Council team deliver on promise
As MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, I had the pleasure of recently meeting with The Promise team at Renfrewshire Council to learn more about the work going on to support our care experienced community across the constituency.
This was a particularly special visit as we also marked Kinship Care Week, from March 11 to March 15, which recognises the important role kinship carers play in the lives of children, young people, and families across Scotland.
I can safely say that Renfrewshire Council has taken the task of Keeping the Promise to heart, as efforts to ensure that every care experienced child and young person grows up loved, safe and respected have been embedded in all local authority services, including education, housing and social work.
This is vital towards successfully delivering the aims and goals of The Promise as there must be clear communication and a joined-up approach between departments so that no one falls through the cracks.
It was also very positive to hear about some of the different ways that they are engaging directly with care experienced people which is helping to shape policies, as well as their network of over 250 trained Promise Keepers, helping to scrutinise and maintain priority.
Renfrewshire Council’s commitment is exemplary and I look forward to keeping up with their future work.
In addition, I also recently met with chief superintendent Gordon McCreadie, who is the local policing commander for Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.
We had a fruitful discussion on a range of topics, including some of the issues facing our local communities and how the police are responding to these.
With the cost-of-living crisis creating even tougher times, I am more thankful than ever to our local police and other emergency services for working tirelessly to keep us safe.
In other news, the UK Government announced its Spring Budget at the beginning of March which has let down the people of Scotland terribly.
The Chancellor had the opportunity to boost economic growth, create jobs and fund a just transition to net zero.
However, his budget fails to deliver the funding that we need to invest in our public services, infrastructure and cost-of-living measures.
In fact, it provides not a single penny more for capital funding – and the Barnett consequentials from health are actually less than the in-year health consequentials of 2023-24.
The cost-of-living crisis is having devastating effects, not only on my constituents, but people across Scotland.
The public has been crying out for support and have begged Westminster to do the right thing and ease pressure on people and public services.
However, these calls fell on deaf ears and once again the public has been badly let down by the UK Government.
With Sir Keir Starmer confirming that Labour will follow the Tories’ tax and spend rules once in power, it’s clear that Westminster offers no solution to working families across Scotland.
We have never needed independence more.