HAIR’S TO THE FUTURE
Politician Jeane’s new office is a cut above the rest
An MSP has doubled the size of her office and plumbed for pole position in the heart of Cumnock.
And Jeane Freeman OBE has pledged “the kettle is always on” for people to come in and see her or her team.
She deliberately selected the former Urban Hair salon in prominent Glaisnock Street so constituents know where to find her.
With such a vast territory spanning two council areas, Jeane insists Girvan and the rest of Carrick won’t be forgotten.
She said: “I always planned my office to be in Cumnock and you cannot get more accessible than this.
“I wanted it to be more central and more visible and this is perfect as people can come straight in off the street.
“The kettle is just through the back and there is always plenty of tea.”
Jeane acknowledges the vastness of her patch, a jagged foot- shaped area representing 59,000 souls stretching to the Ayr outskirts and embracing Carrick and the Doon Valley in entirety.
But she said: “I am still doing surgeries at about 14 locations across the constituency.
“And we also do doorstep surgeries where we simply arrive somewhere like Barr and walk up and down the streets and knock on folks doors to see if we can help with anything.”
Her role is demanding, but she claims to “love it,” that it is “the best job in the world” and hopes her new office is proof she wants to be visible.
Despite only arriving at Holyrood in May, she went straight to the front benches and is Scottish social security minister.
SNP members, senior police officers and Westminster party colleague Corri Wilson were at the ribbon- cutting ceremony on Friday afternoon.
Corri said: “Jeane and I work closely together within the shared part of the constituency and you kind of get two for the price of one and that is the way we want it to be.
“Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley is really lucky to have her as their MSP and she has a brilliant team in the office supporting the constituency.”
Jeane has a team of five, chiefly part- timers, spread between Cumnock and her Holyrood office.
She has bailed out of her predecessor Alex Ingram’s smaller and more discrete office round the corner in The Square.