Come on the SFT - you can do it ;-)... a new road bridge for a mere £4.2billion!
Maybe Edinburgh Council should use the SFT to expand that tram network? Would be cheap by comparison ...
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
An answer to all our prayers?
Come on the SFT - you can do it ;-)... a new road bridge for a mere £4.2billion!
Maybe Edinburgh Council should use the SFT to expand that tram network? Would be cheap by comparison ...
Beware - policy failure
Next chapter of the Scottish Futures Trust saga published today - the rhetoric is here ...
... the reality:
... the reality:
- still no school-building contracts initiated under this Government
- please contrast that with what went before
- 8-years in Opposition, 18-months in power ... and all that's happened today is a 'company' has been established
- its a company that will still happily accept the use of private monies
- its a company that will still commit Councils to re-payments for 25-30years
- oh, and by the way - it's costing some £17million to set up this company :-(
- and in case you've forgotten - still not 1 new school-building contract has been initiated under this Government that will be completed by the end of this Government
It is a huge policy failure ... and that applies not just to schools, but to all other major infrastructure projects.
Second Forth Road Bridge anyone??
Boundary Commission
Stuck at the Boundary Commission local Inquiry hearing all day yesterday ... scintillating stuff, I'll tell you :-(
... that said, business was conducted so promptly, that its lasted just 1-day, instead of the timetabled 2-days! So, I should be grateful for small mercies.
Elizabeth's funeral details announced yesterday also ... its on Friday, further information here.
... that said, business was conducted so promptly, that its lasted just 1-day, instead of the timetabled 2-days! So, I should be grateful for small mercies.
Elizabeth's funeral details announced yesterday also ... its on Friday, further information here.
Monday, September 08, 2008
A difficult day
Very sad, and difficult, day in the City Chambers today ...
... that said, I've been overwhelmed by messages of condolence, and huge praise for all that Elizabeth achieved.
I'll just link to a few other places where her story has been covered today:
My thoughts remain with Elizabeth's family ...
... that said, I've been overwhelmed by messages of condolence, and huge praise for all that Elizabeth achieved.
I'll just link to a few other places where her story has been covered today:
My thoughts remain with Elizabeth's family ...
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Terribly sad news ...
Have received the terribly sad news today that one of my Labour Group colleagues, Elizabeth Maginnis, died in the very early hours of this morning.
Having now spoken to all of my Group colleagues, all I can say is we're totally shocked by Elizabeth's sudden and tragic death.
Elizabeth was a member of a large and very loving family, of whom she spoke often, and first-and-foremost all our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
Elizabeth was an elected Councillor in Edinburgh for over two decades and all throughout that period she lived in, worked in, and represented North Edinburgh. She was an intrinsic part of that local community and her breadth of knowledge, experience and sheer passion for the north of this city will be frankly irreplaceable.
She also played a crucial role in the development of Early Years (Nursery) Education, during her Convener-ship of Lothian Region's Education Committee in the early 1990's ... a policy which has since been universally adopted across the whole of Scotland.
A truly tragic loss for her family, the North of Edinburgh, and the wider city.
Having now spoken to all of my Group colleagues, all I can say is we're totally shocked by Elizabeth's sudden and tragic death.
Elizabeth was a member of a large and very loving family, of whom she spoke often, and first-and-foremost all our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
Elizabeth was an elected Councillor in Edinburgh for over two decades and all throughout that period she lived in, worked in, and represented North Edinburgh. She was an intrinsic part of that local community and her breadth of knowledge, experience and sheer passion for the north of this city will be frankly irreplaceable.
She also played a crucial role in the development of Early Years (Nursery) Education, during her Convener-ship of Lothian Region's Education Committee in the early 1990's ... a policy which has since been universally adopted across the whole of Scotland.
A truly tragic loss for her family, the North of Edinburgh, and the wider city.
Sunday papers ...
Browsing the Sunday papers very early this morning, and if I didn't convince you (not that I was really trying to!) last time ...
... the Sunday Observer today has, what I'm sure will be a hugely controversial, lead-article on meat production, land use and global warming.
Personally, I think Professor Robert Watson (chief scientific adviser for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) strikes the right balance in his comments within the article ...
... but interesting that the whole issue is now being seriously debated in the mainstream media?
... the Sunday Observer today has, what I'm sure will be a hugely controversial, lead-article on meat production, land use and global warming.
Personally, I think Professor Robert Watson (chief scientific adviser for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) strikes the right balance in his comments within the article ...
... but interesting that the whole issue is now being seriously debated in the mainstream media?
Saturday, September 06, 2008
What a crop!
Yes, you've guessed it - we were down at the allotment this afternoon, and this is just one-days harvest laid out in our hall:- cabbages
- pumpkins
- white beetroot
- potatoes
- brussel sprouts
- peas
- various flowers
And still a lot, lot more to be dug over the coming weeks!
... not bad for the first-year ;-))
Friday, September 05, 2008
Independence - you must be joking?
I think Simon Jenkins is a secret fan of this blog ;-))
... a couple of months ago, I linked to a pretty good article he had in the Guardian about the lack of Local Authority autonomy - which I have consistently argued has actually got a LOT WORSE since last May.
Well, mix that subject up with the SNP's plan for a National (for that's what is is) Income Tax and - hey presto - Jenkins has sussed it ... "the great city of Glasgow will become an agency of the Edinburgh civil service".
Sadly, he's almost spot-on :-(
... problem is, its actually a lot worse than he thinks RIGHT NOW, because we no longer "work out what they need within agreed spending targets, but have some discretion in fixing council tax levels thereafter". Not since that 'nice' Council Tax freeze earlier this year.
Yes: the whole of Scottish Local Government is on the verge of losing ALL autonomy ... on that Jenkins is tragically right - unless, of course, the current plans are watered down to give local variability and discretion (its called autonomy!) ...
... and he's also realised the HUGE IRONY that its the Party of "Independence" who is going to remove that very same thing from the tier of Government they now control.
You couldn't make it up.
... a couple of months ago, I linked to a pretty good article he had in the Guardian about the lack of Local Authority autonomy - which I have consistently argued has actually got a LOT WORSE since last May.
Well, mix that subject up with the SNP's plan for a National (for that's what is is) Income Tax and - hey presto - Jenkins has sussed it ... "the great city of Glasgow will become an agency of the Edinburgh civil service".
Sadly, he's almost spot-on :-(
... problem is, its actually a lot worse than he thinks RIGHT NOW, because we no longer "work out what they need within agreed spending targets, but have some discretion in fixing council tax levels thereafter". Not since that 'nice' Council Tax freeze earlier this year.
Yes: the whole of Scottish Local Government is on the verge of losing ALL autonomy ... on that Jenkins is tragically right - unless, of course, the current plans are watered down to give local variability and discretion (its called autonomy!) ...
... and he's also realised the HUGE IRONY that its the Party of "Independence" who is going to remove that very same thing from the tier of Government they now control.
You couldn't make it up.
Wet, wet, wet ...
Numerous meetings today - not all in the City Chambers (more is the pity!) - as I am still trying to use the bike as much as possible for all my commuting ...... and, I have to say, 99% of the time it simply isn't a problem. But, did I get drenched today :-(
Despite that good jacket (and other kit), it was just one of those very, very wet Edinburgh days when it seemed nothing could stop the rain :-((
Thank goodness its Friday ...
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Spare parts anyone?
I'm awash with local complaints about the amount of rubbish lying at the side of the 'large wheelie bins' in the Harrison/Shandon/Ashley/ Fountainbridge area ...
... here are a couple of pictures taken today to underscore just why so many constituents are very annoyed :-(
What's making people even more angry, is that the regular-sized bins, which can be emptied by standard bin-lorries, are being collected and dealt with as usual ...
... and, wait for it, the bin-crews in those trucks are just driving past the larger wheelie bins which are surrounded by piles of rubbish - as you can see :-((
Now, I know its not the bin-crews fault per se ... but why management hasn't instructed them to sort out the immediate mess around the larger wheelie bins is simply beyond me. Surely not difficult to organise such?
And - to make matters a whole lot worse - it appears that the problems are not confined to Shandon/Fountainbridge, but spread right across the city ... all down to the lack of a few spare parts??
Clearly, no contingency plans ... and clearly, not good!
... here are a couple of pictures taken today to underscore just why so many constituents are very annoyed :-(What's making people even more angry, is that the regular-sized bins, which can be emptied by standard bin-lorries, are being collected and dealt with as usual ...
... and, wait for it, the bin-crews in those trucks are just driving past the larger wheelie bins which are surrounded by piles of rubbish - as you can see :-((
Now, I know its not the bin-crews fault per se ... but why management hasn't instructed them to sort out the immediate mess around the larger wheelie bins is simply beyond me. Surely not difficult to organise such?And - to make matters a whole lot worse - it appears that the problems are not confined to Shandon/Fountainbridge, but spread right across the city ... all down to the lack of a few spare parts??
Clearly, no contingency plans ... and clearly, not good!
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
WOT - no educatoin?
Well, to be fair ... there is a 'rural schools bill' and an 'amendment bill on the ASL Act';
... but precious little else of real substance, on the education-front, in the legislative programme from the Scottish Government as announced today.
The contrast with the previous two Scottish Administrations, who had a persistent focus on education issues, is stark.
... but, that's politics.
... but precious little else of real substance, on the education-front, in the legislative programme from the Scottish Government as announced today.
The contrast with the previous two Scottish Administrations, who had a persistent focus on education issues, is stark.
... but, that's politics.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Alarm bells should be ringing ...
Regular blog readers will remember we, as a Political Group, opposed the latest round of "Organisational Review" being inflicted on the Children and Families Department at the Council ...
... well, it all came back to the Education Committee last week and further changes were pushed through - again, against our judgement and without our support.
Interesting, if not depressing, to see that the whole saga is now making the feature pages of the Herald - I'll reproduce the pertinent points here:
... Unison and the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) have had angry exchanges with the council over plans to restructure children and families work, including the removal of 12 managers through redundancy or redeployment.
However Ruth Stark of BASW says she was "deeply concerned" about the plans passed by the council's Education, Children and Families committee last week.
The managers likely to lose their jobs are among the council's most experienced staff, she said, and are involved in day-to-day work with families.
Stark says: "Lord Laming, in his report on the fate of Victoria Climbie, highlighted the importance of the support and guidance needed by frontline child protection staff from senior managers and practitioners. These are not people who sit behind desks pushing paper but experienced social workers who will often be that second pair of eyes in a child protection investigation and in the work with adults to help prevent child abuse," she says.
"Their skill and expertise is vital in keeping our children safe. Given the similar findings of the Caleb Ness Inquiry in Edinburgh, it is extremely short-sighted of the Councillors in the City of Edinburgh to be discarding this high level skill and expertise in child protection work and leaving their frontline staff in a very exposed situation."
Unison's Tom Connolly adds: "Many of these staff carry some of the most complex cases. It is astonishing that the council is saying it wants to allocate all the cases that are on waiting lists, and to do this it is cutting staff."
Now, how such sentiments CANNOT be ringing alarm bells amongst those in charge, I simply fail to understand??
... well, it all came back to the Education Committee last week and further changes were pushed through - again, against our judgement and without our support.
Interesting, if not depressing, to see that the whole saga is now making the feature pages of the Herald - I'll reproduce the pertinent points here:
... Unison and the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) have had angry exchanges with the council over plans to restructure children and families work, including the removal of 12 managers through redundancy or redeployment.
However Ruth Stark of BASW says she was "deeply concerned" about the plans passed by the council's Education, Children and Families committee last week.
The managers likely to lose their jobs are among the council's most experienced staff, she said, and are involved in day-to-day work with families.
Stark says: "Lord Laming, in his report on the fate of Victoria Climbie, highlighted the importance of the support and guidance needed by frontline child protection staff from senior managers and practitioners. These are not people who sit behind desks pushing paper but experienced social workers who will often be that second pair of eyes in a child protection investigation and in the work with adults to help prevent child abuse," she says.
"Their skill and expertise is vital in keeping our children safe. Given the similar findings of the Caleb Ness Inquiry in Edinburgh, it is extremely short-sighted of the Councillors in the City of Edinburgh to be discarding this high level skill and expertise in child protection work and leaving their frontline staff in a very exposed situation."
Unison's Tom Connolly adds: "Many of these staff carry some of the most complex cases. It is astonishing that the council is saying it wants to allocate all the cases that are on waiting lists, and to do this it is cutting staff."
Now, how such sentiments CANNOT be ringing alarm bells amongst those in charge, I simply fail to understand??
"The schools scrapheap"?
I've just about recovered from the sheer excitement of the Policy and Strategy Committee earlier this morning - it lasted all of 20-minutes :-((
... Evening Times today (over in Glasgow) has yet more damning evidence of the reality of trying to find your first teaching job over on the West-coast of the country - not good.
Of course, the problem could be solved very quickly if the Government actually funded its key education, manifesto-pledge to "reduce class sizes in Primary 1, 2 and 3 to eighteen pupils or less."
Do have a read at the article ... it says an awful lot about the mess that's been made of Local Government finance in the last couple of years :-(
... Evening Times today (over in Glasgow) has yet more damning evidence of the reality of trying to find your first teaching job over on the West-coast of the country - not good.
Of course, the problem could be solved very quickly if the Government actually funded its key education, manifesto-pledge to "reduce class sizes in Primary 1, 2 and 3 to eighteen pupils or less."
Do have a read at the article ... it says an awful lot about the mess that's been made of Local Government finance in the last couple of years :-(
Sit down first ...
My first meeting, as Opposition Group Leader, of the Policy and Strategy Committee later today ...... I can hardly contain my excitement - I mean, just have a look (please sit down first, the shock might just prove to be too much) at that agenda!
The 'primary policy Committee of the Council' of the Capital City of Scotland eh?
That agenda says it all really :-(
... its all happening here :-((
Monday, September 01, 2008
Sorry, no room here ...
I don't usually link directly to other colleagues' blog posts ... other than via my side-bar of course!... but find myself compelled to do just that for the second time today!
Given my earlier ramblings on all-things Education, do have a quick look at Elizabeth's post today - here.
Parental choice in Edinburgh being restricted in a way unheard of for a full 3 decades?
I just don't remember seeing that in the 'Education Section' of the SNP Manifesto??
All bets off
I was delighted to hear today that one of my Edinburgh colleagues, Kez Dugdale, has been shortlisted by the Party for the Glenrothes by-election.
... local membership voting on the final choice (from 3 remaining candidates) tonight!
... you just never know ;-)
... local membership voting on the final choice (from 3 remaining candidates) tonight!
... you just never know ;-)
The joke is on us :-(
I've had one or two SNP friends (yes, I do have them!) suggest to me that I was being just a tad harsh the other day when I likened Scottish Government Education Policy to a joke ...
... I was just beginning to think that perhaps I had let a little bit of unnecessary political bias into my thinking on all of this - until I looked at this morning's Herald :-(
I should be clear - I have no intrinsic issue with composite classes - but they are now being used, along with every other 'fix' possible, to try and drive P1, P2 and P3 class sizes down towards 18 pupils. It is NOT 'fixes' that are required, but MONEY.
And all this for what?
Not one of the three principal SNP Manifesto school-based education commitments will be met no matter what 'fixes' are applied (of that I'm certain), and would it not be better to admit this now and put an end to the ongoing cruel deception - if not bad joke - that these promises can be delivered?
They won't be.
... I was just beginning to think that perhaps I had let a little bit of unnecessary political bias into my thinking on all of this - until I looked at this morning's Herald :-(
I should be clear - I have no intrinsic issue with composite classes - but they are now being used, along with every other 'fix' possible, to try and drive P1, P2 and P3 class sizes down towards 18 pupils. It is NOT 'fixes' that are required, but MONEY.
And all this for what?
Not one of the three principal SNP Manifesto school-based education commitments will be met no matter what 'fixes' are applied (of that I'm certain), and would it not be better to admit this now and put an end to the ongoing cruel deception - if not bad joke - that these promises can be delivered?
They won't be.
Game of two halves ...
Back from London and the ERS Council Meeting was definitely a 'game of two halves' ...
... morning session was fairly enjoyable, with relatively good-natured debate about the merits (or not!) of AV as opposed to FPTP - I know, arcane stuff, but important nevertheless ;-)
... afternoon session was not enjoyable, with another interminable discussion about details of the Society's "Articles of Association" - honestly, it makes 'AV versus FPTP' seem of earth-shattering importance by comparison. Truly dull :-(
Anyhow, London was looking splendid on Saturday - sun shone all day and it felt more like 4,000, than 400, miles away given the weather upon my return to Edinburgh last night!
... morning session was fairly enjoyable, with relatively good-natured debate about the merits (or not!) of AV as opposed to FPTP - I know, arcane stuff, but important nevertheless ;-)
... afternoon session was not enjoyable, with another interminable discussion about details of the Society's "Articles of Association" - honestly, it makes 'AV versus FPTP' seem of earth-shattering importance by comparison. Truly dull :-(
Anyhow, London was looking splendid on Saturday - sun shone all day and it felt more like 4,000, than 400, miles away given the weather upon my return to Edinburgh last night!
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