Back to work

Renfrewshire is to benefit from a multi-million pound investment from the Scottish Executive to help buddies back to work. The extra cash, £11m over the next two years in the pilot areas will support improvements for those facing barriers to employment, including people with disabilities and lone parents.

Planning etc (Scotland) Bill

A new Planning Bill is currently being debated in Parliament. The Bill proposes a range of measures to modernise the system.

The current system desperately needs modernising to ensure faster decisions and better engagement with local communities. In future local councils will have to update their local plans every five years. Local people will also have to be effectively consulted with and their views taken into consideration before planning applications are determined. For example, one important change is that in future planning authorities will be responsible for notifying neighbours of plans such as the erection of phone masts. Finally, it will become a legal requirement that those who have offered their views of a planning application are given detailed responses by a Council on and decisions taken.

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Let me declare an interest. As someone who helped bring about the Allander Series on Scotland’s prospects a couple of years ago I have an instinctive sympathy for serious writing about policy and devolution - we need more of it. But whereas the Allander Series was scholarly and non-partisan, inviting outsiders to look in on Scotland, this volume comes from a very different direction. It is partisan, polemical and looks from the inside out.

Styled as a “rebel standard” against the pro-devolution consensus, this is Scotland’s Right wing’s response to the current state of our politics and governance.

The text is best approached as pamphleteering polemic. If you generally agree with the Scotsman’s editorial line then this is the book for you. If not - it is still worth reading - but as a powerful clarion call against complacency.

The majority of contributors are Scotsman Publication journalists or columnists, an advantage reflected in the book’s pithy, direct style. Bill Jamieson, as editor, has brought what might have been a sprawling, repetitious volume into focused, coherent narrative.

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Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): I am delighted to be back in Parliament after several months on maternity leave. In that vein, I add my congratulations to Michael Matheson on becoming a father to James: I hope that he enjoys parenthood as much as I do.

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I attended Buddies for Childcare to celebrate their 1^st anniversary in operation. Although I had to get a babysitter myself to allow me to attend. Once you become a mum you realise how vital good childcare is for parents.

Buddies for Childcare supports parents facing childcare difficulties who want to take up education, training or employment opportunities. It provides information, advice and guidance on availability and cost of childcare to parents. Every individual is given their own caseworker who supports them to find ways to meet their childcare needs. The project has already supported in excess of 350 clients.

Well done to all those involved over the past year. I look forward to visiting again the following year to celebrate their 2^nd anniversary!

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Knife amnesty

Knife crime has plagued the west of Scotland for too long.  A range of new measures were announced last week to help tackle the problem.

A new knife amnesty came into force last week across Scotland.  Those surrendering weapons to the police during the amnesty will not be prosecuted for possession of the weapon.  Initiatives like this have already proved successful in reducing local crime levels and getting weapons off  the streets.

The Executive has also just announced funding for 1,000 more hand-held metal detectors to help detect knife carriers.

And prosecution guidance on knife crime has also been changed to ensure those persistently caught carrying a knife will be dealt with more effectively and face stiffer penalties.  We need to convince all our young people that carrying knives does not make them more safe, but less safe.

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Criminals don’t have any right to line their pockets with lavish goods paid for by criminal activity.

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Champs!

By the time you read this St Mirren Football Club will have been presented with the First Division Trophy.   This fantastic achievement caps a wonderful season for Gus MacPherson, his players, support staff and Chairman Stewart Gilmour.

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Clearing the air

Smoking is the biggest threat to the health of our nation. Over 500 people in Renfrewshire die from tobacco use and around 40 people who have never smoked die from effects of passive smoking.

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Linwood lottery boost In 2003 Linwood was awarded over half a million lottery monies to support better facilities and community health initiatives. Three years on and the final monies are now being allocated to the upgrading of the skatepark in Linwood and new changing facilities for  Linwood Rangers football club. Well done to those who put the bids together. It is good to see Linwood now getting its fair share of lottery money.

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As many of you will know I am currently on maternity leave but I also plan to keep Buddies up to date with what is happening in the Scottish Parliament and how it effects Paisley.  

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