Cllr Jim Barrie
SNP Candidate for Dundee West
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Archive for January, 2009
SNP Concerns over Social Work Overspend
SNP politicians in Dundee today reacted to public statements by Dundee City Council’s Administration leader, Councillor Keenan, that more Scottish Government funding was being sought to cover a projected £1.5m overspend in the Council’s Social Work budget.
Councillor Jim Barrie, SNP Group Spokesman of Social Work & Health: “I am pleased that the Scottish Government and Dundee Council are working very closely together on this issue.
“Although Dundee has some unique problems, the rising cost of provision of social services is affecting all councils and the areas where costs are rising most steeply are in the care of the elderly – we have an aging population – and in the provision of services to vulnerable adults and young people.
“There is huge pressure on staff and budgets due to, for example, provision of services to deal with the problems caused by drug and substance abuse.
“The Council is looking to be as efficient as possible and to ensure that the cost of these additional services are shared equally between the Council and its key partner agencies such as NHS Tayside and Tayside Police.
“One of the best aspects of the Concordat signed between the Council and the Scottish Government – apart from the record levels of funding – is the flexibility which it gives the Council to develop efficiencies in other budget sectors where demand is falling, or where services can be provided – or are already being provided – by other agencies.”
Commenting on the situation, Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said: “Social Work Departments have always been under pressure across Scotland and as one of Dundee Council’s biggest spending Departments, there is nothing new in predictions of spiralling costs leading to an overspend.
“Councils have always faced the difficulty of providing services to meet rising demand in areas such as social work where staff costs are necessarily much higher than in other budget sectors.”
Shona Robison MSP said: “Through my regular meetings with the Chief Executive, I am well aware of concerns about the Social Work projected overspend and look forward to further discussions on the issue.
“I am also aware that the Council has discussed the situation with my Ministerial colleagues and put their case directly.”
SNP Concerns over Social Work Overspend
SNP politicians in Dundee today reacted to public statements by Dundee City Council’s Administration leader, Councillor Keenan, that more Scottish Government funding was being sought to cover a projected £1.5m overspend in the Council’s Social Work budget.
Councillor Jim Barrie, SNP Group Spokesman of Social Work & Health: “I am pleased that the Scottish Government and Dundee Council are working very closely together on this issue.
“Although Dundee has some unique problems, the rising cost of provision of social services is affecting all councils and the areas where costs are rising most steeply are in the care of the elderly – we have an aging population – and in the provision of services to vulnerable adults and young people.
“There is huge pressure on staff and budgets due to, for example, provision of services to deal with the problems caused by drug and substance abuse.
“The Council is looking to be as efficient as possible and to ensure that the cost of these additional services are shared equally between the Council and its key partner agencies such as NHS Tayside and Tayside Police.
“One of the best aspects of the Concordat signed between the Council and the Scottish Government – apart from the record levels of funding – is the flexibility which it gives the Council to develop efficiencies in other budget sectors where demand is falling, or where services can be provided – or are already being provided – by other agencies.”
Commenting on the situation, Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said: “Social Work Departments have always been under pressure across Scotland and as one of Dundee Council’s biggest spending Departments, there is nothing new in predictions of spiralling costs leading to an overspend.
“Councils have always faced the difficulty of providing services to meet rising demand in areas such as social work where staff costs are necessarily much higher than in other budget sectors.”
Shona Robison MSP said: “Through my regular meetings with the Chief Executive, I am well aware of concerns about the Social Work projected overspend and look forward to further discussions on the issue.
“I am also aware that the Council has discussed the situation with my Ministerial colleagues and put their case directly.”
Dundee Councillor Hits Out At Heating ‘Disgrace’
A Dundee Councillor spoke out today after a news story revealed that an elderly constituent had been left without heat in his sheltered house on more than 60 occasions in the past year.
Dundee Councillor Jim Barrie whose West End Ward includes Ancrum Place, said today: “I will be contacting Mr Melville to get further details of why so many visits by workmen and council officials failed to rectify the problem.
“It is extremely worrying that a pensioner with serious health problems should be left without heat on so many occasions in a particularly cold winter.
“It is bad enough that the UK Government have made little effort to alleviate the rising cost of energy bills, but to be unable to obtain any heating in the first place is a disgrace.
“I will be making urgent inquiries with the Repairs Section of Contract Services to find out the precise nature of the problem with the heating system in Mr Melville’s sheltered house and to ensure urgent action is taken to end his plight.
“I have had several complaints from other constituents who have been facing heating system failure in the last two weeks but this case is particularly worrying.”
Dundee Councillor Hits Out At Heating ‘Disgrace’
A Dundee Councillor spoke out today after a news story revealed that an elderly constituent had been left without heat in his sheltered house on more than 60 occasions in the past year.
Dundee Councillor Jim Barrie whose West End Ward includes Ancrum Place, said today: “I will be contacting Mr Melville to get further details of why so many visits by workmen and council officials failed to rectify the problem.
“It is extremely worrying that a pensioner with serious health problems should be left without heat on so many occasions in a particularly cold winter.
“It is bad enough that the UK Government have made little effort to alleviate the rising cost of energy bills, but to be unable to obtain any heating in the first place is a disgrace.
“I will be making urgent inquiries with the Repairs Section of Contract Services to find out the precise nature of the problem with the heating system in Mr Melville’s sheltered house and to ensure urgent action is taken to end his plight.
“I have had several complaints from other constituents who have been facing heating system failure in the last two weeks but this case is particularly worrying.”
MSP and Councillors Support New Lochee Post Office Service
Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick contacted Royal mail for an urgent update on the moves to find a new location for a Post Office branch in central Lochee and was informed that a new sub-postmaster has been appointed in a new High Street premises – the Dreams Bed Superstore – but these have to be fitted out which will take approximately 4-6 weeks.”
Joe FitzPatrick said: “I was delighted to be informed of the appointment and the new location for the new branch in Lochee.”
The MSP had been informed by Royal Mail in early September that they were negotiating with applicants to provide a location for the new branch. The existing branch will be forced to move in early February when Tesco in the Stack Leisure Park closes.
Joe FitzPatrick said: “The local councillors in Lochee, Bob Duncan and Alan Ross contacted me with their concerns that the timescale is running out for the new branch to be up and running before Tesco closes.
“There is now only a matter of weeks before that happens and we still had only rumours of where the new branch PO is to be. I asked Royal Mail for an urgent update of the situation.
“I also discussed with them how they will deal with a gap in service in Lochee if the new branch is not ready in time. Would they, for instance, provide a mobile service, or be able to continue to use the existing branch in Tesco even after the supermarket has closed?
“I have been assured that Royal Mail Group are in discussion on the situation with Tesco and are hopeful that there will be no service provision gap. It might be that Tesco itself may be remaining open after its provisional closing date or that the Post Office may be able to continue to use the premises after the supermarket has closed. Either way, I hope to have an update on the outcome of these discussions in the near future.”
Councillor Jim Barrie added: “With the closure of the Lochee Road Post office, post office users have had to travel further to get to a local PO and more people are using the branch in Tesco than before.
“It is therefore vital that there should be no gaps in service. Although there was never any danger of losing the Post Office in central Lochee, we must do everything we can to impress on Royal Mail the need to keep the service going until the new Post Office branch in Lochee High Street is established.”
Councillor backs Scottish Football petition
Dundee Councillor Jim Barrie has urged the public to support an online petition set up at the Scottish Parliament by former Scotland football coach Craig Brown.
Jim Barrie said: “Scotland started international football by hosting the first ever football game between nations when a team from England visited Glasgow in 1872. It is highly likely in my opinon that setting a precedent by having a Team GB in the London 2012 Olympics would be dangerous and would lead to the extinction of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland as separate nations in the world of Football.
“Backing a Team GB football team would be a dangerous precedent and could be the catalyst which raises the question as to why England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have so much power in FIFA when they aren’t independent countries, which is a requirement for every other member of FIFA. This could lead to a 2/3rds majority vote at a FIFA General meeting which would be enough to see our National Teams disappear forever.
“There is no doubt that there is considerable political interference from the UK Government and the BOA, pushing for the inclusion of a UK football Team in the 2012 Olympics, and two of the main proponents actually sit on both FIFA and Olympic related boards! Sepp Blatter is a full Board member of the IOC and Seb Coe is head of FIFA’s ethics committee.
Eighteen Labour MPs, including Dundee West MP Jim McGovern, have put down an early-day motion at Westminster which ‘welcomed the assurances given by FIFA that a 2012 Olympics UK football team would not undermine any of the home countries’ ability to compete in their own right in future events.’
Commenting on their motion, Jim Barrie said: “The four UK football associations are completely opposed to the proposal and have denied that any such assurances could be given at this stage. Recently former Scotland boss Craig Brown set up an e-petition at the Scottish Parliament at: http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.uk/view_petition.asp?PetitionID=297 and I would urge everyone concerned at the situation to sign.
“More importantly, I think it is time people stood up for Scotland’s national team and did not seek to undermine it.”
