david4pollokshields

The results are in and the Conservatives gained 256 new councillors and 12 new councils throuhgout England and Wales. Labour lost 331 councillors and 9 councils.

In the London Assembly the Conservatives won 11 seats to Labour’s 8. And, of course, Boris Johnson is the new Mayor of London!

The BBC projects the Conservatives won 44% of the vote and Labour came third with only 24% of the vote. These are the worst results for Labour for forty years. Well done Gordon Brown! If a general election were held tomorrow David Cameron would win by a landslide and we would finally get the change we need.

You may not have heard but the Conservatives won the Abbey ward by-election in Scotland. This is the first victory for the Conservatives under the new STV electoral system. Well done Mike Thomson who gained over 2000 votes and joins the Conservative group on Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Bring on the general election…

Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra will entertain with traditional Scottish fiddle music on Tuesday 22 April 2008 at 7.30pm in Sherbrooke St Gilbert’s Parish Church. Price: £5

Rev Tom Pollock has organised an arts and music festival on the 21st to 23rd of April in Sherbrooke St Gilbert’s Church, Nithsdale Road, Pollokshields.

If you’re in the area pop along on one of these days to hear and see great art. A small charge is payable but well worth it. I will soon post details of the programme but flyers are available in the local shops at Kildrostan St/Nithsdale Road as well as in the library.

As you may have read in the Herald or Evening Times I have resigned from the Licensing Board. Two in a week! I have certainly been making a name for myself!

To be totally honest (and I want to be as open as I can with my constituents) I was actually considering standing down from the Board. Because of the new Licensing Act, the Board was going to have to meet three times a week in order to process thousands of licences and I just felt I couldn’t devote the time that this deserved. I am the only Conservative Councillor and have a lot of commitments as a local Councillor. Working on local issues in my Ward is more important to me. It’s what I really enjoy about being a Councillor and you won’t read about in the Herald. (I also sit on four committees, four outside bodies and two working groups.)

Incidentally I stand by my comments: the Evening Time promotion did not encourage binge drinking and strict safeguards were in place. I suppose being young and an ex-student I thought it was a great promotion offering readers a free Guinness to celebrate St Patrick’s day! Also, surely Licensing Standard Officers have more important things to be dealing with, eg anti-social behaviour, under age drinking and so on.

I would like to point out that the Herald article incorrectly states that my resignation from the Planning Applications Committee cost me several thousand pounds. This is not true. If it was I would have bought all my constituents a pint of Guinness! Seriously even if it was the case I would have still resigned from the Planning Applications Committee (see previous posts) as I was so disgusted by the decision to grant the Go Ape application despite the huge public opposition and the negative impact it will have on the North Wood and Burrell Collection.

In the spirit of openness - and in light of the interest in politicians’ salaries and expenses - I receive £15,000 (before tax) and claim car mileage, as I use my car to quickly get around the Ward and go to public meetings. I take home about £220 per week after tax. I have no hesitation in saying that I am underpaid for the work I do. This week I have put in about 35 hours (this is a normal week for me, sometimes I work even longer).

Click Save Pollok Park for a copy of the presentation at April 2nd’s public meeting.

Hat tip: Richard Leyton

Hope you like the new look. Felt it was time for a change, as they say. Want it to be easy to read; picture is of Maxwell Park; and links are now on the left.

A meeting is being held on Wednesday April 2 at 8pm in Pollokshields Burgh Hall.

The following fourteen councillors voted to approve the Go Ape planning application:

George Redmond – Lab – Calton

Jonathan Findlay – Lab – Drumchapel/Anniesland

Shaukat Butt – Lab – Govan

Elizabeth Cameron – Lab – Garscadden/Scotstounhill

Frank Docherty – Lab – East Centre

Alex Glass – Lab – Greater Pollok

Jean McFadden – Lab – Garscadden/Scotstounhill

Catherine McMaster – Lab – North East

William O’Rourke – Lab – Greater Pollok

Paul Rooney – Lab – Garscadden/Scotstounhill

George Ryan – Lab – Shettleston

Iris Gibson – SNP – Craigton

Jahangir Hanif – SNP – Southside Central

John McLaughlin – SNP – Shettleston

They don’t listen to 900 formal public objections or a 4000 signature petition or the fact that community councils, MSPs, the National Trust, the Burrell architects and Maxwell family either formally objected or raise concerns. They don’t care about the environmental impact on the North Wood or the negative impact on the Burrell Museum. They don’t care about the impact on natural wild life, plant life or trees.

I would also point out that Councillor Steven Curran (Lab – Newlands/Auldburn) and Councillor Colin Deans (SNP – Newlands/Auldburn), who are both councillors for the ward which covers Pollok Country Park, spoke in favour of the application at the hearing. Councillor Deans’ contribution (more like a rant really) was nothing short of shocking. I was absolutely disgusted by his remarks. I am sure whoever my Party selects as the candidate for Newlands/Auldburn at the next local elections will remind voters of this.

The following councillors voted against the proposal:

David Meikle - Conservative – Pollokshields

Margot Clark - Lib Dem - Linn

Craig McKay - SNP - Anderston/City

James McNally- Lab - Newlands/Auldburn

George Roberts- SNP - Hillhead

Kieran Wild - Green - Canal

Not sure really what to make of Councillor McNally voting against. The cynic in me says it is for purely political reasons, ie to save his skin at the next election. But heh he may just have a brain unlike his 11 Labour colleagues who were going to vote this through come what may. Totally underhand and shows democracy is alive and well in Glasgow City Chambers!!!!!!

I would urge you to now write to your local MSP and regional MSPs. The application will be referred to Scottish Government Ministers.

The Planning Applications Committee voted 14 to 6 to grant the Go Ape planning application. I was one of six councillors to vote against the proposal to erect a high wire adventure facility in the North Wood of Pollok Country Park. I have since resigned from the committee.

My quote to the press in full (March 25 2008):

“Following today’s outrageous decision to approve Go Ape I can no longer sit as a member of the Planning Committee. Go Ape is a fantastic facility but will, in my opinion, have a detrimental impact on the North Wood and the Burrell Collection.

“The proposal my fellow councillors approved today is just a step too far and unlike the 14 councillors who approved this scheme I have listened to my constituents, to the people of Glasgow and the Save Pollok Park group, who made a convincing argument against the application at today’s hearing. This is why I have resigned from the Committee.”

The Planning Applications Committee will conduct a site visit on Tuesday March 25 at 10.00am and a hearing on the planning application will take place at 11.00am in committee room 3, City Chambers.