SNP Relegates Largs Academy

11th October 2009

Why no New Largs Academy?

SNP Education Minister has just announced a school-building programme which ignores the needs of the North Coast Ward. Our MSP, Kenny Gibson stood on an election manifesto which promised to match “brick-for-brick” the previous Labour-led administration’s school building programme. But he clearly does not apply this promise to his own constituents. Between 2003 and 2007, the previous Labour-led Scottish Executive directly funded and built three new Primary and three new Secondary schools in North Ayrshire. The next logical phase was to build new Secondary Schools at Garnock, Ardrossan and Largs. Not now. The SNP has decreed that North Ayrshire is to get only one new Secondary school, and that is to be the replacement for Garnock Academy. Not only is the SNP not matching the previous programme “brick-for-brick”, or anything like it, the SNP is expecting the Council to pick up one-third of the bill for the single school it is kindly allowing us to build.

While no-one can grudge the people of the Garnock Valley the prospect of a new Secondary School for their children, it is a pity Mr Gibson and the SNP could not find the energy and the will to fulfil his promise and build a new Secondary school in Largs at the same time. Largs Academy is a good school, but the building is approaching the end of its useful life, and the need to replace it will soon become urgent: an urgency which neither Mr Gibson nor the SNP appears to share.

I challenge Kenny Gibson to go back to Holyrood and fight for his constituents. He should get us the money that he and his party promised to build our new schools, and he should at least make the effort to keep the pledge he made at the 2007 election. Almost three years into the SNP administration and the one accusation they cannot avoid is a complete lack of ambition for education in Scotland and, in Kenny Gibson’s case, a complete lack of ambition for the parents and pupils of Largs and the North Coast.

A Long Time in a Funny Old World

It was ex-Prime Minister Harold Wilson who observed that “a week is a long time in politics”, and the last week provides a supreme example of that. First we had Gordon Brown travelling to New York to be a central figure in the UN and G20 gatherings and pick up his award as World Statesman Of The Year for his role in guiding the world community in avoiding the worst excesses of a global downturn and providing a platform for an early recovery from the recession, and to be a leading light in proposing a new economic strategy for the world community, only to have it reported as “Obama Snubs Gordon” in the British media. As the PM returns from New York he finds his party languishing in the polls and his own personal ratings in the doldrums.

 Meanwhile, the Tories under David Cameron advocate policies the direct opposite of those used by the PM to solve the country’s and the world’s problems. If the Tories had been in power and followed their stated policies, the recession would have been much worse and the effects much longer lasting than they have been. Even so, the Tories stay ahead in the public regard.

 In Scotland an SNP administration under the leadership of Alex Salmond has failed to deliver on any of its main manifesto priorities, the latest being an abject retreat on the promise to deliver class sizes of 18 in primaries one – three. The SNP’s lack of vision for Scotland is such that the two major projects designed to promote economic growth and raise Scotland’s profile around the world, the Glasgow and Edinburgh Airport links, are both abandoned and discarded without even consulting the cities concerned. But the SNP also rides high in the opinion polls.

So the politician who is admired and respected across the globe, and whose policies and diplomacy have been instrumental in staving off an economic catastrophe for his nation and the world, faces rejection from the public for his efforts, while other politicians, such as David Cameron whose policies are wrong-headed and destructive or, in the case of the Alex Salmond, not even delivered, are regarded by the public as a safer bet. As another ex-PM once memorably commented in a time of strife: “it’s a funny old world”.

A Referendum or Jobs: What do we want?

11th September 2009

I had this published in the Herald today;

“The most interesting thing about the two letters you publish today (10th September) on the matter of a referendum on independence is just that: there are only two of them, neither wildly in favour. Compare this to the issues like the release of Al Megrahi or even the introduction of badgers into the wild, where you publish numerous letters and there is a passionate debate, over days and weeks, in your letters column.

 There is no clamour for a referendum. When questioned directly by pollsters a percentage of people might say that they are “in favour” of independence, but it is nowhere near their top priority. People want more jobs and better health care and education for their children. They want better roads and better policing and better housing.

 To have a referendum campaign now, with all the attendant division and argument, when the focus of all politicians should be on coming together to fight the recession, is a distraction, a waste of resource and a misdirection of political energy. It shows that the SNP has got its priorities all wrong and out of kilter with the real needs and desires of the Scottish people. The SNP is playing political games while the economy struggles and Scots are losing their jobs. Scots are just not all that interested in a referendum on independence. They have other priorities, and it is these priorities that the SNP administration should be addressing instead of wasting their energy, and ours, on a futile party political exercise.”

Really. Who wants a referendum on independnce at this point? There truly is no clamour for it.

I don’t get calls from constituents asking for one. I do get calls about housing, and schools and dog dirt and street lighting and many other things. But never referendums.

The Oil Fund… Truth and Myth

The SNP has again brought up the issue of an Oil Fund, i.e. if the oil was solely Scotland’s to claim, and if we had decided to have an investment fund of all the oil revenues, how rich we would all be!!!

Very good. Except, given the level of public spending in Scotland over the last 30 years, in an independent Scotland, if we did not cut public investment, there would be nothing left over to invest in the Oil Fund. In 18 of the last 27 years, UK investment in Scotland exceeded the tax and potential oil income. 

Even on the most generous assessment, there have only been nine years in the last 27 when Scotland`s finances were in surplus – and none since 1988.

North Sea oil production has been steadily decreasing for the last five years. The reality is that oil is a commodity finite in supply and volatile in price.

So an oil fund sounds like a good idea. But only if there is enough left over to actually invest…..and in most years..there isn’t.

Viking Festival 2009

 

Viking Festival

I am finding my duties as chair of the Largs Viking Festival  are keeping me very busy! This year’s festival is beginning to take shape, and we have some really big attractions.

Viking Festival 29th August – 6th September 2009

 

 

 

 

The Festival has already secured two top line attractions.

On 29th August, Tommy Smith, renowned Scottish Jazz  saxophonist ( website here ), is appearing with the trio, Arild Andersen Tommy Smith Paolo Vinnaccia. Arild is Norwegian, fitting nicely with the Viking concept and Paolo is Italian, which also fits well with Largs’ large Italian influence.  The show is on Saturday 29th August at 8pm. Tickets are £17 and £15 and can be purchased from Vikingar! 01475 689777 and The Magnum 01294 313010.

The other main attraction on the opening day is an air display by the new Eurpfighter/Typhoon. This plane is the RAF’s latest and most advanced airplane. The display is doubly exciting in that the pilot is a local man from Skelmorlie, and an ex-pupil of Largs Academy.

The Festival will have other events including  the ever popular Viking Village, Coninental Market, Craft Fair, Burning of the Longship and the Battle Re-enectment at the Pencil and othe music events.

A Mediteranean Cruise?

This smashing photo on the Millport website…

http://www.s1millport.com/news/does-aida-the-painted-cruise-ship-remind-you-of-anything.html 

was taken by Conway MacCulloch. With the great weather we’ve been having, you could convince yourself that it was taken in the Med or the Agean. In fact the background shows the botton tip of Bute and the top of Arran.

Good news in a bleak time

Received the wonderful news that our MP Katy Clark yesterday delivered a baby daughter.

Baby 8.5lbs. Both doing well as far as I know.

Congratulations to Katy and it’s good to see an MP deliver good news in the midst of all the other disasters we read too much about at the moment.

Save Our Seafront

Text of Press release sent to Largs & Millport Weekly News. 

 

 

24th April 2009

Councillor Alex Gallagher Issues a Call to Protect Largs Seafront From Insensitive Development

 

Local Labour Councillor Alex Gallagher today issued a call for his colleagues to support his plan for more protection for the seafront in Largs.

 

“Given the recent controversy over Moorburn House it has become clear to me that the seafront area, which is a jewel in the crown of Largs, is vulnerable to attempts at insensitive planning. At present the seafront is protected by agreed planning “guidelines”, but these are not the strongest defence that we can envisage.”

 

Stating that the creation of a new Development Plan for North Ayrshire provided a unique opportunity to set the planning rules more tightly and in perpetuity, Councillor Gallagher said, “I believe that, during the previous Development Plan Process a suggestion was made that Largs seafront should enjoy Conservation Area Status, but this was rejected by the Reporter at the time. Now that the Development Plan is being rewritten, we have a real opportunity to reverse this decision,”

 

Calling for the support of all local councillors in this endeavour, Cllr Gallagher said, “We need to be united on this. I believe if all four local councillors can get together to influence the plan and persuade the relevant authorities, we may have a chance of giving our seafront the protection it needs from the type of development which has destroyed so many of our seafront vistas in the last ten years.”

 

Pointing out that there are previous examples of successful seafront campaigns, and that all of the other councillors had been in support of these campaigns, he stated “If we can all be supportive of this idea, it has a chance to work. If we are divided, we have much less chance of success. The alternative, with blocks of flats and other unsuitable developments on the Largs seafront, is too horrible to contemplate”.

 

“To this end I have written to the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Protective Services) and the Planning Development Manager to alert them of the need for greater protection for Largs seafront, and to ask them to ensure that it is given proper consideration in the Development Plan Process, and to all North Coast Ward elected members asking for their support for these aims.”

 

 

Alex Gallagher

Councillor Ward Eight

 

 

Moorburn decided at last…?

Moorburn update again

16th April

At a special meeting of the council to discuss the sale of Moorburn the issue was finally rejected by the council. As the matter had been decided by the council less than 6 months ago, it was necessary to suspend standing orders so that the issue could be discussed again, but the necessary two-thirds majority was not reached.

The issue has divided the local councillors, the council itself and the SNP, but it should now be now dead. 

I Don’t Beelieeeeve it!

On the 9th of April at the North Coast Area Committee, Elisabethe Marshall opposed the grants which Largs Viking Festival had applied for: grants which have been applied for successfully over many years, and which are vital for the success of the festival. Since myself and Alan Hill are directors of the Viking Festival Committee and were therefore (rightly) barred from voting on our own grant applications,  the committee could not reach a decision and the grants were refused, at least until some solution is found to the impasse. 

You may ask why a local councillor would apparently want the Viking Festival to fail. I have to say it is difficult to see any defensible explanation for Cllr Marshall’s behaviour.

It can’t be political….. at least I can hardly believe that it the policy of North Ayrshire Conservatives for the Largs Viking Festival to be deprived of money and support…… can you?

continued…over the weekend I attempted to find out if Mrs Marshall was following local Conservative Group Policy. I wrote an email to Pat McPhee, the Conservative Group Leader on the Council. She replied that as she  wasn’t at the meeting and knew nothing of the relationships of the people on the Committee or the details of the running of the festival, it would be wrong to comment.

 However, she did say that there is no Conservative policy on the allocation of such grants.

 I replied that I was not clear what point she was making. The relationships of people on the committee should have no bearing: local grants to local festivals should not be political footballs or due to personalities. The question for me is: is Elisabethe Marshall acting with the support of the Conservative Group or not?

 If Liz is politicising the grants, (and even if she isn’t), the Tories risk ridicule and harm in Largs and beyond because of her behaviour. Ridicule and harm to the Conservative cause would normally be no skin off my nose, but I like to seek co-operation if possible and I have always believed that local issues are solved more easily if we can keep party politics out of it.

 I just thought, as Conservative Group Leader, Pat McPhee might like to talk to Liz and at least try to stop her causing a stink in Largs, and making a fool of herself and of the Tories in the bargain, before the whole thing blows up and becomes an issue in the North Coast Ward, at least. . 

 As of Monday evening 13th April, I have had no response to my second email….

 

More… late on 13th April I got an email from Elisabethe Marshall, although I make the presumption that it was written by  Tom.

 

It said, among other things

 

“Cllr Gallagher fails to make it clear that the Largs Viking Festival (LVF) Grant Applications were continued ( not refused as he states)  to the next meeting as were other grants.”

 

I said, if you read the post, that Liz Marshall opposed the grants at the meeting. She did. The applications were not successful. If they were successful, we would not be having this discussion.

 

“Further information on the operation of LVF has been requested.The grant was delayed last year for other enquiries”

 

Just because the grant was delayed last year doesn’t mean it has to be delayed this year.

 

“To talk of  “failure “of  LVF”

 

No-one has talked of “failure” of the Festival. In any public pronouncement I have been clear that the 2008 Festival was a relative success, and that the new Festival Committee would build on that success. 

 

“The reason  for the delay is that in the last few months according to Companies House  in Edinburgh, 6 Directors of Largs Viking Festival have resigned.”

 

 Liz resigned of her own volition and she knows exactly the circumstances which have seen the improvements in committee membership and attendance.  

 

There are other comments about the LVF committee, but as they are presented without evidence or context, they are IMO unfounded, so I have not reproduced them here.

SNP / Tories: More Waste in Irvine

12 September 2008

The SNP/Tory coalition is at it again, wasting money in Irvine and costing the council millions that could be better spent on delivering better services. We know that they voted to keep open half-empty schools at the cost of £600,000/year. 

Now they have combined forces to prevent the opening of a care centre which is designed to help children who have been in council care, and who now need help in integrating into the adult world of work, further education, housing etc. The centre is almost complete, the money has largely been spent and the opening date is a few months off. But the SNP/Tory coalition have run a nimbyist scare campaign against the centre. Now they have whipped their councillors to stop the centre being used, with the result that we will have to find other premises, spend more millions and delay the improved services for the young people we want to help.

A more disgraceful and disappointing state of affairs it is impossible to imagine.

3rd may 2008

A postscript to the press release below:

There had been a Schools Estate Review Group, including Tory and SNP members which, after extensive investigation, recommended the new shape of the schools estate, with new build, closures and mergers. The report was unanimous, there were no dissenting voices, i.e. the Tory and SNP members on the review group agreed, and went along with, with its findings. The SNP rep was Alan Hill!

After extensive consultation the recommendation of the report were adjusted and some schools were removed from the closure list.

Even so, the SNP, under the leadership of Alan Hill, and the Tories voted,  en bloc, against the finalised recommendations! These were findings they had agreed to previously, on which there had been extensive consultation, and which had been changed in the light of that very consultation.

It’s really difficult to seee how the council can conduct its business responsibly in the face of such inconsistency and such frankly irresponsible, not to say dishonest, behaviour from the opposition parties.

Below is the draft text of a Press Release Issued 1st may.

SNP and Tories Vote for Spending in Irvine.

 On his election last year, Provost Bobby Rae was quoted as saying that he would “….make sure that the Largs and the North Coast would in future get more than their fair share of the investment from the council…”, and that towns like Irvine would be pushed down the pecking order for council investment.

It is therefore astonishing that Provost Rae, at a special meeting of the council on 29^th April, should use the privilege of the Provost’s casting vote to support the continued use of half-empty schools in Irvine, at a cost to the Education Budget of £600,000 annually: that could amount to £2.4 million over the life of this council.

These Irvine schools are under utilised, some with an occupancy rate of only 48%, but Provost Rae somehow believes that throwing money at them is a proper use of council cash. This money will not be spent on the education of children. It will not be spent on new teachers, new books, new desks, more pencils or more jotters. It will not be spent on anything remotely educational. The voters’ money will be spent on keeping open half-empty schools that would be better merged and rationalised to provide the proper and properly managed education that the pupils deserve.

 Meanwhile I have groups from Skelmorlie and elsewhere approaching me for money to build new all-weather playing fields and school playgrounds, either of which would cost a fraction of the £600,000, and each of which would come from the Education budget that the Provost wants to pour into the bricks and mortar of half-empty schools.

 

Mr Rae was joined in his folly by Councillors Hill and Marshall. So the next time any school or other group in this area needs access to council monies to fund a much needed project, perhaps they should approach the SNP and Tory councillors and ask them what happened to the millions of pounds that they seem to believe is better spent in keeping empty schools operating, year after year, in Irvine, rather than being invested in facilities for the towns and people of North Ayrshire on general and the North Coast Ward in particular.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Tenants and Residents Association

10th March 2009

A new Upper Skelmorlie Tenants and Residents Association was formed tonight at the Community Centre. Peter Price is the Chairman of the new committee, Helen Boyle Vice-Chair, Billie Walker Secretary and Sandra McKinnon Treasurer.

The meeting was well-attended and enthusiastic and the new group is up and running with every chance of success.

Good luck to them.

Labour Ahead of SNP in Latest Poll

YouGov latest poll shows that the Scottish Nationalists have made a mistake by ploughing forward in pursuit of independence.  The poll shows a clear majority of Scots believe that Alex Salmond has misjudged the mood of Scots by planning a vote on separatism at the height of a recession.

The report in the Sunday Times reports that Alex Salmond’s determination to press ahead with the referendum, and his failure to push through manifesto commitments, have led to a slump in support for his government.

The poll of 1,380 adults last week put the SNP on 35% in the constituency vote, with Labour on 34%, but on the regional vote Labour is on 32% and the SNP 30%.

It would give Labour 49 seats (+3), the SNP 44 (-3), the Tories 18 (+1), Lib Dems 15 (-1) and Greens three (+1).