I see that well-known Independent Robert Kyle (Robert who?) is having a go at Labour voters in today's Greenock Telegraph.
Robert comes away with the same old crap that we have heard loads of times before about people voting Labour out of tradition and blind loyalty. Mind you rather than using the dog analogy Robert refers to people voting for a tailor's dummy if it had a Labour badge on it.
It is interesting how a free thinking man like Robert appears to have been able to break free of whatever family voting tradition that he was brought up in whereas those of us from a Labour tradition are apparently incapable of thinking for ourselves. Sounds a bit condescending Robert and smacks of sour grapes.
Perhaps you should look a bit closer to home for the reason why you were soundly rejected by the voters of Ward 2 in May 2007.
Knowing you as I do, I have to say that the dummy would get my vote every time!
Monday, 28 February 2011
Update on shared campus...
I chaired a meeting of the Port Glasgow Shared Campus Working Group tonight.
Officers provided an update on the programme of works scheduled for Easter and the Summer to get St Stephen's ready as a temporary shared campus from August. They also advised members of the group of plans to carry out a travel survey over the next few weeks in order to assess what additional measures require to be taken to deal with the increased number of pupils and staff who will be travelling to the St Stephen's campus from August.
The working group was also updated on the progress of the new shared campus. The planning application has been submitted and should be considered by the Planning Board in May.
Four major contractors have been chosen to tender - they cannot be named at this stage for commercial reasons - from a shortlist of 16 and tender documents are due to be issued at the end of March with the aim of a contractor being appointed by the end of June and work starting in July/August.
Officers provided an update on the programme of works scheduled for Easter and the Summer to get St Stephen's ready as a temporary shared campus from August. They also advised members of the group of plans to carry out a travel survey over the next few weeks in order to assess what additional measures require to be taken to deal with the increased number of pupils and staff who will be travelling to the St Stephen's campus from August.
The working group was also updated on the progress of the new shared campus. The planning application has been submitted and should be considered by the Planning Board in May.
Four major contractors have been chosen to tender - they cannot be named at this stage for commercial reasons - from a shortlist of 16 and tender documents are due to be issued at the end of March with the aim of a contractor being appointed by the end of June and work starting in July/August.
Sunday, 27 February 2011
The week ahead...
My first full week as a backbench Councillor:
Monday
At work all day. In the evening I am due to chair a meeting of the Port Glasgow Shared Campus Working Group.
Tuesday
Another full day at work. In the evening I hope to attend a meeting of the Whitecroft Tenants' and Residents' Association in between family commitments.
Wednesday
7.30 Start work in Glasgow
3.30 Leave work to travel to Greenock
4.30 Weekly meeting of the Administration Group
5.30 Weekly meeting of the Labour Group
7.00 Coastguard meeting at Port Glasgow Town Hall (hoping for a quick meeting so I can catch the big match on TV)
Thursday
7.30 Start work in Glasgow
12.30 Leave work to travel to Greenock
1.30 Induction meeting for Inverclyde CHCP
3.00 Meeting of Inverclyde CHCP Sub-Committee
5.30 Return to work in Glasgow for a Committee meeting (should get home about 8.00)
Friday
Another full day at work
Monday
At work all day. In the evening I am due to chair a meeting of the Port Glasgow Shared Campus Working Group.
Tuesday
Another full day at work. In the evening I hope to attend a meeting of the Whitecroft Tenants' and Residents' Association in between family commitments.
Wednesday
7.30 Start work in Glasgow
3.30 Leave work to travel to Greenock
4.30 Weekly meeting of the Administration Group
5.30 Weekly meeting of the Labour Group
7.00 Coastguard meeting at Port Glasgow Town Hall (hoping for a quick meeting so I can catch the big match on TV)
Thursday
7.30 Start work in Glasgow
12.30 Leave work to travel to Greenock
1.30 Induction meeting for Inverclyde CHCP
3.00 Meeting of Inverclyde CHCP Sub-Committee
5.30 Return to work in Glasgow for a Committee meeting (should get home about 8.00)
Friday
Another full day at work
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Open for business...
Kilmacolm's fantastic new community centre is now open for business.
Regular lets of the old community centre will transfer to the new centre this week coming.
The centre will be managed on behalf of the Kilmacolm New Community Centre Company by Inverclyde Leisure. Any one interested in booking the new centre should call (01505) 873994.
The reaction from the village community following the open day a couple of weeks ago has been overwhelmingly positive. If you have not had a look round it is well worth a visit.
The Library will continue to be located in the old centre for a number of weeks yet as the fit out work has still to be done. Hopefully the Library should open in its new home sometime in April.
Regular lets of the old community centre will transfer to the new centre this week coming.
The centre will be managed on behalf of the Kilmacolm New Community Centre Company by Inverclyde Leisure. Any one interested in booking the new centre should call (01505) 873994.
The reaction from the village community following the open day a couple of weeks ago has been overwhelmingly positive. If you have not had a look round it is well worth a visit.
The Library will continue to be located in the old centre for a number of weeks yet as the fit out work has still to be done. Hopefully the Library should open in its new home sometime in April.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Congratulations...
It is now official - I am no longer the Leader of Inverclyde Council.
Congratulations to my Labour colleague Iain McKenzie on his appointment as the new Leader. I am sure that he will do a first class job.
All the talk of a challenge from the opposition parties came to nothing as they failed to put up a candidate. Mind you they did ask if they could abstain from supporting Iain's appointment until it was politely pointed out to them that you cannot actually abstain if there is no vote.
The Labour Group has now formed a new coalition with Independent Ronnie Ahlfeld, Tory David Wilson and former Lib Dem, now Liberal, Councillor George White. This new arrangement should give the Council political stability through to the next Council elections in May 2012.
The people of Inverclyde can rest easy again tonight.
Congratulations to my Labour colleague Iain McKenzie on his appointment as the new Leader. I am sure that he will do a first class job.
All the talk of a challenge from the opposition parties came to nothing as they failed to put up a candidate. Mind you they did ask if they could abstain from supporting Iain's appointment until it was politely pointed out to them that you cannot actually abstain if there is no vote.
The Labour Group has now formed a new coalition with Independent Ronnie Ahlfeld, Tory David Wilson and former Lib Dem, now Liberal, Councillor George White. This new arrangement should give the Council political stability through to the next Council elections in May 2012.
The people of Inverclyde can rest easy again tonight.
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
D-Day...
Today was my last full day as Council Leader as tomorrow I officially step down.
The big question of course for the last 10 days has been who will get my parking space?
In the buildings this afternoon the rumours were still rife that a new coalition has been formed to take control of the Council.
We will just have to wait until 4.00 tomorrow afternoon to find out what happens.
Isn't it exciting?
The big question of course for the last 10 days has been who will get my parking space?
In the buildings this afternoon the rumours were still rife that a new coalition has been formed to take control of the Council.
We will just have to wait until 4.00 tomorrow afternoon to find out what happens.
Isn't it exciting?
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Apology to Councillor Grieve...
It seems that my post about the SNP playing a dirty game has upset Councillors Grieve and MacLeod.
They are denying that there was ever any prospect of their Group doing a deal with the Lib Dems and others to seize control of the Council. This apparently is just a figment of Eric Baxter's imagination.
It appears that it was simply a coincidence that Councillor Grieve was considering turning up for Thursday's crucial Council meeting after being off sick for nearly a year. Those who were putting it about in the Council that he was going to turn up to support an opposition candidate for Council Leader should clearly be ashamed of themselves.
I apologise to Councillor Grieve for repeating this untruth on this blog.
Mind you the fact that a member of the SNP group has been openly saying that he would not support a deal with the Lib Dems might have something to do with the fact that the 'rainbow coalition' seems to have fallen apart.
I did have a bit of an inkling that the plot was coming apart when I was approached last night by another senior opposition councillor asking if he could be considered for the position of Planning Board Chair.
Having taken soundings from the Labour Group I am afraid that the answer has to be no.
Honest: I am not making this up!
They are denying that there was ever any prospect of their Group doing a deal with the Lib Dems and others to seize control of the Council. This apparently is just a figment of Eric Baxter's imagination.
It appears that it was simply a coincidence that Councillor Grieve was considering turning up for Thursday's crucial Council meeting after being off sick for nearly a year. Those who were putting it about in the Council that he was going to turn up to support an opposition candidate for Council Leader should clearly be ashamed of themselves.
I apologise to Councillor Grieve for repeating this untruth on this blog.
Mind you the fact that a member of the SNP group has been openly saying that he would not support a deal with the Lib Dems might have something to do with the fact that the 'rainbow coalition' seems to have fallen apart.
I did have a bit of an inkling that the plot was coming apart when I was approached last night by another senior opposition councillor asking if he could be considered for the position of Planning Board Chair.
Having taken soundings from the Labour Group I am afraid that the answer has to be no.
Honest: I am not making this up!
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