It was another frustrating meeting of the Clune Park Task Group tonight as it became clear that discussions between officers of the Council and the Scottish Government on the way forward are not progressing as quickly or as well as we had hoped.
Members of the Task Group were also deeply disappointed to hear that the Minister for Housing and Communities, Alex Neil, has refused to visit the area until a way forward has been agreed.
Clune Park Tenants' and Residents' Association will now write directly to the Minister asking him to change his mind.
Hopefully they will have more success than me, since I have asked the Minister three times, without success, to visit the area.
Monday, 22 November 2010
Sunday, 21 November 2010
The week ahead...
Monday
At work all day. In the evening I will be chairing a meeting of the Clune Park Task Group.
Tuesday
7.30 Start work in Glasgow
2.00 Leave work to travel to Greenock
3.30 Inverclyde Council Pre-agenda
4.00 All Members' Briefing on the Council's Budget
5.00 Weekly meeting of the Labour Group
Wednesday
7.30 Start work in Glasgow
11.30 Leave work to travel to Port Glasgow
12.00 River Clyde Homes handover ceremony at Oronsay
2.00 Weekly meeting with the Chief Executive
3.30 Meeting with Officers and Gibshill Residents' Association
5.30 Greenock Arts Guild Fundraising Reception
Thursday
At work all day with no evening commitments
Friday
In the morning I am due to attend a meeting of the Clyde Valley Community Planning Partnership in Dumbarton. In the afternoon I will be going to work in Glasgow.
Saturday
I have a surgery in Kilmacolm Community Centre at 9.30.
At work all day. In the evening I will be chairing a meeting of the Clune Park Task Group.
Tuesday
7.30 Start work in Glasgow
2.00 Leave work to travel to Greenock
3.30 Inverclyde Council Pre-agenda
4.00 All Members' Briefing on the Council's Budget
5.00 Weekly meeting of the Labour Group
Wednesday
7.30 Start work in Glasgow
11.30 Leave work to travel to Port Glasgow
12.00 River Clyde Homes handover ceremony at Oronsay
2.00 Weekly meeting with the Chief Executive
3.30 Meeting with Officers and Gibshill Residents' Association
5.30 Greenock Arts Guild Fundraising Reception
Thursday
At work all day with no evening commitments
Friday
In the morning I am due to attend a meeting of the Clyde Valley Community Planning Partnership in Dumbarton. In the afternoon I will be going to work in Glasgow.
Saturday
I have a surgery in Kilmacolm Community Centre at 9.30.
Friday, 19 November 2010
Deal or No Deal?
I attended a rather heated meeting of Council Leaders at COSLA today where the Local Government Finance Settlement was high on the agenda.
With the other political groups congratulating themselves on how good a deal they had secured from the SNP Government it was left to Labour Council Leaders to point out that what was on offer was nowhere near as good as they were making out.
The fundamental point that the other groups chose to ignore however was that the threat by the Government to slash funding to Councils who do not sign up to do their bidding is an affront to local democracy.
Let us have no more talk of mutual trust and partnership from this Government. They have made it quite clear that if Councils don't agree to do as they are told they will be severely punished like disobedient children.
Unfortunately they have been encouraged to act in this way by SNP, Lib Dem, Independent and Tory Council Leaders, who would be only too happy to see Labour Councils get their comeuppance.
These Council Leaders should enjoy their time of preeminence while it lasts, as I suspect come May 2012 a number of them will be looking for new jobs.
With the other political groups congratulating themselves on how good a deal they had secured from the SNP Government it was left to Labour Council Leaders to point out that what was on offer was nowhere near as good as they were making out.
The fundamental point that the other groups chose to ignore however was that the threat by the Government to slash funding to Councils who do not sign up to do their bidding is an affront to local democracy.
Let us have no more talk of mutual trust and partnership from this Government. They have made it quite clear that if Councils don't agree to do as they are told they will be severely punished like disobedient children.
Unfortunately they have been encouraged to act in this way by SNP, Lib Dem, Independent and Tory Council Leaders, who would be only too happy to see Labour Councils get their comeuppance.
These Council Leaders should enjoy their time of preeminence while it lasts, as I suspect come May 2012 a number of them will be looking for new jobs.
A brass neck...
The brass neck of our SNP Government never fails to amaze me.
After continually arguing for the Scottish Parliament to have greater fiscal responsibility we find out that they have irresponsibly allowed the Parliament's tax varying power - which I and over 1.5m other Scots voted for in 1997 - to lapse.
This is nothing short of a disgrace. It is also a betrayal of the devolution settlement and the Scottish people.
Roll on next May!
After continually arguing for the Scottish Parliament to have greater fiscal responsibility we find out that they have irresponsibly allowed the Parliament's tax varying power - which I and over 1.5m other Scots voted for in 1997 - to lapse.
This is nothing short of a disgrace. It is also a betrayal of the devolution settlement and the Scottish people.
Roll on next May!
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Local Government Settlement...
So the Scottish Government has published its draft budget for 2011/12 and the details of its 'offer' to local government.
In a letter to Council Leaders the Finance Secretary John Swinney tells us that the agreement he has struck with COSLA - the local authority umbrella body - is "based upon mutual respect and partnership". I beg to differ.
The choice for individual Councils like Inverclyde is quite stark.
If we sign up to the deal - I have to send a letter to Mr Swinney by 21 December confirming our agreement - we will face a cut of 2.6% in our revenue funding. If we don't sign up we will face a cut of 6.4%!
This hardly smacks of mutual respect to me and it certainly doesn't demonstrate mutual trust.
Previous Scottish Governments were criticised for the excessive use of ring fenced funding. This Government might be taking a different approach but the message is very much the same i.e. do as you are told on your funding will be cut.
Surely any pretence of parity of esteem between the two levels of Scottish Government has gone for ever?
As some of us have realised for a long time, we in local government are very much the junior 'partner' in the relationship and when push comes to shove we have no option but to do as we are told.
Mind you one good thing has come of the latest 'deal' between COSLA and the SNP Government and that is the end of the 'historic' Concordat.
In a letter to Council Leaders the Finance Secretary John Swinney tells us that the agreement he has struck with COSLA - the local authority umbrella body - is "based upon mutual respect and partnership". I beg to differ.
The choice for individual Councils like Inverclyde is quite stark.
If we sign up to the deal - I have to send a letter to Mr Swinney by 21 December confirming our agreement - we will face a cut of 2.6% in our revenue funding. If we don't sign up we will face a cut of 6.4%!
This hardly smacks of mutual respect to me and it certainly doesn't demonstrate mutual trust.
Previous Scottish Governments were criticised for the excessive use of ring fenced funding. This Government might be taking a different approach but the message is very much the same i.e. do as you are told on your funding will be cut.
Surely any pretence of parity of esteem between the two levels of Scottish Government has gone for ever?
As some of us have realised for a long time, we in local government are very much the junior 'partner' in the relationship and when push comes to shove we have no option but to do as we are told.
Mind you one good thing has come of the latest 'deal' between COSLA and the SNP Government and that is the end of the 'historic' Concordat.
Sunday, 14 November 2010
The week ahead...
Monday
I am at work all day. In the evening I will be attending a meeting of the Woodhall Task Group.
Tuesday and Wednesday
At a conference through work on both days. On Wednesday evening I hope to attend a meeting of the Kelburn Task Group.
Thursday
In the morning I have a meeting scheduled with the Chair and Chief Executive of River Clyde Homes, before going to work in Glasgow. In the evening I hope to attend a public meeting organised by Whitecroft Tenants' and Residents' Association.
Friday
Most of the day I will be through at Edinburgh for the COSLA Leaders' meeting. In the afternoon I will be at work in Glasgow for a few hours.
I am at work all day. In the evening I will be attending a meeting of the Woodhall Task Group.
Tuesday and Wednesday
At a conference through work on both days. On Wednesday evening I hope to attend a meeting of the Kelburn Task Group.
Thursday
In the morning I have a meeting scheduled with the Chair and Chief Executive of River Clyde Homes, before going to work in Glasgow. In the evening I hope to attend a public meeting organised by Whitecroft Tenants' and Residents' Association.
Friday
Most of the day I will be through at Edinburgh for the COSLA Leaders' meeting. In the afternoon I will be at work in Glasgow for a few hours.
....we will remember them
I laid a wreath at the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in Port Glasgow today.
While I have done this a number of times over the years I always feel greatly honoured to undertake this duty on behalf of the Council and the local community in remembrance of the men and women of our town who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country.
It also was good to see so many people - young and old - turn out for the service.
While I have done this a number of times over the years I always feel greatly honoured to undertake this duty on behalf of the Council and the local community in remembrance of the men and women of our town who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country.
It also was good to see so many people - young and old - turn out for the service.
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