Decision on return to school will be made this week
Over the last few days, media coverage has begun to reflect on the fact that we are 12 months on from the point at which Covid became an all-consuming topic in our community.
We are now more than a month into a period of severe restriction on our lives which continues to cause hardship, suffering and difficulty for everyone.
There is however some light at the end of the tunnel with the number of positive cases continuing to fall and the number of people being admitted to hospital reduced compared to previous weeks.
In addition we have seen the truly impressive roll-out of the vaccination programme with a superhuman effort being put in by GP practices, local healthcare facilities and larger vaccination centres.
I have been delighted to see the establishment of a vaccination centre at Blairgowrie Town Hall and to hear from many constituents who have been vaccinated there or at local GP services.
I would like to place on record my warmest thanks to everyone who has played a part in constructing this programme and making sure it can be delivered with such effectiveness in our local community. I have been hugely impressed by the detailed organisational work that has gone on.
On Saturday, just over one per cent of the population of Scotland was vaccinated in one day. That is a truly breathtaking feat of organisation and such a hope for the future.
As of Sunday, 1,223,774 people in Scotland had received their first dose of the vaccine.
The programme is on course to be completed for everyone over 70 and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and I am pleased to be hearing from many constituents who are younger than 70 that they too have been vaccinated.
It is truly a great hope for us all.
This week in the Scottish Government, we will be considering whether it is safe to open our schools to more pupils.
We said a few weeks ago that we would try to secure the return on 22 February of early learning and childcare, along with P1-3 and some senior phase pupils who need to do practical work in schools.
A decision on that will be taken on Tuesday by the Cabinet and announced to Parliament. We must take the greatest of care to ensure any return to education is safe for staff and pupils and does not refuel the circulation of the virus.
Since the latest lockdown, school staff have done an amazing job of delivering remote learning for pupils. It is not an easy task but I have been hugely impressed by the way in which staff have gone about providing work and made available a huge amount of learning by digital means.
I have made sure there has been Government support in place to work with schools and local authorities to ensure effective provision is in place. Making sure that our children and young people have access to education in these difficult days is a key priority that must be delivered.
Perth and Kinross Council has approved a one per cent rent increase for council tenants.
But SNP councillor Tom McEwan asked housing and communities committee convener Bob Brawn how fair the rise was on those who had lost their jobs in the pandemic.
The Conservative convener agreed to Cllr McEwan’s request to write to the UK chancellor to maintain the current top-up of Universal Credit so that PKC does not get hit with demands.
Councillors approved the rent increase at a meeting of PKC’s housing and communities committee on Wednesday, February 3.
Directing his comment and question at fellow Blairgowrie and Glens councillor Bob Brawn, Cllr McEwan said:“Universal Credit was designed as a punitive benefit encouraging people to go and seek work.
“But obviously because of Covid people are losing their jobs and there are no jobs to replace them. Is it fair on our tenants that they don’t have enough income because of Universal Credit to pay their rent and feed their families?”
Cllr Bob Brawn said:“The priority is the welfare of tenants - and that includes the financial welfare.
“And I appreciate that many - or the majority - are having financial issues of one sort or another.”
He said the council had expenditures and it was a“fine balance.”
Cllr Brawn said:“We have to balance the rent between what the outgoings are. And some of those outgoings do provide a service we have been talking about - welfare for tenants.
“The one per cent rise was the minimum I think that was needed to cover those costs.”
He referred to statistics a council officer provided earlier in the meeting which said 86 per cent of tenants could afford this rise without referring back to benefit that is based on income. Cllr Brawn said the tenants who participated in the tenant engagement process supported the one per cent rise.
Cllr McEwan asked Cllr Brawn to write to chancellor Rishi Sunak to maintain the current top-up of Universal Credit so - as a council - PKC did not get hit with these demands.
Cllr Brawn said he was“definitely” happy to take that on board.
He said:“We must maintain to help our tenants the best we can and I agree I will take that on board definitely.”
Depute director (communities) Clare Mailer said the one per cent rent increase from April 5, 2021 was “in line with the views of tenants” and would ensure PKC’s rent levels “remain affordable and compare favourably to the overall rent levels nationally.”
Councillors were told PKC’s rent levels were the lowest in Tayside and one of the lowest in Scotland.
A prison worker found herself on the wrong side of the law when she was caught driving with almost six times the legal alcohol limit in her system.
Perth Sheriff Court was told that it was the second time Jennifer Wilson had been convicted of drink-driving.
The 55 year-old was fined £1600 and banned for three years after the court heard she drove off after crashing into a parked van near her home in Alyth.
But the vehicle’s number plate was left at the scene and, helped by dashcam footage from the damaged vehicle, she was later traced.
Imposing the hefty fine and disqualification, Sheriff William Wood told her although there was “some dispute”about what she had to drink after the incident, it was a high reading.
He said:“In other circumstances it might have attracted a custodial sentence.”
Wilson had been drinking at home after the accident and told police she had consumed“a couple of glasses of wine and two cans of fruit cider.”
Wilson, who lived in Airlie Street, Alyth, at the time, admitted driving with 124 microgrammes of alcohol – in excess of the legal limit of 22 – on Strathmore Terrace, Alyth, on September 25, 2020.
She also pled guilty to failing to stop after an accident and provide her personal details.
Depute fiscal Lisa Marshall told the court that the van owner had parked his vehicle at 4pm.
She explained:“At 5.30pm, he was notified by neighbours that the van had been damaged.
“He checked and saw moderate front end damage and a number plate lying on the ground in front of his vehicle.
“Fortunately he had dashcam footage and saw that it was the accused who had driven into his vehicle.”
Wilson had a cut to her chin and was treated by a neighbour before she returned to her home.
Police spoke to the van owner about 10.45pm and when the accused was interviewed, she immediately identified herself as the car driver.
The fiscal added:“She told police, when asked, that she had her last drink about 8pm.”
A lawyer for the accused said she had experienced“significant difficulties”in her personal life for a number of years.
The legal representative went on: “She has been married for 25 years but that relationship has been failing for some considerable time.”
She also had“significant health difficulties”that had subsequently affected her immune system.
“By her own acceptance, she has sought solace in alcohol
“Unfortunately, that has been a problem for some time,”explained the lawyer, adding that she had subsequently sold her car, and was receiving alcohol counselling.