Listening to your views...

At a briefing for all political groups earlier this week the Council's Chief Financial Officer reported that the Council is projecting a budget surplus of around £4m in the next financial year, 2012/13. Taking into account the projected budget surplus in the current financial year of £2.3m and other factors, he is projecting that the political groups will have just over £8m available in 'free reserves' to spend on one-off investments as part of the review of the Council's 2012/13 budget, which will be considered at a special Council meeting on 9 February.

Over the coming weeks the ruling Administration will be discussing how we can make best use of this £8m. I would therefore be interested to hear from Inverclyde residents on what they think our priorities should be.

Officers have already come up with a number of suggestions:

£0.3m for the proposed new Inverkip Community Facility taking the Council's funding for the £1.2m project to £0.9m;
£1.0m for the refurbishment of the Watt Complex taking the Council's total funding commitment to £4.0m;
£3.0m to make up a shortfall in the Council's capital funding as a result of the Scottish Government cutting our capital grant, which would cover the cost of existing planned projects, such as our annual investment in road improvements.

I would like to hear residents' views on these proposals and any thoughts on how the balance of £3.7m should be spent.

Suggestions can be emailed to me at Stephen.McCabe@inverclyde.gov.uk or by writing to me at Municipal Buildings, Clyde Square, Greenock PA15 1NB.

As you would expect, I already have a few ideas of my own.

Inverclyde Labour announce Council election candidates...

Inverclyde Labour Party has selected its candidates for the 2012 Council elections.

They are as follows:

Ward 1 (Inverclyde East): Stephen McCabe & James McColgan;
Ward 2 (Inverclyde East Central): Michael McCormick & Robert Moran;
Ward 3 (Inverclyde North): Martin Brennan & Jim Clocherty;
Ward 4 (Inverclyde South): Vaughan Jones & Joe McIlwee;
Ward 5 (Inverclyde West): Terry Loughran;
Ward 6 (Inverclyde South West): Gerry Dorrian & Colin Jackson. 

Paul Mooney, Chair of Inverclyde Labour Party, said: "Local members have selected a fantastic slate of candidates to take forward the Labour message to the people of Inverclyde. There is an excellent mix of individuals who will all use their different life experiences to work for the area. All of them are committed to Labour values of fairness and equality and will be tireless in helping to build the Inverclyde we all want to see."


Current Inverclyde Labour Group Leader, Councillor Stephen McCabe, said: "I am delighted to have been re-selected to represent Labour in Ward 1 at next year's Council elections. The Party has chosen a very strong team of candidates and we will be going all out to retain control of the Council. I believe that we have an excellent record of delivery to put before the electorate and the passion to drive Inverclyde forward for another five years."

A Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year...

2011 has been another year of progress for Inverclyde despite the global economic situation.

The high points included the opening of two new secondary schools – Clydeview Academy and Notre Dame High School – and the opening of Kilmacolm’s new community centre and library.

There is even more to look forward to in 2012.

Work will continue on our exciting new £44m shared campus in Port Glasgow and start on the new £15m St Columba’s High School in Gourock. The £5m refurbishment and extension of the former Overton Primary School building for the new Whinhill Primary School is scheduled for completion in July.

2012 will be marked by further significant progress with our leisure strategy with the completion of the £1.7m refurbishment of Ravenscraig Stadium; a new £3.5m community stadium at Parklea; and the £1.8m re-build of Gourock Pool.

We will see the completion of our new £10m Beacon Arts Centre ; major investment in Port Glasgow and Gourock town centres; the opening of the Council’s new customer service centre on the ground floor of Greenock’s Municipal Buildings; and major investment in new and upgraded play facilities across Inverclyde.

And you will have the opportunity to give your verdict on the past five years at the local government elections in May.

This is of course a time of the year when we remember friends and loved ones who have passed away. In May we lost our local MP David Cairns. It is still difficult to come to terms with the fact that David is no longer with us.

I would like to thank all Council staff for their continued efforts in delivering for the people of Inverclyde, with a special mention for those who will be working over the festive period to maintain essential services.

A Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you all.

The week ahead...

A shorter week with the count down to Christmas:

Monday
At work in Glasgow until 1.30. There is an all Member budget briefing at 2.30 and I am due to chair a meeting of the Inverclyde Alliance Board at 3.30. I have a surgery in Clune Park Resource Centre from 5.30 to 6.30.
Tuesday
At work again in the morning. In the afternoon I have a meeting with Derek Mackay MSP, the new Local Government Minister in the Scottish Government. At 4.00 I have my last weekly meeting of 2011 with the Council's Chief Executive, John Mundell. In the evening I hope to attend a meeting to discuss a possible new community facility for the Woodhall area of Port Glasgow.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
No Council commitments in the diary. Time to prepare for Christmas!

Introducing Labour's Team for Inverclyde East....

I am delighted to announce that I have been selected as a Labour candidate for the Inverclyde East Ward at next year's Council elections, along with my colleague James McColgan.

Having represented the Ward - which covers most of Port Glasgow, Kilmacolm and Quarrier's Village - since 2007 I am deeply honoured to have been chosen once again to stand for my Party. It will be my fifth time standing for election and I will be aiming to continue my 100 per cent success rate.

In contrast it will be James' first election as a candidate at the tender age of 20.

He was born and brought up in Port Glasgow, where he still lives. After attending primary and secondary schools in the town James served a two-year modern apprenticeship in IT with Inverclyde Council. After leaving the Council he worked in the private sector for a period before starting a degree course in law and politics at Glasgow University in October this year.

James is a former Chair of Inverclyde Youth Council and a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament. He was recently appointed to the new Port Glasgow West Community Council  and is the current Secretary of Port Glasgow and Kilmacolm Labour Party Branch.

James is very passionate about Inverclyde and is keen to play his part in making it a better place to live.

In 2007 we narrowly missed out on having two Labour candidates elected in Ward 1. In 2012 James and I will be looking to put that right.

Setting the record straight....

I have been asked by Mr Ralph Roberts to point out that he is standing as an SNP candidate in Ward 5 and not Ward 6. I am very happy to do so.

I am actually flattered by how many members of the local SNP read my blog. I am glad that I keeping them amused!

Getting on board...

Word has reached me from one of my many moles in the local SNP that Ralph Roberts, Managing Director of McGill's Buses, is being lined up as one of their candidates in either Ward 5 or Ward 6 at next year's Council Elections.

I am told that Mr Roberts has been headhunted by SNP campaign mastermind Stuart McMillan to lead the SNP Group should they be successful in seizing control of Inverclyde Council next May. I understand that Stuart believes that Mr Robert's success in turning McGill's into Scotland' third biggest bus operator shows that he is the man to lead an SNP run council.

A link between the SNP and a Scottish bus operator is nothing new of course. Stagecoach owner Sir Brian Souter is a major funder of the national party.

It looks like the local SNP are now getting on board the bus.

Shared Campus update...

I chaired a meeting of the Port Glasgow Shared Campus Working Group tonight.

Despite the poor weather, good progress is being made on the ground works, demolition of the former Port Glasgow High School and the new roundabout and road layout. Spend to date is over a £1m.

The contractors have reported that they are 9 days behind schedule, largely due to the weather, but they are confident of making this up.

It is hoped that a webcam and website will be set up shortly so that progress with the contract can be monitored online.

The next meeting of the working group has been scheduled for 19 March.

The week ahead...

Monday
At work until 2.00. At 3.00 I have a meeting with the President of James Watt College Students' Union (who happens to be my nephew) to discuss the implications of cuts to funding. At 4.00 there is an all Members' briefing on the Operating Model by the Chief Executive. At 6.30 I am due to chair a meeting of the Port Glasgow Shared Campus Working Group.
Tuesday
At work until 3.00. At 4.00 I have the Regeneration Committee pre-agenda followed by my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive.
Wednesday
At work until lunchtime before attending the Kilmacolm Primary School Nativity Show. At 4.30 I have the weekly meeting of the Administration Group followed by the weekly meeting of the Labour Group at 5.30. I hope then to attend a meeting of Newark Primary School Parent Council at 6.30.
Thursday
At work until lunchtime again before attending the St Michael's Primary School Christmas show in Port Glasgow. At 4.00 I have a special meeting of the Council to discuss the Operating Model. At 7.00 I will be attending the annual general meeting of Slaemuir Tenants' and Residents' Association.
Friday
I have taken the day off work so that I can attend the COSLA Convention in Edinburgh.

The week ahead...

Monday
At work for a while in the morning before heading to Barrhead for a meeting of the Clyde Valley Community Planning Partnership for a few hours. I will then be returning to work until 5.00. I have a surgery in Boglestone Community Centre at 6.00 before heading to Kilmacolm for a meeting of the Kilmacolm Primary School Parent Partnership.
Tuesday
At work for most of the day with no day time Council commitments. In the evening I am scheduled to attend the Port Glasgow Old Peoples' Welfare Council Christmas Dinner in Port Glasgow Town Hall.
Wednesday
At work in the morning. I have the official opening of the new Notre Dame High School at 2.00; my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive at 3.30; the weekly meeting of the Administration Group at 5.00; the weekly meeting of the Labour Group at 6.00; and the switch on of the Port Glasgow Christmas Lights at 7.00.
Thursday
At work until 12.00 before heading to Port Glasgow for the Lilybank School Show. In the evening I am hoping to attend the  Schools' Concert in Greenock Town Hall.
Friday
At work in the morning followed by my staff Christmas Lunch in the afternoon. In the early evening I will be attending the Council's annual staff awards - 'The Pride of Inverclyde' - in Greenock's Municipal Buildings.

December promotion at Birkmyre Park MUGA...

Stuart is the mastermind...

Word has reached me that West of Scotland regional list MSP Stuart McMillan is masterminding an audacious bid by the SNP to seize control of Inverclyde Council at next May's elections.

The SNP - who stood 6 candidates at the 2007 elections and had 5 elected - are planning to stand 10 candidates next year in the hope of being the largest party and therefore best placed to lead a coalition or operate as a minority Administration.

For Ward 1 (Quarrier's Village, Kilmacolm and most of Port Glasgow) the SNP have selected sitting Councillor Jim MacLeod and newcomer Math Campbell-Sturgess. Campbell-Sturgess is a protege of Stuart McMillan. I understand that he was originally rejected as a candidate but was put through on appeal by McMillan. Campbell-Sturgess, who lives in Greenock, has been described to me as a rather colourful character.

Putting two candidates up in Ward 1 is being viewed as a major risk to sitting Councillor MacLeod, who will come after Campbell-Sturgess on the ballot paper. Unless the SNP get their voter management strategy right Jim could end up losing out to his SNP colleague if they are only successful in getting one candidate elected.

As we know already, the SNP are putting one candidate up in Ward 2 (Port Glasgow West and Greenock East Central). Sitting Councillor Jim Grieve beat fellow Councillor Chris Osborne in a close selection contest. It is understood that McMillan's backing for Grieve was decisive in his victory.

Insiders within the SNP are concerned by the choice of Grieve given that he has attended only 3 Council meetings in the last two years or so due to illness.

The SNP are apparently planning to put two candidates up in Ward 3 (Greenock Central/West). With Chris Osborne withdrawing from the selection process however they are on the hunt for another candidate to partner academic Alex De Rutyner.

Former Labour Party member Jim Watson has been selected to replace another former Labour Party member, Keith Brooks, in Ward 4 (Greenock South). Watson is almost certain to be elected as the sole SNP candidate in the ward.

In Ward 5 (Gourock) the SNP are believed to be standing two candidates - John Crowther and Chris McEleny. This again is viewed as a risky strategy since they currently do not have a Councillor in Gourock.

Similarly in Ward 6 (Greenock South West, Inverkip and Weymss Bay) they are putting up two candidates, one of whom is likely to be current Group Leader Innes Nelson. They seem to believe that with the collapse in the Lib Dem vote locally they could squeeze out former Lib Dem Provost Ciano Rebecchi and gain two Councillors in this ward.

Looks like interesting times ahead in 2012.

The week ahead...

Monday
At work until 2.00 before heading back to Kilmacolm to pick my kids up from school. At 4.30 I am attending a meeting of the Gibshill Task Group. I have a surgery in Kilmacolm Community Centre at 6.00 before heading down to Port Glasgow for a meeting of the new Port Glasgow West Community Council in 7 1/2 John Wood Street.
Tuesday
I have taken the morning off work as I am attending the official opening of the new Clydeview Academy at 10.00. Before that I have my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive at 8.30. After spending the afternoon at work in Glasgow it is down to Port Glasgow for the switch on of the Christmas Lights at 6.00. Following this I am attending a civic reception in Greenock to mark the 50th anniversary of St Stephen's High School.
Wednesday
I have no Council commitments as I have cancelled my meetings due to the public sector workers' strike over pensions. I will be spending the full day at work. In the evening I hope to attend a Labour Party leadership hustings in Paisley.
Thursday
At work in Glasgow until 2.00 before heading down to Greenock for the Inverclyde Alliance Board pre-agenda at 2.45. This is followed by a meeting of the full Council at 4.00. At 7.00 I am planning to attend a meeting of the board of Kilmacolm New Community Centre Company.
Friday
Another full day at work. In the evening I will be attending the switch on of the Christmas Lights in Kilmacolm (6.00) and Quarrier's Village (7.00).

Did he jump or was he pushed?

SNP Councillor Chris Osborne has decided not to seek selection by his party for next year's Council elections.

The question is: did he jump or was he pushed?

It is a bit strange that in his statement Chris did not give a reason for why he was not standing again.

Rumours have been rife for months now that all was not well in the SNP camp. The party hierarchy in Edinburgh are known to have been unhappy with the performance of the local SNP Group. I understand that SNP Business Manager - and former leader of Renfrewshire Council -  Derek MacKay MSP was brought in to sort them out. It has been an open secret within the Council that all of the SNP Councillors - with the exception of former Leader Keith Brooks - were fighting for their political lives.

Big Keith - as he is affectionately known - decided a while ago that he would not be standing again and announced this to the Council.

There has been a question mark over the future of Ward 2 Councillor Jim Grieve for some time now as he has attended very few meetings in the past two years due to illness, although I am told that Jim is still keen to stand again. It remains to be seen if the party will allow this.

Chris Osborne's 'decision' not to stand comes shortly after he was carpeted for initially questioning the SNP Government's decision to cut funding to Riverside Inverclyde (he is a Board member of RI). He was also believed to be looking to switch from ward 3 to the safer ward 2 but apparently there was resistance within the party to this.

The SNP have not yet announced their candidates for next year. It looks like another former Group Leader, Jim MacLeod, will be standing again in ward 1. Jim had apparently hoped to run as a 'dream team' with his wife Sylvia but she failed to get through the selection process.

Current SNP Group Leader (they have had three in three years) Innes Nelson is believed to be standing again, although there are indications that he was hoping to switch from ward 6 to ward 4.

I was sorry to hear that Chris won't be standing again, not least because it is good to have someone younger than me in the Council.

Mind you I was a bit disappointed in Chris' contribution to the Council. Rather than take the sensible approach of building bridges with the Labour Group he decided to throw his lot in with the Lib Dems, a very short-sighted decision since the Lib Dems are yesterday's men. Alan Blair is not exactly the best role model for a young impressionable Councillor!

In his statement Chris tells us that the SNP is putting together an excellent team of candidates for next year's elections. The people of Inverclyde can sleep easy then - not!

The week ahead...

Monday
At work until 2.00 and then down to Greenock for Council pre-agenda at 3.30.
Tuesday
At work until 3.00 and then down to Greenock for weekly meeting with Chief Executive at 4.00.
Wednesday
At work until 3.00 then down to Greenock for meetings of the Administration Group at 4.30 and Labour Group at 5.30.
Thursday
At work until 3.00 followed by meeting with private landlords in Clune Park Resource Centre, Port Glasgow at 3.30.
Friday
Full day at work.

Do you remember this Chris?...

Regeneration Funding Means Brighter Future

Submitted by Chris Osborne on Mon, 03/15/2010 - 01:56

There is no doubt that the regeneration of Inverclyde is off to a good start. Soon after the SNP formed the Scottish Government in 2007, SNP Ministers turned their attention to how they could help Inverclyde recover from decades of Labour and Tory economic mismanagement.

They knew that unless Inverclyde received significant investment then the area would not be turned around. That is why the Scottish Government has put its money where its mouth is and awarded £19 million to Riverside Inverclyde. Clearly this is a great opportunity to spend this money bringing jobs and investment to Inverclyde

We all know that Labour talked a good game when it came to regeneration but they failed to deliver.

Our commitment to the regeneration of Inverclyde can also be seen with the SNP’s Town Centre Improvement Fund. Greenock town centre was recently awarded £1.32 million, Port Glasgow got £600,000 while Gourock got £300,000. Everyone can agree that our town centres could do with improvements and these awards will go some way to achieving that.

The local SNP know that there is much more to regenerating Inverclyde than building luxury flats – that is why we are pushing for more investment to bring jobs to the area. The SNP's Cllr Chris Osborne sits on the board of Riverside Inverclyde and always seeks to reflect the views of the Inverclyde community at their meetings.

 

Fund boost for Port Charity...

I was delighted to hear today that Port Glasgow based charity Parklea Association Branching Out has been given a £10,000 lottery award.

Branching Out is receiving the money from Awards For All. It will be used towards developing a site recently transferred from the Council which includes three large glasshouses, two smaller glasshouses and an ancillary building. This building requires a new roof and refurbishment.

The grant will be used to pay for removal of asbestos and cement roof sheets. It will also fund a replacement roof and the installation of new facilities. Branching Out provide training, work experience, recreational and social facilities for a variety of clients including adults and children with learning and/or physical disabilities.

Branching Out recently received a grant of £60,000 towards the same project from the Council's Community Facilities Fund. 

Selling us down the river...

To my astonishment - and that of many others - the SNP Group on the Council today refused to support a cross-party approach to the Scottish Government to seek a long-term commitment to Riverside Inverclyde following the recent news that the Government was only prepared to allocate a further £2.5m to RI in 2012/13, falling way short of the original funding commitments given when RI was established.

Unlike their colleagues in North Ayrshire - who have been lobbying hard with the Labour-led Council for Irvine Bay URC - Inverclyde's SNP Councillors actually welcomed the cuts to RI on the basis that it protected what they see as more important parts of the Scottish Government's budget like the new Forth Bridge!

It is clear that the local SNP cannot be counted on to stand up for Inverclyde. Loyalty to their party in Edinburgh is more important to them than the interests of our community. Heaven help us if they do end up running the Council next year.

Today's decision by the SNP Group makes Councillor Chris Osborne's position as a member of the RI Board untenable in my opinion. He should resign immediately and let someone who is going to is going to stand up for Inverclyde take his place.

Inverclyde's SNP Councillors should hang their heads in shame. They have sold us down the river!

The week ahead...

Monday
At work until 3.00 and then down to Greenock for an all Members' briefing at 4.00. In the evening I will be chairing a meeting of the Clune Park Task Group.
Tuesday
At work in the morning. In the after I have meetings at 2.00 (Regeneration Committee), 3.00 (Policy & Resources Committee) and 4.30 (weekly meeting with the Chief Executive). At 6.00 I have a surgery in St Francis' Primary School.
Wednesday
At work until 1.00. At 2.00 I will be attending a presentation on Members' Continuing Professional Development framework. I have meetings of the Administration at 4.30 and Labour Group at 5.30. In the evening I will be attending a civic reception to mark the 250th anniversary of Wellpark Mid Kirk.
Thursday
At work in the morning. In the afternoon I have meetings at 3.00 (Police briefing), 4.00 (education briefing) and 4.45 (Inverclyde Youth Council).
Friday
Through at COSLA in Edinburgh most of the day. In the later afternoon I have a meeting with Iain McKenzie MP and Duncan McNeil MSP.

Demolition in progress at former Port Glasgow High School...

Turf being laid at new community sports facility...

I was down at Parklea playing fields in Port Glasgow this afternoon and was pleased to see that the contractor has started laying the artificial turf on the pitch at the new community sports facility.

The £2.9m facility - which will be home to Port Glasgow Juniors and available for wider community use - is due for completion in 2012.

The week ahead...

A quieter week this week:
Monday
At work all day. In the evening I am attending a meeting of the Woodhall Task Group at 6.30 in Woodhall Tenants' Hall.
Tuesday
Another full day at work. No evening Council commitments but parents' night at my younger children's school.
Wednesday
At work until mid afternoon and then down to Greenock for meetings at 4.30 (Administration Group) and 5.30 (Labour Group).
Thursday
At work all day with no evening commitments.
Friday
Early morning site visit in Kilmacolm to discuss proposed new pedestrian crossing point and then off to work for the rest of the day. No evening commitments.
Sunday
Representing the Council at Remembrance Sunday services in Greenock.

Work progressing on shared campus...

It is good to see that work is now well underway on the construction of the Council's new £44m shared school campus in upper Port Glasgow. Driving up and down Kilmacolm Road most days will allow me to monitor progress on this exciting project.

Consultation on Port Town Centre proposals...

Riverside Inverclyde and Inverclyde Council are proposing to undertake a series of environmental improvement projects within the Port Glasgow town centre area.

In order to consult with the local community and interested parties on the initial proposals a public exhibition will be held in the Port Glasgow Library on Wednesday 16th November (10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.) and Thursday 17th November (12.00 noon to 7.00 p.m.) at which a representative from Riverside Inverclyde will be available to answer any questions.

Forms will be available for members of the community and interested parties to leave comments for Riverside Inverclyde to consider when developing their proposals further.

I would encourage as many people as possible to visit the exhibition and have their say. It is important that the final proposals that are developed have the support of the community.

SNP betrayal over RI...

Riverside Inverclyde has been told it will receive no more money from the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise after March 2013.

This is devastating news for Inverclyde and one which undermines all of the hard work that is going on to deliver real change and improvements in people’s lives. We were shocked earlier this year when this funding was cut by 60%, but to add insult to injury we now face a further cut of 37.5% to £2.5 million in 2012-2013 before the plug is finally pulled. This Council has put the regeneration of the area at the top of its delivery agenda and has backed up that commitment by meeting its funding obligations to Riverside Inverclyde in full despite our own budgetary pressures.

Riverside Inverclyde was established in 2007 as a ten year initiative to transform Inverclyde into a more attractive place for the private sector to invest and for jobs to be created.

Funding was to be provided by the Scottish Government (£36 million), Scottish Enterprise (£33 million) and Inverclyde Council (£24 million).

Riverside Inverclyde is currently undertaking a variety of projects including the £180 million development of the historic James Watt Dock in Greenock, the regeneration of Greenock, Gourock and Port Glasgow town centres and the development of the Victoria and East India Harbours.

We had recently been given assurances that Riverside Inverclyde would be funded throughout its ten years so this news came as a complete shock. I have asked the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment to honour a commitment in the Scottish Government’s own Spending Review of continued investment in areas that need additional support and re-think this decision. So much good work has been done over the past four years it would be a betrayal to deprive the people of Inverclyde the future which they deserve and towards which so much good work has already been done.

The week ahead...

Monday
At work until 3.00 and then down to Greenock for the Policy & Resources Committee pre-agenda at 4.00. No evening commitments.
Tuesday
At work in the morning. In the afternoon I have a presentation on school attainment at 3.00 and the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee at 4.00. No evening commitments again.
Wednesday
Only meeting is the Labour Group at 5.30.
Thursday
At work all day and then attending the Slaemuir Tenants' and Residents' Association at 7.00.
Friday
Another full day at work with no evening commitments.

Kilmacolm and Quarrier's update...

Unfortunately due to technical problems my November column for The Advertizer has not been published, so I have reproduced it below.

On Thursday 6 October I had the enormous privilege to cut the first sod to mark the site start on the Council’s new £44m shared school campus in upper Port Glasgow. The campus will be home to Port Glasgow and St Stephen’s High Schools and a new special needs school to replace Glenburn and Lilybank Schools. It is scheduled for completion in summer 2013.

Also on 6 October I had the honour of speaking and presenting the awards at the St Stephen’s High School Awards’ Ceremony. The following week I also attended the Port Glasgow High School Awards’ Ceremony. Both were fantastic occasions and I was delighted by the support shown to the schools by the local community.

On 10 October I attended a meeting of Kilmacolm Primary School Parent Partnership and was very impressed by the commitment of the new committee members. As a local Councillor – and a parent of two children at the school – I am keen to support the parent body and the school in whatever way I can.

On 25 October the Council’s Safe, Sustainable Communities Committee allocated the additional £1m of roads funding approved in the previous month by the Policy & Resources Committee. I am pleased to report that a number of local roads – Whitelea Road, part of the A761, Finlaystone Road, High Street and Market Place – will be resurfaced.

This year’s Christmas lights switch-ons – always great occasions for our communities - will take place on Friday 2 December. The event in Kilmacolm (venue still to be confirmed at the time of writing) will kick off at 6.00 p.m., while the Quarrier’s event will commence at 7.00 p.m. at Quarriers’ HQ. A busy night for Santa!

My surgeries this month are on Tuesday 15 November, 6.00 – 7.00 p.m., in St Francis Primary School, and on Monday 28 November, 6.00 – 7.00 p.m., in Kilmacolm Community Centre.

You can also contact me directly to discuss any matters that are of concern to you, by telephone on 01475 712020 (during office hours) and 871368 (home), or by email to Stephen.McCabe@inverclyde.gov.uk. Alternatively you can write to me at 10 Victoria Gardens, Kilmacolm PA13 4HL.

Update on proposed Boglestone play facilities...

Design work has been completed on the proposed new play facilities at Boglestone in Port Glasgow. A copy of the site layout is shown below.

It is proposed to complete the project in a number of phases as funding becomes available. Phase 1 comprises of a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), similar to the one in Birkmyre Park in Kilmacolm, and a play area. Phase 2 comprises of a tarmac footpath leading from the adjacent subway to the play area and MUGA and phase 3 is a large aerial swing.

The funding in place (£182,000) will allow phase 1 to proceed while phases 2 and 3 will require additional funding.

Council Officers will now progress a planning application for the development. Assuming permission is obtained work could start on the MUGA and play area in January and be completed in March/April 2012.

The week ahead...

I had a week away with the family last week but it is back to business as usual this week:

Monday
At work until lunch-time. In the early afternoon I have a meeting with the Council's adviser on the Chief Executive's mid-year appraisal review followed by a meeting of the Audit Committee at 3.00. At 4.00 I have my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive and at 6.00 I have a surgery in Boglestone Community Centre.
Tuesday
At work until mid afternoon and then down to Greenock for a meeting of the Safe, Sustainable Communities Committee at 4.30. In the evening I hope to attend the inaugural meeting of the new Kilmacolm Community Council.
Wednesday
At work until lunch-time followed by meetings in Greenock at 2.00 (Chief Executive's mid year appraisal review), 4.30 (Administration Group) and 5.30 (Labour Group).
Thursday
At work in the morning then down to Greenock for the Regeneration Committee at 3.00 before returning to work in the evening for a Committee meeting.
Friday
A full day at work. In the evening I have a meeting of the Inverclyde Constituency Labour Party.

Apply now for local grants...

Voluntary groups in Inverclyde have three weeks to apply for a share of £120,530 from Inverclyde Council.

The Grants to Voluntary Organisations Fund is aimed at helping groups cover a variety of expenses including running costs, developing or starting up a new project and buying equipment.

Applications are available to download from the Council’s website www.inverclyde.gov.uk , from Safer & Inclusive Communities, 40 West Stewart Street, Greenock PA14 1YA, by emailing safer.communities@inverclyde.gov.uk or by calling 01475 714 298.

The week ahead...

Monday
At work until 3.00 then down to Greenock for a visit to a local business. I have a surgery at 6.00 in Park Farm Community Hall and then hope to catch part of a meeting of Kilmacolm Primary School Parent Partnership.
Tuesday
At work until 3.00 and then down to Greenock for the Regeneration Committee Pre-agenda at 4.00, followed by my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive. In the evening I am due to attend the annual general meeting of Park Farm Tenants' and Residents' Association.
Wednesday
At work until 1.00. I then have meetings in Greenock at 2.00 (a briefing for Port Glasgow Councillors on the draft proposals for the town centre), 4.30 (Administration Group) and 5.30 (Labour Group). Later in the evening I will be attending the Port Glasgow High School Annual Awards' Ceremony.
Thursday
At work all day until around 7.00.
Friday
Another full day at work. In the evening I have a meeting of Inverclyde Constituency Labour Party.

Setting the record straight...

On Sunday morning I received an email from a journalist at The Herald asking me to respond to comments from Willie Rennie, Leader of the Scottish Lib Dems, and Ciano Rebecchi, an Inverclyde Lib Dem Councillor, on the issues with the Council's new operating model.


Articles appeared in the The Herald and Evening Times today based around these comments.


I thought it would be helpful to set out below the full responses that I gave to the comments attributed to Mr Rennie and Councillor Rebecchi. 


Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP said: 

"The loss from the Future Operating Model Project is a big chunk of Inverclyde Councils budget at a time when money is tight.

"There is a question of political accountability. When a project that is designed to save money ends up costing local taxpayers someone must take responsibility and I want to see a thorough investigation into this failed venture."

Council Leader Stephen McCabe said: "The failings identified in late 2010 in the Council's proposed new operating model were the subject of a thorough and lengthy internal investigation. The outcome of that investigation was considered by an independent person appointed by the Council. The Council's cross-party Human Resources Appeals Board is currently considering a serious of appeals by officers against disciplinary action.

"Since the start of the investigation the Council's independent external auditors, Audit Scotland, have been kept appraised of developments. Following the conclusion of the appeals process the Chief Executive will submit a detailed report to the Council, which will provide all members with the opportunity to hold the Chief Executive to account for the failings in the implementation of the new operating model. Members will also receive a report from the Council's external auditors as part of the Annual Report to Members."

Rebecchi. "We want a full investigation into the role of PWC and what justified the substantial sums paid to them. Members have to fully investigate the contribution by John Mundell to these very serious problems and the public is entitled to ask why nothing has been done to progress the scheme since January.

"There is also the issue of political accountability and there's no doubt the leader at the time, Stephen McCabe, had fallen asleep on his watch. Both now need to consider their  positions."

Council Leader Stephen McCabe said: "The role of PWC will be addressed in the Chief Executive's report to the full Council. This report will provide members with the opportunity to hold the Chief Executive to account."

"While I don't mind Councillor Rebecchi calling for my resignation - that's politics after all - it is wholly inappropriate for an elected member to call publicly for the resignation of any Council employee, no matter how senior. As a long-serving Councillor, Ciano Rebecchi he is only too aware of how such matters should be handled."

"With regard to my own position: there is absolutely no reason for me to resign. As soon as the short-fall in the operating model savings was brought to my attention I arranged for all members to be briefed and instructed officers to bring forward alternative savings proposals to balance the Council's budget.

Throughout the development and implementation the operating model there was an appropriate level of political oversight and scrutiny. There has been no failure of leadership on my part."


The comments attributed to me in both articles was "There is absolutely no reason for me to resign".


I will leave to you to judge the quality of the journalism.


The reports were also factually inaccurate in a number of respects but hey when did the facts ever get in the way of a good story.

The week ahead...

Monday
In the morning I am going through to Motherwell for a meeting of the Clyde Valley Community Planning Partnership Leaders' and Chief Executives' Forum to discuss the way forward on shared services. In the afternoon I am due to chair a meeting of the Inverclyde Alliance Board. Before and after the meeting in Motherwell I will be spending a couple of hours at work.
Tuesday
I will be at work for most of the day. In the late afternoon I will be going down to Greenock for a meeting with the Gibshill Residents' Association and my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive.
Wednesday
I will be at work until 2.00 before going down to Greenock for weekly meetings of the Administration Group and Labour Group.
Thursday
At work until 1.00 before going down to Port Glasgow for an event to mark a site start on the new shared campus. At 4.00 I will be attending a meeting of the Full Council. In the evening I am speaking at the St Stephen's High School Awards Ceremony.
Friday
At work all day. In the evening I am attending the Provost's Charity Ball in Greenock Town Hall.

Time to abolish the Council Tax...

I see from today's Greenock Telegraph that SNP list MSP Stuart McMillan - not surprisingly - is supporting the Scottish Government's proposed five year Council Tax freeze, which would mean that by 2016 the Council Tax would have been frozen for 9 years.

The decision to freeze the Council Tax is of course not one that can be taken by the Scottish Government. It is a decision for each of Scotland's 32 local authorities, or it would be if the Scottish Government had any respect for  local democracy.

The fact is that they don't. Local authorities are again being told if they don't freeze the Council Tax local government funding will be cut by £70m.

It really is time to end this annual nonsense.

The Scottish Government should bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity to abolish the Council Tax. Given that they clearly do not trust local authorities to act in the best interests of their communities they should replace it with a national tax and distribute the proceeds to Councils through increased grant.

In the last Parliament they did not proceed with their proposal to replace the Council Tax with that contradiction in terms, a nationally set local income tax, as they did not have the support of other parties. Now they have an overall majority there is no reason for them not to bring forward legislation.

Mind you I won't hold my breath in anticipation. Something tells me that they may have gone cool on the idea of abolishing the Council Tax, preferring instead the short-term populism of the Council Tax freeze.

Not like the SNP to avoid difficult decisions, is it?

Shared Campus Update...

I chaired a meeting of the Port Glasgow Shared Campus Working Group tonight.

Prior to the meeting the working group had a short tour of the temporary shared campus.

At the meeting itself Eddie Montgomery of the Council's School Estates Team gave a progress report on some outstanding works still to be completed and an assessment of the traffic issues since the temporary campus came into operation in August. The outstanding works should be completed over the next few weeks. A leaflet will be issued to parents reminding them of the drop off arrangements at the campus.

The Head Teachers then provided a report on how the schools had settled into their new surroundings. While not unexpectedly there have been a few operational issues, on the whole Mr Parsons and Mr Dick were delighted with the way things had went. The feedback from parents on the working group was also very positive.

Personally I am delighted at the way the schools have adapted to the temporary arrangements. Although it is not ideal having two schools sharing a campus that was not specifically designed for that purpose, the school communities have recognised that an element of short-term disruption is a price worth paying for the long-term prize of a new shared campus.

Eddie Montgomery also gave an update on the development of the new shared campus. He advised the group that the contractor will officially take possession of the site on 3 October, although the pre-demolition works have already commenced. The construction programme anticipates completion of the campus in July 2013.

The week ahead...

Monday
On holiday from work. At 3.30 I have the Inverclyde Council Pre-agenda. At 6.30 I will be chairing a meeting of the Shared Campus Working Group. We will receive an update on how the temporary shared campus is operating and the proposed start date for the new shared campus.
Tuesday
I will be at work until 2.00 before traveling to Greenock for meetings at 3.00 (Audit Committee), 3.30 (Members' briefing on Clyde Valley Shared Services) and 5.30 (weekly meeting with Chief Executive).
Wednesday
At work until 2.00 with meetings at 4.30 (Administration Group) and 5.30 (Labour Group).
Thursday
At work all day. In the evening I am due to attend the GardenFest Awards in Port Glasgow Town Hall.
Friday
Through at the COSLA Leaders' meeting in Edinburgh most of the day.
Saturday
I have a surgery from 10.00 to 11.00 in Kilmacolm Community Centre.

The week ahead...

Monday
A full day a work. I have a surgery in Clune Park Community Resource Centre at 5.30 followed by a meeting of the Clune Park Task Group at 6.45.
Tuesday
At work in the morning. In the afternoon I have a meeting of the Local Housing Strategy Group at 2.00 and the Policy & Resources Committee at 4.30. I then have my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive at 5.30 and the St Stephen's High School Parent Council AGM at 7.00.
Wednesday
At work until mid afternoon followed by meetings of the Administration Group at 4.30 and Labour Group at 5.30.
Thursday
A full day at work. In the evening I am having to miss a couple of community meetings to attend a parents' information meeting at my son's school.
Friday
I have a public holiday from work as it is the Glasgow September weekend. I have however arranged to visit Clydeview Academy along with the Corporate Director for Education and Communities, Albert Henderson, to hear at first hand what is being done to address the issues that have been raised since the school opened a few weeks ago.
Saturday
I am planning to attend the march in support of the Greenock Coastguard Station, which leaves from the east end of the Greenock Esplanade at 11.00.

"No reason for rejecting plan"...

I see that SNP supporter Colin Quinn was having a pop at Labour Councillors over the Planning Board's decision to refuse planning permission for a new retail development in Gourock in the Greenock Telegraph on Friday.

Regular followers of Mr Quinn on Twitter will be well aware of his deep contempt for the Labour Party and Labour Councillors.

If Mr Quinn had been present at the Planning Board meeting he would have realised that it was not only Labour Councillors who voted to refuse Planning permission.

Also if he has any understanding of how local government works he would be aware Councillors are not permitted to take political decisions on planning matters. I can assure him that planning applications are never discussed at Labour Group meetings.

Labour Councillors who participate in the Planning Board do so as individual Councillors and are not subject to the party whip.

Mind something tells me that Mr Quinn already knew all of this.

"Ideal solution for Greenock Academy site"...

A rather bizarre editorial in The Greenock Telegraph today arguing that "the west end should derive some benefit from the sale (of the former Greenock Academy site), rather than see the entire amount go into the school estates programme".

There was me thinking that the west end is benefiting from the school estates programme.

After all we have built two new multi-million pound secondary schools that serve the west end. The proceeds of the sale of the former Greenock Academy site will in part fund the refurbishment of the west end's two primary schools: Ardgowan and St Mary's.

It is worth pointing out that the sale proceeds from the former Greenock High School site is not being used to fund a new community facility for the south west of Greenock. The sale proceeds from the Wellington Academy site have not been earmarked for a new community facility for central Greenock and the sale proceeds from the planned sale of the St Stephen's High School site will not be used to fund community facilities in Port Glasgow.

My Administration is always willing to listen to community groups who feel that facilities are lacking in their area.

This is demonstrated by the funding we have provided for new community facilities in Kilmacolm and the funding that has been earmarked for new facilities in Inverkip and the Broomhill area of Greenock. We have also recently allocated funding for a number of projects through our Community Facilities Fund. Interestingly no bid was submitted to this fund for a new community facility for the west end.

I see that SNP Councillor Chris Osborne is backing the case for a new community facility for the west end.

We are now over four years into the current Council. If a community centre for the west end is such a priority for the local SNP why have they not been pushing the case before now? Could their current enthusiasm have anything to do with the fact that there is an election next year?

In their budget in February the SNP Group allocated over £3m of reserves for capital projects. Not one penny of this was allocated for a new community facility for the west end. They did however allocate £600,000 for a new community facility in Inverkip.

If the members of the Cardwell Bay and Greenock West Community Council are serious about wanting to build and run a new community facility in the west end I would be more than happy to listen to their case. All they have to do is give me a call and we can arrange a meeting.



 

Clydeview Academy...

I see that my comments on Clydeview Academy have generated a number of responses on Inverclyde Now and the Greenock Telegraph website.

I was particularly interested in the response from Graeme Brooks, former Chair of the Greenock Academy Parent Council.

I am not sure who Graeme allegedly spoke to but the decision not to have temporary classrooms at Clydeview had nothing to do with Councillors not wanting to be embarrassed and everything to do with Councillors and non Councillors on the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee wanting to ensure that the rolls of other secondary schools were protected.

The people who should be embarrassed are those who are talking down the school at present; those responsible for the failure of the capping strategy; and those who are seeking to exploit the current situation for their own narrow political ends.

I think Graeme will know who I am talking about.

Clydeview Academy...

I have been following with interest the 'debate' on Inverclyde Now about the difficulties at Clydeview Academy due to the school having opened with a school roll significantly above the roll it was designed for.

This situation is clearly not ideal and the Head Teacher, his staff and Education Officials are working to address the specific issues raised by parents and pupils.

Those who have short memories, and wish to blame the current Labour-led Administration, might find a short history lesson of use in putting these difficulties into context.

The decision to merge Greenock Academy and Gourock High School was taken by the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee on 19 January 2005. The proposal was moved by the then Convener Jim Mitchell on behalf of the Liberal Democrat Administration. An alternative Labour proposal to merge Greenock Academy with Wellington Academy and Gourock High School with Greenock High School was defeated by 11 votes to 6.

The specific proposal from the Liberal Democrats was to build a new non-denominational secondary school with a capacity of 950 on the site of the existing St Columba's High School to replace Gourock High School and Greenock Academy.

It was also agreed that the school rolls of Gourock High School and Greenock Academy be capped with the annual intake limited to 100 and 80 respectively. Crucially the capping was not to take effect until December 2007, meaning that the school intake of August 2008 would be the first to be affected. It was no co-incidence that the capping would not come into effect until after the May 2007 Council elections. This politically motivated decision to delay capping and the subsequent well-documented difficulties in enforcing the caps once introduced has resulted in the present situation where the school has opened with a school roll well above the design capacity.

When Labour won back control of the Council in May 2007 we initiated a review of the school estate strategy. Unfortunately due the advanced nature of the proposed merger of Wellington Academy and Greenock High School and the stage that the PPP procurement process was at we could not fundamentally change the decisions of the previous Council in respect of non-denominational secondary provision. We did however consider the option of building a bigger school at Bayhill to accommodate pupils from King's Glen Primary School.

At its meeting on 18 June 2008 the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee unanimously re-affirmed the previous decision to build a new non-denominational school on the Bayhill site with a capacity of 950. While the proposal for a bigger school had met with opposition from the parent body of Greenock Academy, the reason it was rejected by the Administration was the potential detrimental impact such a decision would have on the long-term rolls of other secondary schools.

It is worth making the point that it was never the intention of the current or previous administration to build a school to accommodate placing requests. The new school was to be built to accommodate the natural intake from its associated primary schools, namely Moorfoot, Gourock and Ardgowan Primary Schools. The use of roll caps was to be the means by which the joint school rolls of Gourock High School and Greenock Academy were to be reduced over time to ensure that the new school did not open over capacity.

The central thrust of the Council's education strategy is to make every school in Inverclyde a school of choice.   We do not believe in a free market in education. If parents want to exercise their right to make a placing request then we must respect that under the law. We do not have to build in surplus capacity to our schools to guarantee that such placing requests will always be granted.

While there was and is the option of providing temporary accommodation on site the danger is that a short-term fix turns into a long-term solution, which has the same detrimental impact on other schools that building a larger school than required would have had.

I would certainly have preferred that Clydeview Academy had not opened with more pupils than it was designed for. I am confident however that staff, pupils, parents and the Education Authority working together will overcome this short-term challenge and that Clydeview will prove to be a worthy successor to Gourock High School and Greenock Academy.

The week ahead...

Monday
At work until late afternoon then down to Greenock for a meeting at 5.00. I will be chairing a meeting of the Shared Campus Working Group at 6.30.
Tuesday
At work until 2.00 then picking the kids up from school. At 5.00 I have my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive, followed by a meeting of the Three Wards Community Council at 7.00.
Wednesday
At work until 2.00 then down to Greenock for meetings at 3.30 (Inverclyde Alliance Board Pre-agenda), 4.30 (Administration Group), and 5.30 (Labour Group).
Thursday
At work all day. In the evening I am due to attend a meeting of the Slaemuir TARA.
Friday
Most of the day will be taken up by a special COSLA Leaders' meeting in Edinburgh.

New community sports facility taking shape...

The Council’s multi-million pounds Community Sports Facility at Parklea Playing Fields in Port Glasgow will be completed on schedule for the start of the new football season in summer 2012.

On Thursday morning I was given a tour of the development along with Regeneration Committee Convener Ronnie Ahlfeld.

The new £2.9 million pavilion is now wind and watertight and work is underway inside to install walls, vents and finishes. Work is also underway on the large £650,000 3-G all-weather pitch, which will satisfy Scottish Junior Football Association regulations and be suitable for American Football and rugby training.

Parklea is very much the jewel in the crown of our £23 million investment in leisure and it is exciting to think that it is so near to completion.

The new community sports facility at Parklea taking shape

Additional £1m to be spent on road repairs...

One of the Council Administration's priorities over the months ahead will be to come up with a long-term investment strategy for our roads.

Between financial years 2007/08 and 2010/11 over £7.1m was invested in surfacing and repairs to the Council’s roads and footways. A further £1m has been approved for the current financial year, 2011/12. Despite this, the backlog of repairs is increasing, not helped by the recent severe winters.

While I make no apology for putting our schools and leisure facilities first, the time has come to give a higher priority to our roads. That is why I will be proposing at the Policy & Resources Committee on 20 September that we allocate an additional £1m from reserves for road and footway repairs over the next 6-9 months.

At the same meeting I will be proposing that officers look at how we can fund increased investment in our roads in the years ahead to eradicate the maintenance backlog and bring them up to a good state of repair. I am under no illusion however that this will be easy given the real terms funding cuts we are facing from the Scottish Government.

Exciting times for education...

Inverclyde Council’s Education and Lifelong Learning Committee has been told £22.8 million will be spent on the Education Capital Programme this financial year.

The Council’s School Estate Strategy is a comprehensive programme to modernise the entire school stock either by re-building or refurbishment.

Key projects in the Capital Programme include Port Glasgow’s new £44 million Shared Campus. The contract to build it has just been awarded to GRAHAM construction and work is expected to get underway in the next few weeks. The new campus will be home to Port Glasgow High and St Stephen’s High Schools and a new Additional Support Needs (ASN) School to replace Glenburn and Lilybank Schools.

The £4 million refurbishment of the former Earnhill Primary school is nearing completion. The work includes new doors, windows, floors, wall and ceiling finishes and improvements to the main entrance and dining area. The building will be the home of the new St Andrew’s Primary, created by the merger of Sacred Heart and St Gabriel’s Primary School.

Overton Primary is also being refurbished to provide accommodation for Overton Primary School and Highlander’s Academy. The £5 million project is slightly ahead of schedule and is expected to be completed in July next year.

Work is expected to start in November on the £15 million refurbishment of the former Gourock High School building to become the new home of St Columba’s High School. It will include an additional floor to the main building and a completely new wing.

Other projects in Inverclyde’s Education Capital Programme include the £1.3 million refurbishment of the Binnie Street Community Centre in Gourock to become a new Children’s Centre and the refurbishment of the former St Laurence’s Primary School to become the new home of the Mearns Centre in Greenock.

Much to look forward to...

Inverclyde Council’s Regeneration Committee has been hearing details of the £58.8 million projected spend over the next three years.

The Council’s Regeneration Capital Programme includes arts, leisure and civic projects to provide first class leisure, cultural and tourist facilities.

A new community stadium is taking shape as part of the £6 million transformation of Parklea in Port Glasgow into a centre of excellence for football. It will incorporate a changing pavilion and a large 3G all-weather pitch. Drainage to eight grass pitches has already been improved and a 3G all-weather pitch with floodlights installed.

Work is also progressing on the £1.8 million refurbishment of Ravenscraig Stadium which includes the installation of a new quality running surface.

Building work is well underway transforming Gourock’s iconic outdoor swimming pool and there is an ongoing public consultation process as we develop plans with Riverside Inverclyde to redevelop Gourock Pierhead. 

The Committee was also told that a project to build a new Rangers Station and Public Toilet at Lunderston Bay can now go ahead after delays caused by issues involving access to a water supply and sewage system.

There is much to look forward to.

Major boost for Town Centre...

Inverclyde Council is to spend £1 million regenerating Port Glasgow town centre.

The Regeneration Committee has approved the development of proposals that could see among other things additional car parking provided, new entrance features to the town centre created and public landscaped areas upgraded.

There has already been significant investment in Port Glasgow over the past few years, including £600,000 of work through the Town Centre Regeneration Fund and £400,000 from the Council and Riverside Inverclyde. These proposals will build on those works and further enhance the town centre as we work towards our vision of an attractive, vibrant and bustling town centre.

Regeneration company Riverside Inverclyde will work with the Council to develop the plans which will also see back court improvements within the commercial area, Coronation Park upgraded and redundant buildings demolished where possible.

Council officers have also been working with Strathclyde Partnership Transport to see whether the former Highholm Primary School site could be used as a park and ride facility. This could encourage more people to use the train or bus which can only be good for the environment. We have to ensure however that there is a clear demand for such a facility and that it will have no detrimental impact on the town centre before proceeding.

Riverside Inverclyde has also allocated £360,000 for Port Glasgow Town Centre in this financial year.

Deadline for community council nominations...

In April, Inverclyde Council agreed a new Community Council scheme following a national consultation by the Scottish Government, COSLA and the Association of Scottish Community Councils. Nominations for the first elections under the new scheme are now open.

Forms can be downloaded from the Council’s website and are available in local libraries, Safer Communities at 40, West Stewart Street, Greenock and from existing Community Councils. Nominations close on Friday 9 September ahead of elections on Thursday 13 October in Community Council areas where the number of nominations exceeds the maximum set. The minimum age is 16.

The week ahead...

Monday
Holiday today for many people in Inverclyde but not for me. At work until 2.00 and then down to Greenock to chair my first Policy & Resources Committee pre-agenda since returning as Convener. No evening commitments in the diary.
Tuesday
At work again until 2.00 and then down to Greenock for meeting with the Provost and Lord Lieutenant at 3.00, Education & Lifelong Learning Committee at 4.00 and weekly meeting with the Chief Executive at 5.00. Due to attend a meeting of the Woodhall Task Group at 6.30.
Wednesday
At work in the morning before going down to Greenock in the afternoon for the weekly meetings of the Administration Group and Labour Group. In the evening I hope to attend a meeting of the Whitecroft Tenants' and Residents' Association.
Thursday
Full day at work.
Friday
Another full day at work.

Tender awarded to build Port Glasgow shared campus...

The contract to build Port Glasgow’s £44 million shared campus has been awarded to GRAHAM Construction.

The new campus will be home to Port Glasgow and St Stephen’s High Schools and a new Additional Support Needs (ASN) School to replace Glenburn and Lilybank Schools.

This is such an exciting project for Port Glasgow and indeed the whole of Inverclyde. When the campus and the new St Columba’s High School in Gourock are completed in 2013 our secondary school estate will be second to none. We will also have an ASN School with facilities to match the very best.

From the outset of this Administration we said our children are the key to Inverclyde’s future and by providing them with the best facilities possible in which to learn we can give them that all-important springboard towards a better future. We are also demonstrating once again that meeting the needs of our most vulnerable children is a top priority for the Council.

The week ahead...

A busy week ahead:

Monday
At work in the morning. In the afternoon I am due to go on a walkabout with residents of the Woodhall estate in Port Glasgow. I have a surgery at 6.00 in the evening in St Francis Primary School followed by the AGM of St Francis PS Parent Council.
Tuesday
At work again in the morning. In the afternoon I have a meeting of the Safe, Sustainable Communities Committee. This will be followed by my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive. I am hoping to attend a meeting of Kilmacolm Community Council at 7.30.
Wednesday
At work in the morning. Late afternoon I have a meeting with a local union representative to discuss the Clyde Valley Shared Support Services business case. This is followed by weekly meetings of the Administration Group and the Labour Group. At 7.00 I am due to attend a meeting of the Kelburn Action Group.
Thursday
At work in the morning. In the afternoon I have a meeting of the Council's Regeneration Committee. No evening commitments currently in the diary.
Friday
A full day at work.

Youth Leaders needed...

The Council urgently needs new adult volunteer youth leaders for the Friday night Kilmacolm Youth Groups operating out of the new Kilmacolm Community Centre.

This would be an excellent opportunity for students and other young people interested in a career in teaching, social work or youth work to gain invaluable experience.

Anyone interested should contact Hugh Scott, the Council's Youth Services Team Leader on 01475 715459 or email Hugh.Scott@inverclyde.gov.uk

Carriageway resurfacing at Arran Avenue...

I am pleased to report that the Council's Roads Service is planning to resurface part of Arran Avenue in Port Glasgow between Monday 5 September and Wednesday 7 September. This will require the closure of the carriageway between Netherton Avenue and Cumbrae Avenue on these dates.

The cost of the resurfacing works is around £17,000.

During the week commencing 22 September footway upgrading will be carried out, also on Arran Avenue, at a cost of £15,000.

Clyde Valley Shared Support Services...

I attended a useful all members' briefing on the Clyde Valley Shared Support Services business case this afternoon by the Council's Chief Executive, John Mundell, and Chief Financial Officer, Alan Puckrin.

There are certainly a lot of issues to consider before we reach a decision on whether or not to participate in the new public-public partnership. This decision will be taken at a special Council meeting on 29 September.

Five more years...

I have formally advised the Labour Party that it is my intention to seek re-selection for next year's Council elections. Hopefully party members will agree that I have made a significant contribution to the Inverclyde community over the last four years and give me the opportunity to seek a further 5 years on the Council.

I not complacent however. We have a lot of very capable people in the local party, who would make excellent candidates and Councillors.

The week ahead...

Monday
A full day at work with no evening Council commitments.
Tuesday
At work until 2.00 before going to Greenock for a meeting of the Audit Committee. This will be followed by a briefing for elected members on the Clyde Valley shared support services business case. At 5.00 myself and the Depute Council Leader, Jim Clocherty, are due to hold our weekly meeting with the Chief Executive.
Wednesday 
Unfortunately, due to the short notice and work commitments, I am unable to attend the Coastguard Union's meeting in the Greenock Town Hall Saloon at 11.00. I have asked the Chief Executive to attend on my behalf and my colleague Iain McKenzie will also be in attendance. In the late afternoon I will be in the Council for weekly meetings of the Administration and Labour Groups. I then hope to get along to the AGM of Newark Primary School Parent Council at 6.30.
Thursday
Due to work commitments I am missing meetings of the Inverclyde CHCP Sub-Committee and Health & Social Care Committee. My colleague Iain McKenzie will substitute for me at both meetings. I have no evening commitments at the moment.
Friday
Most of my day will be taken up with a trip to Edinburgh for the COSLA Leaders' meeting: my first since as stepped down as Council Leader in February. It will be good to see my Labour colleagues again. I will be at work for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

Good progress being made at Parklea...

I was down at Parklea Playing Fields this afternoon watching my son Brendan play for Port Glasgow Juniors Boys Club U17s in a Glasgow & District Youth League match against Glencairn.

It was an exciting game, ending in a 4-4 draw, which was probably a fair result.

While there I took the opportunity to have a look at progress with the new community sports facility and was delighted with what I saw. The work is certainly progressing well as you can see from the pictures below.