UWS new high tech music studio
With the University of the West of Scotland and the Ayrshire College, Ayr has a well- deserved reputation for the delivery of excellent further educational services.
And the local educational experience has now been further enhanced by the provision of the new Rockpool learning space, the official opening of which I was delighted to attend. Providing state of the art recording and mixing facilities, the new learning space will give a set of valuable tools for local young people interested in a career in the music industry.
Headed by John Mulholland, and his dedicated staff, the Ayr Housing Aid Centre is an invaluable source of advice and practical help for local people who are in housing need, so it was great to recently call in on their coffee morning held in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
The National Air Traffic Control centre makes a huge contribution to our local economy and community. So it was a pleasure to invite the centre’s new director Martin Donnan to take part in the annual Business in Parliament Conference, which aims to facilitate engagement between businesses and politicians.
Every autumn, a series of Twilight Walks are held across the country to boost awareness of brain tumours and raise money for the Brain Tumour charity.
This year, thanks largely to the efforts of Ayr woman Heather Dearie, a Twilight Walk was held in Prestwick, in memory of inspirational local fundraiser Viv McBeth, who sadly passed away last year.
The Ayrshire Growth Deal is an ambitious initiative drawing together all three Ayrshire Councils and the Scottish and UK Governments to boost economic development in the county. Proposals for 23 projects across Ayrshire, levering in £ 2billion of private sector investment and creating up to 13,000 new jobs locally are under discussion. Individual projects, such as the development of industrial and business premises in key locations, improvements to road and rail infrastructure, and the development of the aerospace industry at Prestwick Airport, are all being progressed.
Along with colleagues from the Scottish Parliament and Westminster, I recently attended a meeting to discuss progress on the Growth Deal and will continue to give it my full support.
I hold weekly advice surgeries in my office at 17 Wellington Square, Ayr KA7 1EZ and appointments can be made by telephoning 01292 286251.
I can also be contacted at: john. scott. msp@ parliament. scot.