This week saw the launch of an innovative policy by the conservative group on South Ayrshire council.
It has become clear that it was about time that local people had the opportunity decide on the projects that took place in their towns and villages instead of having bureaucrats and councillors deciding for them.
So we decided to allocate funding to community councils from the “civic pride” budget to allow them to develop projects for which they can then apply for funding. Provided that the project complies with the ethos of “civic pride” then it is most unlikely that the funding will be refused. This is not a competitive fund as every community council will be allocated funding in advance and their applications would be funded from that allocation.
I am confident that the enthusiastic community councillors of both Prestwick North Community Council and Prestwick South Community Council will consult with the local public and put their innovative hats on and come up with projects which will be a credit to them and boost the pride that we all feel in our town.
This is an initiative that excites me and I am looking forward to seeing the fruits of “civic pride” projects in Prestwick.
Thursday, 22 March 2007
Thursday, 15 March 2007
3.9% - The Case for the Defence
One of the issues which sometimes comes up on the doorstep, and indeed when meeting people on the street, is the latest council tax increase of 3.9% and the fact that is was the largest increase in Scotland.
Not surprisingly the question being posed is why the increase was not smaller and what is the money being used for?
Without exception, each time I have explained the reasons behind the increase and the necessity for them, the people that I have spoken to have accepted my explanation and although still not happy with the increase do understand that it was necessary for it to happen.
So, what were these reasons?
The bottom line is that the council had to face up to liabilities which the previous Labour administration had known about for up to five years yet had put not one penny aside in reserves to meet these liabilities. When the Conservative administration took over there were NO reserves whatsoever laid aside for future liabilities. The lack of prudent financial management was staggering.
South Ayrshire Trading Standards have an excellent ongoing initiative called “Don’t Bury Your Head in the Sand” which encourages people in debt to get help from our money advice centre not only to pay off their bills but to better manage their finances so that it doesn’t happen again. The Labour Party could do a lot worse than to make an appointment and go along and seek help.
There were three main reasons why we needed to set a realistic council tax rate.
1. The New Schools Project – We are building several new schools, one of which is Prestwick Academy. This project was started four years ago and a substantial reserve should have been built up to pay for the equivalent of a “deposit” on the project. Guess what? Not a penny put in reserve to meet this known liability. This year’s 3.9% increase includes 1% which is ring fenced to help pay for this “deposit” otherwise the rise would have been 2.9%.
2. Equal Pay – Several years ago the council agreed that where there was an inequality in pay between the sexes this would be addressed and compensation paid to employees, the vast majority of whom were women in relatively low paid jobs, who had suffered because of this. Shamefully Labour had done nothing about this. In it’s first Budget the Conservatives announced that we would right this wrong and so far we have paid out almost £6m in compensation. We were able to borrow this money and repayments of approx. £1.2m per year are being spread over 5 years. This £1.2m equates to just over 2% on the council tax.
3. Job Evaluation and Single Status – This is very similar to equal pay and addresses the inequities of two people doing very similar jobs but being paid at different rates. Once again, the previous Labour administration had known about this for several years but had put not one penny aside to pay for it. The cost of this will be several million pounds which cannot be borrowed and had to be included in this year’s budget.
I hope that although you do not like the 3.9% increase that you do agree that with the staggering debts that we inherited as a result of Labour’s disgraceful neglect of future known liabilities and lack financial management that we did pretty well to restrict the increase to 3.9%. To have gone any lower would have been irresponsible and would have been putting election success and self interest before integrity and responsibility. I for one could not have done that.
Not surprisingly the question being posed is why the increase was not smaller and what is the money being used for?
Without exception, each time I have explained the reasons behind the increase and the necessity for them, the people that I have spoken to have accepted my explanation and although still not happy with the increase do understand that it was necessary for it to happen.
So, what were these reasons?
The bottom line is that the council had to face up to liabilities which the previous Labour administration had known about for up to five years yet had put not one penny aside in reserves to meet these liabilities. When the Conservative administration took over there were NO reserves whatsoever laid aside for future liabilities. The lack of prudent financial management was staggering.
South Ayrshire Trading Standards have an excellent ongoing initiative called “Don’t Bury Your Head in the Sand” which encourages people in debt to get help from our money advice centre not only to pay off their bills but to better manage their finances so that it doesn’t happen again. The Labour Party could do a lot worse than to make an appointment and go along and seek help.
There were three main reasons why we needed to set a realistic council tax rate.
1. The New Schools Project – We are building several new schools, one of which is Prestwick Academy. This project was started four years ago and a substantial reserve should have been built up to pay for the equivalent of a “deposit” on the project. Guess what? Not a penny put in reserve to meet this known liability. This year’s 3.9% increase includes 1% which is ring fenced to help pay for this “deposit” otherwise the rise would have been 2.9%.
2. Equal Pay – Several years ago the council agreed that where there was an inequality in pay between the sexes this would be addressed and compensation paid to employees, the vast majority of whom were women in relatively low paid jobs, who had suffered because of this. Shamefully Labour had done nothing about this. In it’s first Budget the Conservatives announced that we would right this wrong and so far we have paid out almost £6m in compensation. We were able to borrow this money and repayments of approx. £1.2m per year are being spread over 5 years. This £1.2m equates to just over 2% on the council tax.
3. Job Evaluation and Single Status – This is very similar to equal pay and addresses the inequities of two people doing very similar jobs but being paid at different rates. Once again, the previous Labour administration had known about this for several years but had put not one penny aside to pay for it. The cost of this will be several million pounds which cannot be borrowed and had to be included in this year’s budget.
I hope that although you do not like the 3.9% increase that you do agree that with the staggering debts that we inherited as a result of Labour’s disgraceful neglect of future known liabilities and lack financial management that we did pretty well to restrict the increase to 3.9%. To have gone any lower would have been irresponsible and would have been putting election success and self interest before integrity and responsibility. I for one could not have done that.
Thursday, 8 March 2007
Fairtrade Fortnight
Another busy week, canvassing in the late afternoons and early evenings followed by Community meetings and events later in the evenings.
Last Wednesday evening I attended the World Development Movement’s pub quiz in the West of the Moon pub in Ayr. This was part of the Fairtrade Fortnight programme. There were eighteen teams taking part and my team won the prize for finishing in eighteenth place. It was very kind of the MC not to describe our prize as the booby prize for finishing last. Our excuse is that we only had three team members and the other teams all had at least six members. Next year we will do better.
In my role as Council spokesperson for Fairtrade I presented the prizes and was privileged to do so.
The quiz had two rounds dedicated to Fairtrade and Poverty. Some of the statistics that emerged from these questions were both shocking and thought provoking.
This being Fairtrade Fortnight much of my time has been taken up by Fairtrade events. On Friday I attended a conference being held in Kilmarnock which focused on how the Fairtrade ethos could be expanded and developed and how Scotland could move forward to becoming a Fairtrade Nation. Oxfam have been charged with taking forward the Fairtrade agenda in Scotland’s quest to be become a Fairtrade Nation. They have met with some like minded organisations and taken a decision to set up a working group charged with creating a Fairtrade Forum to be held no later than September 2007.
Last night I attended the celebration of Ayr’s achievement in attaining Fairtrade Town status. It was heart-warming to hear from Mr Conrad James, a Fairtrade banana producer fro St Lucia, who gave a very humorous presentation telling us about difference that Fairtrade has made to his community. His farm produces high quality bananas and in return he gets a fair price for them. Over and above that his community gets a Fairtrade premium which is used to benefit the community. Each month all of the Fairtrade farmers gather to meet and discuss how they might spend this premium to best benefit their community. The projects range from building a fence around the local school to prevent children running on to the very busy road which passes the school through to providing equipment for the local hospital and many other diverse projects.
If anyone is interested in getting involved in making Prestwick a Fairtrade town then get in touch with me and if there is enough interest then we will meet and decide whether or not to take this forward.
That’s all for this week, there will be another update next week.
Last Wednesday evening I attended the World Development Movement’s pub quiz in the West of the Moon pub in Ayr. This was part of the Fairtrade Fortnight programme. There were eighteen teams taking part and my team won the prize for finishing in eighteenth place. It was very kind of the MC not to describe our prize as the booby prize for finishing last. Our excuse is that we only had three team members and the other teams all had at least six members. Next year we will do better.
In my role as Council spokesperson for Fairtrade I presented the prizes and was privileged to do so.
The quiz had two rounds dedicated to Fairtrade and Poverty. Some of the statistics that emerged from these questions were both shocking and thought provoking.
This being Fairtrade Fortnight much of my time has been taken up by Fairtrade events. On Friday I attended a conference being held in Kilmarnock which focused on how the Fairtrade ethos could be expanded and developed and how Scotland could move forward to becoming a Fairtrade Nation. Oxfam have been charged with taking forward the Fairtrade agenda in Scotland’s quest to be become a Fairtrade Nation. They have met with some like minded organisations and taken a decision to set up a working group charged with creating a Fairtrade Forum to be held no later than September 2007.
Last night I attended the celebration of Ayr’s achievement in attaining Fairtrade Town status. It was heart-warming to hear from Mr Conrad James, a Fairtrade banana producer fro St Lucia, who gave a very humorous presentation telling us about difference that Fairtrade has made to his community. His farm produces high quality bananas and in return he gets a fair price for them. Over and above that his community gets a Fairtrade premium which is used to benefit the community. Each month all of the Fairtrade farmers gather to meet and discuss how they might spend this premium to best benefit their community. The projects range from building a fence around the local school to prevent children running on to the very busy road which passes the school through to providing equipment for the local hospital and many other diverse projects.
If anyone is interested in getting involved in making Prestwick a Fairtrade town then get in touch with me and if there is enough interest then we will meet and decide whether or not to take this forward.
That’s all for this week, there will be another update next week.
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Taking a Pride in our Community
I have been out and about canvassing in Prestwick this past week. Listening to people on the doorstep and answering their questions about the budget, the new council tax and the unfounded scaremongering in the press about Prestwick swimming pool and other sports and leisure facilities. No matter their politics people were ready to both question and listen.
There was a general recognition that the conservative’s Civic Pride initiative had been successful in cleaning up our environment and making South Ayrshire much brighter and cleaner than in the past. Those who regularly shopped in Ayr appreciated the hanging baskets and flower tubs and recognised the difference that they made to the town. Here in Prestwick the most obvious improvement was in the condition of the beach. Last summer Prestwick beach was cleaner than it had been for years thanks to the extra resources directed to it from the Civic Pride budget. It was a pleasure to walk along the front in the evening and if there is a more beautiful sunset than that of the sun setting over Arran then I have yet to see it.
We intend to maintain this level of cleanliness and improve on it where possible. Prestwick beach, along with Ayr, Troon and Girvan beaches, has been entered for a prestigious seaside award and we intend to be successful in achieving that award.
There is no doubt that residents want to be proud of their town and many of them are keen to get involved in community initiatives which tackle some of the areas that get missed in the general maintenance. For those who are so minded I would encourage you to put Saturday17th March 9.00am-12.00noon in your diary. Prestwick Rotary Club are holding a beach cleanup on that day as part of an Ayrshire Rotary Clubs’ initiative to clean all of the beaches from Ardrossan to Girvan. The Rotary Club of Prestwick will prioritise cleaning the area from the North Beach to the Pow burn. The council will also be involved by providing gloves, tongs etc and collecting and disposing of the rubbish collected. The meeting place is the beach site of the old swimming pool and you can just turn up if you would like to help.
I will be out canvassing again this week, if you have read this blog any constructive criticism will be very welcome.
There was a general recognition that the conservative’s Civic Pride initiative had been successful in cleaning up our environment and making South Ayrshire much brighter and cleaner than in the past. Those who regularly shopped in Ayr appreciated the hanging baskets and flower tubs and recognised the difference that they made to the town. Here in Prestwick the most obvious improvement was in the condition of the beach. Last summer Prestwick beach was cleaner than it had been for years thanks to the extra resources directed to it from the Civic Pride budget. It was a pleasure to walk along the front in the evening and if there is a more beautiful sunset than that of the sun setting over Arran then I have yet to see it.
We intend to maintain this level of cleanliness and improve on it where possible. Prestwick beach, along with Ayr, Troon and Girvan beaches, has been entered for a prestigious seaside award and we intend to be successful in achieving that award.
There is no doubt that residents want to be proud of their town and many of them are keen to get involved in community initiatives which tackle some of the areas that get missed in the general maintenance. For those who are so minded I would encourage you to put Saturday17th March 9.00am-12.00noon in your diary. Prestwick Rotary Club are holding a beach cleanup on that day as part of an Ayrshire Rotary Clubs’ initiative to clean all of the beaches from Ardrossan to Girvan. The Rotary Club of Prestwick will prioritise cleaning the area from the North Beach to the Pow burn. The council will also be involved by providing gloves, tongs etc and collecting and disposing of the rubbish collected. The meeting place is the beach site of the old swimming pool and you can just turn up if you would like to help.
I will be out canvassing again this week, if you have read this blog any constructive criticism will be very welcome.
Wednesday, 21 February 2007
First Blog Entry - Prestwick Swimming Pool
What to write on my first blog?
Perhaps a dismissal of the utterly erroneous, mischevious and distressing newspaper article suggesting that Prestwick swimming pool would be closed.
This is absolutely not true.
There are no plans to close Prestwick swimming pool and as a Prestwick councillor I would fight to ensure that the use of leisure and sports provision is encouraged in Prestwick and across the whole of South Ayrshire.
The publishing of this scurrilous article caused great distress to the staff of the swimming pool as well as to the customers who use it and I have vistited the swimming pool to talk to some of the staff and assure them that there never were any serious plans to close the pool. When considering how to meet the funding shortfall left by the previous Labour administration council officers were asked to put everything onto the table for consideration. This had to include sports and leisure provision, but these suggestions were rejected out of hand.
I believe that at a time when health and fitness is at the front of public awareness that we should be promoting these facilities and not hiding their light under a bushel.
Do you know, for instance that there is a well equiped gym in the Prestwick swimming pool building and that membership costs a fraction of the cost of joining the private gyms. It may not have the fancy exterior but the equipment is first class.
There are also aquatrim classes for those who want to keep fit in the water and have fun at the same time. (my wife is a regular and life would not be worth living if the pool was to close)
My message on this my first blog is to use the facilities at the swimming pool as the best way to ensure future provision is to use it today.
Hope you enjoyed reading my article.
The next posting will take place in approximately one weeks time unless something interesting or important comes up in the meantime.
Perhaps a dismissal of the utterly erroneous, mischevious and distressing newspaper article suggesting that Prestwick swimming pool would be closed.
This is absolutely not true.
There are no plans to close Prestwick swimming pool and as a Prestwick councillor I would fight to ensure that the use of leisure and sports provision is encouraged in Prestwick and across the whole of South Ayrshire.
The publishing of this scurrilous article caused great distress to the staff of the swimming pool as well as to the customers who use it and I have vistited the swimming pool to talk to some of the staff and assure them that there never were any serious plans to close the pool. When considering how to meet the funding shortfall left by the previous Labour administration council officers were asked to put everything onto the table for consideration. This had to include sports and leisure provision, but these suggestions were rejected out of hand.
I believe that at a time when health and fitness is at the front of public awareness that we should be promoting these facilities and not hiding their light under a bushel.
Do you know, for instance that there is a well equiped gym in the Prestwick swimming pool building and that membership costs a fraction of the cost of joining the private gyms. It may not have the fancy exterior but the equipment is first class.
There are also aquatrim classes for those who want to keep fit in the water and have fun at the same time. (my wife is a regular and life would not be worth living if the pool was to close)
My message on this my first blog is to use the facilities at the swimming pool as the best way to ensure future provision is to use it today.
Hope you enjoyed reading my article.
The next posting will take place in approximately one weeks time unless something interesting or important comes up in the meantime.
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