October resulting in officers bringing a report to the Policy & Resources Committee on 17 November proposing to suspend on-street waiting restrictions on Lochwinnoch Road, Bridge of Weir Road, Port Glasgow Road and Market Place on the four Saturdays in December to encourage trade in the run up to Christmas. This proposal was approved by the Committee.

Meanwhile the Council is consulting on a revised traffic regulation order (TRO) for the village centre, which will provide 2 hour waiting with no return within 30 minutes. This arrangement would operate Monday to Friday rather than the current 30 minute waiting Monday to Saturday. Subject to there being no objections, this new TRO is likely to be effective from May 2016.

Work has started on the £4.3m refurbishment of Kilmacolm Primary School. The school is currently in decant accommodation at the former St Stephen's High School in Port Glasgow. The refurbishment is due to be completed by October 2016.

Port Glasgow Regeneration Update...

I attended a meeting of the Port Glasgow Regeneration Forum today, which has been established to oversee the regeneration of Port Glasgow Town Centre.

There were a number of reports on the agenda.

Riverside Inverclyde staff provided an update on projects they are leading on. They reported on the completion of the new car park on the site of the former social work offices at Newark House on 25 September. The car park is now available for use by tenants and visitors to Scarlow House Business Centre.

Design work on the new western entrance sculpture – “Shipbuilders of Port Glasgow” by John McKenna - is progressing. The aim is to have the sculpture installed by March 2017.

A planning application is due to be submitted next week for the new spur road off the ‘Tesco’ roundabout and associated public realm works. All going to plan, tenders will be invited by the end of February with work starting later in the year.

A decision on RI’s bid for Regeneration Capital Grant Funding from the Scottish Government for improvements to the ‘lower town centre quarter’ off Princes Street has been delayed until February as the Finance Secretary John Swinney is reviewing his budget priorities. 

A bid to the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Communities Capital Fund for new entrance signage was unsuccessful. RI is exploring alternative funding sources for this work.

Work should start in January on a project to light up Port Glasgow’s historic town buildings, which house the town’s public library, at a cost of £80,000.

RI is working with the Council to produce a database of all commercial properties within the town centre to assist with enquiries from people interested in establishing a new business.

A report was received from the Council’s Business Development Team on the work they are doing to support businesses in the town centre. They have recently awarded grants to two local businesses and are working on grants to a further ten.

The Council’s Corporate Director of Environment & Regeneration, Aubrey Fawcett, reported that the Council’s Policy & Resources Committee had recently approved funding of £1m towards the refurbishment of the listed King George VI Building in King Street, which was once Port Glasgow’s town hall.

Willie Rennie, the Council’s Environmental Services Manager, provided an update on recent and planned investment in Coronation Park.

The new public slipway is currently at the design stage with tenders due to be invited soon. The project should be completed by March 2016.

New quayside fencing is due to be installed in the new year as are new park benches and litter bins.

The extension of the cycle path through the park to Newark Park is due to start soon, with work to be completed by spring 2016.

Representatives from ScotRail provided a report on their recent walkabout at Port Glasgow station with community representatives. They are exploring how access to both platforms can be improved for people with disabilities. They are also looking at how the former taxi office at the entrance to the station can be put to good use for the benefit of community.  The Forum welcomed the recent painting works at the station.

Finally John Morgan, Business Development Director of Ferguson Marine, made a presentation on his company’s exciting plans for the redevelopment and expansion of the shipyard. The Forum was very impressed by the proposals and in particular the company’s plans to hire 30 apprentices each year over the next five years.

As you can see there is a lot happening in Port Glasgow.

Work has also started on the second phase of the £40m Port Glasgow Retail Park. This is due for completion by August 2016.

2016 promises to be an exciting year for the Port.

The next meeting of the Forum is scheduled for 29 February 2016.

The week ahead...

Monday
In the afternoon I have a meeting of the Port Glasgow Town Centre Regeneration Forum.
Tuesday
In the afternoon I have a Members' briefing on the new Petitions Committee and a meeting with Greenock Chamber of Commerce.
Wednesday
In the afternoon I have a meeting on the City Deal, my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive and a meeting of the Labour Group. In the evening I am attending the Christmas lights switch on at Port Glasgow and the Schools' Concert in Greenock Town Hall.
Thursday
In the afternoon I have a full Council meeting and in the evening a meeting of Kilmacolm New Community Centre Company Board.
Friday
In the evening I am attending the Christmas lights switch on in Kilmacolm.

COSLA Motion on Council Funding Cuts...

The following motion was unanimously agreed by Council Leaders at a meeting at COSLA today:

"With respect to the Local Government Settlement of 2016/17, Leaders agree that:

1)    The level of gap in the Local Government Settlement currently advised to Local Government by Scottish Government is unacceptable.  The Deputy First Minister must do all that he can to close the gap.

2)    Dialogue with Scottish Government should continue to explore the terms of any settlement and the steps which may be taken by Scottish Government and local government to attenuate the severe funding pressures to which Councils are subject, noting Scottish Government's account of its funding pressures.

3)    Local Government reaffirms its demand for a sanction free settlement which includes the removal of the council tax freeze and teacher numbers."