Missing in action?

Aberdeen Council appears to be exemplifying how to show true 'political leadership' once again ... where are the comments from the Leader of Scotland's third largest city?

Personally, I find it pretty unedifying to see the senior Officer of the Council being left-in-the-lurch to defend ongoing revelations ... makes me wonder if any politicians will actually speak at the upcoming Accounts Commission hearings??

Constitutional log-jam

What follows is a completely classic example of 'reading what you want' into the latest political, opinion-poll:

• here's part of the relevant SNP Press statement

Welcoming the YouGov poll in the Daily Telegraph today [Wednesday], which shows a strengthening lead for the Scottish National Party over Labour and the other parties – projected to win 51 seats to Labour’s 45 – SNP Depute Leader and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP said:

“We are delighted with these poll figures. The growing SNP lead shows that the honeymoon continues a year into government, on the back of solid policy delivery.

"The poll shows the SNP winning more votes and more seats since last May, with sensational approval ratings for Alex Salmond, and a significantly increased lead over Labour and the other parties.

“On independence, if you ask a straight question - unlike in the Telegraph poll - then you will get a straight answer."

• and this is part of the relevant Scottish Labour Press statement:

LABOUR'S decision to push for a Constitutional Commission was right, the party said today in response to the YouGov poll in the Daily Telegraph which shows support for independence at an all time low.

Fewer than one-in-five voters in Scotland wants to break-up Britain - while nearly three-quarters back the current devolved parliament, with its present powers or with more responsibilities.

And today Labour accused the SNP of engaging in '1984-style Orwellian double speak' in their analysis of the You Gov findings.

Labour's Jackie Baillie said:"This poll confirms what Labour has said all along -. the vast majority of Scots don't want independence but want to see devolution work. It confirms our belief that Scots want to walk tall in the UK but not walk out of the Union."

• and then do please have a quick read at this - the original article from today's Telegraph

Quite obviously, a healthy dialogue on a potential constitutional compromise is ongoing :-(

I despair, I really do :-((

Of course, there could be another way ...

Green Flag now flying!

I mentioned Harrison Park achieving 'Green Flag' status last Autumn ... well, there was a bit of a local ceremony to raise the 'actual' flag today!

Weather was atrocious ... typical for this type of event :-( ... but several BTCV volunteers, Council Staff, and Craiglockhart Primary PA Members, braved the rain and the flag was duly raised.

Was pleased to be able to make it along - not only is the park in Ward 9, but its also very near my own flat and has been (and continues to be) a much-used space by all our family :-)

YouGov or MORI?

At least one pollster is going to be severely embarrassed on Friday morning:

"In a final poll for the London mayoral race, released yesterday, Boris Johnson is predicted by YouGov to sweep to power. Voters' first preference shares put Johnson on 46% (up 2%) and Livingstone 35% (down 2). The Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick is on 12%. After second preferences are taken into account, YouGov predicts a 55% to 45% victory for Johnson.

This leaves the internet pollster totally at odds with MORI and MRUK, which have recently reported that Livingstone is narrowly in the lead."

... lets hope its YouGov :-(

Serious incompetence

I'm fast coming to the conclusion that the debate over Wave 3 schools is getting close to becoming farcical ...

• on the one hand; we have the Council saying it has done all it can; they've set aside some 20% of the overall capital cost of the 5-schools; and are near completion of business cases for the 5 projects/s which will be submitted to the Scottish Government as a bid for them to fill the remaining 80% of cash needed!
• on the other hand; we have the Scottish Government saying that the Council is getting not 1 more penny; it has all the money it requires; and there is no need to submit 5 business cases as they will not be assessed because there's no bidding-process that requires them to be so!

Both sides can't be right ... and, for better or worse, the Scottish Government is the senior tier of 'authority' and I'd have thought the Council needs to face up to some stark realities pretty quick:

• there is NOT going to be a quick replacement for previous school building programmes - the SFT ain't happening any time soon - it would help actually, if a Scottish Government Minister had the decency to announce this truth, instead of pretending that all is well with the national school-building programme?
• it sadly appears therefore that there is NO bidding-process (?)
• the 20% of the overall capital cost of Wave 3 schools (allocated by the Council) looks like its all that's going to be available in the short-term

There clearly needs to be some very straight talking between the Council and Scottish Government over all of this, because meantime; nothing of significance is progressing; young peoples' educational experience is thus being affected; and the 20% of overall capital costs allocated won't even pay for 1 of the proposed Secondary Schools :-(

- really, come the 1st anniversary of the 2007 election, all of this will hardly be one-jot further forward than last May :-((

It is serious incompetence.

Its President or bust!

A scurrilous rumour is doing the rounds in the blogosphere - that my Hamster is resigned to being nothing more than a running-mate to Obama!!

... now I have to point out, in the strongest possible terms, that "she's in it to win it" (think Hilary believes that as well) - and being second-fiddle to Obama will not suffice.

... I mean, just re-read her manifesto, and tell me how she can possibly lose?

Wth Clinton and Obama fighting like the proverbial 'ferrets in a sack' (they make the Labour Party seem full of love-and-harmony), a hamster for President is the obvious answer ;-))

Two-tier school estate?

Shock, horror ... education professionals are worried about the stalling of new school building programme/s in Scotland, which they fear could result in a "two-tier school estate" ...

... never mind 'stalling' - not one single new school contract has been initiated since last May, the programme that's running is the 'old' school building programme. There is no 'new' programme ... it hasn't 'stalled', as it hasn't started :-(

Audit Scotland seemed worried we're about to lose "the pace of change built up over the past nine years or so” ... err, sorry but it's already well and truly lost:

• 12-months, not one single new school contract has been initiated
• the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) seems in big trouble
• even if a version of the SFT is eventually launched, it won't be soon
• even then, no new school building contract will be initiated that quickly
• and we all know how long contracts and then actual building can take

I'm beginning to wonder (seriously) whether one single new school contract will be initiated, and that school then built and actually opened in this term of the Scottish Government?

... there are only 36-months left; and I know from experience that the time from contract initiation to actual opening, more often than not, takes longer than 36-months :-((

Hen Weekend

No, not for me ... unfortunately ;-)

... but my sister-in-law's (to be) Hen Weekend.

So, junior and I are free agents for the whole weekend, as my better-half is attending the said-festivities over in sunny East Lothian (I think?).

... who knows what could happen at home :-))

Full Council papers out

Next week's Full Council papers out today - they can all be found on Committee Papers On-Line (CPOL) and, for ease of reference, the main agenda is here ...

... looking at the number of (fairly) significant items, it could be yet another very long meeting :-((

Really - don't panic!

Panic over - seems that some heads have been well-and-truly knocked together and all is well in the fuel-supply chain?

... for now anyhow.

... mind you, good job it's "National Walk to Work Day".

Don't panic!

I can't resist highlighting the contrasting stance that appears to be developing about fuel supplies and public transport today:

1. First Minister boldly states today at FMQ's - "Clearly, it's a time when we need everyone, and the public's cooperation, to behave sensibly and responsibly, to cut out non-essential trips, to use public transport. The essential message is that the stocks of the available range of fuels will stretch into May and there is the capacity to import more if required. Scotland can cope with this difficulty".
2. Lothian Buses, Edinburgh's main public transport provider, later in the very same afternoon promptly tell everyone they are about to run out of fuel and won't be able to run any buses within a couple of days!

Oh dear.

Hooked on bingo?

I mentioned the partial-redecoration of the local Community Centre the other day - was in preparation for some new events, the first of which was a weekly Bingo Club which started earlier this afternoon.

Now, I've never played Bingo in my life before, and I'm afraid I have to report that I went along (it being the first event etc.); took part in the Bingo; and am now totally hooked :-((

... Wednesday afternoons may never be the same again ;-)

It's all over

Talking about my psychic-power; I reckon there is only one way to read last night's results from Pennsylvania ... Clinton has lost the Democratic nomination.

A 9.2% win, when she was +20 percentage points ahead a few weeks ago, is woefully inadequate in the chase to close the gap on Obama. At best, Clinton won an extra 20 delegates over Obama and he is still around 140 pledged-delegates in the lead. With only 9 contests to go, I haven't changed my mind and remain convinced its Obama V McCain.

I'm now sort-of resigned to the contest running through to June 3rd (and the last two Primaries) but hope that sense will prevail thereafter - only McCain can be enjoying the increasingly bitter (and ultimately pointless) battle between Obama and Clinton :-(

I must be psychic ;-)

I must be psychic - one day I post about those dreaded crocs ...

... the next day the Guardian has a major expose of just how damned dangerous they really are ;-))

I rest my case.

Competition mania?

Yet another competition from the Council launched at the back-end of last week - just spotted it ... all the details here.

Worthy stuff, no doubt - but it surely says a lot when this type of story is "news" in the capital city of Scotland :-(

I'm not alone!

My aversion to plastic shoes (especially pink ones like those pictured!) landed me in no end of trouble last year ...

... the middle-class vote in parts of 'Fountainbridge/ Craiglockhart' may take years to come back - just as well there's no local government election for a while yet :-((

... so, I probably shouldn't link to this - but I just can't help myself :-(

After all, looks like it will indeed be 2012 before the next local poll ;-)

Forum on Children and Families Estate

The Forum on Children and Families Estate met for the fourth time earlier today - a formal update should hopefully be on this section of the Council website soon ...

Next meeting of the Forum is now set for 11th June, and it seems a 'special meeting' of the Education Committee may well be arranged to meet quickly thereafter.

Decision-time is clearly looming ... and, at the very least, a sensible process will have led to any proposals this time around.

"Huge missed opportunity"

I couldn't agree more with 'Lewis Wind Power' (LWP) when they say that today has seen a "huge missed opportunity" ...

... would be easy to have a pop at the SNP Government; but frankly they're not alone in having ducked difficult decisions over sustainable energy generation :-(

It can't go on ... or the national target of 50% green energy by 2020 (now only 12-years away) won't be worth the paper its written on.

I appreciate that views are pretty divided on this particular application - but personally, I was firmly of the view that RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust had got this one seriously wrong.

For me, its a travesty that the current Government has appeared to back their argument ...