Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
TOM JOHNSTON Disappointed in defeat of motion
We are all working together to fight the Covid- 19 pandemic having spent four weeks in lockdown.
But I was disappointed the SNP group motion to save Kilbowie outdoor centre, stop council car park charging and prevent new charges for personal alarms for the elderly was defeated 29-19.
The SNP motion had also called to alleviate planned cuts in music, to put an extra £500,000 into health and social care and save the popular Viewpark Gardens facility.
It was defeated by a joint, formal Labour-Tory amendment, moved by the Labour group leader and seconded by his Conservative counterpart.
At issue was the £3.045 million given to the council by the Scottish Government as extra cash to spend; the money arrived late because the UK budget had been delayed from December last year until last month.
Previously, the Labour leader had complained of “catastrophic cuts” having a
“devastating impact” that would “decimate your services”.
It was the SNP group which had called a special meeting of the council last month to decide the fate of the £3.045 million.
I welcome the £14 billion given to public services by the UK chancellor to fight the coronavirus and his willingness to spend “whatever it takes” to successfully counter this virus.
To date, £ 3.3 billion has come to the Scottish Government as our share of the Covid- 19 fighting fund, and North Lanarkshire Council will receive its share.
Temporary delegated authority has been given by the council to the chief executive to make decisions which would otherwise require council or committee approval, while committees and councillors’ surgeries are suspended due to the effects of the coronavirus.
The 30 SNP group members have been busy raising issues as they develop in a fast-changing emergency, such as Scottish Government grants to small businesses, especially those with very limited assets.
Personal protection equipment, particularly for home care workers, and testing access for council workers at the NHS have also been major concerns.
Environmental issues have covered fly- tipping, including surveillance cameras, and waste bin collections with the possible challenge of extra household waste generated by larger families during lockdown; tower block laundry facilities have also been highlighted.
The basic statistic for availability of hospital beds, and discharge issues, for North Lanarkshire, smooth operation of volunteer groups and wellbeing funds and emergency helplines have been further topics of discussion.
We must deal with matters like voluntary taxi services to transport isolated Covid-19 suspects to appointments and remind sufferers of other non- coronavirus ailments that GPs, accident and emergency units and the NHS are still open to all, especially children.