tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50460517423270980782024-02-08T03:17:53.718+00:00Richard McCreadyScottish Labour Party and Co-operative Party Councillor for the West End Ward, Dundee City Council 2007-2022Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comBlogger1500125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-15333842349026136382022-04-18T23:05:00.000+01:002022-04-18T23:05:06.636+01:00Support for Pension Dignity at the University of Dundee<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpn9A3sYkfJ_gaS1rkdY_JOpQ3TN-a0cfePGSxr4q2rrjd7_SUfBgTFLTdHZXyXV2jmHH5zEAFarWmvH_2_70AcKP8pvS4qhg55hflMK3JeCbgIxIoRIt-cKxoq1dl_Xgz9EMIjTwjLN30H9HfD1p37cpJ5dDzMplAdAfwbjAj2OpGJZrFq7xnQSBs/s2048/Unison%20Dundee%20Uni%20Strike%20Rally%2018%20April%202022%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpn9A3sYkfJ_gaS1rkdY_JOpQ3TN-a0cfePGSxr4q2rrjd7_SUfBgTFLTdHZXyXV2jmHH5zEAFarWmvH_2_70AcKP8pvS4qhg55hflMK3JeCbgIxIoRIt-cKxoq1dl_Xgz9EMIjTwjLN30H9HfD1p37cpJ5dDzMplAdAfwbjAj2OpGJZrFq7xnQSBs/w400-h300/Unison%20Dundee%20Uni%20Strike%20Rally%2018%20April%202022%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />Today I was pleased to be given the chance to speak at the Unison Rally in support of the workers who are currently on strike at the University of Dundee.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I was proud to bring solidarity greetings from Dundee Labour
Party, I was joined by my colleagues Mercedes Villalba MSP and Councillor Charlie Malone. We brought solidarity greetings n</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">ot because there is an election
on but because we are the party of the trade unions, Labour was created by the
trade union movement and we are proud to support workers in struggle whether
it is Dundee University today or at NHS Tayside in the past or EIS and other
union members protesting against faculties in Dundee schools.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I have joined Unison members of the picket line this
morning as I have done with UCU and Unite members in the past.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">The right to dignity and certainty in retirement is
important and everyone deserves it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">A decent pension is not an added extra or some kind of
bonus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People have paid for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is deferred income not an optional extra.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">I was pleased last October when Dundee City Council agreed
to a motion which I put forward on this issue that called on the University and
the Scottish Government to find a just solution.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">I have raised this issue with the university at every
opportunity including at the open court meeting in January where we heard that
Dundee University was doing well financially and was committed to its social
purpose, cuts to the pensions of the poorest paid staff members might suggest
otherwise.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Dundee University is an independent body which should make
its own decisions and I call on them to work with Unison and the other trade
unions to come to an agreed settlement of this dispute.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Dundee University is funded and regulated by the Scottish
Government and I am calling on the Scottish Government to intervene and ensure
that the much vaunted Fair Work principles are adhered to at Dundee
University.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have written to Nicola
Sturgeon today calling on her to ensure dignity in retirement for everyone who
works at the University of Dundee.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">As a councillor in the West End and as a graduate of Dundee
University I want the university to do well, I want it to be a good employer
and a good neighbour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly I don’t
think I can say that it is right now.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">These proposals cut the pensions of those who are poorest
paid at the University of Dundee; they disproportionately impact on female
workers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a disgrace.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">I am calling on the University of Dundee or the Scottish
Government to ensure that all workers but especially the poorest paid have
dignity in retirement..</span></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-67339403787201028072022-03-08T18:06:00.000+00:002022-03-08T18:06:27.825+00:00Hugely Disappointing Decision on Residents' Parking Scheme<p><span style="background-color: white; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6Ly4uhj7GhqCB8AF7Bo9CjMTayBKupLFOtvc9KHGP1xmD9JXx0qdnXpzmb1H9I9a9omSxk7heNpCFzQvXF21wGSHydByTtzOWFezjEr2wp0xs7VmWxFWhp5SDn0OCI9otVNLVjUiJTFHCJvfFIB4_zQR-MrIZW7aFnErW8TUHRQ54QUKPZZqJ-JMj=s7168" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4784" data-original-width="7168" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6Ly4uhj7GhqCB8AF7Bo9CjMTayBKupLFOtvc9KHGP1xmD9JXx0qdnXpzmb1H9I9a9omSxk7heNpCFzQvXF21wGSHydByTtzOWFezjEr2wp0xs7VmWxFWhp5SDn0OCI9otVNLVjUiJTFHCJvfFIB4_zQR-MrIZW7aFnErW8TUHRQ54QUKPZZqJ-JMj=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am hugely disappointed at the decision of Dundee City Council's SNP Administration not to progress with plans for a resident's car parking scheme in parts of the Coldside, Maryfield and West End wards. I am appalled that the report presented to councillors did not discharge the remit it was given in a report agreed four years ago. I put forward an amendment which called on the council to actually carry out the consultation agreed in 2018, requested that the council's Chief Executive report on the issues that caused so much difficulty in implementing an unanimously agreed policy and finally I called on the council to bring forward a report on setting up a season ticket style offer for the car parks in the West End where charges have been imposed along with East Whale Lane. My motion and Bailie Fraser Macpherson's motion were amalgamated and put forward as a joint proposal.</span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am hugely disappointed by the decision not to progress the residents' car parking scheme. People in the areas around the city centre face problems with commuters parking in residential streets.</span></span></p><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Four years ago the council unanimously agreed to consult on a residents' car parking scheme. The report to the committee on Monday did not reflect the will of the committee. The consultations which were reported were totally unacceptable.</span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am clear that the council was meant to bring forward a report which would examine a range of financial options. Instead, the council has plucked a figure of £80 from somewhere. This figure does not compare with the existing residents' car parking scheme in Dundee.</span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This has not been the council's finest hour. Much has been made of the impact of the pandemic preventing effective consultation from taking place. This, of course, entirely fails to explain why no real progress was made between March 2018 and March 2020. There was a go slow on this policy area. I will be asking the council's Chief Executive to explain this. Councillors need to know that the policy of the council will be implemented. This has not been the case in this area.</span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="x_elementToProof" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In the council's</span><span class="x_elementToProof" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> press release on this report the council said that 'community groups were not supportive of the introduction of an on-street residents' parking scheme if it was to go ahead in isolation and without a wider package of complimentary measures.'</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 25.68px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The irony and hypocrisy of this statement will not be lost on those paying for car parking in the West End car parks in a policy development introduced in isolation and without a wider package of complimentary measures. That is why I proposed that the council bring forward a report looking at having season tickets for the car parks in the West End and at East Whale Lane. I was disappointed that Councillor Lynne Short who had previously raised the issue of residents' car parking permits at East Whale Lane voted against this proposal.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="x_elementToProof" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="x_elementToProof" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="x_elementToProof" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fundamentally, this has been a huge missed opportunity by Dundee City Council. A missed opportunity which has let down people in the West End, Coldside and Maryfield wards. A problem was identified in 2018 and the A</span></span></span><span class="x_elementToProof" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">dministration's answer is to do nothing other than exacerbate the problem by introducing car parking charges in the West End car parks.</span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="x_elementToProof" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="x_elementToProof" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I will be looking to help local people in the West End, Maryfield and Coldside wards and looking for solutions which alleviate congestion in these areas. The solutions to this must include efforts to reduce our reliance on cars and also should include restrictions on commuter parking in residential areas.</span></span></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-21072773677249629872022-03-08T12:31:00.001+00:002022-03-08T12:33:27.444+00:00Another Huge Maintenance Bill for the People of Dundee<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguz92fi4I2ddDY7RDlYoSnQ-h0pSqOlqvIVTniLhJ-wL0YSHSImHQn5WpSLISOSJwfk0z7chkG3Lq_VJmcPqLMwuk1k5VyDHUTVzcXqUIZE7rRocJH6dyOCy2qRS9e4ZzmyWq6lgos4sauYM-n1oEKR7HFRVTLJstw8rJiQ2OOXu0vtkL8pOUeODQ9=s7360" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7360" data-original-width="4912" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguz92fi4I2ddDY7RDlYoSnQ-h0pSqOlqvIVTniLhJ-wL0YSHSImHQn5WpSLISOSJwfk0z7chkG3Lq_VJmcPqLMwuk1k5VyDHUTVzcXqUIZE7rRocJH6dyOCy2qRS9e4ZzmyWq6lgos4sauYM-n1oEKR7HFRVTLJstw8rJiQ2OOXu0vtkL8pOUeODQ9=w268-h400" width="268" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">As <span color="inherit" style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Labour's City Development spokesperson on Dundee City Council, I was shocked at yet another huge building maintenance bill for the people of Dundee. A report to Monday evening's City Development Committee showed that up to £1.2 million will have to be spent on repairs at Dundee House. This recent spate of building maintenance issues including over £4 million for repairs at Olympia and over £4 million to replace botched repairs to roofs. I put forward an amendment calling for an independent report to be commissioned into building maintenance across the council which would have been tasked to ensure that the correct resources were being deployed on building maintenance on issues like personnel, processes or budgets.</span></span><p></p><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div class="x_elementToProof" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There is a very unwelcome pattern emerging here.</span><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In a few short months we are approaching a figure of £10 million for repairs that seem to be to say the least out of the ordinary.</span><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What else could be done with that money?</span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="x_elementToProof" color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Given the report that went before committee on Monday evening about repairs at Dundee House, given the ongoing issue at Olympia and the issues regarding the roof repairs which have all come to light in the last few months I thought that there was is a need for an independent review of repairs and maintenance of buildings.</span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I was disappointed that the SNP Administration and their Alba and Independent supporters did not see a problem with building maintenance and voted against an independent report. These councillors must be very confident that Dundee has just been unlucky in this £10 million losing streak.</span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I believe that councillors need to know that property maintenance is being done properly.</span><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It looks like that might not be the case and as councillors we have a duty to get to the bottom of it.</span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We need to ask are the proper resources there in terms of personnel, processes and resources?</span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We cannot sit back and wait on the next bill to come our way.</span><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This committee should have been proactive in making sure that the city’s resources are being looked after properly.</span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The people of Dundee are facing a cost of living crisis, the Council Tax is going up and a substantial part of that increase will go to pay for what looks like avoidable maintenance problems.</span><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This is not good enough.</span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My amendment was designed to help the council.</span><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It was designed to ensure that we can have confidence that best practice is followed and hopefully a reassurance that these problems will not happen in the future.</span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Since my amendment was voted down I feel duty bound to raise my concerns about building maintenance and the eye-watering costs to the people of Dundee with the council's external auditors.</span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The people of Dundee deserve answers.</span><br /></span></span></p></span></span></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-48629083026020554892022-02-24T22:57:00.000+00:002022-02-24T22:57:32.143+00:00Labour Budget Proposals Call for Investment in Attainment Gap <p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7dDjC-K3Ob-LnaDVutu0E8JgLUu3tPKjSZL7v6XJKfH7vmRyhYQCiMSSYumov_yTg-kZFjwr6NnYaAfT5mueaWznnAKbQaPvCUGW8kCtWlHszCXp8SG_PdUtdfmI0Eym1rLGZgwHeDYEXqlWHYimmaczbd0EAwzli624pW4oZ0GRuot0NqICtf2T7=s940" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7dDjC-K3Ob-LnaDVutu0E8JgLUu3tPKjSZL7v6XJKfH7vmRyhYQCiMSSYumov_yTg-kZFjwr6NnYaAfT5mueaWznnAKbQaPvCUGW8kCtWlHszCXp8SG_PdUtdfmI0Eym1rLGZgwHeDYEXqlWHYimmaczbd0EAwzli624pW4oZ0GRuot0NqICtf2T7=w400-h335" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Dundee City Council's Budget meeting was held today, </span>Thursday. It was sobering thought to have this important meeting on the day when Russia invaded Ukraine. It was good that all groups on the council spoke against this act of aggression against democracy<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Each year the </span>Local<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>Government<span style="font-family: inherit;"> settlement follows a similar pattern where the original </span>proposals<span style="font-family: inherit;"> from the Scottish Government are absolutely unacceptable. I acknowledge that the original settlement for this year has
been improved upon</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, it would be good if we stopped this charade which happens
each year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Councils are offered a dreadful deal after a bit of a fuss
councils are then given a terrible deal and try to make it look like it is
something good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We need to recognise that council services are important
and that what we are trying to do is important.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know that not everyone on this call agrees on everything
but I think we are all trying to make Dundee a better place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We also need to recognise that the pandemic has made
crystal clear something that should have been clear before, that council
workers are key workers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure
every member of the council clapped for key workers ,we need a political situation which recognises
the reality that those key workers are not given enough support.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trying to make Dundee a better place is why the Labour
Group has focused our budget on education.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The council recently spoke with one voice to protest
against cuts to the Scottish Attainment Challenge Fund.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have the opportunity today to speak with
one voice again and to deliver investment in education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our comeback tutors would help some of the
most disadvantaged young people in the city.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Courier described the cuts to the Attainment Challenge
as a False economy and I agree with that description.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is important to remember that these possible economies,
false or otherwise, in front of us today are not just numbers on a bit of paper
or a computer screen to be deleted or recycled after the meeting is
finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The false economy of cuts to
the Attainment Challenge Fund will have costs for those already disadvantaged
young people in Dundee for decades to come.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Labour Group's education proposals call for investment in the future
of these young people, we are also mindful that for many young people the
pandemic has been a very difficult time, that is why we think the six social
work posts which the </span>Administration<span style="font-family: inherit;"> want to cut should be filled and retained to work with young people and families
to address the educational recovery programme.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Labour Group is very concerned about the future of
Leisure and Culture Dundee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the face
of closures due to the pandemic and now the ongoing closure at Olympia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want to support Leisure and Culture Dundee
and encourage Dundonians to use leisure facilities to improve their physical
and mental health.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We want to encourage local groups through a participatory
budgeting approach to tell Leisure and Culture Dundee about the services their
communities need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We think that this
will help local communities and will help Leisure and Culture Dundee recover.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was pleased when the council agreed to support the Right
to Food and to call for the abolition of Food Banks recently. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are important aspirations but sadly they
will not be fulfilled overnight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is
why we think there should be extra spending food insecurity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2022 it is a disgrace that anyone is going
hungry in Dundee and we need to support those who are trying to deal with these
problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also want to spend money on
warm clothes for winter for those who need it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The weather today illustrates the need for this expenditure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite some warm words about wanting to work together there was no real effort to try and make the Dundee City Council Budget better. This was a missed opportunity. We would have been prepared to discuss the Budget </span>proposals<span style="font-family: inherit;"> further if the talk about wanting to listen to all parties in the council was genuine. Instead SNP, Alba and independent councillors forced through a Budget that does not do enough for young people in our city.</span></span></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-27492291744649049052022-02-22T22:51:00.003+00:002022-02-22T23:03:34.854+00:00Concern at closure of Ryehill Medical Practice<p><span style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzpzD-LM8Ye0uBG6dBv1QRq7Ys91C6bNNKkjpQUOohrJTDw0FZsRCcXuQ2BW0U9BTzWj_ACFkmdn2Agbvq_0A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div class="separator"><a href="hhttps://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/dundee/3013104/ryehill-medical-centre-dundee-options-nhs/ttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHfnKpYBoLUlzgNTabKU-egGSphZojQFp8KwLIe_cZKbXupxEsWn10ze-0UZD89vjnaAqZrYjn83i4VxxUA266BAZlKsteglHoRtP4PJQ0j6jmQFyTXi4mVWLAhlFCdsNqd-dnIjgVM7rxR9xwKRBpzZgUHrZa4L4eWwYHLY-Wwp5yRIN_SAm2UYmW=s2762" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2762" data-original-width="1615" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHfnKpYBoLUlzgNTabKU-egGSphZojQFp8KwLIe_cZKbXupxEsWn10ze-0UZD89vjnaAqZrYjn83i4VxxUA266BAZlKsteglHoRtP4PJQ0j6jmQFyTXi4mVWLAhlFCdsNqd-dnIjgVM7rxR9xwKRBpzZgUHrZa4L4eWwYHLY-Wwp5yRIN_SAm2UYmW=s320" width="187" /></a></div></div></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am calling</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> for answers from NHS Tayside and the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership about the future of General Practice provision in the West End and across Dundee. It has been reported that Ryehill Medical Practice will close at the end of June 2022. I want to be sure that all patients will be transferred to a new GP Practice and that all care will continue at the appropriate level. I want to </span>know<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> what actions were taken to try and prevent this closure. I also wants to know what will become of the building at Ryehill.</span></span></span><p></p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was shocked to read reports of the closure of Ryehill Medical Practice. I have been contacted by constituents who are appalled at the news.</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I want to know that every effort has been made to try and ensure the continuation of GP services at Ryehill.</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The news of this closure is extremely serious. There are 5,400 patients registered at this practice and they need to see absolutely no reduction in the services available to them. I will be looking for a guarantee that everyone will be registered with a new GP and that all of their health needs will continue to be looked after.</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I also want to know about the impact on other GP practices in Dundee of 5,400 patients having to be found a new GP.</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am looking for answers from NHS Tayside, the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership and from the Scottish Government about this issue, people in the West End and beyond need to know that they have the GP service that they need.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fundamental issue with regard to the future of Ryehill Medical Practice is that nobody is disadvantaged by these changes. No patient at Ryehill should be see any difference in the care that they receive. I want NHS Tayside to guarantee that noone will miss out due to this closure.</span></div><div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">NHS Tayside needs to be open and transparent about the future of GP services in the West End of Dundee. Patients whom I have spoken to are appalled at the news of the closure of the practice. I am looking for more information from them as a matter of urgency.'</span></div><div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p aria-hidden="true" class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="color: #201f1e; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="color: #201f1e; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Along with my friend and colleague Michael Marra MSP I have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Health looking for answers. Michael Marra MSP said, “Ryehill has been a fixture of the Dundee community for generations and thousands of people rely on the practice for their care. Those people have been thrown into limbo with this news and will have real concerns about where their medical care will now come from.</span></p><p aria-hidden="true" class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="color: #201f1e; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="color: #201f1e; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We must not simply accept the closure of the surgery as a done deal. Changes to the management and structure may be inevitable but the people of Dundee must be given appropriate care.</span></p><p aria-hidden="true" class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="color: #201f1e; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="color: #201f1e; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The problems in General Practice have been growing for years now and the Scottish Government’s failure to attract and keep GPs is reaching crisis point.”</span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><b> </b></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p></div></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-27315149322927160022022-02-04T14:52:00.000+00:002022-02-04T14:52:32.093+00:00Support the Right to Food in Scots Law and Please donate to a local foodbank<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgw9tlKFDEU8QcP0xWHj3NZ6BzT9-SM1LAZxRh9VDAGlFd2LPnUQKzYh--WKTUOexK8ZhFLALtH5z6h6ifyRhu5FhMBN9-bc-QcrvdKDb48lHhnQSCAKDzbP8iXnVo3N_aQtP4_TPTPVAXB8ZKUkt4DepoLJX2gfAo_I7OyYBjkmwC7x4Pbnzetx8J=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgw9tlKFDEU8QcP0xWHj3NZ6BzT9-SM1LAZxRh9VDAGlFd2LPnUQKzYh--WKTUOexK8ZhFLALtH5z6h6ifyRhu5FhMBN9-bc-QcrvdKDb48lHhnQSCAKDzbP8iXnVo3N_aQtP4_TPTPVAXB8ZKUkt4DepoLJX2gfAo_I7OyYBjkmwC7x4Pbnzetx8J=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Recently Dundee City Council unanimously agreed to support the <a href="https://richardmccready.blogspot.com/2022/02/dundee-city-council-calls-for-right-to.html">Right to Food in Scots Law and also called for an end to foodbanks.</a></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On Saturday 5 February I will be on the Perth Road at the Sinderins triangle from 10am until 12noon collecting signatures for a petition to support bringing the Right to Food into Scots Law, and Bill to make this happen proposed by Rhoda Grant MSP. Whilst I want to see an end to Foodbanks in our country I will also be accepting donations of food for the <a href="https://dundeeandangus.foodbank.org.uk/">Dundee and Angus Foodbank</a> as a practical way to s</span></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Foodbank currently needs</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Adult toothbrushes</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shampoo</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bars of soap</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Size 6 and 7 nappies</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cereals</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">UHT Milk</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Biscuits/crisp/ snack</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Diluting juice</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px;">If you are around between 10am and 12 noon on Saturday and are able to make a donation please come and say hello and we will make sure that the donation gets to Dundee and Angus Foodbank on Monday to help local people.</span>upport people caught up in the cost of living crisis at the moment.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-82851169057872800662022-02-01T10:37:00.002+00:002022-02-01T10:37:41.348+00:00Dundee City Council calls for Right to Food in Scots Law and Abolition of Food Banks<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">I </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkD16iWVKAH1r6THm0bfM_H6WIyRP2LDqEul0D-W5WfxIKM1XCr4rh5HAEQBV_lhhOrXx4lAXjpfyFJB5sJK5LZCds2Oq_vIG9WpSIFiwWOsZoeeVaYCjAsr_xzSBzF7h6Hixv419-NstyF0yGXqqMycafCACeME0y-alKhCf-W45oFdBhcYpl0d6O=s4032" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkD16iWVKAH1r6THm0bfM_H6WIyRP2LDqEul0D-W5WfxIKM1XCr4rh5HAEQBV_lhhOrXx4lAXjpfyFJB5sJK5LZCds2Oq_vIG9WpSIFiwWOsZoeeVaYCjAsr_xzSBzF7h6Hixv419-NstyF0yGXqqMycafCACeME0y-alKhCf-W45oFdBhcYpl0d6O=s320" width="156" /></a>moved an amendment at a </span></span>Dundee<span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> City </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Council committee meeting which committed Dundee City Council to support the Right to Food being enshrined in Scots Law and to </span><a href="https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/proposed-members-bills/rtf-session-6-consultation-doc-final.pdf" style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">support legislation</a><span style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> being brought forward by Rhoda Grant MSP on this. The council also supported plans to end the use of food banks in Scotland. I think that it is shameful that people are struggling to feed their families in Dundee in 2022.</span></span></p><p></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I want to be very clear that I value the work of everyone in our city who has supported a Food Bank or worked or volunteered in a food bank.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">These people have made our city and our country a better place and we should be extremely grateful to them.</span><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">However, we should also recognise that people going hungry in Dundee in 2022, people not having enough to feed their families in Dundee in 2022 and people using food banks in Dundee in 2022 is a disgrace. </span><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We should all be working for the eradication of food banks in our city and our country.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The amendment which I put forward calls for support for the Right to Food in Scots Law.</span><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We have a theoretical right to food under international law, but this clearly isn’t working or there would be no need for food banks.</span><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This proposal recognises that the Second UN Sustainable Development Goal is End Hunger by 2030.</span><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When we hear about Sustainable Development Goals, we might think of the work of SCIAF, or Oxfam or Christian Aid but this applies to Dundee as much as the developing world.</span><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> That we need to think about eradicating hunger in the 2022 in Dundee is a disgrace.</span></span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bill proposed by Rhoda Grant MSP is intended to work with other measures being brought forward, for example the Good Food Nation agenda.</span><span color="inherit" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It is right for the Scottish Government to highlight the economic importance of things like the export of whisky or the production of smoked salmon, but we also need to recognise that it is appalling to talk about expensive exports at a time when people can’t feed their families.</span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.05px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; color: black; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Attempts have been made to <a href="https://party.coop/2021/10/06/disappointed-at-attempt-to-kick-right-to-food-bill-into-the-long-grass/">block the progress of Rhoda Grant's proposed Bill in the Scottish Parliament.</a></span><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Given the unanimous support from the council for it I hope that all local MSPs will support this </span>Bill<span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> and help to make it law. </span></span></span><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; color: black; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It would allow all levels of Government to make sure that their work ensured that people would have the right to food.</span></span></p></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-61701183889416436122022-01-30T12:49:00.000+00:002022-01-30T12:49:28.468+00:00Air Quality Figures Unacceptable<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #241c15; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://foe.scot/scotlands-most-polluted-streets-in-2021/"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiipHgK4j7MZa-JPawlCymuIbClOJjDzzIcyWaWvWjLQx7bAh-Df8Zr_J0Jr4iy6k0B0GrfU5uLl8bQ7LeaRPmKgutwkFk5pegqQA5LdxnvTDh3FclFjYc_eV_gxK-p1fkGPaaqo3wJuOgovGdECg1ucWjFsEG6-6jqD11FyfSMKWCS5lmKApIh8UFG=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://foe.scot/scotlands-most-polluted-streets-in-2021/">Click on the picture from Friends of the Earth (Scotland) <br />to read about their research into poor air quality</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />New data published by <a href="https://foe.scot/scotlands-most-polluted-streets-in-2021/">Friends of the Earth (Scotland)</a> shows that air pollution increased across Dundee in 2021 after the historic and unprecedented lows of traffic-free lockdown in 2020. </span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #241c15; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Friends of the Earth Scotland analysed official air pollution data for 2021, looking at two toxic pollutants which are primarily produced by transport. Many streets across the city had higher levels of traffic pollution last year, with Lochee Road and Seagate among the worst in the country. Seagate had 28.483 µg/m3 of nitrogen dioxide - diesel pollution - averaged across 2020. The average for 2021 was 30.136. Lochee Road remained high at 31.8.</span></span></p></div><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am appalled to see that air quality has declined again in Dundee.</span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These figures are hugely disappointing. In terms of air quality, the new normal appears to be the old normal. I will be looking for action from Dundee City Council and others to improve air quality particularly on the Lochee Road, but I will also be looking for the proposed Low Emission Zone in the city centre to make a significant difference to air quality in that area.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Low Emission Zone is important but the proposals for Dundee cover a relatively small area in the city centre. I recognise that this should have a knock-on effect throughout the city but the council must do all that it can to improve air quality for the whole of Dundee. I have been clear that action is needed on the Lochee Road to ensure that air quality improves. The Low Emission Zone cannot be the only show in town. Residents on the Lochee Road need to know that action is being taken.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Poor air quality impacts on the health and quality of life of far too many people in the city of Dundee. This is a pressing public health issue, and it needs a concerted effort from all levels of government and the NHS to address it.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We need to find ways to promote walking, wheeling, and cycling that are effective and also create a public transport system that encourages people to use the bus rather than their private car. This is a challenge for everyone in the city.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Scottish Government accepts that poor air quality impacts on the more vulnerable members of our society, for example the very young and the elderly. The Scottish Government described air quality as 'an important health inequalities issue' in a report published in July 2021. If that is the case it requires action, and I will be asking the Scottish Government what it is doing to prevent health inequalities in Dundee.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Friends of the Earth say that air pollution kills 2,500 people in Scotland each year and impacts on the health of many others this statistic demands the attention of policymakers.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We are living in climate emergency and also a public health crisis caused by poor air quality, we need to see action. I will be contacting Dundee City Council officers to find out about what they plan to do to improve air quality. I will be writing to Scottish Government asking them what they intend to do about this.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These poor air quality statistics are unacceptable. We need to be certain that actions are being taken to clean up air quality in Dundee.</span></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-36752416277397773462022-01-28T16:08:00.003+00:002022-01-28T16:08:59.769+00:00Dundee should remember Holocaust Victim John Fletcher<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/past-times/2946399/dundonian-john-fletcher-auschwitz/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2796" data-original-width="3269" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPtqvV8VMJubWBVxK37AiWg3MqOklZJnROPifPfjQgwJFRNtSvrmb7bNLgJz_gk8bnGBfIa9NG6sqI4U68KmJo7U9rLxzc7zaLvgl2tzaIPQ__XYatpq15_6qcuVcW-pANbb90Y3QnCKC_einFGNzf5iwFrF_enEUSeRXCiZIUmNbKaRWaJ4vssZ5V=w640-h548" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click above to read more about John Fletcher in the <i>Evening Telegraph</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today's <i>Evening Telegraph</i><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> highlights the story of John Fletcher a Dundonian who was murdered in the Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration Camp. I am calling for the city of Dundee to find some way to commemorate John Fletcher and other victims of the Holocaust. I have asked Dundee City Council to consider how to commemorate John Fletcher and have asked the Holocaust Memorial Trust</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> for their thoughts on how to commemorate John Fletcher.</span></span></p><p><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Fletcher was born in the Overgate in Dundee in 1892. He served in the British army in the First World War and after the war moved to France, married a French woman and became a French citizen. He lived in a town called Albert and worked in a aircraft factory there. After the German invasion of France the factory was requisitioned by the Nazis. John Fletcher was arrested in May 1942, probably on suspicion of helping British airmen escape after they had been shot down. He was eventually taken to Auschwitz Birkenau and died there with the date of death given as 30 July 1942. More details are in today's </span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><a href="https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/past-times/2946399/dundonian-john-fletcher-auschwitz/">Evening Telegraph</a>.</i></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks to the <i>Evening Telegraph </i>for highlighting the story of John Fletcher who was murdered in the Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration Camp. John Fletcher's story is a tragic story, along with millions of other tragic stories which reflect the ability of humans to act in an appalling manner. These are stories that we should remember and resolve to say, 'never again.' The Holocaust is not a remote historical event, this was within living memory for some people still with us today and the sad fact is that other genocides have happened since.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">John Fletcher's tragic story is important. I think that we should look for some way to mark this in Dundee. Whilst the Overgate has changed significantly since he lived there; this is a man who lived in Dundee, who walked our streets, who grew up here and then was murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz Birkenau.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whatever happens as a result of this call it is important that we all commit to saying, 'never again' and recognising the inherent value of every human being.</span></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-47452393075811920122022-01-27T10:47:00.003+00:002022-02-24T22:28:57.476+00:00Council speaks with one voice against cuts to poorest children's education<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTPDIN_F8h30ecG-mNJRZq3vRhs-CbZ8QOPbCtTB0ZJBPnI41-XVFf_RarBJhXbaYjRw1CuwZksaxgXoSLzApLAAifXpzCAK-AXwPHp9loOc91PXXfbLv138Od5uBh3uWCNB5uLJaw3MTtxmm0qAvHMLqb5uQK10P_mMCA_TX_2FEyVmucOj3j278G=s2227" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="2227" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTPDIN_F8h30ecG-mNJRZq3vRhs-CbZ8QOPbCtTB0ZJBPnI41-XVFf_RarBJhXbaYjRw1CuwZksaxgXoSLzApLAAifXpzCAK-AXwPHp9loOc91PXXfbLv138Od5uBh3uWCNB5uLJaw3MTtxmm0qAvHMLqb5uQK10P_mMCA_TX_2FEyVmucOj3j278G=w640-h262" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front page of the <i>Courier </i>26 January 2022</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On Monday night Dundee City Council's </span>Children<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and Families Service Committee supported an amendment put forward by my colleague Councillor Georgia Cruickshank which described cuts proposed to the Scottish Attainment Challenge Fund in Dundee as 'devastating.' The Committee also agreed to write to the Scottish Government calling for them to reverse this cut. You can read more about the cuts and my colleagues Georgia Cruickshank and Charlie Malone's comments in the <i><a href="https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/education/schools/2943564/dunee-attainment-cuts/">Courier</a>.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was concerned to read in papers for the December Scrutiny
Committee that the performance of the poorest young people in Dundee has not
met the target set by the council. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
need to recognise that these young people have had a very difficult start in
life and that society should be doing all that it can to make sure that their
social and economic position in their early years does not limit their ability
to achieve their full potential in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dundee City Council should be doing all that it can to improve this
situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, I am appalled to
hear of these are plans to cut funding for the Attainment Challenge Fund which
will impact on Dundee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the Scrutiny
Committee I asked officers of the council how on earth this could possibly help
the situation.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At a recent Scottish Parliament Education Committee a
council officer stated that 'there will be challenging decisions to made' as a
result of this policy change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
response to my question at the Scrutiny Committee the outgoing Executive
Director of Children and Families said that there was 'no question it [the cut
to Attainment Challenge Fund] will have an impact.'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went on to say that 'I wouldn't minimise
the challenge that the reduction in the Scottish Attainment Challenge fund will
bring.'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am extremely concerned to hear
professionals tell me that Dundee's poorest children will face further problems
because of this policy change.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is appalling to think that money has been invested to
try and improve the life chances of some of the poorest young people in our
country will now be taken away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a
councillor in Dundee letting every young person in Dundee achieve their full
potential is a priority it is astonishing that funding previously available to
help the poor in Dundee is being cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
officers have made clear there is no way to sugar-coat this bitter pill, the
best they could say is that it will be 'challenging' or have 'an impact'<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was glad that the Children and Families Services Committee agreed to Labour's amendment especially because the committee’s remit is not to protect our political
parties; rather<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dundee councillors' focus should be doing all that we
can to improve attainment in this city to give the young people whom we have a
responsibility for the best start in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It would be appalling if we had voted in any other way. We were right to condemn this callous cut to the life chances of the poorest young people in Dundee</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A recent <i>Courier</i> editorial described this cut as 'a false economy' and that is absolutely what it is. That false economy will cost society for decades into the future. Let's hope that the Scottish Government see sense and reinstate funding to help the poorest pupils in Dundee.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-7245148671605818582022-01-20T11:33:00.006+00:002022-01-20T16:51:57.302+00:00Get Deposit Return Scheme Up and Running<p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzAcCPEeeEJ0kRqJZYpMTH0rWYDtrsS1gdtm0jdrMlVTTtL1XrFnV8H_XEUDSQyq6ahsLtMBniOp07hYPvgDw0B4ZVA5hi9LpaBXd6xcs8U_N4cUNxJHi6bP5MkvzDQJUEhmOqDCrz3hyooDfeTQgeyVtE5ntGNyACS2zIKI3LShEjaq6fnMt02bCM=s1600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzAcCPEeeEJ0kRqJZYpMTH0rWYDtrsS1gdtm0jdrMlVTTtL1XrFnV8H_XEUDSQyq6ahsLtMBniOp07hYPvgDw0B4ZVA5hi9LpaBXd6xcs8U_N4cUNxJHi6bP5MkvzDQJUEhmOqDCrz3hyooDfeTQgeyVtE5ntGNyACS2zIKI3LShEjaq6fnMt02bCM=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I've </span><span face="Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">written to the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, Lorna Slater MSP, asking that she reconsider the decision by the Scottish Government to postpone the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers. I am concerned about Dundee failing to meet targets for recycling and I recently asked council officers whether the Deposit Return Scheme would make a difference and was told it would be 'extremely positive' for recycling. There is a target that 70% of household waste will be recycled by 2025, <a href="https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/594043/2020-household-statistics-commentary-final-v2b-002.pdf">SEPA</a> has recently published figures that show that for 2020 Dundee's percentage of household waste recycled declined to 34.7%.</span><p></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I am committed to doing what I can to improve the environment in Dundee. Increasing recycling has to be a priority. The target for household recycling is 70% of household waste recycled by 2025 the latest figures show that Dundee is less than halfway there. I understand that the pandemic has impacted on the ability to progress these figures, but we are living in a climate emergency, and we need to take action.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A recent <a href="https://dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/agendas/ns100122ag.pdf">report</a> by council officers highlighted that lack of progress on the Deposit Return Scheme was holding back efforts to improve recycling in Dundee. Indeed, when asked the Council's Head of Environment said that the Deposit Return Scheme would have "an extremely positive impact on increased recycling rates." With this is mind I have written to the Minister asked that she reconsider the decision to postpone the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I want everyone at all levels of government to work together to do all that we can to improve the environment in Dundee and to minimise the impact of actions by people and by public bodies in Dundee which contribute to the climate emergency which we are facing just now.</div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-65437124275663917762022-01-12T14:41:00.000+00:002022-01-12T14:41:28.693+00:00Dundee City Council says Local Government Settlement is 'unacceptable'<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf1O7Hv3zK1WuxurF39jXIpD0Pwngm45pYR2IPjRNSjTvTREaRNVtrP1GXIOKFKoJKqPlIxsVuZqO0mFJ6Gqel5M_Lz5--w0lZC6n2MH2tl1ziIre7LARnOuCMVD8jr1FVJVTYLLDdSH1ifN6Me-TtL1fUbpuxt6ySXUbVIQFK7oyYXLKebU4ECG5j=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf1O7Hv3zK1WuxurF39jXIpD0Pwngm45pYR2IPjRNSjTvTREaRNVtrP1GXIOKFKoJKqPlIxsVuZqO0mFJ6Gqel5M_Lz5--w0lZC6n2MH2tl1ziIre7LARnOuCMVD8jr1FVJVTYLLDdSH1ifN6Me-TtL1fUbpuxt6ySXUbVIQFK7oyYXLKebU4ECG5j=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Dundee City Council has unanimously described this year's Local Government financial settlement as 'unacceptable'. Dundee City Council's Policy and Resources Committee agreed to an amendment from me describing the financial settlement as 'unacceptable' and calling on the Scottish Government to 'deliver a fair funding settlement' for local government in Scotland. The council was dealing with a report which showed that £12.2 million of savings or cuts would be required to reach a break-even budget in 2022-2023.</span><p></p><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255) !important; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255) !important; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">I was really pleased that Dundee City Council spoke with one voice and described the local government settlement as 'unacceptable'. It is important that we recognise that cuts on this scale impact on real people in Dundee and impact on their lives, this is not a political debating point this is about the impact on the lives of people in our communities.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255) !important; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255) !important; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Prior to Christmas i</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">t was good to see council leaders from across Scotland and across all parties agree to a statement at <a href="https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2021/cosla-takes-case-for-a-better-settlement-to-the-first-minister">COSLA</a> which described the local government settlement as unacceptable.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The <a href="https://dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/agendas/pr100122ag(sup).pdf">report</a> before us on Monday was sobering reading and demonstrates the problems that the council faces.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The report </span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">set out savings, also known as cuts, of £12.2 million are required to achieve a balanced budget for 2022/23.'</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> (<a href="https://dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/agendas/pr100122ag(sup).pdf">See Item 4 Paragraph 3.1</a>)</span></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We can have a debate about whether this is the fault of Holyrood or Westminster or actually both or we can face the facts that these ‘savings’ or ‘cuts’ impact on services here in Dundee and impact on real people here in Dundee.</span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I welcome the council adopting a Community Wealth Building approach which it did recently and that was about keeping investment and jobs local.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Something that the council agreed to.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The cuts to the budget set out in the report will have an impact on local jobs and the local economy.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They will have an impact on the life chances and quality of life of Dundonians.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> It is the opposite of the Community Wealth Building approach.</span></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The report states that the Council’s Provisional Revenue Budget includes an allowance of 2% for pay awards.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> (<a href="https://dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/agendas/pr100122ag(sup).pdf">See Item 4 Paragraph 5.6</a>) </span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I note that some money will be held to help achieve the Scottish Government’s welcome public sector pay policy.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The reality however is that there is a cost-of-living crisis in this country and that inflation in November was 5.1% which means that a pay rise of 2% is a real terms pay cut.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Those of us who clapped for key workers really need to start paying for key workers.</span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dundee needs a settlement which takes account of inflation and increased demand for services.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I welcome recent work by COSLA and I think that it was important that Dundee City Council followed that lead and highlights our concerns.</span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My amendment will strengthen the Council Leader's case when he is calling on the Scottish Government to make a fair settlement for local government across Scotland and for Dundee in particular.</span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Our city needs investment, it needs hard-working council workers delivering good services to the people of Dundee, in order to do that we need a local government settlement which is fair, and which reflects the reality of the economic situation we face.</span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><p class="x_x_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I was pleased that colleagues supported my amendment and spoke out with one voice to call for fair funding for local government. my hope is that the Scottish Government listen.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></p><div><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></div></span></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-75518876051141577952022-01-11T12:25:00.003+00:002022-01-11T12:25:32.542+00:00Concern over reports of Covid-19 breaches at Dundee Pubs<p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjir9AZMlASwO5jCfRW-QvkE2hP6ehMf0hedQuw70FLUaGoYtyDiI6FdVxRMMqeEyNKVisqVuwJyiDSYo40mwVTBocrQOHbFTSCFbEif2fw4VlitT8-I5SkZzLPWzsgjOFRP6phcxZgeVbsYw7WMYeYx_3LFBjpxpL_rUOoHD5kuG4awhEDBL4h9l1k=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjir9AZMlASwO5jCfRW-QvkE2hP6ehMf0hedQuw70FLUaGoYtyDiI6FdVxRMMqeEyNKVisqVuwJyiDSYo40mwVTBocrQOHbFTSCFbEif2fw4VlitT8-I5SkZzLPWzsgjOFRP6phcxZgeVbsYw7WMYeYx_3LFBjpxpL_rUOoHD5kuG4awhEDBL4h9l1k=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br />I have <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">written to the Dundee Licensing Board to ask them to look into media reports of Covid-19 breaches at a number of Licensed premises in the city of Dundee. I am not a member of the Licensing Board, but I am concerned about seriousness of these allegations and I believe that the public of Dundee need to see that the allegations are being treated with the seriousness that they deserve.</span><p></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Like many other people I <a href="https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/2890380/courier-opinion-astonishing-dossier-about-dundee-bar-bosses/">read</a> the allegations, in <a href="https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/dundee/2886744/macmerry-mass-complaint-dundee-hospitality/">the Courier</a> and Evening Telegraph, against Macmerry 300 Limited and Abandon Ship Limited with a great deal of concern. I am aware that the companies concerned refute the allegations, but I also feel that these are serious enough to merit the Licensing Board looking at whether they have any means of intervening.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The hospitality sector has faced many trials and tribulations over the past two years due to Covid-19. I want to be clear that I want to support an extensive hospitality sector in the city of Dundee. I think that the council should be looking to do what it can to support the sector and ensure that there are pubs and restaurants still operating when, at last, the pandemic comes to an end. It is also clear that the city centre of Dundee, like many others, faces real challenges in the future and the council must work with the sector to ensure that a viable hospitality sector emerges out of the pandemic.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br aria-hidden="true" /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">However, the difficulties faced by the hospitality sector cannot be an excuse for bad behaviour. The public need to know that licence holders are doing all that they can to limit the spread of Covid-19 in their premises. In 2022 harassment of staff is not acceptable and employers have a duty of care to employees. I am asking that Dundee Licensing Board have a look at this case and see if there are any actions which should take.</div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-8120797252364010262021-12-08T17:18:00.004+00:002021-12-10T11:43:34.684+00:00Community Wealth Building<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://party.coop/publication/6-steps-to-build-community-wealth/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="188" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfiLAeIy7iaVcCFJgfh6TG-hn7dr5b9RdIvgDbpUlWPH8ZQazKFTtNgTVoN7gfphccp78vFp8JGCHZI9J1N-pxRJM3uhiJXJUNmh_NPQj9mx4BuauY6euraNSw92wnFw6Ix-H5Jy51Aa77vBFx9-DrPBW_rBsVtTb7y9I0Mh2g2HzJDFDqwrUAmUqc" width="188" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The Labour Group on Dundee City </span>Council<span style="font-family: inherit;"> has been calling for the council to adopt a<a href="https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/dundee/1519039/community-wealth-building-plans-to-be-tabled-by-dundee-labour/"> Community Wealth Building</a> approach for some time now.</span><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We were pleased that the council recently agreed to adopt that Community Wealth Building approach which we had been calling for. The Labour and <a href="https://party.coop/publication/6-steps-to-build-community-wealth/">Co-operative</a> Group of Councillors have been clear in our
support for a Community Wealth Building approach.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We have witnessed the great work which is being done by our
colleagues in Preston and North Ayrshire leading the way with this model in the
UK.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This has to be about transforming the economy. This should not be about a press release or a
photo call this should be about being actually ambitious for our city rather
than ourselves and making a real change.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="https://dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/agendas/pr221121ag.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> tabled to councillors talks about two Dundee’s. All of the investment and economic policy of
the council will be a failure if something is not done to ensure that
investment brings benefits to local people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I do have to say that we have been here before. We have shown a concern for the ethics of
businesses. For example, many councillors voted for a strong policy against blacklisting and then when given
the chance to make a difference the same councillors voted to have contracts placed with blacklisters
like at the V & A. I say to colleagues
if you do not want to change how the economy works in this city then they should have voted against this policy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Labour and Co-operative Group group will be supportive of this policy and ambitious
to push it as far as we can.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For this policy to be a success we need other anchor
institutions to play a role. Too often
our universities, the NHS and College have not looked like they are moving in
the same direction. An example, would be
the recent pension dispute at Dundee University, which is still not sorted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The report does not give the impression of strong buy-in
from other partners and I hope that we will see that change over time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As an elected Co-operative councillor, I particularly
welcome the commitment to a more democratic economy. It is clear that promoting an economy as
Dundee has done where we engage with companies who take money out of the
economy of this city and even sometimes export their profits to tax havens does
not help people in Dundee. I hope that
there will be a real investment in learning about alternative economic models
which will allow people to set up businesses and prosper in Dundee and keep the
wealth created in this community.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I want to see Dundee at the heart of a Community Wealth
Building movement in this country. We
need to be ambitious, and we need to accept that the current economic model has
not worked well for far too many people in this city or for the city
itself. We support a Community Wealth Building approach and we look forward to future reports to Dundee City Council and much more
importantly actions which show that Community Wealth Building is making a
difference. </span></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-86928524898753186532021-11-15T20:53:00.004+00:002021-11-15T20:53:49.577+00:00Residents Car Parking Online Consultation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/city-development/sustainable-transport-and-roads/resident-parking-scheme" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="800" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPJbJ9fzhbkHEuQ62GM6eyTU2XOHiZ07Wbb-4pynECWCp2TfSodbm8C-wR-NBq2Zfx4xZSnqLpcL5xFP0UluIogIRLIxj9ybbpWk8thfpIlpWDBxKR9NpPzKC6RoLROa8S63JhCOgiIU/w640-h456/residentmap+car+parking+scheme.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />As regular readers will be aware I have been hugely frustrated by the lack of progress on Dundee City Council's consultation on a possible residents' car parking scheme in the West End.<div><br /></div><div>The council point to the Covid-19 pandemic as the reason for the delay but they had two years to deliver this consultation prior to the pandemic. What stopped them?</div><div><br /></div><div>The council is now running an online consultation on a residents' car parking scheme in the West End and in other communities bordering the city centre.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can let the council know your views on this online.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are also online meetings this week on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm.</div><div><br /></div><div>Details of how to let the council know your views and how to join the online meetings can be found <a href="https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/city-development/sustainable-transport-and-roads/resident-parking-scheme" target="_blank">here</a>. Or click on the map to find out more.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is hugely important that local people tell the council what they think about this issue.</div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-72751568436247271052021-11-14T16:25:00.000+00:002021-11-14T16:25:05.805+00:00Remembrance<p> At this time of year if it important to remember those who gave their lives in two world wars. It is also important to hope that we can say 'never again.'</p><p><br /></p><p>The various ceremonies in Dundee were still impacted by the ongoing pandemic. </p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNLsecgEmd_bLYD-VdLh-mWBHk9BIcFjQqdksbvsLdgGF4sxkT1A286FSctWoXmCijjEn6Wnt9CpL9A_-b-oj4tZzHOESwi0nJll7DBpTQLTl6MeUjMPOU7l-A4-ByprXjHFjlmV7hyphenhyphenA/s2048/Remembrance+Day+2021_DCC_Mark+Thomas_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNLsecgEmd_bLYD-VdLh-mWBHk9BIcFjQqdksbvsLdgGF4sxkT1A286FSctWoXmCijjEn6Wnt9CpL9A_-b-oj4tZzHOESwi0nJll7DBpTQLTl6MeUjMPOU7l-A4-ByprXjHFjlmV7hyphenhyphenA/s320/Remembrance+Day+2021_DCC_Mark+Thomas_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Minutes' Silence on Armistice Day</td></tr></tbody></table><br />On Thursday I joined veterans, members of the public, council colleagues and the Lord Provost for the two minutes' silence on Armistice Day.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5bXzfbaHpzx75sS29vCPDIlZyGKcH2kaYr57FbV49G369GJ8ABJQYBnR3l475i1gGPEsP9LyOZxtwYteihO1XNTUBhmomDyed6s8WHXna7vvJDaAf3-xHrUm_BUvNkatmx9yevWDXDs/s1600/Remembrance+Sunday+2021+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5bXzfbaHpzx75sS29vCPDIlZyGKcH2kaYr57FbV49G369GJ8ABJQYBnR3l475i1gGPEsP9LyOZxtwYteihO1XNTUBhmomDyed6s8WHXna7vvJDaAf3-xHrUm_BUvNkatmx9yevWDXDs/s320/Remembrance+Sunday+2021+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Today I joined colleagues from the Labour Group laying a wreath at the memorial outside the City Churches.<p></p><p><br /></p><p>If you want to show your support for veterans please click <a href="https://www.poppyscotland.org.uk/">here</a>.</p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-66804957612422058742021-11-01T17:30:00.001+00:002021-11-01T17:30:49.188+00:00Ernie Ross RIP<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKR-z-y9DEaaFx-qr7GGdE5BO-EBSAFh_GbwNVn6AGK9_pxOTNHMKNhX2NDmgGrGMs79u3tIPqBeoxpmyIKat6KRq7_1FsWAW1KQTV6IjBjeeT8xYULaMBeV3WftcdcZbyhrAxkAmPtS8/s300/Ernie+Ross+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKR-z-y9DEaaFx-qr7GGdE5BO-EBSAFh_GbwNVn6AGK9_pxOTNHMKNhX2NDmgGrGMs79u3tIPqBeoxpmyIKat6KRq7_1FsWAW1KQTV6IjBjeeT8xYULaMBeV3WftcdcZbyhrAxkAmPtS8/w400-h224/Ernie+Ross+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Today we said farewell to Ernie Ross. Ernie was the longest-serving Member of Parliament for Dundee. He had an interesting political career which I will mention later but much more importantly Ernie was a husband, a dad, a grandad and a friend to many. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>I used to work for Ernie but he was also my friend, In his long political career I didn't always agree with him but I do think that he never forgot the communities where he grew up and that he represented. Ernie lived in Menzieshill all the time he was an MP for example.</p><p><br /></p><p>Ernie was a trade union activist who went from the shop floor at the Caledon and Timex to the floor of the House of Commons.</p><p><br /></p><p>He was proud to represent his city, the people he lived beside and the people he grew up with. He was an effective champion of the city in Westminster and beyond.</p><p><br /></p><p>He was passionate about international human rights, most famously in respect of Palestine but also of other countries across the world. He was also passionate about tackling poverty here in Dundee. He was a founder of the All Party Group on Poverty in the House of Commons and worked effectively with Church Action on Poverty to highlight many issues about poverty in the UK in 1990s. These actions influenced many of the actions of the Labour Government from 1997. It is easy to forget that prior to 1998 there was no minimum wage in this country. Many of the moves towards policies like the Real Living Wage started with this work in the 1990s.</p><p><br /></p><p>Ernie was also a strong advocate of the Scottish Parliament indeed he mentioned it in his maiden speech in the House of Commons.</p><p><br /></p><p>There have been some excellent obituaries of Ernie over the last couple of weeks including this piece in the <a href="https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/dundee/2690304/ernie-ross-secret-mandela-meeting-revealed-for-first-time-in-treasured-family-photos/">Courier</a>. This tribute is rather ironic because like every politician at one point or another I am not convinced that Ernie always thought that the Courier was being fair to him. His former colleague George Foulkes also paid a fitting <a href="https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/passionate-diligent-and-intellectually-honest-lord-foulkes-pays-tribute-to-ernie-ross">tribute</a>, it was good to see George at Ernie's funeral today.</p><p><br /></p><p>As I have said I worked for Ernie between 1998 and 2003. It was an exciting time and I was often there in the middle of the Dundee Labour double act of Ernie Ross and John McAllion. They might not always have seen eye to eye but they sought to serve our city to the best of their ability.</p><p><br /></p><p>Ernie had a great sense of fun, he knew that what we were trying to do was serious but he also felt that we should try and have some fun whilst doing it. One of my favourite memories with Ernie was campaigning during the 1997 General Election when we came across a group of young people playing football in the street in the West End. We joined in the kick about.</p><p><br /></p><p>Today at Ernie's funeral I wore my favourite cufflinks. When Ernie retired in 2005 his then staff held a retirement meal for him and I was invited even though I had stopped working for him by that point. We were hugely surprised when at this celebration Ernie presented us with presents! This may have been the mark of a quietly generous man.</p><p><br /></p><p>As I said at the start Ernie was proud of what he achieved politically and his family were proud of him too but his greatest pride was in his family. Ernie was always keen to tell you about his grandchildren and what they were doing. He also was very keen to hear about your family.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rest in Peace Ernie!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-62961589344404147672021-10-26T11:42:00.000+01:002021-10-26T11:42:06.614+01:00Dundee City Council Calls for Pension Dignity at the University of Dundee<p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSv-yt59GmPAjD5OkWg7D5FqXpiMtJE04cT8Mwou9NqFAvYqTiyruwQVJd4hbhVwSZMTYAHJq-KDcqi_aMUjh7sFsOTrdwgqC8GJz8H8g0zLOtuHhDwqDGuRzcIwYpm52dBhGP0SVbrw/s2048/RMcC+Dundee+Uni+Pension+Picket+Line+26+Oct+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSv-yt59GmPAjD5OkWg7D5FqXpiMtJE04cT8Mwou9NqFAvYqTiyruwQVJd4hbhVwSZMTYAHJq-KDcqi_aMUjh7sFsOTrdwgqC8GJz8H8g0zLOtuHhDwqDGuRzcIwYpm52dBhGP0SVbrw/s320/RMcC+Dundee+Uni+Pension+Picket+Line+26+Oct+21.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Showing support for workers on the picket line <br />this morning</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">On </span>Monday<span style="font-family: inherit;"> evening at Dundee City Council's Policy and Resources Committee I moved a motion in support of workers taking strike action at the University of Dundee over changes to their pension provision. I was very pleased that the council spoke with one voice and declared its support for the workers in struggle. Dignity in retirement is important.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can read the motion here.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EAT75WNWbrwDUWawEOMvkQb9CMGbwc2EvjHX8LtTnN-g6U-gMHy-SlRme7KFEHmnGtUDgZv_pT2Uo59ojREr15rXtYCIA4N3Pkw9DN5EJHhQlE50FzYXv7ccV9dqzcLa_IcQFIP0mT8/s1600/Dundee+Uni+Pension+Motion+25+Oct+2021.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EAT75WNWbrwDUWawEOMvkQb9CMGbwc2EvjHX8LtTnN-g6U-gMHy-SlRme7KFEHmnGtUDgZv_pT2Uo59ojREr15rXtYCIA4N3Pkw9DN5EJHhQlE50FzYXv7ccV9dqzcLa_IcQFIP0mT8/w640-h360/Dundee+Uni+Pension+Motion+25+Oct+2021.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After hearing excellent deputations from James Rourke of </span>Unite<span style="font-family: inherit;">, Sarah Ashworth of Unison and Sarah Browne of Unite the council considered the issue. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is important to think
about the impact of the proposed changes from the University of Dundee to the
pensions of some of the poorer paid staff at the university which will impact
on a predominantly female work force. Workers face having </span>thousands<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of pounds less in retirement each year. This is obviously an issue for those workers but it is also an issue for the wider economy of the city. These workers are mostly local and will mostly </span>remain<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in Dundee in retirement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a local councillor, as a graduate of the University of
Dundee and as a former employee I want to acknowledge the importance of the
University of Dundee to my ward and to the wider city and region.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is a force for good in our region
providing good jobs and educational opportunities for many people in our
communities.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is disappointing to see proposals brought froward which
will impact on the pension income of already existing workers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want Dundee University to be a good
employer, to treat its employees well and ensure that they have dignity in
retirement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is not the council's job to negotiate here but we do have a role
as civic leaders to say to the University of Dundee we want you to be a good
employer, to lead by example.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I want the University of Dundee to engage in meaningful negotiations
with Unite, Unison and UCU to ensure that a fair and just settlement can be
found to this situation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was really pleased that the motion which I moved and which was seconded by my colleague </span>Michael<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Marra was supported unanimously. It was important to send the message that the council stands with these workers.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was really pleased to get along to the </span>picket<span style="font-family: inherit;"> line this morning to pass on the news and thank those who took part in the deputations last night.</span></span></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-68685911226837245222021-10-01T12:49:00.001+01:002021-10-01T12:49:30.234+01:00Under-21 Matches at Tannadice Good News - How about a full international?<p><span style="background-color: white; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8QHjr_I0AfwbTs8saQiS1eN0gPI8C7vLgl597O9iFa1eJ8Bq5v8H5krZ_nkQrfh3dhkBonLR52vWC8sgTZ6sNn7J6e5tlxpATgNp4KgK5lmUm_KltFpcVuvr1nx5y0hpldLuRlW2U60/s2000/International+Matches+Oct+2021.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8QHjr_I0AfwbTs8saQiS1eN0gPI8C7vLgl597O9iFa1eJ8Bq5v8H5krZ_nkQrfh3dhkBonLR52vWC8sgTZ6sNn7J6e5tlxpATgNp4KgK5lmUm_KltFpcVuvr1nx5y0hpldLuRlW2U60/w640-h512/International+Matches+Oct+2021.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />I am<span style="background-color: white; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> delighted that Tannadice Park will host Scotland Men's Under-21 internationals in November. I've been calling on the Scottish Football Association to bring matches to Dundee for <a href="https://richardmccready.blogspot.com/search?q=international+matches" target="_blank">some time</a>. I want the SFA to consider playing a full men's international match in Dundee for the first time since 1936.</span><p></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It is fantastic news that Scotland will be playing competitive men's Under-21 international football matches in Dundee. This is great news for the city. It does give the chance to showcase our city to an international audience. I was pleased to be at the last under-21 match played in the city back in 2014. There were problems getting in to the ground for kick-off because it was so popular with the people of Dundee. I am looking forward to Scotland taking on</span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Kazakhstan and Belgium and want to wish the Scotland team good luck for these games.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I know the men's international team has been doing well recently and that attendances are up, but I still think that it is high time that Scotland looked to play a full international match in Dundee. Scotland played Wales at Dens Park in 1936. Eighty-five years later it is time for Dundee to get another match. I know that Hampden Park is the home of Scottish football. I also know that in recent years Scotland have played matches at other stadia in Glasgow, in Aberdeen, in Edinburgh and in Kilmarnock. I think that it is good that fans around the country get the chance to see the Scotland team, but it does seem to be a shame that Dundee missed out. I am writing to the Chief Executive of the SFA asking them to consider Scotland playing matches in Dundee in the future.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The pictures on this post show action from Scotland v Hungary in 2014 as well as reports from the </span><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Courier & Advertiser </i>and the <i>Evening Telegraph </i> of the last time Scotland played a full international in Dundee. This includes the advert that advices you to 'where to dine' before the match with the Cafe Val D'Or in the City Square being one of the suggestions.</span></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-55139456657202263762021-09-28T13:14:00.004+01:002021-09-28T13:14:19.718+01:00Protection of Retail Workers<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfQKOyGBdGqTcpupSoeKU7MymalFGvJbu7WjbLOQauNB25cT-jysgazs2O3CCBOlkeTGo9knPYdRdsBmT4g-PDWWpvNfQRFw7OE_dyuk0BghnVwNqJpLPKIQAl9M0jtTZoGR_HOehgjM/s1200/Richard+McCready+shop+workers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1069" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfQKOyGBdGqTcpupSoeKU7MymalFGvJbu7WjbLOQauNB25cT-jysgazs2O3CCBOlkeTGo9knPYdRdsBmT4g-PDWWpvNfQRFw7OE_dyuk0BghnVwNqJpLPKIQAl9M0jtTZoGR_HOehgjM/s320/Richard+McCready+shop+workers.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">On Monday evening at the Dundee City Council's Community Safety and Public Protection Committee I asked the local Police Scotland Divisional Commander about what the police is Dundee are doing to ensure that recent legislation to protect retail workers is being used.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was really happy to support the work done by Daniel Johnson MSP, by USDAW of which I am a member, by the Scottish Co-operative Party (I am a Scottish Co-operative Party Councillor), to make sure that the law was passed to give greater protection to retail workers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is now up to Police Scotland and the Crown Office to ensure that these new powers are used. It is also up to all of us as members of the public to make clear that violence, threats and abuse to retail workers are unacceptable.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was pleased to hear from Police Scotland that they have made the local police aware of the new legislation to protect retail workers.</span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="line-height: 1.2;"></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="JsGRdQ">Politicians have rightly tasked retail workers to make sure that, for example, alcohol isn't sold to those who are underage.</span><span class="JsGRdQ white-space-prewrap"> </span><span class="JsGRdQ">We then need to ensure that retail workers receive the full protection of the law.</span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="line-height: 1.2;"></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Violence, threats and abuse should not be part of anybody's job.</span></span></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-41330727389476868722021-09-28T12:16:00.002+01:002021-09-28T12:17:15.040+01:00Where is the residents' car parking scheme?<p><span color="inherit" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfWc0YP9Zc2VwEUClAUw8G_oygiC8IJZ-emeIKv7_OB5h9rvjkn97oqDWhNOFGvv5X-G-cxkPGhwHVEao1f0YdTPzLBk25GE0wCVd2FemBcuYud01J8gzDaxD_ar_MNv53V4iPoyhbdc/s2048/IMG_20210925_170425989_HDR.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfWc0YP9Zc2VwEUClAUw8G_oygiC8IJZ-emeIKv7_OB5h9rvjkn97oqDWhNOFGvv5X-G-cxkPGhwHVEao1f0YdTPzLBk25GE0wCVd2FemBcuYud01J8gzDaxD_ar_MNv53V4iPoyhbdc/s320/IMG_20210925_170425989_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I have written to the Chief Executive of Dundee City Council seeking answers about when the council might adhere to its own policy on a Residents' Car Parking Scheme. On Monday the council reimposed car parking charges in the West End car parks. This move by the council means that West End residents now face charges of up to £500 as opposed to the dearest residents' permit in the city of £120 per year. </span></span></div><p></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is shameful that Dundee City Council is reintroducing car parking charges in the West End and there is still no progress on a resident's parking scheme for West End residents. I have written to Dundee City Council's Chief Executive asking if he can explain why the policy of the council is not being implemented. What I want for people in the West End is fairness. Car parking policy should be joined up. As of Monday, we have returned to a car parking policy which incentivises parking in the already overcrowded streets of the West End. Charges for using the car parks in the West End should have accompanied plans for a residents' parking scheme along with the promotion of active travel in the West End.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><p><span color="inherit" style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am looking for action on this important issue. Three and a half years is far too long to wait for an unanimously agreed policy of the council to be implemented.</span></span></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-89574900251860164492021-09-23T11:17:00.000+01:002021-09-23T11:17:18.711+01:00Martin Keenan RIP<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP45JIuMni-HrwDfUBTE8qkmbzHvtOM8jcO68tF83HorZhA21sN0gtdtEXO6pqSHbkWOtttQpZpnm8vg7uHTEEXA0KgSnE_O3GysM-_2GRYVKV5uvGGMArOM2ud4TJBbud_H5E5xdqwwY/s2048/Martin+Keenan+Keir+Hardie+1.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP45JIuMni-HrwDfUBTE8qkmbzHvtOM8jcO68tF83HorZhA21sN0gtdtEXO6pqSHbkWOtttQpZpnm8vg7uHTEEXA0KgSnE_O3GysM-_2GRYVKV5uvGGMArOM2ud4TJBbud_H5E5xdqwwY/w400-h266/Martin+Keenan+Keir+Hardie+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In 2019 Martin received the Keir Hardie Award<br /> from the Scottish Labour Party</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Today we said farewell to Martin Keenan. Martin was a long-term chair of Dundee Labour Party. He also served as President of the Scottish Trades' Union Congress. Martin was a long-standing member and activist in the CWU and its predecessors. Many of the tributes to Martin have focussed on his contribution to the political and industrial wings of the Labour movement but we should remember Martin was proudest of his family. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>I have known Martin for over twenty years and I was pleased to serve as Secretary of Dundee Labour Party with Martin as the Chair. Martin was committed to the Labour movement and to being a strong voice for working people.</p><p><br /></p><p>It was fitting that Martin contribution to the trade union movement was recognised by his election as President of the STUC. Trade unionists recognised in Martin someone who was committed to fighting for the workers and to the creation of a fairer society.</p><p><br /></p><p>Martin was a great Dundee United fan and was involved with the Arab Trust and plans to gives the fans a say in the ownership of the club. Martin was also active with the charity the Inclusion Group.</p><p><br /></p><p>Martin was responsible for the Burns Supper which his Labour Party branch organised every year. I am lucky enough to have spoken a few times at the Burns Supper. I shall miss that fear that grips you when Martin phoned early in the year to ask you to either give the Immortal Memory or the Toast to the Lassies.</p><p><br /></p><p>Most importantly Martin was one of the good guys. I want to express my condolences to Martin's friends and family.<br /></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-77026357959852636252021-09-22T22:38:00.000+01:002021-09-22T22:38:40.570+01:00Scrutiny Committee<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmU3Qj6_c9o3pglVkrjjEhbkUSFGawmEJj_kVeu-zmtX0gN7OjaY2ehm0tWLvGOa34ORSCkLDCy6fUy1z0RA8Xlfuf2vfKhMjAJUHkwLUVxLe9xTJWBxznyVOQ0Ez_9mUTr0QTi_2oTE/s2048/IMG_0112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmU3Qj6_c9o3pglVkrjjEhbkUSFGawmEJj_kVeu-zmtX0gN7OjaY2ehm0tWLvGOa34ORSCkLDCy6fUy1z0RA8Xlfuf2vfKhMjAJUHkwLUVxLe9xTJWBxznyVOQ0Ez_9mUTr0QTi_2oTE/s320/IMG_0112.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />On Wednesday Dundee City Council's <a href="https://dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/agendas/scr220921ag.pdf">Scrutiny Committee</a> took place. There were a number of issues which I raised.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The Committee received a report on <i><a href="https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/uploads/docs/report/2021/nr_210527_local_government_overview.pdf" target="_blank">Local Government in Scotland: Overview 2021</a></i>. This report by Audit Scotland looked at the impact of the pandemic on local government in Scotland. Officers and councillors from across all political parties highlighted the great work done by council workers in the face of the pandemic.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="color: #fefdfc; font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ"><span style="font-family: arial;">I made the point that local government workers went above and beyond the call of duty throughout the pandemic, proving that they are key workers.</span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ"><span style="font-family: arial;">I also made the point that politicians should remember this and make sure that local government workers are rewarded as key workers.</span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ"><span style="font-family: arial;">Clapping is all very well but we need to make it real through genuine rewards.</span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ"><span style="font-family: arial;">This report highlighted the work of North Ayrshire Council on Community Wealth Building. I am a long-term advocate of this approach. It is perverse that as city Dundee gives contracts to companies which offshore their profits. I think that the council should take the lead and ensure that the money which the council invests on behalf of the people of Dundee stays close to Dundee and provides jobs and wealth for local people.</span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I asked when we can expect Dundee to follow Scottish Labour and Co-operative -led North Ayrshire and bring forward a community wealth building policy. I will be looking for Dundee to take up this approach soon.</span></span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I also reiterated my call for Dundee City Council to do all that it can to improve household recycling rates. There are real difficulties in improving recycling rates in Dundee due to the urban nature of the city and the number of flats in the city. </span></span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There was also a report which pointed to improvements in dealing with fuel poverty in Dundee. This is welcome. I asked for reassurance that a focus would continue on fuel poverty in the face of the current energy crisis which is leading to increased fuel bills. I am also concerned that people who have done the 'right thing' and shopped around and found cheaper suppliers might face problems caused by the energy firms going bust.</span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: "YAD7QhG2T6o 0", _fb_, auto; font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: "YAD7QhG2T6o 0", _fb_, auto; font-size: 18.3017px; line-height: 1.2;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 700;"><span class="JsGRdQ" style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-15404069684068971002021-09-21T09:38:00.000+01:002021-09-21T09:38:14.687+01:00Injury Time<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FQrVhfSlTMpzVC-EiCCglwlCurbn2UTYLvjZHqqXmS-5crNTj6eO0HLmrRtw6pRgbwgwjV1Lb0aZ_TajlMAaSH9J8L0wjXyt5VnR8q0AeHSB034f9Sw5Pjq7CO27OVcxKL2uFSJ8TpI/s679/Injury+Time+Campaign+Utd+v+Dundee+19+Sept+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="679" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FQrVhfSlTMpzVC-EiCCglwlCurbn2UTYLvjZHqqXmS-5crNTj6eO0HLmrRtw6pRgbwgwjV1Lb0aZ_TajlMAaSH9J8L0wjXyt5VnR8q0AeHSB034f9Sw5Pjq7CO27OVcxKL2uFSJ8TpI/s320/Injury+Time+Campaign+Utd+v+Dundee+19+Sept+21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I was pleased to join Michael Marra MSP and a number of other activists outside the Dundee derby at Tannadice Park on Sunday. We were campaigning on the Injury Time campaign about brain injuries in footballers.<p></p><p><br /></p><p>This campaign is supported by the Professional Footballers' Association Scotland, the GMB and Scottish Labour. As a member of the GMB and Scottish Labour I was happy to support this. I am not sure why I have never been a member of the Professional Footballers Association Scotland.</p><p><br /></p><p>People will be aware of the many famous footballers who have had dementia. Like many others I was inspired by the work of the Amanda Kopel and others campaigning for Frank's Law. </p><p><br /></p><p>Many other great names in football seem to have been injured like Billy McNeill, Denis Law, Gordon Wallace and Jim McLean.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Injury Time campaign is calling on the Scottish Government and the footballing authorities to classify brain injury as an industrial injury; fund research into the practical and preventative support needed in the game and establish a working group to consider issues around brain injury, including in the grassroots game.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you agree with this you can sign the <a href="http://action.labour.org.uk/injury-time">petition</a> </p><p><br /></p><p>Michael Marra is leading a debate in the Scottish Parliament on this on Tuesday and I hope that the Scottish Government and the Scottish football authorities are listening and are committed to helping footballing heroes who are now into Injury Time with brain injuries.<br /></p>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046051742327098078.post-65209472974993389842021-09-20T11:17:00.009+01:002021-09-20T11:20:16.740+01:00A joined up approach to car parking in the West End?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XdOftN6Pi5o2rTv-Q4XyE8OS0QAaq-B2Iil26eYUoYvzAqFDcBSF86ESInHhszKoVL9W8ESG9WZXvyrBCx3Tr-7z32P9ix0iyIPg3hD3Wc_oPZJBC6CKNzzFpOZmt8hgZy5Rr-iTGqs/s259/RMcC+Roseangle+Car+Park.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XdOftN6Pi5o2rTv-Q4XyE8OS0QAaq-B2Iil26eYUoYvzAqFDcBSF86ESInHhszKoVL9W8ESG9WZXvyrBCx3Tr-7z32P9ix0iyIPg3hD3Wc_oPZJBC6CKNzzFpOZmt8hgZy5Rr-iTGqs/s0/RMcC+Roseangle+Car+Park.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><span face="Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Dundee City Council is going to <a href="https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/news/article?article_ref=4028">reintroduce car parking charges</a> in </span>the<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> car parks of the West End on 27 September. I am clear that there should not be charges for West End car parks without a residents car parking scheme in the West End. A joined up approach to car parking is needed and this is nothing like it.</span></span><p></p><p><span face="Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">I am hugely disappointed that car parking charges are being reimposed in the West End. Charging for car parks in the West End should be part of a joined-up policy towards car parking in the area. Three and a half years ago the council agreed to consult on a residents' car parking scheme for the West End and other areas around the city centre. I accept that there has been a pandemic which <br />has prevented some work being done, I would point out that it has not prevented the reintroduction of car parking spaces.</span></p><div style="border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I want to know what is stopping action being taken to deliver of a council policy three and half years after it was passed. West End residents cannot buy a pass that would allow them to use these car parks where charges are being reintroduced, residents in other parts of the city can buy such a pass. This is unfair. It could cost a local resident up to £500 per year. In Broughty Ferry an annual permit costs £84, in Menzieshill it costs £20 and in the City Centre it is £120 per year and this includes use of secure car parks</span></div><div style="border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="border: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The West End needs a joined-up approach to car parking, one which is fair to local residents. I have demanded to know when action will be taken to implement the policy of the council.</span></div><div style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></div></div>Richard McCreadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724155861903210995noreply@blogger.com