Keeping busy at Westminster
I have continued to be extremely busy on your behalf in the House of Commons.
As chairwoman of the Disability All Party Parliamentary Group, I was pleased to host an event for Sense the Disability Charity, so that MPs could meet with people who have sensory disabilities and learn just how important diverse forms of communication format are, reducing isolation and protecting mental health.
MPs attended from parties across the House of Commons, where they learned how to use Sign Language to introduce themselves to constituents. I also organised for MPs badges to have their names added in Braille to aid communication with constituents who have sight loss.
I am keen to spearhead these initiatives moving forward, and will be meeting with the Speaker this week to discuss the possibility of introducing ‘touch tours’of Parliament for constituents who have sensory disabilities.
I also hope to organise a brief introduction course in sign language for MPs who are interested in furthering their skills in inclusive communication.
If any of these issues affect you or your family, please let me know so that I can learn more about making parliament ‘inclusive for all’.
This year, the Disability All Party Parliamentary Group will be undertaking an Inquiry into access to parliamentary office for persons with disabilities.
I am struck that too few candidates and agents with disabilities are offered adequate supports to enable them to engage fully with the electoral process or to feel confident in their ability to stand.
Currently there exists some additional funding, but supports beyond this are not standardised, creating unnecessary barriers that prohibit people who have disabilities putting themselves forward.
This must improve and recommendations from our Inquiry Report will be made to Government and all main parties across the UK.
Last week, I was also keen to speak in the Social Care Debate to highlight some of the ongoing issues that constituents and services face.
The Government’s new Immigration Bill prevents people coming to work in the UK if they do not earn over a specific threshold which may disproportionately affect those care workers we rely upon so heavily from coming to work in Scotland to look after some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
There must be added provisions made for occupations that we urgently require, and the UK Government must realise that occupations that are high in monetary value do not always equate to those that are high in societal value.
Across our constituency, I was delighted to attend the charity concert for the Boys Brigade Lanarkshire Division, supporting two mental health charities, Hope for Autism and You are my Sunshine.
It was also wonderful to attend the Girls Brigade lunch and to sample their fantastic craft and home baking.
This week I am again focusing upon the impact of the coronavirus across the UK.
NHS guidance has been issued and for everyone concerned, I would urge that you closely follow guidance and take every precaution required.
Residents in East Renfrewshire have been hit by a council tax hike of almost five per cent.
That was as part of the local authority’s 2020/21 budget that was passed last week and is expected to help generate an additional £2.7m for the council’s coffers.
Councillors voted for the maximum allowable increase of 4.84 per cent as it finalised its 2020/21 budget, also agreeing to a spending plan of £209m for new nurseries and council houses.
Council Leader Tony Buchanan said setting the 2020/21 budget had been “extremely challenging”.
He added: “Our cash funding for expenditure on vital day-to-day services was to be reduced by about one per cent on a like-for-like basis.
“But we now understand our funding will be closer to a flat cash settlement. Whilst this is a welcome improvement, tough decisions still have to be made in order to balance our books, whilst also ensuring we can still support young people, the elderly and the most vulnerable people in our communities.
“The decision to increase council tax has not been taken lightly, as we know it will put an extra burden on residents. But, without generating this additional income, there would have to be further reductions in funding to our schools, public infrastructure such as roads, our parks and recycling services. Having balanced the books, we will continue to work harder than ever to deliver services which meet our residents’ needs now and in the future.”
Spending plans include delivering six new nurseries across the area, including Eaglesham, offering places for 740 children from August.
The council expect their budget shortfall of £18m to be reduced when the settlement from the Scottish Government is finalised later this month.
Any remaining shortfall is to be met in the year ahead “through savings, the use of £3.5m reserves and council tax”.
Investment will also see the building of new council houses as part of plans to create 240 homes for rent, as well as the opening of vastly-improved facilities at Bonnyton House care home.
Spending will also see £26m for improved new leisure facilities in Eastwood Park and a £15m programme of road improvements, with 30 roads set to be resurfaced in the first year.
Savings will come from the devolved school management budget and a reduction in additional
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support for some pupils had also been proposed.
However, these are to be reviewed in the light of the Scottish Government’s budget.
No compulsory redundancies would be required in the coming financial year.
The opposition warned of increasingly tough times ahead for local authorities and proposed an alternative budget.
However, following a vote, the administration budget was approved and will now be taken forward by the council.
Councillor Buchanan added: “We remain absolutely committed to delivering a wide range of ambitious projects to improve the lives of residents.
“We can already see many of these coming to fruition, with six new nurseries to open in August and new homes opened for our tenants.
“The great progress we have made in such a short space of time to deliver these projects highlights some of the real achievements that have been made by East Renfrewshire Council.
“We are a council that delivers.”