On this day of celebration of St Andrew I would have liked to write something uplifting and joyful but unfortunately I find myself disappointed and quite apalled by something I found out yesterday. Glasgow City Council, the council which will host the Commonwealth Games in July 2014 and is publicly promoting a healthy, active lifestyle [...]
The Scottish Government have today announced a further £9million to finance a number of housing developments across Scotland.
Housing associations will be able to buy unsold stock from the private sector, increasing the availability of much needed affordable housing and helping the construction industry in these difficult times.
The funding will support the following projects:
£3.5 million will [...]
The Scottish Government and COSLA are asking local authorites in Scotland to apply for a share of £25million to start building council houses. Support will be made available to those authorites prepared to take action quickly to increase the availabilty of affordable housing. Legislation will also be introduced to end the “Right to Buy” for [...]
Today sees the launch of a £7.5million initiative to fight poverty and income inequality in Scotland.
“Achieving Our Potential” is a joint approach by the Scottish Government and COSLA in the fight against poverty. The programme highlights key actions needed in Scotland to improve income levels for employees, to raise awareness of statutory workers’ rights and [...]
Following a number of complaints from customers the regulator Ofgem will be investigating the Direct Debit payment schemes operated by several energy suppliers. Despite being up to date with their payments and having sufficient in their accounts to cover the cost of their most recent bill, many customers have been advised that their monthly direct [...]
The response to the Chancellors speech yesterday has been fairly muted in Scotland. A lot of mutterings about tax costs in the future but not much else. The SNP Finance Secretary is concerned over future efficiency savings, but happy about the continued support for building infrastructure programmes, allowing building works on schools and roads to [...]
To celebrate the feast day on the 30th November of St Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, two fifteen feet Saltire flags have been hoisted 500feet above the River Forth on the iconic bridge which leads in to the city of Edinburgh. The start of the Edinburgh Winter Festival this weekend will see a family-friendly [...]
So we’re all sitting here with bated breath waiting for the Chancellor to give us his pre-budget speech, aren’t we? Well, not really, because so much of it has been leaked in advance that it’s not worth staying in for now. We’re all going to be in town shopping instead- what with our massive reductions [...]
For the last week the weathermen have been warning of an Artic Blast, freezing temperatures, snow, real winter weather. I thought I was going to have to get the snowplough out to get out of the driveway, wearing at least three thermal vests and salopettes. I even planned a day of home baking and stew [...]
The saddest thing so far to come out of the recession is the news that Woolworths is likely to have to sell off its High Street stores for as little as £1. Once the stalwart of every town centre, the place to get absolutely anything and everything you needed; from tights to tatties, record albums [...]
