Happy New Year?

Today is December 28 - so we are halfway through. Just Hogmanay and New Year`s Day to go and life can get back to normal.
That is if life can ever be `normal` again. With all the prophets of doom constantly tellinng us how bad the new year is going to be, I can`t help but think of Burns` words from Tae a Mouse - Forward though I canna see, I guess and fear.

But speaking of Burns we do have the Year of the Homecoming to look forward to. Ayr will be he launching pad for the year of clebrations, with a great Burnsfest weekend planned for the 24th and 25th to mark the 250th anniversary of the bard`s birth.

Communities in South Ayrshire have a number of events planned for the whole year both to entertain you and any visitors who are attracted here because of the falling pound (You see every cloud does have a silver lining!)

Season`s greetings

WELL are you all set for Christmas? Hvae you been out taking advantage of the sudden rash of sales on the High Street? Or are you so gripped with fear over the state of the economy, the credit crunch and the state of the stock markets you`re not venturing over the threshhold? Is Christmas cancelled this year?

I can`t help but wonder how much of the panic has been created by the media. We`ve had recessions before and survived them without being panicked into thinking the world as we know it is about to end.

I blame it on the 24-hour media; the non-stop demand for news and the way the commentators actually seem to enjoy telling us of the latest banking crisis. There are regular reports of how the stockmarkets round the world are doing. Do you understand a word of it? I don`t and suspect I am not alone

True this one is different - ie the parlous state of the banks and their mismanagement of our affairs - personal and council.

I was at an international dinner a couple of weeks ago in Edinburgh when Cosla (Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities) were entertaining fellow councillors from all over Europe.(And once again I sat mortified as all spoke fluent English. But I digress). At the table was a councillor from Iceland and I was so tempted to say to him that I would be happy to take a cheque on behalf of the council, it didn`t need to £5m in cash. But then I reckoned the poor sod had probably heard that joke too many times during the day and I decided not to spoil his dinner.

But the government I see is going to borrow zillions to buy our way out of the crisis. What I keep asking myself is - where is all that cash coming from?

However back to Christmas. There has been a bit of a rammy this week at council hq over the festive greetings cards chosen for councillors to send out. Someone who shall remain nameless (to spare his blushes) decided as 2009 was the year of the Homecoming and the 250th anniversary of Burns` birth, it would be a good idea to use the council`s famous Goudie paintings as illustrations. Now the Goudie paintings show in graphic detail Tam`s ride to Alloway`s auld haunted kirk, his confrontation with the witches and the de`il and his flight to the bridge. Fine so far. But the paintings are also a tad bawdy - naked figures, admittedly small, boozing, carousing, add a bit of debauchery - and many shocked councillors have decided these don`t exactly illustrate the spirit of Christmas. Ideal to celebrate Burns Night - but not the birth of Christ, or for the secular, the arrival of Santa.

At the time of writing it is my understanding that an alternative card is going to be made available.

However Saturday, December 22 was one of the highlights of my council year - the occasion was the switch-on of the superb Maybole Christmas lights and along with my fellow councillors I rode up High Street with Santa in his sledge. Magic.

And seeing the joy in the kids` faces it was a reminder of what the season is all about - and despite the crisis will go ahead as normal. Enjoy.

Who has gone to Iceland?

I remember way back when I took out my first bank account, I had a vision of a cupboard somewhere where my savings sat in a pile and I could walk in at any time and lift them out. This concept of the banking process in fact stayed with me for many decades. My money was piled up there all safe and warm . . .
Then came the shock realisation that it was all just figures on paper.

Which begs the question just WHERE is all the money? Where are those trillions of pounds being banded about to save the economy from meltdown? What giant cupboard are they stashed in?

Have you noticed how actual money is going out of fashion? Whe did you last use actual cash? I keep getting caught out by the window-cleaner who naturally enough does not deal in plastic. Now, to meet the demands of the 21st century he has to accept cheques - or, I would imagine, he would never get paid! But at least, going door to door, he does get paid in the real thing unlike the rest of us who just see figures on pay cheques and bank statenets.

I`ve named this month`s blog, who`s gone to Iceland. Well actually, I have. I was in Reykjavik earlier this year as part of a Cosla delegation to an international conference. And what a fascinating place it is. During a conducted tour the success of their banking institutions was stressed and the place was certainly booming. Gleaming tower business blocks were dominating the quaint old fashioned city and round every corner you found a construction site. There was a real air of prosperity - not a street beggar in sight. In most driveways there were at least two large 4x4s - admittedly the Icelanders need them rather than small cars,considering their extreme climate and desolate landcape. And the other signs of a successful economy were there - McDonalds, Starbucks, Hilton Hotels. . . .

I came home raving about how a nation with a small population - around 350,000- could prosper and pointing out that South Ayrshire Council could learn some lessons for future development.

Little did I realise they were already there. . . . And now we have the discovery this week that £5m of your taxpayers` cash is locked up in an Icelandic bank with little sign of it being released any time soon.

It is of course too early so say how this will affect the council`s finances and your services - and it is people higher placed than me that will be making the decisions.



I hope the matter doesn`t become a political football between the Scottish and Westminster governments; that a sensible solution is found and soon.

On another matter entirely plans are now well underway for the Year of the Homecoming. South Ayrshire is hosting the opening event - a week-end of Burns celebrations with a Burns Supper hosted by First Minister Alex Salmond and a spectacular light event at Burns Monument kicking things off. However the year goes on until Novemeber and the council is keen for groups and associations to put on Burns themed events throughout the year. Cash is available and application forms for grants up to £5,000 are now waiting to be picked up at Burns House and the council are encouraging people to apply. (The forms are a wee bit daunting - but council staff are only too ready to help you fill them in. If you have an idea, get cracking - before all the money is handed out!

Summer`s over

Well that`s it over for another year - the summer that is. What summer I hear you ask. I hope you managed to get away on holiday without your travel company or airline going bust.

I wasn`t so lucky. Off to New York, my daughter and I were originally booked on the ill-fated Silverjet. Luckily we booked by credit card. The company went down the tubes about a month before our departure date and we managed to a) get our money back and b) get another flight. Makes you think twice about taking up those great deals on the internet though. Are the days of cheap travel numbered?.

New York was great, hot and cheap but the memories have long faded into the distance. Returning to the council after the recess tends to do that - brings you back to earth with a bump.

And it is going to be a bumpy ride I fear over the next months, if not years.

First jolt was the news that the Ayr United/Barratt Homes deal had fallen through. That is seriously concerning both for the town and of course the football club and their fans. Ayr United needs a new stadium and Ayr could do with the additional housing, particularly the affordable variety that was part of the deal.
Accusations have been hurled around over who was to blame - apart from the current mortgage drought and the poor state of the building industry - and the council haven`t escaped criticism from the Ayr United chairman over their handling of the planning aspects of the deal.

Another major development, if not heading for the buffers, is facing major change. Ayr Racecourse is up for sale and in this present economic climate buyers may not be queuing up. And obviously the major improvements are on hold. Again implications from the owners that the council took too long (five years) over the planning process.

We are easy targets of course.

Is the future of the new West of Scotland University and Scottish Agricultural
College secure? This is a multi-million pound deal with a lot hanging on it. Watch this space - but I certainly hope so.

There is also the major housing plan for Barassie - around 600 houses - will it too but put on hold?

It`s at times like this I am glad to be a humble `back bencher` and not one of the council`s Leadership Panel faced with these major headaches.

Facing us too in the near future is what to do with Ayr Gaiety. The historic old theatre needs a lot of tlc - and a lot of money spent on it to mainly meet Health and Safety demands. Decisions have been put off for years - now we are facing D-day. One option, of course is closure - one I personally can`t comtemplate - and I regularly remind colleagues who weren`t around at the time, what happened the last time they tried to close the Gaiety - street protests, massive nationwide bad publicity, Johnny Beattie threatening to lie in front of bulldozers! We don`t want to go through that again. I also remind them how unforgiving you, the public, can be!


And to top it all the Audit Scotland is currently in the building carrying out their inspection to see how well we operate. That report when it comes out should make interesting reading!

However to strike a brighter note, not to leave you thoroughly depressed, we have the Year of the Homecoming almost upon us - a year of celebrating all thing Scottish and it is kicking off in Ayr with a Burnsfest on January 24 and 25.

With the spectre of the disastrous debacle that was the 200th anniversary celebration (or non event as it turned out after spending a fortune))of the poet`s death in 1996 hovering in the background, I think we can expect a much better effort this time around when we celebrate the 250th anniversay of his birth. (It is difficult typing with fingers crossed!)

Crunch time

HAVE you noticed the crunch starting to bite?

We`ve read all the headlines about Sub-Prime mortgages, the rising cost of the barrel of oil, felt the pain at the petrol pumps, seen the warnings about the increased cost of food and stared in horror at the weekly shopping bill.

But is it actually affecting our way of life?

I must admit to having seen worrying signs that it is beginning to - certainly my life.

First sign came with the plan for a night out at the cinema - three of us off to see Sex and the City. Now normally we go to Kilmarnock Odeon rather than Ayr - better choice of films, more cinemas and more comfortable seats. Then one friend said, why drive all the way to Kilmarnock with the price of petrol, let`s just go to Ayr Odeon. So the rot begins.

(It turned out to be a bad choice as Ayr decided not to show Sex and the City that night - not enough demand - so we had to make a rushed trip to Kilmarnock anyway only to discover the show was sold out. So much for the no demand at Ayr - or maybe Kilmarnock was filled by all those Ayr turned away. Reminds me, I was going to write to the manager and complain. But I digreess)

Driving to Edinburgh last week I found myself sticking to under 60mph - better for fuel consumption - only to find every tanker and lorry on the M8 flashing me then thundering past at 70mph. Now if their businesses and owners are finding it tough with the increased cost of diesel why don`t they impose a 50mph limit on all freight transport? Would take the terror out of morotway driving for the rest of us and save them cash .

Then on Saturday I was heading to Glasgow and went by train! Nothing unusual you say? It is for me. I always drive to Glasgow but on Saturday on calculating the petrol cost, the wear and tear on the car, the parking charges (always rising) I decided to let the Scotrail take the strain. Though still not as clean and efficient as the Glasgow-Edinburgh train, the journey was uneventful, not too many mobile phone chats and I arrived on time, both ways. So I may well do it again and cut down my carbon footprint

These are small things I know, but if we all start doing it; going to the nearest supermarket instead of driving; choosing a different restaurant or cinema; switching off lights, cutting down on heating, etc. it is slowly going to have a huge effect on the businesses we are no longer going to and the economy as a whole - and I don`t think the politicians nationally and locally have realised it yet.


And speaking of politicians we have reached the end of our first year and looking back what have we done?

At first sight it seems not a lot and negative things spring to mind - shutting public toilets, the Pets Corner at Belleisle, putting a two mile restriction on school buses, failing to make much of an improvement on roads.

The list could go on.

But we have done a lot of good things too in public safety, trading standards. efforts to make the streets and beaches cleaner. A lot goes on behind the scenes that doesn`t hit the headlines. We are going to try and change that next year and let you know the good along with the bad.

It has been the first year of a four-party council, with the minority administration having to work closely with the others to get measures passed. And it has worked. There is more of a spirit of collaboration within the County Buildings and that can only be for the good

Good to be back

Yes it`s good to be back.

Seems a long time - in fact it is a long time - since I last posted a blog. April I was off sick for a few weeks but now am back in business and thought it was time to catch up with things.

Beginning of May saw me flying to Reykjavic in Iceland - yes joining the council you can occasionally travel a bit further than Ayr and Maybole. Through the auspices of Cosla I was attending a policy meeting of the Councill of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), which is a coming together of local councillors from all over Europe. The Policy Group aim to exert more influence over the powers that be in the European Parliament in Brussels; they aim to influence decisions before they are made.

It wa a fascinating experience not only seeing the European democratic process at work but visitng the Icelandic Capital. You think life in the UK is expensive - you should try Reykjavic. About £10 for a pint of beer or glass of wine! Mind you you don`t see many (any) drunks hanging around the streets late at night! Scottish government take note.

This week-end was the opportunity for me to see my leader in action - yes I did attend the Tory Party Conference at Ayr Racecourse where understandably everybody was in euphoric mood after the Crew and Nantwich by-election result.

David Cameron is better looking in real life than on telly and he does have that je ne sais quois quality that the really successful have; charisma I think it is called. OK effective policies are what the electorate need and want,(and will get I am sure) but star quality does help.

Though throughout the conference I found myself staring at a succession of men`s ankles and asking - why don`t men get their trousers to fit properly? Why do they all wrinkle round the ankles? (The problem of sitting in the front row with my eyes at ankle level). Two speakers however were rumple free - of course, David Cameron and one guy who wore the kilt!

But I digress. It was a good conference, helped of course by the aforesaid victory, and it will be interesting to see if the surge in the polls is reflected here in Scotland come the next election.

Main topics at the conference on the first day were safer communities and the scourge of the drug problem in our society and it was disheartening to learn that Scotland has the worst drug addict figures in Europe. Nobody could say why and were obviously having trouble coming up with a solution. The Tory approach is abstinence, less use of Methadone and more opportutnies for rehabilitation.

At council level the main headline hitting event has been the troubles within the Labour party. The waves from the forged signature affair continue to spread with the two councillors concerned, Helen Moonie and Ian Cavana being stripped of their senior panel chair positions. Their behaviour was investigated by the council`s Standards in Governance Committee and their recommendations were approved by last week`s full council. Two other councillors Elaine Little and Douglas Campbell have resigned from the Labour Group within the council and are now Independents.

So only a year on from the election the make-up of the council has dramatically altered with 12 Tories, eight SNP, Labour, seven members and three Independents.

Interesting times ahead.

People Power

You may have doubted the influence of people power- but last week`s headlines have shown it is alive and well and thriving in South Ayrshire.

But let`s go back a few weeks - to-D-day for the council budget. Certainly as the Scottish Government requested we were able to keep the council tax the same as last year, but it came at a cost - we had to make cuts.

And we made plenty of them but it was the closure of the Pets` Corner at Belleisle that lit the torch paper and had the locals reaching for pen and paper. They organised petitions, wrote to the local papers, bombarded all the local counillors with emails, whether they were Ayr or not. Everyone was outraged; we had certainly touched a nerve.

Now the Pets` Corner had been in a sorry state for years- but it was, in the parlance of Tony Blair, the people`s Pets` Corner and they were outraged that we had decided to close it without consulting them. Admittedly I went there as a child, took my daughter there when she was young and from reading the letters pages of the local press most of the population had fond memories of visiting there and wanted it to stay open.

The council was in a bind - the decision had been made - but fairy godmothers - or more correctly in this case, fairy godfathers - do still exist and came riding to the rescue. The local Rotary Clubs and the generous businessman saved our skins and for now certainly the pets live to fight another day at Belleisle. Shame really,I had found a home for the donkey!!

But it`s not over. We are to be tested again over another `easy option` cut that slipped through and has outraged more local people. Straiton public toilets are in line for closure and the locals are not happy. Which is understandable when you consider Straiton is a top tourist village, one that attracts thousands of hillwalkers - who will no doubt be attracted to the new network of paths currently being opened to criss-cross the area!

What are they to do - look for the nearest bush? Not very 21st century. It is argued that we do not have a statutory duty to provide public toilets but until an alternative solution is found - like encouraging local pubs or cafes to allow the public in as is done in some places in England- surely it is better to try and keep them open.(Though some are in such a disgusting state you would be better looking for a bush!)

One solution has been found in Kirkoswald where the public toilets were also earmarked for closure - not the best move when you consider the heavy traffic use of the A77 and the number of lorries, buses etc that stop in Kirkoswald betwixt Northern Ireland and Glasgow. With some pressure (some applied by yours truly) they were saved and the unexpected bonus is that the Costley and Costley empire currently revitalising the centre of the village with their new hotel and museum and whisky shop plan, have agreed to take over the upkeep of the toilets. They recognise that the new path networks will be attracting more walkers and cyclists to the area. And I bet those toilets will be clean!

Maybe that is the route that should be followed - some fresh thinking on an old problem. But that is for another day. For the moment Straiton villagers are presenting a petition to the council on March 20. It will be interesting to see what success they have. But at least the Belleisle outcome should maybe give them hope.

The best laid schemes

HAVE you heard of the Year of the Homecoming? Probably not unless you are a member of a Burns Club or Community Council or Association.

It is the big celebration planned for next year to draw millions of exiled Scots `back home` for a holiday. It is based on five main themes - Burns, Golf, Whisky, the Enlightenment and Innovation. And of course South Ayrshire is ripe to take full advantage of two of these - Burns and Golf. And by luck rather than design the same year sees the British Open coming to Turnberry - a gift horse if ever there was one!

So you would think that we would be well ahead with our plans to take advantage of this one-off event backed by the Scottish Government. Think again.

Those with memories of 1996 when what should have been a world-wide celebration of the 200 anniversay of Burns death turned into a shambolic fiasco, must be shuddering as they think `here we go again`.

But with a lot of luck, victory as they say, can be snatched from the jaws of defeat and we will make a better job of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the poet`s birth.

Event Scotland have been brought in at the last gasp - applications for available government funding have to be in by February 26 - to organise things and having attended a presentation last week they certainly talk the talk - let`s hope their abilities match their aspirations.

South Ayrshire Council, I am glad to say, is also getting its act together and there are talks about having a major event to launch the Homecoming Year at Alloway on January 25. Spring will see the Burns an` a` that festival and July, of course, The Open.

And as well as the big themed events there are hopes that organsiations, clubs and even individuals will come forward with their ideas to help fill a year`s programme of celebration for the visitors we hope will come. Maybole is already well ahead with plans for an event following the brilliant success of last year`s celebration of the wedding of Burns parents at Maybole.

As I said, Allowway should be the centre of the opening event - and probably will be - but there is one small snag . . . the prestigious new £17million Burns museum and visitor centre planned for Alloway won`t be open in time - in fact there will probably be a building site there, with work not scheduled to finish until 2010. As usual it seems we were at the coo`s tale. The National Trust for Scotland who are taking over responsibility for the cottage and heritage park failed to get their submission for funds in to the Heritage Lottery Fund on the preferred date - talk about the best laid schemes - which would have allowed the centre with a bit of an effort, to be open by the November, a stylish and appropriate end to the Homecoming Year The bid is going in three months late which has pushed the completion date well into the following year - assuming we get the £6million, which is not guaranteed. But let`s not dwell on that.

Unfortunately plans for Burns Cottage also look as if they may not be completed in time and a make-do option is being prepared.

Why am I not surprised? Disappointed certainly but not surprised.

ALL aspects of being a councillor have their fascinating side but I think the planning committee - or Regulatory Panel as it is now called - is one of the more interesting. And this year we could be making decisions that will have a major impact on South Ayrshire.

We`ve already approved a massive 600-house development for East Troon, the new Girvan hospital, and a new university campus at Ayr has received outline planning approval.

And this week saw the transfer of land valued at £4m from South Ayrshire Council to the Univerity of the West of Scotland allow their plans for the new multi-million campus to go ahead. It was a decision not taken easily for although talks have been going on for three years, the university plan was new to we new councillors and the land transer had cost implications - we were giving it to the university for free, but the Archive Centre, which is housed on the site at Craigie, would need to be transferred to another building.

Initially were were being asked to meet the cost of renting the new premises but following a decision of the full council last week to agree in principal to the land transfer - the Archive Centre relocation will be re-negotiated. We are hoping to be paying a peppercorn rent or even better, no rent at all, for the new site, which will probably be at Auchincruive.

The university hope to start work on the site on August - the present Criaige campus buildings are well past theri sell-by-date - but full planning consent has still to be given. Also coming before the Regulatory Panel in the near future are the new football stadium plan for Ayr United and a hotel, house and golf course grand plan for Auchincruive Estate.

As I said - interesting times for South Ayrshire and the Regulatory Panel members.