the3towns archive 
Campbell Martin Blog
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Edition 254 May 19 ~ May 25 2012
* Local councillors take senior positions in new administration
* Concerns over 'razor wire' danger
* Hunter to chair new Scrutiny and Petitions Committee
* Returning Officer confirms review of Polling Places
* Benefit change could hurt the blind
* Consultation on mental health facility
* Katy opposes regional pay plan
Opinion: Campbell Martin - Power shift in North Ayrshire
Local councillors take senior positions in new administration
Saltcoats & Stevenston SNP councillor Willie Gibson was confirmed as the new Leader of North Ayrshire Council at the local authority’s first meeting since the May 3rd Election.
On his appointment, Cllr Gibson told last Wednesday’s (May 16) meeting, “It is an honour to become leader after having been a councillor for only five years.” The retired deputy head-teacher indicated he intended to “look after the whole of North Ayrshire”, and praised his predecessor, Labour’s David ONeill, whom he described as being “a gentleman and man of his word”.
Continuing the conciliatory tone of his speech, Mr Gibson further praised Cllr O’Neill by stating the Labour man had “done a great job” as Leader of the Council.
The SNP will run the local authority as a minority administration, requiring the support of at least four opposition councillors to secure a majority on a vote of the full Council. The recent election saw 12 SNP councillors elected to Labour’s 11, with six Independents and one Tory holding the balance of power.
Cllr Gibson praised Independent councillors, “particularly those who have been re-elected”, adding it was “harder to get elected as an Independent”. The Council Leader stated there would be no coalition with any Independents, but said he “appreciated their contribution” and that he looked forward to “working with them on a case-by-case basis”.
The Deputy Leader of the Council is Alan Hill, SNP councillor for the North Coast & Cumbrae. Cllr Hill, a solicitor, has served his local community since first being elected in 1999.
The top civic role in North Ayrshire was secured by the SNP’s Joan Sturgeon, who defeated Labour’s Ian Clarkson 17-12 to become the area’s Provost. Mrs Sturgeon is councillor for Irvine East and mother of Scotland’s Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon MSP. On being elected to the position of Provost, Cllr Sturgeon indicated she was “honoured”, and would “do my best in the role”.
The SNP nominated Independent councillor Robert Barr (Dalry & West Kilbride) for the position of Deputy Provost, while Labour proposed Jim Montgomerie (Saltcoats & Stevenston). In a vote, Cllr Barr secured the position by 17-11. On taking his place next to Provost Sturgeon, Robert Barr thanked members for their support and said he would “do my best to be an ambassador for North Ayrshire,” adding, “I will treat everyone with the respect I expect to get.”
Since last week’s meeting, the SNP has confirmed it has scrapped the Executive operated by the previous Labour administration. There will now be a seven-member Cabinet overseeing the work of Council departments and chairing Cross-Party Policy Boards.
Council Leader Willie Gibson will have responsibility for Strategy, Community Planning and Community Health: while Deputy Leader Alan Hill will look after Community and Culture, Policy and Service.
Other cabinet appointments are:
Tony Gurney – Education Attainment and Achievement
Marie Burns – Economic Development and Regeneration
Anthea Dickson – Health and Social Care
John Ferguson – Environment and Infrastructure
Alex McLean – Finance and Corporate Support
Last Wednesday’s Council meeting also agreed to appoint Ardrossan & Arran Independent councillor John Hunter as Chair of a new Scrutiny and Petitions Committee (see separate story), while Saltcoats & Stevenston Independent Ronnie McNicol will Chair both the Licensing Board and Licensing Committee.
Former SNP Group Leader Matthew Brown will Chair the Planning Committee, while Labour councillor Peter McNamara (Ardrossan & Arran) will Chair a new Audit Committee.
Concerns over 'razor wire' danger
Concerns were being expressed this week over ‘razor wire’ at an Ardrossan storage facility.
A worried mum contacted the3towns after her young child reached-out towards the wire while they walked on a public path adjacent to the Home Hardware distribution centre, located off Dalry Road. The mother, who did not want to be named, said, “I can understand that Home Hardware needs to protect their place from burglars and vandals, but they’ve got razor wire right behind their fence, and it’s so low down my wee one nearly grabbed it as we walked past.”
When the3towns visited the location last week, razor wire was actually sticking through the perimeter fence at a height of less than 3-feet off the ground.
The Home Hardware centre sits on land adjacent to the James McFarlane School and Stanley Primary. A public path, linking Dalry Road and Central Avenue, runs alongside the facility’s perimeter fence for some distance. The area where razor wire protrudes through the fence is located at the site’s main entrance.
A solicitor contacted by the3towns on the issue of razor wire said, “It’s a grey area. The law is not absolutely clear on its use.”
The legal representative added, “While the police would generally advise against the use of razor wire or barbed wire, on the basis that building owners have a duty of care to ensure that visitors to the property are reasonably safe, there is no specific legislation that forbids its use.”
However, anyone injured by razor wire – ironically, including anyone attempting to break into a property – could take legal action against the owners of the building or land.
Home Hardware has erected signs warning of the presence of ‘razor barbs’, and the part of the perimeter fence through which the razor wire protrudes appears to have been damaged.
the3towns understands the matter has been raised with Independent councillor John Hunter, and that North Ayrshire Council will seek the co-operation of Home Hardware to remove any danger to the public.
Hunter to chair new Scrutiny and Petitions Committee
Ardrossan & Arran Independent councillor John Hunter has been handed a crucial role as Chair of a new North Ayrshire Council ‘Scrutiny and Petitions Committee’.
Cllr Hunter chaired the Scrutiny Committee in the previous Council (2007-2012) and it was his acknowledged abilities in such a challenging role that saw him nominated by the SNP administration to take charge of the new committee with an expanded remit.
Labour members proposed Largs councillor Alex Gallagher to Chair Scrutiny and Petitions, but in a vote John Hunter triumphed by 18-12.
In addition to scrutinising decisions and actions taken by the SNP administration, the new committee will also receive public petitions. Previously, petitions could be submitted to meetings of the full Council only with the Provost’s agreement, and there was no requirement for councillors to consider the issue raised. Prior to the Council setting its budget in February, the North Ayrshire Branch of the Scottish Socialist Party submitted a petition calling on councillors to refuse to implement further cuts to jobs and services, and instead to set a budget to meet the needs of local communities. The petition contained the signatures of almost 1,500 members of the public, but councillors ignored it and the SSP was refused permission to address the meeting.
With the creation of a petitions element to the Scrutiny Committee’s remit, it is hoped members of the public will now be able to submit petitions on issues of concern and that councillors will strive to resolve matters raised or, at the very least, secure answers to questions highlighted in petitions.
The full membership of the new Scrutiny and Petitions Committee is:
Chair – John Hunter (Independent), Vice-Chair – Alex Gallagher (Labour), Matthew Brown (SNP), Catherine McMillan (SNP), Alan Munro (Labour), Joan Sturgeon (SNP).
One further place remains to be filled.
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Returning Officer confirms review of Polling Places
North Ayrshire Council is to carry out a review of Polling Places and how they operated at the May 3 local government election.
Concerns were raised by councillors as North Ayrshire’s Returning Officer, Council Chief Executive Elma Murray, presented a report on the Election to last week’s Council meeting (May 16).
the3towns previously revealed how major problems with changes to Polling Places in Ardrossan almost certainly contributed to the very low turnout at the Council Election. Ms Murray’s report to councillors confirmed the total turnout across North Ayrshire barely reached 39 per cent.
Hundreds of Ardrossan electors were told to vote at a new Polling Place in St Peter’s Primary School, despite living nearer the long-standing facility at the Whitlees Community Centre. Meanwhile, residents of Greenacres and the Knockrivoch estate had to travel into Saltcoats to vote at a Polling Place in St Anthony’s Primary School. Other residents, who for years had voted at the Whitlees Centre (and previously at the adjacent Stanley School), were this time re-directed to the Civic Centre in Glasgow Street.
Amid the confusion, there were reports of people turning up at the wrong Polling Place and returning home without voting, rather than make their way to another facility elsewhere in the town.
At the Council meeting last Wednesday, elected members raised similar concerns regarding Polling Places in Irvine and the Garnock Valley. The former Council Leader, Labour’s David O’Neill, asked that Ms Murray and her election staff “have a look at how Polling Stations operated”. The Council Chief Executive indicated she would “look at members’ comments”, which she hoped would lead to operations being “much better informed in future”.
However, former Labour MSP Irene Oldfather, now a councillor for Irvine East, urged that officers should do more than simply look at members’ comments, arguing an investigation into “the actual designation of Polling Places” was required. Apparently, less than 10 per cent of registered electors actually voted at the Polling Station covering the Towerlands area of the Irvine East Ward.
Independent councillor Robert Barr indicated problems had also occurred when voters registered at the East Lugton Farm and Caravan Park were required to travel into Dalry, passing a Polling Place in Barmill on the way.
In response, Elma Murray stated a full review of the electoral arrangements on May 3rd would be carried out, with the intention that future polls would operate “much better than this time around”.
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Benefit change could hurt the blind
Labour MP Katy Clark has written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions outlining her concerns over the potential impact of replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) with a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
In particular, Ms Clark has highlighted a warning from the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB), which says that under the UK Government’s draft proposals blind and partially-sighted people could fail to qualify for the higher components of the benefit and could therefore see their incomes significantly reduced.
Katy Clark said, “It would be completely unacceptable if, as a result of the change to PIP, the standard of living of blind and partially-sighted people was reduced.
“I have been concerned for some time that the change from DLA to PIP has simply been about saving money rather than supporting disabled people, and unfortunately the most recent criteria published by the Government confirm my fears.”
Ms Clark continued, “Blind and partially-sighted people often require assistance when using public transport and expensive specialist equipment in the home to allow them to perform basic tasks, such as cooking and using a sink, which most people take for granted.
“I have already been contacted by a number of blind and partially-sighted constituents who have outlined to me how DLA helps them live independently in their day-to-day lives. They are deeply troubled by the Government’s proposals and believe if they go ahead in their current form their quality of life will be seriously affected.”
Katy Clark, who represents North Ayrshire & Arran, concluded by urging the UK Government to “enter into talks with the RNIB and think again about these damaging changes.”
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Consultation on mental health facility
Plans for a new mental health facility based at Ayrshire Central Hospital in Irvine have entered the pre-planning consultation phase.
As previously reported by the3towns, NHS Ayrshire & Arran has identified the North Ayrshire site as providing the best location for a county-wide adult mental health inpatient facility. Subject to approval from Scottish Government, the local Health Board plans a new-build, two-storey unit providing 206 beds for “people who need a level of care and rehabilitation that can only be provided by a stay in hospital”. The 16,600m2 building would be constructed on land within the boundary of the existing Ayrshire Central Hospital.
According to NHS Ayrshire & Arran, the new facility would include beds for adult acute mental health patients; mental health and addiction rehabilitation; elderly mental health patients; long-term care for older people; rehabilitation for older people; and additional outpatient clinics and treatments.
Jim Crichton, Director of Primary Care and Mental Health Services, said, “These are exciting times for mental health and community services in Ayrshire and Arran. We are at the stage where we are looking at the design of the new building to ensure that it will meet the needs of both mental health service users and the surrounding community - now and well into the future.”
On the consultation phase, Mr Crichton said, “We are asking people to tell us their views on the new building, so that we can proceed with applying for planning permission - which will take us one step closer to providing outstanding facilities.”
The Health Board has arranged two ‘open events’ where local people are invited to go along to ask questions and offer opinions in relation to the proposal. Both will take place in the Recreation Hall at Ayrshire Central Hospital in Irvine. The first, on Wednesday, May 30 will be from 1.00pm until 9.00pm, with the second running between 2.00pm and 5.00pm on Friday, June 1.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran can also be contacted on this issue by writing, free-of-charge, to: Freepost RSXC-XULE-BCAU, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NACH Programme Office, 23 Lister Street, University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock KA2 0BB. Alternatively, calls can be made to 0800 169 1441, which is also free-of-charge, or by e-mailing NACH@aapct.scot.nhs.uk
Closing date for responses to the consultation is Friday, August 3 2012, and the Health Board stresses that comments should be sent directly to NHS Ayrshire & Arran, not to the planning authority, North Ayrshire Council. A further opportunity to comment will be available as part of any North Ayrshire Council planning application process.
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SSP - North Ayrshire website
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Katy opposes regional pay plan
Local MP Katy Clark has criticised UK Government proposals to introduce regional pay in the public sector.
Initially floated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, the plan would see people paid different rates for doing the same job, depending on where they live. For example, someone employed in Saltcoats Jobcentre could be paid less than a colleague performing the same role in London, on the basis that the cost of living in the English capital is higher but despite the fact the North Ayrshire employee would be dealing with the consequences of a higher rate of unemployment.
Speaking to the3towns, Katy Clark said, “I am extremely concerned at the Government’s proposals to introduce regional pay in the public sector. This change would effectively take money away from some of the poorest communities in the United Kingdom at a time when many are already suffering as a result of the Government’s cuts programme.”
The Labour MP for North Ayrshire & Arran added, “Rather than attacking the pay and conditions of those running our public services, the Government should be focusing all its efforts into formulating a coherent plan for growth.”
Ms Clark indicated she would “do all I can in Parliament to oppose these damaging proposals”.
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Results
Saturday, May 12 2012.
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Fixtures
Final League game of the season:
Friday, May 25 2012. Kick-off - 7:00pm.
Ardrossan Winton Rovers V Kilsyth Rangers