Scottish Parliament News
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Cathy Peattie MSP
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Objecting 2 Objective 2The new Objective 2 areas have been announced - without any in the Falkirk East constituency. The Scottish Parliament's European Committee met on Tuesday 19th October to discuss the proposals. Winning any changes at this late stage will be difficult, but Cathy attended the committee, using her right as an MSP to address the committee and voice her concerns on behalf of Falkirk Council area. The funding criteria for Objective 2 state that a major consideration is the level of unemployment in the area. Despite Inchyra having 15.5% unemployment, it is not included, whereas wards in some areas are included despite having unemployment levels as low as 1.5%. The issue will be discussed by the full parliament on Thursday, 28th October. Cathy has arranged for a meeting in the Parliament headquarters on Wednesday morning, between Falkirk Council Falkirk East is completely excluded. While Grangemouth retains a strong industrial base, its proximity is little comfort to workers in Bo'ness and other local communities, particularly at a time when Russell Athletic, the largest factory is Bo'ness is closing down - and another, W. Bairds, is threatening a similar fate for their Grangemouth factory, as a result of a decision by Marks and Spencers to use other sources of supply. The lack of recognition within Objective 2 will undermine social inclusion initiatives in areas which qualify for other programmes, such as Assisted Areas and Locally Based initiatives. The narrow focus of the proposal will also affect included where possible sources of employment are not able to access funds - for example an excluded business park near to included residential areas.
Scottish Parliament programmeThe Scottish Executive's first legislative programme includes eight bills - Land Reform; Feudal Tenure; National Parks; Local Government (Ethical Standards); Incapable Adults; Transport; Financial Procedures and Auditing; and Education. There has already been an emergency bill to add public safety as ground for refusing to discharge mental patients. MSPs can also submit bills and motions for debate. The greatest public response so far to legislative proposals has been to the private members bill on Hunting with Dogs, introduced by Mike Watson with support from Cathy and other MSPs. While Cathy has received a large number of letters from both sides of the debate, those which have been sent by constituents are almost unanimously opposed to fox hunting. The pro-hunting letters are being mass mailed to all MSPs by blood sports enthusiasts from rural areas such as the Borders and the Highlands. (Dave is working on a briefing for those who are interested in the arguments and counter arguments). Cathy is a member of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee as well as the Rural Affairs Committee. She is also involved in a number of All Party Groups, such as Disability, Oil, Cancer and Palliative Care, and the one which will be no surprise, Traditional Music. Surgeries - in communities, in schools, with pupils ... and in Tesco's ...Cathy has a programme of surgeries throughout the constituency, some in familiar venues and some less so ... On Saturday November 20th, Cathy will be meeting the shoppers in the foyer of Tesco's Bo'ness store, from 10am until midday. The shoppers' surgery was organised following an invite from the supermarket company to all MSPs. If successful, we would be looking to hold further surgeries in the store - and who knows where this trend could lead? Also in November, there are plans for young peoples' surgeries to be held in secondary schools in the constituency, as part a joint EIS/UNICEF project "Put it to your MSP" - celebrating the tenth anniversary of the UN General Assembly's adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Surgeries have so far all been arranged on Mondays (Parliament committees meet on Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings, and the full parliament sessions are on Wednesday afternoons and Thursdays). Surgeries are advertised the week before the surgery date in the Grangemouth Advertiser and when appropriate, the Bo'ness Journal. Notices have also been placed in local shops, one stop shops and council offices, and the itinerary is available on Cathy's web site. Meet the StaffCathy has two people working for her - John Tennant and Dave Smith. John has known Cathy since 1985, when he worked with her as a volunteer with a local voluntary organisation. In 1995, he was appointed as her Assistant / Administrator with the Falkirk Voluntary Action Resource Centre. "In a moment of weakness (on her part) she asked me work for her," said John. "I mainly deal with administration within the constituency as well as the general running of the office. Because of the type of work, I am taking a four year course on Diplomacy and Tact!"
Many party members will have met Dave in his previous incarnation as assistant to Euro MP Alex Falconer. Please note, however, that so many people have failed to recognise him since he shaved off his beard, that he is thinking of regrowing it ... Dave's time is split between the constituency and the parliament, and his duties take in casework, research, media relations, and information technology (and he's happy to offer advice on acquiring and using equipment and software). |
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