Author: Rhoda Grant

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, who has been pushing for safety measures to be introduced around the railway underpass in Aviemore town centre, is pleased to be advised that work on installing new lighting in the area will commence at the end of October.

The MSP took the issue up with Highland Council back in December 2020 after being contacted by a concerned constituent. Others have also since complained to the MSP about how unsafe the area is, particularly during the winter months and during periods of heavy rain.

Mrs Grant, who visited the area to see the situation for herself shared her constituents concerns and echoed calls for the burn area itself to be cleared of mud and leaves whilst waiting for the new lighting to be installed. Some works were carried out on the burn to drop the water level through the underpass at the beginning of this year which did go some way to helping the problem with high water levels adding risk in the area.

The MSP, who also successfully pressed for lighting along the route which runs parallel to the railway line and connects Osprey Grange, Dalnabay and Silverglades to the town centre said “Constituents had very real concerns about using the area, particularly during periods of heavy rain fall and during winter months, so I am pleased that the lighting will be installed before winter really kicks in.”

She said “The old lighting was beyond any temporary repair and Covid saw a delay in getting access to the lighting equipment required to make the area safer.

Having persevered in pushing Highland Council to install new lighting Mrs Grant said “The new lighting will be mounted on the roof of the tunnel so shouldn’t suffer from the same issues once installed. However as it is complete replacement rather than repair the works will take a bit longer than a normal repair but should be completed by mid November.

She concluded “I’m sure the work on the burn and the new lights will provide a lot more security for people using the area.”

Picture courtesy of Strathspey & Badenoch Herald

Challenge Poverty Week runs this week, 3^rd – 9^th October and this year the cost of living crisis poses a greater threat to people living on low incomes.  In today’s Scotland, no one should live in the grip of poverty.  We can solve poverty in Scotland!

Rhoda Grant believes everyone in Scotland should have access to healthy food.

She said “Today we hear that teachers reported that more than half of their pupils were coming to school hungry, 24% of children are in poverty in Scotland and already we’re reading and hearing of foodbanks running out of food due to demand. Many people in Scotland believe in justice and compassion and I believe ending poverty must be a top priority for all levels of government.”

“Access to food is a basic human right and my proposed Private Member’s Bill seeks to enshrine the Right to Food in Scots Law.  We need to ensure that people have access to healthy and nutritious food so that they and their families do not go hungry nor rely on food banks.

Mrs Grant continued “It is more pertinent now than ever, during a cost of living crisis, when people are making a stark choice between heating and eating, that we can support them and ensure people do not go hungry. The Scottish Government can help food banks and food shares by ensuring they are properly funded to meet the needs of the people who are coming to their doors every week. Just last week, I again contacted the Scottish Government appealing for more funding for these organisations who are seeing unprecedented demand.”

“We must take the appropriate action now and hopefully one day, everyone can access food for themselves and their families without relying on food banks and charities.”

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has made a further push for progress on dualling the A9 south of Inverness following the devastating accident at the Slochd summit in July of this year in which three people were killed and four were hospitalised.

Mrs Grant received representation after the accident and tabled a Parliamentary Question asking when the remaining single carriageway sections of the A9 south are due to be upgraded to dual carriageway. She received a response from the Transport Minister, Jenny Gilruth, which failed to give any indication of when things may move forward with the dualling and the MSP has now asked for a meeting with the Minister to discuss the matter in more detail.

Rhoda Grant said “Following the heartbreaking accident at the Slochd summit in July, I asked when the remaining single carriageway sections of the road are due to be upgraded.

“The reply I received from the Minister lacked any kind of detail. It advised that work to determine the most suitable procurement options for the remaining sections of the A9 dualling is ongoing, that it is a complex exercise, which looks at a number of factors including how the project can be delivered most efficiently, whilst minimising disruption to road users and helping to support economic recovery post-COVID.

The Highlands and Islands MSP, who has campaigned for improvements along the A9, north and south of Inverness, including at the Munlochy Junction continued “The dualling is due to be completed by 2025 but there is a lot of work still to be done on that. 2025 is fast approaching and we mustn’t take our eye off the ball. We need to keep the pressure on to ensure the Scottish Government moves forward with the rest of the upgrading as a matter of some urgency.

She concluded “I am seeking a meeting with the Transport Minister to ensure this issue is to the forefront of her mind and to encourage her and her officials to press forward without delay in making this road fit for the volume of traffic it carries daily.”

I called in to thank David Grieve and the volunteers at Shetland Foodbank for the amazing lifesaving service they offer.

Already this year, they have provided more food packages than the whole of last year and while it is heart breaking that we are seeing a huge increase in the numbers of people using foodbanks, without the dedication of David and thousands of others throughout the country, many more people would be destitute.

I am continuing to push on with a Bill to have a Right to Food enshrined in Scots Law so that one day, we will hopefully see the end of foodbanks in our communities.

I headed to the north of Shetland mainland with Cllr Tom Morton and met up with the folks from Northmavine Community Development Company to hear about their plans for the area. I heard about the waste saving benefits of the Bruckland Recycling facility and was fascinated to hear about the polycrubs that are popping up all over mainland Shetland and beyond.

Maree Hay, Managing Director, and Harry Haslam, Business Development Manager explained that these polytunnel/greenhouses are designed, using polycarbonate sheeting, to withstand the Shetland weather. They were certainly put to the test when I was there as the rain battered down on us!

Polycrubs are great personal and community assets with this one at Hillswick Health Centre available for community use, encouraging people to grow their own produce while also offering a great resource to help maintain good mental health and wellbeing.

I was delighted to call into Shetland Library to meet Supershelty and Bookbug, the library’s cuddly mascots!

Karen Fraser’s enthusiasm is catching, and the bright, welcoming library offers far more than just books. There are cosy seating areas throughout as well as computers available for anyone to use, with a helping hand never far away if needed.

I also heard about the mobile library service that changed the way they worked in order to be able to operate throughout most of the pandemic and was a lifeline to many people during that difficult time.

Cllr Tom Morton and I called in past Shetland Citizens Advice Bureau and had a chat with Karen Eunson about the incredible support Karen and the team provide.

Offering benefit checks, advice on debt cancellation, energy advice and much more, CAB is a vital resource in today’s turbulent world of increasing energy costs and the cost of living crisis which is impacting on everyone’s lives.

It was great to be back in Shetland this week to catch up with Cllr Tom Morton and to meet the inspirational team at Shetland Community Connections.

Julie, Catriona and Zoe chatted to us about their work offering creative and personal support to people of all ages from across Shetland who may be feeling isolated or in need of a bit of additional support. The team listen to what each individual is interested in and create Person Centred Plans to offer support and help to stay focussed on their life’s dream and live their best life.

We also heard about their new “Shared Lives” service that will be on offer from the beginning of next year. This innovative new service will also adopt a highly personalised approach to support people who are in receipt of an agreed social care assessment. Shared Lives will provide short breaks and sessional support from within a registered hosts’ home providing community based services in many different parts of Shetland.

I was delighted to visit Highlife Highland’s botanic gardens in Inverness and was amazed by the additional projects this charity offers. I was shown round their orchard and nursery and their fantastic GROW and BEE projects.

Trainees and volunteers help run the projects and all of the produce which is grown on site is then sold to the visiting public, used in their adjoining café and donated to a local Foodshare facility.

Promoting good health and wellbeing are two of the fundamental aims of this fantastic charity and I was really grateful to Ewan Mackintosh (Manager), Rona Macfarlane (Horticultural Trainer GROW project) and Steve Walsh (Chief Executive) for their time and hospitality.

SARWAR CALLS FOR EMERGENCY COST OF LIVING ACT

Anas Sarwar has today called for emergency legislation to be the Scottish Parliament’s first priority to help deal with the cost of living crisis.

The plan includes calls for a winter evictions ban, a rent freeze, cancelling school meal debt, halving rail fares and capping the cost of bus journeys.

It also would include additional cash for “bridging payments” for children in receipt of free school meals and support for businesses.

The Scottish Labour leader warned that the economic crisis facing Scots was a national emergency and, like the Covid-19 pandemic, required a radical response from both of Scotland’s governments.

Labour’s plan sets out four areas in which Holyrood should pass legislation immediately in order to protect people’s incomes.

Last week the Scottish Government announced that they are carrying out an emergency budget review in light of the cost of living crisis, but has failed to produce concrete actions using the powers available.

Across the UK, Labour has called for the Tories to wake up to the crisis facing households and act to help people by:

• Freezing energy prices for six months, saving a typical household £1,000.
• Ending the premium paid for energy by around 425,000 customers in Scotland who use prepayment meters.
• Extending energy bills support to all off-grid households – offering help to up to 217,000 Scottish households.
• Supporting businesses in energy-intensive industries with a £1 billion fund.

Scottish Labour has also called for the SNP to stop sitting on their hands, and use the powers of the parliament to act now.

As was the case with the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Sarwar added that more action will be needed as the situation develops over the winter, but that was not a justification to do nothing now.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “The cost of living crisis is a national emergency on the scale of the pandemic – and dealing with it requires both of Scotland’s governments to move quickly and decisively.

“Instead we’ve seen silence from Boris Johnson and nothing of value from those squabbling to replace him.

“So while Labour propose a plan that would save families £1000 on their energy bills, Tories call for tax cuts for billionaires.

“But we’ve also seen little of substance from the SNP, ignoring the significant powers they have to act now.

“That is why Scottish Labour is calling for emergency legislation to be put before the Scottish Parliament now, as the starting point for a response to help people without delay.

“Our plan sets out areas where Holyrood can act urgently to help people now – and it could be passed as an Emergency Cost of Living Act when the Scottish Parliament returns.

“While bills spiral and wages struggle to keep up with inflation, the SNP has the power to help people but they’ve failed to take it.

“From freezing rising rents to supporting struggling businesses, Scottish Labour is determined to act.

“People across the UK deserve better than two governments trivialising our politics and ignoring the issues that matter, while they bicker.

“The total lack of ideas and ambition from both our governments has been all too clear.

“But while countless households are facing the impossible choice between heating and eating, oil and gas giants are raking in billions of pounds of profits and being handed tax breaks.

“It’s clear more of the same won’t do.

“We need a response that matches the scale of this crisis – only Labour will deliver that.”

Scottish Labour’s call for emergency legislation is broken down into four areas.

Housing support

1. A temporary rent freeze to protect tenants from rent increases.
2. A renewed Tenant Grant Fund worth  £10 million
3. A winter eviction ban to prevent homelessness as a result of this crisis.

Help with transport costs

1. Implementing half-price rail fares and providing resources to local authorities so that the cost of bus journeys can be capped.
2. Creating an online fuel price checker, following the example of the Northern Irish Consumer Council.
3. Freezing rail fares for the next year

Tackling Debt

1. Emergency legislation to improve debt solutions
2. Writing off school meal arrears
3. Increased funding for money advice services

Reducing bills for households and business

1. Doubling the Scottish Child Payment bridging payments
2. Topping up the Welfare Fund
3. Providing a £100 water bills rebate
4. Establishing a Business Hardship Fund