Visit to Nestlé with Johann Lamont
I greatly enjoyed my visit to Nestlé in Girvan this month along with Scottish Labour Leader Johann Lamont. The Girvan operation employs 50 staff but that is only a small part of the story. They have invested heavily in reducing their carbon footprint and also in supporting biodiversity. Nestlé also Impact heavily on the local economy with a £50m operation consuming £26m of local milk. 70 local dairy farmers depend on the Girvan factory and all are located within a 50 mile radius. Johann Lamont was particularly interested in Nestlé's accreditation as a Living Wage employer and asked questions about how the Scottish Government could help companies like Nestlé's continue to invest in Scotland.
Mobile Bank for Ballantrae
Recently I raised concerns with the Royal Bank of Scotland regarding the decision to close local branches in New Cumnock and Ballantrae in September. Whilst I appreciate that agreement has been reached with the local Post Offices to allow RBS customers to withdraw cash, check balances and pay bills free of charge and eventually also to pay money in, as well as the provision of a new mobile van branch, this is another example of the withdrawal of local facilities in rural areas. I raised my concerns with RBS and asked what would happen to the premises, as we do not need more empty buildings.
Following this up I have now met with Royal Bank of Scotland staff to discuss plans to expand the Mobile Banking Service to Ballantrae. The Mobile service which already is well established throughout rural Ayrshire is based at the Sandgate Branch in Ayr. I was impressed by the commitment of staff to make this service meet the needs of local people previously served by the local branch. We discussed proposed routes and timetables which are being finalised at the moment and the level of service which can be provided. I will be keeping a close watch on how the expanded service works and would welcome customer feedback once operational.
Girvan Police Service
I have previously written to The Chief Superintendent to ask for clarification about what the review of policing might mean for the Girvan area and the timescale for any decisions that might be taken.
The Girvan office has already suffered cutbacks in hours over the last few years and I was concerned about any further moves to curtail the service. There has now been a consultation on the proposal to move Girvan police office to shared accommodation alongside NHS and Scottish Ambulance Service on the site of the new Community Hospital. Chief Superintendent Gillian McDonald has provided an update on the feedback received, and set out the next stage in the process.
Most respondents she reports acknowledged the rationale behind the proposed move, in terms of public service efficiency savings and the benefits of closer working relationships with key agencies. The confirmation that there will be no diminution of policing services in Girvan and the wider Carrick area was also greeted positively.
Concerns were raised about the future of the existing police office and its fate if left unsold for any length of time; the opening hours of any shared counter at the Hospital and how it would operate; access to the new facility, given that it is not located in the town centre; and security of the new premises. I will be keeping a close watch on developments to ensure the local community is fully involved in any changes.
Saving the Welfare State
The United Kingdom has many proud achievements. One of the best examples is our welfare state. That system supports those in Carrick, across Scotland and the whole of the UK in the greatest need. It is through the pooling and sharing of resources across an economy of more than 63 million people in the UK, rather than just 5 million in Scotland, that we are better placed to support the most vulnerable people in our local communities.
Although the Nationalists have been campaigning for 80 years for independence they have no clear plan for benefits and pensions. They are asking people who are reliant on benefits or on their pension to take a huge risk but can't tell them how these would be paid or even the currency in which it would be paid. By saying No Thanks to separation we can make sure that we protect the most vulnerable people in the Carrick area from the massive cuts that would happen in a separate Scotland.
I greatly enjoyed my visit to Nestlé in Girvan this month along with Scottish Labour Leader Johann Lamont. The Girvan operation employs 50 staff but that is only a small part of the story. They have invested heavily in reducing their carbon footprint and also in supporting biodiversity. Nestlé also Impact heavily on the local economy with a £50m operation consuming £26m of local milk. 70 local dairy farmers depend on the Girvan factory and all are located within a 50 mile radius. Johann Lamont was particularly interested in Nestlé's accreditation as a Living Wage employer and asked questions about how the Scottish Government could help companies like Nestlé's continue to invest in Scotland.
Mobile Bank for Ballantrae
Recently I raised concerns with the Royal Bank of Scotland regarding the decision to close local branches in New Cumnock and Ballantrae in September. Whilst I appreciate that agreement has been reached with the local Post Offices to allow RBS customers to withdraw cash, check balances and pay bills free of charge and eventually also to pay money in, as well as the provision of a new mobile van branch, this is another example of the withdrawal of local facilities in rural areas. I raised my concerns with RBS and asked what would happen to the premises, as we do not need more empty buildings.
Following this up I have now met with Royal Bank of Scotland staff to discuss plans to expand the Mobile Banking Service to Ballantrae. The Mobile service which already is well established throughout rural Ayrshire is based at the Sandgate Branch in Ayr. I was impressed by the commitment of staff to make this service meet the needs of local people previously served by the local branch. We discussed proposed routes and timetables which are being finalised at the moment and the level of service which can be provided. I will be keeping a close watch on how the expanded service works and would welcome customer feedback once operational.
Girvan Police Service
I have previously written to The Chief Superintendent to ask for clarification about what the review of policing might mean for the Girvan area and the timescale for any decisions that might be taken.
The Girvan office has already suffered cutbacks in hours over the last few years and I was concerned about any further moves to curtail the service. There has now been a consultation on the proposal to move Girvan police office to shared accommodation alongside NHS and Scottish Ambulance Service on the site of the new Community Hospital. Chief Superintendent Gillian McDonald has provided an update on the feedback received, and set out the next stage in the process.
Most respondents she reports acknowledged the rationale behind the proposed move, in terms of public service efficiency savings and the benefits of closer working relationships with key agencies. The confirmation that there will be no diminution of policing services in Girvan and the wider Carrick area was also greeted positively.
Concerns were raised about the future of the existing police office and its fate if left unsold for any length of time; the opening hours of any shared counter at the Hospital and how it would operate; access to the new facility, given that it is not located in the town centre; and security of the new premises. I will be keeping a close watch on developments to ensure the local community is fully involved in any changes.
Saving the Welfare State
The United Kingdom has many proud achievements. One of the best examples is our welfare state. That system supports those in Carrick, across Scotland and the whole of the UK in the greatest need. It is through the pooling and sharing of resources across an economy of more than 63 million people in the UK, rather than just 5 million in Scotland, that we are better placed to support the most vulnerable people in our local communities.
Although the Nationalists have been campaigning for 80 years for independence they have no clear plan for benefits and pensions. They are asking people who are reliant on benefits or on their pension to take a huge risk but can't tell them how these would be paid or even the currency in which it would be paid. By saying No Thanks to separation we can make sure that we protect the most vulnerable people in the Carrick area from the massive cuts that would happen in a separate Scotland.