• NEW POLICE RECRUITS JOIN TAYSIDE FORCE

    23Sep

    Since March last year, the number of police officers in Tayside police has increased by 21, to 1,175.

    Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was at Dundee police headquarters to meet two of the Tayside force’s new police recruits. Mr MacAskill said:

    “The Scottish Government is committed to a greater visible police presence, deterring crime and reassuring our citizens.

    “This increase in the number of officers in the Tayside force is in part the result of our direct recruitment of new officers and aganst a backdrop of a large number of retirals. The force now has 21 more officers working to make Tayside safer.

    “Last year, as we promised, 150 officers were recruited and paid for by the Scottish Government for our police forces and are currently working in Scotland’s communities. 

    “This year we are directly funding the recruitment of another 450 over and above forces’ previous plans, some of which will further help swell the ranks of the Tayside force.

    “We inherited the lowest recruitment since devolution with many officers due to retire. We’ve tackled that challenge head on and we are confident that the resources and policies now in place will deliver improved policing for Scotland.

    “We have set out plans to deliver a more visible policing presence on Scotland’s streets and make an additional 1,000 officers available in our communities. We are not just delivering on this but going substantially beyond, by also looking at recruitment, retention and redeployment.”

    Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick and Cllr JIm Barrie, who is a member of the Tayside Police Joint Board are pictured with Kenny MacAskill and two of the new recruits, PC Gary Lamb and PC Beverley Symon at Tayside Police HQ.

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  • SNP Politicians: ‘The Fight Is On To Save HBOS Jobs’

    22Sep

    Dundee politicians today declared that the fight is on to save hundreds of jobs in Dundee following the takeover of HBOS by Lloyds TSB.

    First Minister Alex Salmond promised on Thursday at the Scottish Parliament to ‘strain every sinew and fight to the last’ to protect bank jobs and decision-making functions within the Scottish economy in the wake of the ‘merger’.

    Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said: “HBOS was laid low by a number of factors, not least short-selling of shares for quick profit, and it is regrettable that the Financial Services Authority have acted too late to ban this practice.

    “But arguments over how it happened and who is to blame must be secondary now to our concern for the workers in Dundee whose jobs are on the line.

    “Not only are there four Bank of Scotland and six Lloyds TSB branches in Dundee there is the Halifax call centre operation in the Marketgait which alone employs 400. Hundreds of people in Dundee are among the 7,000 Lloyds TSB and 17,000 HBOS staff in Scotland who are now extremely worried for their livelihoods.”

    Commenting on a statement by the chief executive of Lloyds TSB that it ‘might be months’ before the structure of the new merged bank might be known, Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said:

    “It is clear there will be job losses through this merger.

    “But Dundee can ill afford to lose any high quality financial jobs and we must work hard to support the employees of HBOS and Lloyds TSB and build a campaign to save these jobs for Dundee.”

    Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie, SNP Treasury Spokesman for the SNP at Westminster, had earlier criticised the FSA for its inability to intervene while speculators attacked a well-funded bank that had funded its business in a satisfactory way.

    Stewart Hosie said: “It is unacceptable that speculators have been able to manipulate the market and bring down Scotland’s oldest financial institution and unfortunate that short-selling has been banned too late to save HBOS.

    “The FSA has closed the stable door after the horse has bolted. Lessons must be learned when the FSA publishes its review of the rules on short-selling in the New Year.

    “The fight is now in Dundee and across Scotland to retain every possible HBOS job and head office function that we can.”

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  • MSP Calls For Unity on Lochee PO Re-siting

    15Sep

     Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick today said he was pleased that everyone seemed to agree that retaining a Post Office in Lochee High Street was crucial.

    The MSP was reacting to the announcement by Tesco on Friday that it is to close its Lochee store.

    The MSP said today:  “I am pleased that everyone seems to agree that retaining  a Post Office with the full range of counter and mail services in the centre of Lochee is vital. We should all work together to ensure that this becomes reality before the Tesco store closes its doors.”

    “I have written [on Friday] to Connie Hewitt, External Relations Manager at Post Office Ltd asking them to urgently find a new location within Lochee High Street for the Post Office. It is absolutely vital that they retain a full Post Office and all the services within the centre of Lochee, adjacent to bus-stops.

    “We need to breathe new life back into Lochee High Street and a Post Office is essential to help us to do that.

    “I will be meeting Tesco this week, along with local Councillor Bob Duncan, who represents the Lochee Ward on Dundee City Council. We will take these matters up with Tesco at the meeting.”

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  • MSP Welcomes Tesco News But Expresses Concern Over Lochee Situation

    12Sep

    Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick today welcomed the jobs boost announced today by Tesco that their South Road store will open in February, but expressed concern that the Tesco Lochee store is to close.

    Joe FitzPatrick said: “I welcome the 200 jobs boost for the Lochee, Charleston and Menzieshill areas but am very concerned over the future of the Lochee shopping area.

    “I am also very concerned over the future of the Post Office in Lochee which is within the Tesco that is to close.

    “I have written today to Connie Hewitt, External Relations Manager at Post Office Ltd asking them to urgently find a new location within Lochee High Street for the Post Office. It is absolutely vital that they retain a full Post Office and all the services within the centre of Lochee, adjacent to bus-stops.

    “I will be meeting Tesco next week, along with local Councillor Bob Duncan, who represents the Lochee Ward on Dundee City Council.

    Commenting on the news, Councillor Duncan said: “Obviously this is a jobs boost for Dundee with 200 extra jobs, which is good news. However  the position of Lochee as a shopping area is being eroded. The Stack Leisure Park will be left practically empty with just the Bingo and Mega-Bowl. I am very keen to have the Post Office service retained in the centre of Lochee so that my constituents are not inconvenienced.

    “We will take these matters up with Tesco next week.”

  • SNP MSP calls for support for Dovetail Enterprises

    12Sep
    SNP politicians say they are “optimistic” about Dovetail Enterprises, which employs a largely disabled workforce to produce beds, furniture and doors at its factory on Dunsinane Avenue. Stewart Hosie MP, MSPs Joe Fitzpatrick and Shona Robison and Councillors Stewart Hunter and Jimmy Black met Managing Director Gavin Strachan to discuss press reports of redundancies due to the credit crunch.
     
    Ms Robison said, “It’s clear that the city needs to get behind Dovetail. Politicians from all parties and public bodies should now be thinking about what they can do to support this excellent company to bring in new orders and secure the future.”
     
    Dundee West MP Stewart Hosie said, “We were greatly encouraged to hear that as yet there have been no redundancies at Dovetail, and that management are taking a vigorous approach to bringing in new orders and seeking new areas of business for the company.
     
    “We were impressed by the factory itself, which is state of the art, and we will be returning to visit the factory floor in the near future to see the workforce in action.”
     
    Joe Fitzpatrick said, “Much of Dovetail’s business comes from construction and tourism. The global credit crunch has brought a slowdown in orders from these sectors. As a responsible employer Dovetail is keeping its workforce informed about the action it plans to take to ensure the company remains in sound financial health.”
     
    Shona Robison said she had been approached by members of the workforce concerned that their jobs might be at risk. “I obtained assurances from Mr Strachan that the workforce would be kept fully informed of developments, and that everything would be done to avoid the need for redundancies. Having said that, six redundancies are under consideration and the company has begun the formal consultation process.
     
    “It’s clear that Dovetail are ready to look outside their traditional markets and they are keen to boost their retail business in beds and furniture.”
     
    One of the issues under scrutiny was the UK Government’s WORKSTEP programme which supports disabled workers in employment. Stewart Hosie said, “Our information is that financial support to Dovetail under this programme has not increased since 2004. I’ll be writing to the Minister, Anne McGuire MP, to ask her if there is any action she can take to bring this grant up to date.”
     
    “It’s quite clear that Dovetail’s beds, mattresses and furniture are quality items which will last for years,” said Joe Fitzpatrick. “The factory showroom’s a wee bit off the beaten track and some people don’t know it’s there. But for anyone fitting out bedrooms in their home, it’s well worth a look.”

  • MSP Supports Friendly League Teams

    12Sep
    Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick has offered his support to a local football league in its David v Goliath confrontation with the Scottish Football Association.
     
    The Saturday Morning Friendly league has been in existence for 18 years and currently has 18 teams. With players ranging in age from 17 to 47 it has gone from strength to strength.
     
    Now, however, the SFA has demanded that the league affiliates to them, at a cost approaching £4000 per year and has banned all SFA referees from officiating at their games. Without these referees the league may be forced to fold.
     
    Local MSPs Joe FitzPatrick and Shona Robison have written to the SFA directly to express their dismay at the heavy handed tactics of the Association.
     
    Joe FitzPatrick said, “This league represents grass roots community football at its best. Over 270 guys go down every Saturday morning to enjoy a game of football and the Scottish Football Association is threatening to take that away. This seems an incredible position for them to take. I will be writing to the SFA, in the strongest terms, asking that this threat be lifted.”
     
    Stewart Hosie MP said “I will be contacting The SFA direct, on behalf of my many constituents who have already voiced their disappointment and amazement at the SFA’s actions. Depriving hundreds of people the opportunity to play our national game seems a bizarre way for any football association to act and I will be asking for the reasoning behind this.”
     
    Cllr Bob Duncan will be raising the issue with Merrill Smith, Head of Business and Support Services, Leisure and Communities Dept. regarding the possible loss of £12,000 income to Dundee City Council, if the league ceases.
     
    Jim Barrie, Councillor for the Riverside area where the league is based commented, “After the SFA’s handling of Dundee’s Youth Initiative team, this seems like another heavy handed blow to Dundee football delivered by the SFA.
     
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  • MSP Critical of British Transport Police Decision

    12Sep

     

    Dundee SNP Councillor Jim Barrie today criticised British Transport Police for their decision to withdraw their presence from Dundee Rail Station in four weeks.

    “This sudden decision may have serious consequences for Dundee. By relocating the four BT Police staff to Perth, Dundee Rail Station could become more vulnerable to anti-social behaviour, especially at weekends with football fans travelling to and from games.

    “Tayside Police will now have to cover the Rail Station at all times and this will undoubtedly lead to slower response times overall. As a member of Tayside Police Joint  Board, I would have serious concerns about this impact on public safety. We will be contacting BT Police to find out why this decision has been taken in such a sudden and apparently abitrary manner.”

    Commenting on the announcement, Joe FitzPatrick MSP for Dundee West said: “We believe that the Scottish Police force should ultimately have reponsibility for all policing matters in Scotland but service provision for rail stations needs to be arranged and funded in discussion with the UK Government who control the BT Police.

    “It perhaps shows how little consideration the UK Government give to policing overall in Scotland that they can withdraw their Transport Police entirely from a major rail station like Dundee without apparently giving prior notice.”

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