MP’s Diary
South Ayrshire Council adopts Living Wage
More than 500 South Ayrshire Council employees began to benefit financially from the introduction of a Living Wage pay supplement from 1 October 2012.
The introduction of the Living Wage – the lowest amount anyone should earn to be able to cover their basic costs – will see an additional payment made to 541 employees to bring their hourly rate up to £7.20 per hour, which is £1.12 more than the main minimum wage rate for workers aged 21 years and over. The pay supplement will boost annual salaries for affected employees by up to almost £2,000 – depending on current pay and grading level and hours worked.
Labour tried to get this agreed by the previous administration in South Ayrshire, so I am delighted the new Council has now implemented it. This is why Labour chose to be part of the administration on the Council, so we could stand up for the vulnerable and make sure they have someone on their side in these tough economic times. You can’t do that sitting on the sidelines.
The next target is to get private sector employers signed up for the Living Wage too. Labour MSP, John Park, is preparing a Private Members Bill in the Scottish Parliament to have the Living Wage included in public sector procurement contracts with private firms. He recognises that this is not easy to achieve because of European regulations on tendering but there are examples of it being done successfully within the rules elsewhere. He deserves to be supported in this initiative.
Superfast Broadband for Girvan
BT has announced a major investment which will benefit parts of Ayrshire including Girvan, pledging to roll-out its high speed fibre broadband. Girvan is among the locations to benefit from this in 2013. Broadband was one of the issues raised with Finance Secretary, John Swinney, at the recent meeting I hosted with local businesses, community groups and the Council. It was identified as one of the issues contributing to Carrick’s economic underperformance and the increasing gap with the wider area and Scotland. Girvan’s inclusion in the fibre broadband roll-out is very welcome, but Girvan isn’t Carrick. What about the rest of our area including the rural parts where this will not reach. I will be pressing the Minister for Carrick to be made a Pioneer Project for a community broadband initiative. This could involve support from South Ayrshire Council and from wind farm community benefit funds.
Bienvenu and Wilkommen
Last week I had the pleasure of taking part in the 30th Anniversary Celebrations of the Maybole – Crosne Town Twinning. As well as the guests from Crosne in France, we also met with guests from Maybole’s other twin towns –Beloeil in Belgium and Schotten in Germany.
Led by the Maybole Pipe Band, the company, including Provost Helen Moonie and local councillors, marched to the Town Hall. The local primary schools provided entertainment, followed by a speeches and a Signing of Scrolls. The buffet was held in the excellent new facilities of the Carrick Centre. Maybole Town Twinning and all others involved on the day are to be congratulated on organising an enjoyable and fitting event to mark the anniversary.
Crime Prevention Day at Carrick Academy
Alex Kelly invited me to join in the recent Crime Prevention event with third year scholars at Carrick Academy. This is the 17th year Alex has been organising these events at both Carrick and Girvan Academies. He told me they are now going to be extended to cover all of South Ayrshire. A range of organisations were present with workshops on Transport Police; Crime Prevention; the Police; Zero Tolerance; Knife Crime and others. I took part in the Transport Police’s workshop on the dangers of going on to railway lines
South Ayrshire Council adopts Living Wage
More than 500 South Ayrshire Council employees began to benefit financially from the introduction of a Living Wage pay supplement from 1 October 2012.
The introduction of the Living Wage – the lowest amount anyone should earn to be able to cover their basic costs – will see an additional payment made to 541 employees to bring their hourly rate up to £7.20 per hour, which is £1.12 more than the main minimum wage rate for workers aged 21 years and over. The pay supplement will boost annual salaries for affected employees by up to almost £2,000 – depending on current pay and grading level and hours worked.
Labour tried to get this agreed by the previous administration in South Ayrshire, so I am delighted the new Council has now implemented it. This is why Labour chose to be part of the administration on the Council, so we could stand up for the vulnerable and make sure they have someone on their side in these tough economic times. You can’t do that sitting on the sidelines.
The next target is to get private sector employers signed up for the Living Wage too. Labour MSP, John Park, is preparing a Private Members Bill in the Scottish Parliament to have the Living Wage included in public sector procurement contracts with private firms. He recognises that this is not easy to achieve because of European regulations on tendering but there are examples of it being done successfully within the rules elsewhere. He deserves to be supported in this initiative.
Superfast Broadband for Girvan
BT has announced a major investment which will benefit parts of Ayrshire including Girvan, pledging to roll-out its high speed fibre broadband. Girvan is among the locations to benefit from this in 2013. Broadband was one of the issues raised with Finance Secretary, John Swinney, at the recent meeting I hosted with local businesses, community groups and the Council. It was identified as one of the issues contributing to Carrick’s economic underperformance and the increasing gap with the wider area and Scotland. Girvan’s inclusion in the fibre broadband roll-out is very welcome, but Girvan isn’t Carrick. What about the rest of our area including the rural parts where this will not reach. I will be pressing the Minister for Carrick to be made a Pioneer Project for a community broadband initiative. This could involve support from South Ayrshire Council and from wind farm community benefit funds.
Bienvenu and Wilkommen
Last week I had the pleasure of taking part in the 30th Anniversary Celebrations of the Maybole – Crosne Town Twinning. As well as the guests from Crosne in France, we also met with guests from Maybole’s other twin towns –Beloeil in Belgium and Schotten in Germany.
Led by the Maybole Pipe Band, the company, including Provost Helen Moonie and local councillors, marched to the Town Hall. The local primary schools provided entertainment, followed by a speeches and a Signing of Scrolls. The buffet was held in the excellent new facilities of the Carrick Centre. Maybole Town Twinning and all others involved on the day are to be congratulated on organising an enjoyable and fitting event to mark the anniversary.
Crime Prevention Day at Carrick Academy
Alex Kelly invited me to join in the recent Crime Prevention event with third year scholars at Carrick Academy. This is the 17th year Alex has been organising these events at both Carrick and Girvan Academies. He told me they are now going to be extended to cover all of South Ayrshire. A range of organisations were present with workshops on Transport Police; Crime Prevention; the Police; Zero Tolerance; Knife Crime and others. I took part in the Transport Police’s workshop on the dangers of going on to railway lines