I would have more respect for the Local SNP candidates if they had expressed their opinion on this matter all along, as it is they are coming late to this issue. Despite the plans for the sale of the land at Seedhill Playing fields being on the Community and Family Care agenda in February of 2005, and the papers being distributed to EVERY councillor in the council PRIOR to the meeting, the SNP (Cllr C Lawson and B Lawson) did not start talking about this issue until the middle of 2006.
Just so people in Hawkhead, Whitehaugh, Seedhill and Ralston are aware, the SNP have representatives on this board, one of which is Cllr MacKay the leader of the SNP in Renfrewshire and a campaign supporter of the Friends of Seedhill Playing Fields. Cllr MacKay knew of these plans in February, if he didn't he was not reading the papers for the meeting which he attended.
You will note from the paper (click on the title above) there were no amendments at this point. Only over a year later did this become an issue, why? Could it be that Cllr's Lawson's constituents highlighted this to them? Or is that they didn't notice it until a year later? Or maybe that they didn't care until someone pointed out to them that they could make political hay out of the issue?
The incompetence of the SNP locally has to be exposed, I don't like being negative but no one else seems to point this out! It is certainly not something that will appear in their election leaflets.
If you see them on the campaign trail ask them, why they missed this?
10 comments:
Shotgun said...
The ruling majority party on the council could stop the sale and has taken the sale through...who is the ruling majority party on the council Rayleen?
Shotgun: The ruling party on the Council are the Labour Party and as a member of the administration I have argued for the upgrading of this area since becoming a Councillor.
I take it you are of the opinion that the playing fields should not be touched and we should abandon the plans to upgrade the park? If not you should note that without the sale of the land the Council does not have the money to upgrade the fields.
Shotgun: further to my previous comment I should point out that the original article was on the SNP missing in action and their failure to either pick up on the issue or to comment on it prior to a year later, I notice that you have not commented on that!
shotgun: I think that you are having a slight problem with your computer it keeps posting your comments twice, just in case you need to get it fixed.
Shotgun said...
You are completely missing the point Rayleen, but it is worth labouring, pun completely intended :-)
You are attacking the SNP for making an objection in what I see is good faith, and based on genuine concerns, however late they are.
Yes I believe the playing fields should not be touched, and further, if there is funds required then make the necessary adjustments to the community charge, especially seeing as the whole community will apparently benefit. The council can have all the money it needs if it has the will to get it by raising the funds from the whole community; as it is this looks like the most politically expedient way to raise the funds because no-one will miss the playing fields other than the schools...and then the Labour controlled council can trumpet its success in not raising taxes.
One thing I believe in is direct honesty in politics, and skirting round where money comes from for political ends is dishonest.
Shotgun: unfortunately for you I have not missed the point, the SNP were missing in action, they neglected to bring this issue up until they thought that they could use the people of the area for their own political ends.
Cllr MacKay is the most abhorrent in this issue he has turned up at meetings of this group to tell them that he has always been 100% against this policy, yet did not speak up when it was first mentioned.
The best way to take this through is to sell the section of land and move forward with the upgrading of the facilities. You suggest that the only people who would miss the fields are the schools I think this is harsh the fields are used by a number of football teams and the upgraded fields will be better used by both the local community and the Renfrewshire wide community.
Your second last paragraph does not read well so I am going to answer it as best I can. The community charge or Council Tax as we call it was raised in Renfrewshire by 1.9% and the priorities of the Labour Administration have not changed it is to provide the best possible services possible for the people of Renfrewshire.
No one is 'skirting' round the issue of where the money comes from it is coming from the sale of the land at the Seedhill Playing fields and through the prudential borrowing framework, so I am not sure what you mean by this.
I stand by my decision to support the sale of the land at Seedhill because I think that it will be what is best for the people that I represent. There is no deception in this, all of it is open to public scrutiny check it out for yourself.
shotgun: Just in case you were wondering I find your file photo vulgar and offensive so I am going to repost your comments without the link unless you choose to change it.
Is there no other way of finding funds to upgrade council facilities? Maybe from another organisation?
RFS: Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. The other agencies you refer to?
Historic Scotland? They have already turned down a previous application, because Seedhill Playing Fields were included.
SportScotlant: Are supporting the upgrade but are not giving any financial support.
The Lottery? Local Authorities are not allowed to directly access the Lottery funding.
So in other words No!
Could some of the money from the sale of the land at Auchentorlie st etc not be used to part fund the seedhill upgrade?
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