This year’s Budget from the administration on
Renfrewshire Council in my opinion does not go far
enough in listening to and helping local families and
pensioners. There are yet more cuts to the Education
Department and more cuts affecting the elderly
including the withdrawal of the senior citizens voucher
scheme.
One of the major cuts will affect local children
travelling to school. Under the plans high school pupils
living less than 3 miles from their school will no longer
get free school transport. Whenever I have spoken to
local families about school transport it is their view that we should be
extending this service not be cutting it. According to a letter of reply I
received from the Education Department in December it is likely that 964
pupils across Renfrewshire could be affected by this including 187 pupils
from St Benedict’s High School. Time will tell what the real impact of
these cuts will mean. I want to reassure you my constituents that there
is no way I will support the SNP’s school transport cuts.
At the time of going to press the improvement works around the McKillop
Hall in Lochwinnoch were due to go ahead on Monday 1st February. The
works include new benches, paving and shrubbery. If you would like a
copy of the plans then please get in touch.
The weather over winter has been estimated to be the worst in nearly
30 years. Whilst the conditions have been particularly bad to effectively
run out of salt for the second year running shows a particular lack of
investment and planning. Council cuts are now seemingly affecting this
area of service and lessons need to be learned.
I am always looking for new ways to meet local residents and will be
out in the following streets on Tuesday 9th February between 5.30pm to
8.30pm to listen to the views of local people :- Dalhousie Road, Troubridge
Avenue, Troubridge Crescent, Ramsay Crescent, Mackenzie Drive, Lismore
Gardens, Ladysmith Avenue. To make sure I call at your door please email
cllr.neil.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.uk or call me on 07917 882294.
My next advice surgeries (1st Saturday of the month) will be on Saturday
6th February and Saturday 6th March at 9am in the McKillop Hall,
Lochwinnoch and 10am in the Steeple Hall, Kilbarchan.
I believe that maintenance of the greenbelt is vital to
protect the size and rural character of Kilmacolm. We
must avoid ribbon development and creating isolated
pockets of housing scattered across the countryside.
I strongly disagreed with the recent proposal to fi nance
the refurbishment of Duchal House by releasing two
separate sites within the greenbelt for housing. It
was argued that release of greenbelt land would be
“enabling development”
In the past enabling development, for example at
Auchenbothie, has been adjacent to the listed building
and the development has brought the listed building into the public
domain. In this instance the listed building would have remained private,
unencumbered by the housing developments at a distance.
There are better ways of fi nancing the maintenance of listed buildings.
I have great admiration for the successful business that has been set up
at Finlaystone Estate.
Fortunately the Duchal planning application was refused.
FEBRUARY 2010 | send your ARTICLES & PHOTOS to info@advertizer.co.uk www.advertizer.co.uk| 01505 874385 | www.theadvertizer.co.uk 7
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