A Glasgwegian writes...

From Glasgow Guide - a writer discusses the plans for redudancy for over 50s in Glasgow City Council:

The terms of Redundancy may look good, but anyone accepting them should remember they will have quite a few years to wait before they can claim SRP.

This crowd on the Council must be the worse crowd to run Glasgow that I can remember.

The City is dirty and needs a good clean up. The cracks in our roads and pavements are terrible.
I know a lot of people are responsible for the litter, but we do need more litter bins in all our streets.

In July they sent men round our area covering the pavements with a thin covering of tar which is already cracked and full of lumps. There is grass growing in the middle of the pavements.

As the area we live in is a small private estate, I am seriously thinking of sending a registered letter to the Council informing them that if anyone slips on the grassy pavement and injures themself outside our house, they the Council will be held responsible and liable to be sued and not us.

We have trees so tall and wide they are against our hall and bedroom windows. This is on ground maintained by the Council for which the builders of the houses pay Glasgow Council for maintenance.

A neighbour in her 80s asked the Council to cut the trees back and was told to get it done and pay for it herself.

It is obvious those in the Council knew the city could not afford the Commonwealth Games. But no doubt they will tell us the City will gain from it as there will a lot of money spent by all the people coming to Glasgow to see the Games.

When the next Council election comes along we should not elect anyone age 50 yrs or over.

"A legacy for the 2014 Commonwealth Games"

From the Daily Record:


CalMac boss keeps his job after repaying £13K following expenses probe

Oct 12 2009 David Taylor

A BOSS at a ferry company funded by public money has been forced to pay back almost £13,000 of taxpayers' cash after a probe into his expenses.

Alan Moffat, human resources director of CalMac, claimed thousands of pounds for takeaway meals, hotel bills made out in his wife's name and alcohol bought near his home when he was not working.

Moffat, 54, who lives in Bearsden, near Glasgow, was issued with a final warning but was allowed to keep his job after paying back £12,899 last month.

Following an investigation by forensic accountancy firm KPMG, Moffat was found to have altered receipts and provided others which had no bearing to the claims.

He was reimbursed for cash he spent at McDonald's, Domino Pizza, Dobbie's Garden Centre, and the Ashoka Indian restaurant near his home. Moffat paid back cash including £4968 blown on takeaways, £1426 spent in convenience stores and £39 for a home internet connection.

Accountants also found "frequent reimbursement for costs relating to Victoria Wine where the date and time on the receipt is a Friday evening or weekend".

He also claimed for petrol and diesel fuel, even though his company car runs on diesel.

CalMac is owned by the Scottish Government. Its parent firm David MacBrayne accepted other claims he made as being genuine, including £1750 for staying in five-star hotels, £48.50 for roses sent to his home and £137 for a Swarovski crystal figurine.

His wife, Jillian, is a senior executive at jobs quango Scottish Enterprise, and is in charge of ensuring a business legacy for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

A spokesman for David MacBrayne said: "We are entirely satisfied that there was no intention to defraud."

Glasgow construction volume "plummets"

From regen.net

Glasgow construction volume "plummets"

Christian Duffin, Regen.net, 2 October 2009

The volume of construction work underway in Glasgow has plummeted because of the recession, a study has found.

A survey carried out by commercial property consultancy Drivers Jonas found that 13 developments are currently under construction in Glasgow, compared to 30 last year.

The survey found that no new schemes started construction in 2009, compared to 11 in 2008.

There are only 122 residential housing units set for completion this year, substantially lower than the 580 annual average over the last nine years, according to the survey.

Several hotel developments have been delayed, including the Jumeirah Glasgow Hotel and the Bothwell Plaza, which have dented plans to add 3,000 hotel bedrooms by 2014, when the city hosts the Commonwealth Games, according to Drivers Jonas.

Alasdair Ramsay, a partner at Drivers Jonas in Scotland, said: "The research shows there is little construction activity in Glasgow city centre. However, the developments that have taken place in recent years have reinforced confidence in the city. Plans are currently being prepared for several commercial developments, even during the recession."

The survey can be seen here

East End allotments hopefully won't be destroyed by Games

Commonwealth Games Village

BBC: "We will vigorously question the Commonwealth Games project"

Dear Mr ...

Thank you for your comments on our coverage of the Commonwealth Games project.

Please accept our apologies for the long delay in replying. We know our correspondents appreciate a quick response and we are sorry you have had to wait on this occasion.

I have passed these on to the reporter Hayley Millar. I can assure you that we will vigorously question the Commonwealth Games project as it progresses from now to 2014.

Thank you for your interest and your concerns.

Regards,

Atholl Duncan
Head of News



---------Original Message-------------


As there has *never* been a successful "regeneration" project carried out by Glasgow City Council or any of its friends in private industry, why was Hayley Miller's report on the the Commonwealth Games so devoid of any substantive criticism? Am I paying a licence fee in order to hear propaganda from the likes of Steven Purcell, who has never seen a demolition or school closing he didn't like? Any chance the lack of critical voices will be rectified?

Commonwealth Games "Health Impact Assessment"

You may have seen surveys if you went to your doctors surgery recently. They were asking you why did you think the Commonwealth Games would be great, etc. Anyways, the results were to be posted on the Council's website in August - well, basically, now.

But the results aren't up yet.

Maybe Jo-Ann Welsh knows - why not drop her an email: joann.welsh@glasgow.gov.uk, or better yet, give her a ring: 0141 287 4460.