Cllr Jim Barrie
SNP Candidate for Dundee West
-
Archive for September, 2009
MSP AND LOCAL COUNCILLOR DELIGHTED AS HARRIS NEW SCHOOL FUNDING ANNOUNCED
JIm Barrie, Liz Fordyce, Headteacher Jim Thewlis, Joe welcome the news
Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick today reacted with delight to the announcement that Harris Academy is to benefit as one of the first 14 secondary schools in Scotland to benefit from the new £1.25bn school building programme, Building Better Schools: Investing in Our Future.
Joe FitzPatrick said: “I am delighted that the new school will go ahead at Harris retaining the historic facade. This Scottish Futures Trust project for one of the city’s most famous schools will be welcomed across the city.
“Today’s announcement from the Cabinet Secretary demonstrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to providing better school accommodation across Scotland to fit in with our new teaching programme; Curriculum for Excellence.”Local Councillor Jim Barrie, a former Harris pupil, joined his SNP Colleagues on the City Council in welcoming the announcement.
Councillor Barrie said: “Since becoming Councillor for the West End, I have been keen to get an upgrading of Harris.
“Many of the classrooms have not changed since I was a pupil at the Harris in the 60s and badly needed to be brought up to date.
“The fact that the school continues to be one of the best in the city is a credit to both the staff and pupils working with the facilities they have to hand.”Safer Scotland as Crime Rate Drops to Lowest for 30 Years
The latest official crime statistics, published today, which show that recorded crime in Scotland has fallen to its lowest level in almost 30 years, have been given a warm welcome by Dundee Councillor Jim Barrie.
West End Councillor and Dundee West Westminster Candidate Jim Barrie said: “The figures show a fall of 11% in crime rates across Scotland since the election of an SNP Government and in the Tayside police force area, the number of recorded crimes decreased for the fourth consecutive year. All types of crimes are reduced and the most notable of these decreases saw the number of fire-raising/vandalism crimes fall by 9 per cent compared with the previous year. This is the fourth year in succession Tayside has experienced a drop in recorded crimes for this particular crime group and there were significant decreases in two of the major five crime groups.
“These figures are extremely welcome and I am very encouraged that the SNP is delivering on its pledge for a safer Scotland. Overall there has been a 2% reduction in recorded crime in Scotland, following on from the 8% drop achieved in our first year.
“Of course, there is no place for complacency which is why the SNP has delivered 1000 additional police officers across Scotland. With these additional police officers on our streets – more than ever before – the SNP is delivering a safer Scotland.
“With falling rates of violent crime and of vandalism the efforts of police and communities to tackle offending appear to be paying off.
“With renewed efforts going into tackling the Mr Bigs of Scotland’s crime scene and, through the Cashback for Communities scheme, seizing the proceeds of criminal activity to put to good use, there is plenty of good news for communities across Scotland.”Volunteers Needed for Children’s Panel
Dundee City Council’s Social Work Convenor Jim Barrie today issued a plea for more volunteers to join the Children’s Panel and help improve the outlook for young people in the city.Councillor Barrie said: “The Children’s Panel is unique to Scotland. It was set up nearly forty years ago to address the needs and behaviour of children and young people who faced serious problems in their lives.
“These can include a child being abused, a child failing to attend school, the child’s parents having difficultylooking after them or a child committing an offence.
That’s why the Children’s Panel – made up of local people taking decisions to help youngsters in their area – is so important. By ensuring support is in place for children who have been neglected, abused or fallen foul of the law we can improve the future outlook for them, for our neighbourhoods and for Scotland as a whole.
“Children’s hearings comprise three panel members. The child themselves, parents/carers and relevant professionals all normally attend the hearing and take part in the discussion.
“As adults, we should all remember how difficult it can be growing up, finding your sense of place in the world and all the uncertainty which that brings. Yet some of our young people can find themselves in particularly vulnerable situations and need extra help to get their lives back on track.
“Giving back to the community in this way is also an immensely rewarding and worthwhile contribution to make. Local panels rely on volunteers, there are no special qualifications needed and we want people from all backgrounds to consider joining up this year to help young people.
“If you are over 18, can spare some time and want to help – we want to hear from you. Just call 0845 601 2770 or text Panel1 to 61611 or go to http://www.infoscotland.com/childrenspanelJim Barrie sees Bridgefoot flooding at first-hand
L-R: PC Sandy Houstoun (from Muirhead Police Station), Jim Barrie, John Miller, Watch Manager Fire & Rescue Service (from Macalpine Road Fire Station) and Rosemill Road resident, George Brown.
SNP Parliamentary Candidate for Dundee West Jim Barrie today toured homes in Bridgefoot affected by the flooding of the Dighty Burn to see for himself the extent of the flood damage.
The village was cut off for a time when the Dighty Burn burst its banks and Strathmartine Road is still closed off.
Jim Barrie Welcomes Police Numbers Success
Dundee West SNP Candidate Jim Barrie today welcomed new figures which show that the Scottish Government has achieved its election pledge of putting 1,000 more police officers on the beat in Scotland.
Figures released today show that there are now 17,278 police officers in Scotland, the highest number ever, which can be compared to the 16,234 officers when Alex Salmond’s SNP Government came to power in May 2007.
Councillor Barrie said: “The SNP pledged to deliver 1,000 more police on the beat and that is what we have done. In fact, we have exceeded our target as the pledge was to be delivered befor the next election. We have delivered early and that is to be be weldomed by communities across Scotland.“I add my congratulations to Chief Constables and to the Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill for making Scotland’s streets a safer place.
“Our opponents cannot avoid the truth that we have kept our promise.”
Dundee SNP Welcome Opinion Poll Boost
Councillor Jim Barrie, SNP Parliamentary Candidate for Dundee West at the General Election, today welcomed the YouGov poll published in the Scottish Mail on Sunday – which shows a 7-point SNP lead over Labour in the Holyrood constituency vote, and a 4-point gain on Labour for the Westminster poll since last week’s poll.
“This shows our level of support rising. These are excellent figures for the SNP – and disastrous for Labour and the other Opposition parties. For a Westminster election, SNP support is up 8 points and Labour are down ten.
“We are working hard to win in Dundee West and this poll is very encouraging.
“Even people who disagree with the Justice Secretary’s decision to release Al-Megrahi back to Libya to die respect the fact that he had the courage to face up to a difficult issue, and that his decision was made on justice grounds. It was the right decision for the right reasons, which upholds the due process of Scots Law.
“And as the SNP Scottish Government prepare to publish its third Legislative Programme, this poll demonstrates that people like what they are getting from the SNP, and our strong track record of policy delivery. We have delivered over half of our headline manifesto commitments, with more to come in the year ahead, and substantial good news to come in the week ahead.
“We have frozen the council tax, slashed business rates, abolished bridge tolls, saved A&E units, and scrapped tuition fees; we are phasing in free prescriptions, delivering 1,000 additional police officers, and much more besides.”
