The week ahead...

Monday
At work until mid afternoon and then doing the school run. In the evening I am chairing a meeting of the Clune Park Task Group.
Tuesday
At work in the morning. In the afternoon I have an all Members' briefing at 3.00; a meeting with officers at 5.00; and my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive at 5.30. At 7.30 I hope to attend a meeting of Kilmacolm Community Council.
Wednesday
At work until lunch-time then meeting with an official from Riverside Inverclyde to discuss plans for regenerating Port Glasgow Town Centre. Doing the school run again followed by weekly meetings of the Administration at 4.30 and the Labour Group at 5.30.
Thursday
A full day at work. Due to attend a meeting of the Kilmacolm New Community Centre Board at 7.00.
Friday
Another full day at work.
Saturday
Attending a Labour Party event in Greenock to discuss our manifesto for the forthcoming Council elections.

The week ahead...

Monday
At work in Glasgow until 2.00 before heading back to Kilmacolm to pick my kids up from school. Have a Policy & Resources Committee pre-agenda at 4.00 in Greenock and a surgery at 6.00 in Park Farm Community Hall.
Tuesday
At work until 2.00 before heading to Greenock for a demonstration of Glow at 3.00 and the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee at 4.00. I have my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive at 6.00.
Wednesday
At work in the morning again. I am attending the St Michael's Primary School Burns' Concert at 1.30 before picking my kids up from school in Kilmacolm. I have meetings of the Administration at 4.30 and the Labour Group at 5.30 in Greenock.
Thursday
At work until 1.00 before heading to Gourock for the official opening of Clydeview Academy. After the opening I will be returning to work in Glasgow, where I have meetings at 5.00 and 6.00.
Friday
Most of the day will be spent in Edinburgh at the COSLA Leaders' meeting, before popping into work in Glasgow for a couple of hours on the way back. In the evening I have a meeting of Inverclyde Constituency Labour Party to attend in Branchton Community Centre in Greenock.
Saturday
I have a surgery at 10.00 in Kilmacolm Community Centre.

Welcome for road safety plans for Kilmacolm...

I had a very productive meeting with officers from the Council's Roads Service this afternoon to discuss measures to improve road safety for pedestrians in the centre of Kilmacolm.

The Service is proposing to introduce a ‘20s Plenty’ zone around the centre of the village to encourage drivers to reduce their speed at this very busy location. The  zone will complement the new pedestrian crossing point to be installed on Lochwinnoch Road at the entrance to the main village car park, which is currently a difficult location for pedestrians to cross.

Additional car parking spaces are to be provided in the Lochwinnoch Road and Pullman car parks, which should more than compensate for any on-street spaces lost due to the new crossing point. New signage will also be introduced to direct visitors to the three Council-owned car parks in the village.

These works, which should be carried out within the next few months, are very much to be welcomed.

The week ahead...

A busy week ahead:

Monday
At work until 2.00 and then heading back to Kilmacolm to pick my two younger kids from school. I have a meeting with the Roads Service at 4.30 to discuss the introduction of further road safety measures in the centre of Kilmacolm. At 6.30 I will be attending the Port Glasgow High School Parent Council.
Tuesday
At work until 12.30 before attending a meeting in Port Glasgow between the Whitecroft Tenants' and Residents' Association and River Clyde Homes. I have a meeting of the Council's Safe, Sustainable Communities Committee at 3.00 followed by my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive at 4.30. I am hoping to attend meetings of the St Michael's and St Stephen's Parent Councils at 6.00 and 7.00 respectively.
Wednesday
At work until 12.30 before a visit to the HP plant at Erskine. I have meetings of the Administration Group at 4.30 and the Labour Group at 5.30. I hope to attend a meeting of the Newark Parent Council at 6.30.
Thursday
At work until 11.30 then paying a visit to the Council's key leisure projects at Parklea, Ravenscraig Stadium and Gourock Pool. I have a meeting with the local federation of small businesses at 2.00 and the Regeneration Committee at 3.00. At 7.00 I will be attending a meeting of Slaemuir Tenants' and Residents' Association.
Friday
A full day at work and a night off!

First look at Kilmacolm play park extension...

Here is the first look at the Council's £25,000 extension to the children's play park in Kilmacolm's West Glen Park. Work on the extension is scheduled to be carried out in the first half of February.

Local children were consulted on the design of the extension, so hopefully they will be delighted by the outcome.

The week ahead...

First full week back after the Christmas break.

Monday
At work until 2.00 before heading back to Kilmacolm to pick my kids up from school. No evening commitments.
Tuesday
At work again until 2.00. Have an Audit Committee meeting at 3.00 and my weekly meeting with the Chief Executive at 4.00. No evening commitments again.
Wednesday
At work until 2.00 before heading back to Kilmacolm to pick my kids up from school. Have meetings of the Administration Group at 4.30 and the Labour Group at 5.30.
Thursday
At work again until 2.00. Have a meeting of the Inverclyde Community Health and Care Partnership Sub-Committee at 3.00. No evening commitments.
Friday
A full day at work today with no evening commitments.

Green light for new play park...

I am delighted that the Council's new play park at Boglestone in Port Glasgow has been given the green light by the Planning Board.

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.

The project should hopefully go out to tender this month with work starting in the spring.