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Monday evening saw the latest meeting of the City Council and its committees, for the agendas click here.
Community Safety Partnership Annual Report
At the meeting I spoke on a number of items. As Labour's spokesperson for Leisure, Arts and Communities I spoke at that committee. I spoke about the Community Safety Partnerships Annual Report for 2008/09. This is an important report, I said, ' This report is welcome and it is important to see proper partnerships operate between all the agencies involved in making Dundee a safer place. It is important that the concerns of a great many of our constituents are looked at and are acted upon. Concerns about vandalism are really important to constituents.
Clearly illegal drugs and alcohol cause many of the problems which cause problems for people in Dundee. The use of illegal drugs and the misuse of alcohol are things that we should not tolerate.
I am glad that this partnership sees focusing on antisocial behaviour, controlled drugs, acquisitive crime, violence reduction and raising community safety awareness. We know that Dundee is a great place to live and work in and we must all work hard to ensure that all the citizens of Dundee feel safe in our city.'
Outdoor access improvements
The Council proposes to spend some money upgrading the green circular and paths in Balgay Park. The plans in Balgay Park enhance the area around the Hird or Balgay Bridge. I performed the official re-opening of Balgay Bridge back in 2008. I welcome these proposals, 'Improving outdoor access is an important part of making sure that our city is as attractive as possible. The Green Circular is popular and I am sure that the improvements will be welcomed. Walking in Balgay Park is also very popular and I know that a lot of people are very happy to see the refurbished Hird or Balgay Bridge; I welcome these moves which will make it more accessible.'
Budget Process
The Policy and Resources Committee received a report about the budget process for next year. We heard a deputation from the trade union UNISON, which sought to protect jobs and services. I made a few comments on this, 'It is clear that the Scottish Government has more money to spend this year than it had last year. The Scottish Government's budget is rising by £600 million in the next financial year. Mr Salmond has double the amount of money to spend than was available to Donald Dewar in 1999. In 2009-10 the Scottish Government budget was £29.38 billion; in 2010-11 it rises to £29.98 billion; this is both a cash increase and a real terms increase.'
'The SNP Administration in the Scottish Government is cutting local government's budget in real terms by 0.5%. Local government spend as a proportion of Scottish Government spend is lower under the SNP. Since the SNP low of 32.3% in 2007-08, the share of spend has consistently risen to 33.9% to this year, but this is still less than it was under Labour.'
'All of us elected by the people of Dundee have a duty to work together in the best interests of the people of Dundee to deliver a budget in the best interests of the people of Dundee. That's a budget that protects jobs and services and keeps the Council Tax as low as a possible. We have to work together to deliver for the people of Dundee. These are difficult economic times across the world we must make the best of it and not be distracted by blaming other people. This is the time for a mature approach to the budget not for petty point scoring.'
Fairer Scotland Fund
I asked officers of the council what they intended to do in subsequent financial years with the Fairer Scotland Fund. This fund will cease to be ring-fenced next year and the Scottish Government has made no commitment beyond the end of the next financial year. I think that this uncertainty is a problem for the many voluntary organisations who serve the people of Dundee.
Community Safety Partnership Annual Report
At the meeting I spoke on a number of items. As Labour's spokesperson for Leisure, Arts and Communities I spoke at that committee. I spoke about the Community Safety Partnerships Annual Report for 2008/09. This is an important report, I said, ' This report is welcome and it is important to see proper partnerships operate between all the agencies involved in making Dundee a safer place. It is important that the concerns of a great many of our constituents are looked at and are acted upon. Concerns about vandalism are really important to constituents.
Clearly illegal drugs and alcohol cause many of the problems which cause problems for people in Dundee. The use of illegal drugs and the misuse of alcohol are things that we should not tolerate.
I am glad that this partnership sees focusing on antisocial behaviour, controlled drugs, acquisitive crime, violence reduction and raising community safety awareness. We know that Dundee is a great place to live and work in and we must all work hard to ensure that all the citizens of Dundee feel safe in our city.'
Outdoor access improvements
The Council proposes to spend some money upgrading the green circular and paths in Balgay Park. The plans in Balgay Park enhance the area around the Hird or Balgay Bridge. I performed the official re-opening of Balgay Bridge back in 2008. I welcome these proposals, 'Improving outdoor access is an important part of making sure that our city is as attractive as possible. The Green Circular is popular and I am sure that the improvements will be welcomed. Walking in Balgay Park is also very popular and I know that a lot of people are very happy to see the refurbished Hird or Balgay Bridge; I welcome these moves which will make it more accessible.'
Budget Process
The Policy and Resources Committee received a report about the budget process for next year. We heard a deputation from the trade union UNISON, which sought to protect jobs and services. I made a few comments on this, 'It is clear that the Scottish Government has more money to spend this year than it had last year. The Scottish Government's budget is rising by £600 million in the next financial year. Mr Salmond has double the amount of money to spend than was available to Donald Dewar in 1999. In 2009-10 the Scottish Government budget was £29.38 billion; in 2010-11 it rises to £29.98 billion; this is both a cash increase and a real terms increase.'
'The SNP Administration in the Scottish Government is cutting local government's budget in real terms by 0.5%. Local government spend as a proportion of Scottish Government spend is lower under the SNP. Since the SNP low of 32.3% in 2007-08, the share of spend has consistently risen to 33.9% to this year, but this is still less than it was under Labour.'
'All of us elected by the people of Dundee have a duty to work together in the best interests of the people of Dundee to deliver a budget in the best interests of the people of Dundee. That's a budget that protects jobs and services and keeps the Council Tax as low as a possible. We have to work together to deliver for the people of Dundee. These are difficult economic times across the world we must make the best of it and not be distracted by blaming other people. This is the time for a mature approach to the budget not for petty point scoring.'
Fairer Scotland Fund
I asked officers of the council what they intended to do in subsequent financial years with the Fairer Scotland Fund. This fund will cease to be ring-fenced next year and the Scottish Government has made no commitment beyond the end of the next financial year. I think that this uncertainty is a problem for the many voluntary organisations who serve the people of Dundee.
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