Businesses back free parking

RETAILERS have backed the return of a free parking initiative aimed at luring Christmas shoppers into Perth and Kinross town centres.

Council bosses are once again set to lift charges at car parks on Saturdays throughout December.

A report due to go before councillors today highlights feedback from local retailers after last year’s scheme.

Of the 17 responses, 86% said the promotion helped encourage people to stay for longer, while 80% said it had a positive impact on their business.

All businesses who responded said they would be in favour of a similar promotion.

Councillors will be asked to rubber-stamp free Saturday parking from November 30 until December 28.

They will also be asked to support continuing the scheme in 2020. It is estimated the promotion will cost the local authority about £25,000 in lost revenue each year.

The authority has also said it will work hard to avoid confusion t hat marred the first initiative when about 330 motorists were ticketed for parking in areas which were not part of the promotion.

Conservative councillor Angus Forbes, environment and infrastructure convener, said: “I am pleased to see such a positive response from businesses across Perth and Kinross in relation to the free festive parking offer last year.”

NINEWELLS Hospital is to become a venue for a revolutionary new treatment for stroke patients.

The latest treatment, called thrombectomy, is a procedure where blood clots are removed mechanically rather than broken down by medicines (thrombolysis).

A service proposal and business plan is being developed to establish Ninewells Hospital as a regional centre for the delivery of mechanical thrombectomy in the north of Scotland.

Officials from both NHS Tayside and Dundee University hosted a meeting at which two leading

AN oil worker has been jailed for h is part in a cannabis operation worth almost £50,000.

Jason Cargill previously admitted being involved in dealing the Class B drug along with his associate, Neil Black, in 2017 in an Angus village.

This was while Cargill was working offshore in the oil and gas sector.

A sheriff blasted the 32-yearold’s conduct, describing his actions as “despicable”.

It was previously revealed at Dundee Sheriff Court that police had received intelligence relating to suspicious activity from Black’s home in Inverkeilor.

A search warrant was granted and police officers found a cultivation in Black’s home address.

Police recovered a total of 77 plants with the Crown Office estimating that the plants had an illicit street value of £48,510.

Hundreds of text messages between Cargill and Black were also discovered which made multiple references to the sale of drugs.

Cargill, of Cairnie Loan,