Government in bid to reopen city jobcentres
APREDICTED rise in unemployment is prompting the UK Government to open more jobcentres in big city areas. In 2018, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) closed six Glasgow jobcentres – almost half of the total across the city – as part of a nationwide cull, despite strong opposition in the city.
Now, David Linden, the SNP MP for Glasgow East – which saw two of its jobcentres shut – has asked the DWP where the new centres would be opened, and said it shows the closure decision was short-sighted.
Unemployment in Scotland in December was 4.5%, up 1% on a year ago.
In the UK the figure is 5.1%, and the Bank of England has predicted an increase to 7.7% later this year as a result of the Covid lockdown, unless job support measures are available.
In Glasgow the number higher.
The most up-to-date rate was 5.5%, or 17,000 people – up by 1000 people from a year earlier.
In parts of the city with higher deprivation, including Glasgow East, the unemployment rate is expected to be higher still.
DWP employment minister Mims Davies said: “DWP is exploring potential options to take premises, on a temporary basis, predominantly in large metropolitan areas where we expect to see increased demand for the Department’s services. is even
“DWP is currently negotiating leases for a significant number of retail and office properties, in major centres, that meet the planning requirements for a jobcentre, with public access, good transport links and accessibility for both colleagues and customers.”
The minister said location plans cannot be confirmed until commercial negotiations for each site conclude.
SNP work and pensions spokesman Linden labelled the closures a “disaster”, and wants to know the plan for the “inevitable” rise in unemployment.
The DWP closed six jobcentres in Glasgow. As well as Parkhead and Easterhouse in Glasgow East, it axed centres in Anniesland, Bridgeton, Langside and Maryhill.
Linden said: “Glasgow’s MPs warned all along that butchering the city’s jobcentre network was short-sighted, wrong-headed and totally counterproductive.
“Three years on from a disastrous programme of cuts, this Tory Government is now frantically moving to set up temporary jobcentres all across the UK.
“At a time when more people than ever are going to need support from the DWP, it’s imperative that Glasgow’s jobcentre network is well supported and widely accessible to the public. Ministers need to be clear what their intentions are for what will inevitably be increased demand in Glasgow.
“I have written to the Employment Minister demanding to know where Glasgow stands.”
Ministers need to be clear what their intentions are for what will be increased demand in Glasgow
NEWS@GLASGOWTIMES.CO.UK
CONCERNS have been raised about the “detrimental” impact City Deal projects could be having on wildlife after a deer was killed in Renfrew.
Councillor Jane Strang claimed construction work on the Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA) has disrupted nearby habitats resulting in deer roaming around the town centre.
Following the death of one of the animals in a tragic incident last week, she has insisted the £39.1 million venture is placing their lives under threat.
She said: “The habitat of our deer cannot be allowed to be decimated any further.
“People living locally are hugely concerned for our environment and while these works continue at pace, these concerns cannot be ignored any longer.”
However, Renfrewshire Council – which manages the City Deal initiatives – has insisted there is no correlation between the death of the deer and construction work.
The GAIA is one of two
Glasgow City Region City Deal projects in the Renfrew area.
The other major scheme is the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside initiative, which will see a new two-lane opening road bridge built over the River Clyde between Renfrew and Yoker.
AROUND the globe March is women’s history month. Next Monday is International Women’s Day. The theme is #ChooseToChallenge.
Campaigners are highlighting the need to call out gender-based bias and inequality against women whenever it occurs. The Scottish Government has a debate in Parliament this Thursday to examine these issues.
Yet, more significant is the fact the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Bill will undergo final consideration by the Scottish Parliament this month. If enacted, the Bill will provide vital new legal remedies to protect women experiencing domestic abuse.
In 2012, the UK became a signatory to the Istanbul Convention. This is a Council of Europe human rights treaty to tackle violence against women and girls with a focus on prevention, protection of victims and the prosecution of perpetrators.
The Government sees its Bill as a significant step towards achieving the aims of the Istanbul Convention by preventing and protecting women from the immediate risk of domestic abuse.
Before lockdown there were almost 60,000 incidents of domestic abuse recorded by Police Scotland each year. But this is the tip of an ugly iceberg; abuse is a hidden and unreported crime. The Scottish Crime and Justice survey estimates only one in five incidents ever come to the attention of the police.
One of the consequences of Covid-19 has been an overall drop in reported crime across the UK; yet we know this belies what is really going on at home. Women’s aid agencies and others have reported surges in the demand for support from vulnerable women and children during lockdown.
The Scottish Government’s own research reveals a number of problems. Lockdown created court delays, which for women who’d reported domestic abuse to the police, undermined faith in the criminal justice system.
Perpetrators employed creative ways to coercively control their victims, including use of the Covid-19 health protection legislation and threats of infection to control their victims.
Since April 1 2019, psychological abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour has become a standalone criminal offence under the
2018 Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act.
Worryingly, many women cited the impact of lockdown isolation, lack of safe childcare options, managing the risk of domestic abuse and the risk of the virus as having had a severe impact on their mental health and resilience.
The new Domestic Abuse Bill would empower a senior police officer to issue a “domestic abuse protection notice” (DAPN) where they have reasonable grounds to believe a partner or ex-partner had been abusive and the DAPN was necessary to protect the woman.
The DAPN is an emergency measure which can require an alleged perpetrator to leave the home, refrain from future contact and not come near the woman’s home. The DAPN has to then call before a sheriff and can be extended by the court for up to three months on cause shown.
In essence, the DAPN is a safe breathing space so women being abused can consider their housing options. The Bill also creates a new right for social landlords to terminate a perpetrator’s interest in a Scottish secure tenancy to enable a victim to remain in the family home.
I welcome these measures but would sound a note of caution for two reasons. First, the DAPN will only work if we tackle existing barriers preventing abused women from accessing their rights. My colleagues at Govan
Law Centre support many women in Glasgow experiencing violence and abuse from partners or former partners. There are many reasons why they don’t report abuse to the police.
Our clients have said they feel no-one will believe them. Some have been unaware that emotional and financial abuse may be a criminal offence. Others feel they will be judged because they’ve complex mental health and dependency issues.
Many clients are embarrassed about disclosing abuse or scared of the repercussions from a partner in terms of their safety. Women with children are often frightened that their kids will be taken away by a partner or social services.
Many women are terrified of the financial implications of leaving a partner and don’t realise their entitlement to homelessness assistance. We need to tackle these barriers to ensure take-up of DAPNs.
For me, this means having trusted, local sources of independent specialist advice and support for women across our communities.
My second concern is while the solution for social tenancies is much needed, what about tenants in the private rented sector (PRS) or homeowners? The PRS is home to more vulnerable women than ever before, yet we’ve forgotten about them in relation to tenancy rights.
If we’re going to deliver the ambitions of the Istanbul Convention, private renters and homeowners need comparable support and rights to women in the social rented sector.
If you’re a woman facing domestic violence please seek support. Knowing your rights will empower you. Anything said is confidential until you’re ready to take the next step. Many organisations can offer support and will assist you and your children to get out of the situation.
Call Scottish Women’s Aid anytime on 0800 027 1234 or Govan Law Centre on 0800
043 0306.
VILE vandals who sprayed Covid-denying graffiti on a wall near Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) have been branded “morons” by a councillor who is now calling for tougher action over the spread of misinformation on Covid.
SNP man Kenny MacLaren is set to put a motion before full council next week condemning the mindless act, which he insists will have deeply hurt those who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 as well as hard-working NHS staff.
His motion will also ask the council to encourage everyone who is eligible for a jab to get it and commit to tackling lies about the pandemic and vaccines.
Earlier this month, the yobs first sprayed “scamdemic” on a wall less than half a mile from the RAH before another twisted message was found near the Phoenix Retail Park in Linwood just days later.
Councillor MacLaren, who represents Paisley Northwest, said he was pleased the council took swift action, but has insisted more needs to be done to stop the scourge of fake news.
He said: “There has recently been an outbreak of some moronic graffiti across Paisley claiming the Covid pandemic is a scam.
“Try telling that to those who have lost loved ones and to the hard-working staff at the RAH who are battling through long shifts trying to cope with the impact of Covid on Renfrewshire residents.
“It’s good that the council has been cleaning up this graffiti as quickly as possible but we really need to tackle these morons to stop them spreading their lies.
“The vaccine is saving lives and I would encourage everyone to take up their appointment when it comes.”
Councillor MacLaren’s motion will also congratulate everyone involved in the vaccination effort.