Kevin Keenan : Unemployment up 700 year-on-year

Unemployment in Dundee 700 up year-on-year


Councillor Kevin Keenan, Labour group leader on Dundee District Council , responded to the latest figures on unemployment in Dundee showing a rise of almost 700 in 12 months, saying :

"The rise in unemployment in the city over the past year has shown that neither the policies of Tory Chancellor George Osborne nor of the SNP Government in Scotland has worked for Dundee.
"In contrast, Labour has already called for a £2billion tax on bankers’ bonuses, some of the money from which would go towards constructing up to 2,500 more affordable homes in Scotland and which would also find jobs for young people.
"We also want the acceleration of programmes of long-term investment involving schools, roads and transport - to get more people back to work, and bringing to a halt the SNP government's cuts to colleges in Scotland such as our own Dundee College.
"We want the rise in VAT imposed in January reversed for a temporary period to help boost high street business, families and pensioners.
"A full one year cut in VAT to 5% on home improvements, repairs and maintenance would definitely help homeowners and small businesses, and a 12 month national insurance tax break for every small firm which takes on extra workers – helping small businesses to grow and create jobs."

St John's Bus Issue : Meet the Parents !

Councillor Richard McCready

St John’s Bus Issue - Meet the Parents!

12 October 2011

Yet again I'm calling for action over the issue of buses to St John's High School.
I'm concerned that so-far the Administration of the City Council has refused to meet with parents.

I am particularly concerned that the Council has refused to meet with the statutory body representing parents namely the Parent Council.
The report which was in the local press this morning caused me a great deal of concern.
I find it hard to believe that the Administration have not agreed to meet Monsignor McCaffrey or parents from St John's to discuss how to find a solution to this problem.
It all begs a very simple question - why?
I am appalled at the lack of action on the part of the Administration.
Why are they refusing to meet with parents?
I am aware that a group of parents from the West End and the Parent Council have been trying to meet with the Education Convener to discuss this issue but they have been refused, so far.
There is a saying that 'it is good to talk.'
I am surprised by the statement by Dundee City Council in today's press that the Council does not subsidise school bus services,
There is a subsidised bus service to St Paul's Academy. (The council report that this costs £44,840 per annum)
The City Council also subsidise a number of bus services throughout the city based on their 'social' usefulness.
Surely buses that take pupils to school serve a useful purpose.
I was shocked at the recent council meeting when Monsignor McCaffrey was ruled out of order for having the temerity to ask about bus transport to schools.
But it is more shocking that the council is refusing to engage with parents.
Parents are the first educators of their children and have an important role to play in supporting the school.
Parents in the West End are trying to support the school by ensuring that their children get to school on time and are able to do their homework in the evenings.
Why is the partnership between the council and the parents not being taken seriously by the council?
As a local councillor I want a solution to this problem, the Administration should meet with parents and be prepared to look positively at ways to secure a bus service to St John's.
Local people, sending their children to a local school deserve no less.

Concern at Ninewells Car Parking Charge Increase

Concern at Increase in Ninewells Car Parking Charge
6 October 2011
Councillor Richard McCready
Visitors and staff attempting to avoid the charges cause parking problems in the West End and on the other side of the hospital in Menzieshill.
Charging for car parking at Ninewells was a mistake and it is no use focusing on the history of who did what and when but rather we should be focusing on the way ahead.
The Scottish Government says that car parking should be free at hospitals, they should implement their own policy in Dundee.
I would be happy to work with anyone to achieve the goal of abolishing car parking charges at Ninewells.

There is no such thing as a free car parking place, costs are involved.
Through our taxes we are all paying for free car parking at hospitals across Scotland, in places such as Perth.
The difference is that people using Ninewells Hospital do not benefit from free car parking.

Ninewells Hospital does have good public transport links and these should be encouraged, but public transport does not always suit the hours of some people working in this vast complex.
For some people who are visiting as patients it may not be appropriate for them to use public transport.

All I want for the people I represent is equity.

Jim McGovern addresses Dundee Pensioners’ Forum

Jim McGovern addresses Dundee Pensioners’ Forum
6 October 2011
Jim McGovern, MP for Dundee West, addressed a full members' meeting of the Dundee Pensioners’ Forum today ( Thursday 6th October ).
Mr McGovern addressed the concerns put to him by the forum ranging from cuts to Winter Fuel Allowance, care for the elderly and the changes to state pensions and the decision to link it from RPI to CPI.
Jim McGovern said,
"I was delighted to be able to come to address the concerns of the Dundee Pensioners’ Forum, who do a fantastic job of representing pensioners in the city."
"They made clear to me they are greatly concerned by the Tory-led government’s decision to roll back Labour’s increase in Winter Fuel Allowance for the elderly, who will see a cut ranging from £50 to £100 a year in support at a time when fuel bills are continuing to increase."
"The forum was also greatly concerned that too little is being done to ensure that care for the elderly is put back on a firm basis."
"The costs associated with care for the elderly are due to increase dramatically over the course of the UK parliament, but neither the Tories nor the SNP have budgeted to support local authorities to maintain these services.
"I made clear my view that we should be following Labour’s proposal to establish a National Care Service, paid for from greater inheritance tax from the very wealthiest, so the long the term future of care is ensured."
"We also discussed the Tory’s shameful decision to link state pensions away from RPI to CPI.
"This will mean less money going to state pension holders and AgeUK have estimated it could increase pensioner poverty by up to 7% over the course of this parliament."
Mr McGovern concluded,
"This was a very productive meeting, and I appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from Dundee’s pensioners how they are suffering because of the ideological cuts from the Tories and the lack of direction from the SNP.
"It is clear that their policies simply aren’t working.
"The Tories must ensure that they do all they can to minimise the damage their cuts are having on pensioners, and SNP must stop focusing solely on gaining new powers from London, but use those they already have to ensure that vital services for pensioners are maintained."

Jenny Marra MSP : No Forced University Mergers

Jenny Marra MSP : No Forced Mergers

3 October 2011
The following motion was lodged by Jenny Marra MSP in Parliament today
Welcome No Forced Mergers
That the Parliament welcomes the First Minister’s guarantee that the University of Abertay and the University of Dundee will not be forced to merge; considers that the Hands off Abertay campaign has received widespread support; congratulates businesses, lecturers, students and student executives across Dundee and Scotland for joining the campaign against the merger, and welcomes the fact that no higher education institutions will be forced to merge during the current session of the Parliament.

Councillor Kevin Keenan : SNP must pass on extra £67 million for spending to local councils

SNP must pass on extra £67 million for spending to councils

5 October 2011

Councillor Kevin Keenan , Labour group leader on Dundee City Council , has called on the SNP Government to pass on to local councils such as Dundee the additional £67 million increase in its budget that it will receive from the UK Government as a result of the council tax freeze in England.
This would mean an extra spending of £1.7 million for Dundee.
Kevin Keenan said,
"There was little or no good news from Mr Swinney when he delivered his Budget Statement on behalf of his SNP domineering majority Scottish Government.
" He is expecting a Council Tax freeze, without delivering the funds and at the same time expecting an interest-free loan from Dundee and every other Local Authority by taking away capital allocation for the next two years.
"My only hope is that the Scottish Government will pass the full amount received from Chancellor Osborne directly to Local Government - anything less would be unacceptable.
"If we were to receive anything less, I hope that this City's SNP Administration would send a very strong message to Mr Swinney.
"I think Mr Obsborne's announcement has out-manoeuvred Mr Swinney as this time cuts in services cannot be attributed entirely to Westminster, and the SNP will now have to stand fully accountable for the decisions and the choices they have made.
"I did welcome Mr Swinney's announcement that he would deliver £15m for the V & A.
"However it is quite regrettable that he did not fully fund this project given the amount of public funds being tipped in to a poorly-managed Edinburgh Trams project."
Councillor Keenan also disclosed that he had written to Ken Guild, the Leader of the SNP Administration on Dundee City Council over a week ago and still await his response to these questions.
These were :
Can you confirm the amount of savings that Dundee City Council will have to make over the Spending Review period if it is your intention to deliver a Council Tax freeze?
Can you also advise how the impact of the re-shuffle in capital will affect the City?
How much will we lose in the first two years and what impact this will have on current projects and what level of borrowing will we need to do to meet our costs?
Can you confirm that you will honour your Government's commitment to individuals who earn less that £21,000 as this would bring some considerable comfort to many, many employees?

Jim McGovern tables parliamentary motion condemning University merger

29 September 2011

Jim McGovern, MP for Dundee West, has submitted an Early Day Motion to the House of Commons calling on the SNP to abandon plans to force Scottish universities to merge, particularly highlighting concerns surrounding a proposed forced merger between Dundee and Abertay universities.
The motion will be published after the party conference recess and will state:
That this House condemns proposals put forward by the SNP administration in Holyrood to force Scottish universities to merge and in so doing undermining their academic and administrative independence and calls on them to abandon these proposals; and is particularly concerned that this will have a damaging effect on Dundee and Abertay universities, undermining the distinct cultures and approaches in each, as well as harming a long history of innovation, independence and success in these universities, and creating a potential loss of 500 jobs at Abertay.
This comes as Cabinet Secretary for Education Mike Russell indicated that a merger between Abertay and Dundee universities was not ‘inevitable’.
Mr. McGovern has also signed the ‘Hands of Abertay’ petition, which has so far attracted 991 signatures.
Jim McGovern said,
"It is important that the SNP listen to the outrage expressed by both the public and academia about this half baked proposal, that is why I have written to Mike Russell and I have now tabled this motion.
"It simply isn’t good enough to say that a merger would not be ‘inevitable’.
"He should rule out any forced merger altogether.
"The future of both universities must be decided by them alone, not by government diktat."
Mr McGovern concluded,
"I have yet to receive a response from Mike Russell, but I hope his acknowledgement that a merger is not certain will soon become a complete u-turn.
"It is only right for the good of Dundee and Abertay universities, and for the city, that this mistaken proposal is overturned as soon as possible."