PDE Column, 22nd March 2010 – Clippens Trouble, RCVS Advice, SNP Bonuses, NHS Falls Behind, Knife Crime

Clippens Trouble

I was given, at my Linwood surgery last week, a petition signed by 300 Clippens residents unhappy about youth gangs causing regular problems in their area. The PDE itself has recently published details of this story but I want local Police bosses to meet with some of these residents to hear first hand of the impact of the disturbances to their community. When incidents reach the levels they have over recent weeks, reassuring words to the press or politicians are not enough. Even for under-16s the Police and Children’s panel have powers to act and they should be willing to use them.

Advice

Tomorrow RCVS is hosting ‘Transforming and Empowering Renfrewshire’ event in the Wynd Centre from10am to 3pm – for people involved in the local voluntary and community sector.

The two workshops: ‘Transforming Social Work’ and ‘Empowering Communities’ will allow all participants to input their ideas on these important issues. So if you would like to attend call Anne Keir or Paul Hannah on 0141 587 2487 or email info@rcvsweb.co.uk.

Big BONUSES

It was bad enough to see pay rises of up to 22% awarded by local SNP councillors to senior council officials. Now the SNP Government in Holyrood has awarded £1.3 million in bonuses to their senior civil servants in just nine months at the peak of the recession.

In the current economic circumstances these kind of lavish bonuses are inappropriate and they should be stopped. It would be far better if this money was spent supporting jobs and frontline services like health.

NHS Falls Behind

Meanwhile the SNP Government have awarded Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board only 2.6 per cent extra next year. Whilst in England, the NHS has received a significantly higher overall increase of 4 per cent from the UK Government.

The SNP’s poor funding settlement will create real challenges for the local NHS and leaves us falling behind England.  Nicola Sturgeon won’t say why she now believes health is less of a priority in Scotland.

However there is some good news on the health front. Today the new Renfrew health and social work centre opens its doors. I lobbied the last Labour health minister hard, but successfully, to commit the funds required for the new centre. He found the money needed to make it happen.  So all the campaigning effort by so many local people is rewarded today when the first patients arrive for appointments in this fabulous new building.

Knife crime

Many readers will know of Labour’s campaign “Carry a Knife – Go to Jail” – a campaign this paper has vocally supported. Astonishingly new figures show that 71 per cent of knife criminals in Scotland currently still do not receive a custodial sentence. Sheriffs and judges need to respond better to the justified public anger about knife carrying. 

On song, on sport…proud Buddies.

Congratulations to the Thomas Coats Memorial Choir who held their 30th Anniversary concert last night. Their success is another feather in the cap of the Paisley choral tradition and another reason Paisley can claim to be Scotland’s top choir town.  On any other Sunday I would have been delighted to attend but one other huge event for Buddies was taking place at Hampden on the same day – the CIS Cup Final between St Mirren & Rangers.

As I write this column the excitement locally is building. St Mirren fans have had to wait a long 23 years since winning the Scottish Cup in 1987, and I am thoroughly looking forward to joining them in the quest for 2010 winning success this weekend. Today, as you read this column published, I dearly hope it follows a night of football celebrations for Gus and the team, St Mirren supporters and all of Paisley!