Council keeps Labour majority

Glasgow City Council continues to have a Labour Party majority following the local government election.

It has 44 seats compared to 47 after the previous election. The SNP have 27 seats compared to 19 before. The Green Party have five seats which is the same as before but with a couple of new people. The Tory Party still has David Meikle flying the flag in Pollokshields. There is one Independent – Stephen Dornan who won Govan as a Glasgow First candidate.

He is a disenchanted Labour Party Councillor. The Liberal Democrats – who held six seats in the previous administration – returned only one person – Margot Clark  in Linn Ward which was the first to be called on the day.

Commented Labour elder statesman Mohammad Sarwar who was the first Muslim to become an Westminster MP: ‘When the Labour Party is united across all levels – Westminster, Hollyrood and Local Authority –it is unbeatable. If the SNP had won Glasgow they would have claimed that as a victory for independence. But people are too frightened to separate the UK. And it must also be said that the Labour team put in a lot of hard work and effort.’

Said Gordon Matheson who was Labour Group leader last time round: ‘I’m delighted personally and delighted for all the candidates. We will work with all parties and draw strength from others. Our priority is the people of Glasgow so it’s back to work for them, now.’

Youngest of the new SNP Councillors is 18-year-old Austin Sheridan,

elected in Baillieston. He was an active Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP)  – and said: ‘I’m absolutely thrilled. The fact that we had two SNP seats in Baillieston in 2007 at the last council elections and we’ve won two today, shows that we can hold a seat once we’ve gained it.’

Said Green Party Councillor Dr Nina Baker: ‘We are very pleased and have done better than all prediction. We have two great, new Councillors in Liam Hainey in Langside and Martin Bartos in Partick West. With Martha Wardrop re-elected in Hillhead, Kieran Wild in Canal and myself in Anderston/City we are well pleased with our five.’

 

 

 

Oatlands hustings attracts a crowd

A full turn-out of candidates made for a lively hustings at Oatlands in the OCRC recently. Matched more than 3 to 1 by members of the audience, they were subjected to some searching questions on a variety of issues.

Organised by the newly formed Oatlands Community Council and ably chaired by its chairman Stuart Logue, it showed that old style debate has not been lost.

Each prospective candidate was given a few minutes to set out their case. From the audience the main issues were  lack of a shop and a safe place for children to play. Said one local resident: ‘We want someone to come here and fight for these things that were promised years ago when development was first proposed. We’re still waiting.’

Incumbent Labour Party Councillor James Scanlon pointed out he was the only councillor in the Southside Central ward who had a regular surgery in Oatlands. Councillor Anne Marie Millar who switched from Labour to Independent just before the Council rose in advance of the election, told her audience she would be very happy to take on the local issues highlighted that night. She said: ‘It is all about people taking control.’

The Green Party candidate: Moira Crawford said she’d concentrate on the two issues people had raised about the lack of a shop and the lack of safe play space for children.

Organisers on behalf of the Coummunity Council agreed it was a quiet and calm meeting and enjoyable because of that.

The survivors are pictured (from left)David Jago (Lib Dems), Charles Bailie (Britannica supporter,,), Jean Douglas (Britannica candidate), Ian Beattie (Socialist Party) Mhairi Hunter (SNP) Ann Marie Millar (Independent) James Scanlon (Labour), Moira Crawford (Scottish Green), withStuart Logue, Chair standing at the back.

The OCRC is a busy community hub with an Open Day planned for Sunday 17 June, a fundraiser in August for a reunion of Oatlanders to record their Memories and interest from one of the city colleges in using the premises (near Bett’s show homes office) on a regular basis.

Hustings season kicks off

By Alieu Ceesay

The election season is upon us with one of the first hustings being Govanhill and Crosshill Community Council`s event on Monday16 April at Samaritan House in Coplaw Street.

Prospective candidates – aiming for one of the four seats in Southside Central ward – were quizzed by the public. Among the issues raised were social care, crime, privatising of council services, fuel poverty, benefits and the local economy.

The meeting was chaired by Iain MacInnes the Community Council`s Secretary, who called on the candidates to fight for the local community and to oppose all forms of privatisation in the city.  He said: ‘There is a national debt but the austerity crisis is contrived. The need for the punitive, austerity measures being imposed on communities across the country, is a fallacy.’ He also questioned why so few resisted the ‘unsound, illogical economic orthodoxy.’

Moira Crawford, Green Party candidate, said that if elected on Thursday 3 May she would campaign for a city-owned energy company which would sell its surplus to the National Grid and use it to improve the City’s housing for the benefit of people. She also promised to work with residents and community organisations.

Labour Candidate Dr Soryia Siddique said she would fight for the building and refurbishment of local primary schools and the provision of up to five months of additional care for all three years olds as well as the creation of 1000 jobs each year for young people.

Anne Marie Millar has served the area as a Labour councillor for nine years and is now standing as an Independent candidate. She claimed her efforts achieved an investment of £13 million in housing for Govanhill. She promised to continue to work with residents, community organisations and the police to make neighbourhoods and streets safer and address knife crime and domestic violence; anti social behaviour and the regulation of private landlords. Although the crime rate has fallen the fear of crime still remains, she said.

Jahangir Hanif, SNP, who is seeking re-election to the Council, said it was time for regime change at the City Chambers. He pointed to the SNP’s successful campaign which halved the cost of chauffeured cars for councillors. He berated Labour’s record on ‘the state of our roads’ and was sure his party, ‘as the new majority,’ would do much better on infrastructure.

He added: ‘We will be campaigning to keep council tax frozen to help hard pressed households and for the council to do more to help local businesses create new jobs for young people.’

Robert McIlroy, Conservative, who is standing in Newlands and Auldburn ward represented local candidate Thomas Connor. The Conservative party would fight for weekly bin collections instead of fortnightly ones. ‘Waste must not be left uncollected for a long time,’ he said. He also advocated investment in roads and pavements.

William Bonnor, Scottish Socialist Party, emphasised the democratic accountability of the Council. ‘Local people should be consulted on the issues affecting them,’ he contended.

David Jago, Liberal Democrat, said rules must be enforced to ensure that private landlords are better regulated. In addition, he called for more money for housing.

Gavin Mc Nae, local resident, highlighted that none of the candidates had given recognition to  the Community Council for mounting a sustained campaign on slum housing in the area.

Iain MacInnes told this reporter that it was the Community Council’s efforts that led to the Scottish Government taking notice of the dire housing problem. In March 2010, Housing and Communities Minister, Alex Neil said ‘hit squads’ could be set up to tackle Govanhill’s poverty and housing issues. Iain said: ‘this was translated into a ‘task force’ by Labour’s then Councillor, Anne Marie Millar. Through that, a hub was created to coordinate acute housing problems. But this put the issue into the doldrums. After being treated as a political football, the hub seems to be back on track.’

Iain said that the Community Council would continue to: ‘Campaign on housing in particular and on other relevant issues brought to our notice.’

One person asked if the panel would join him in opposing the current care ‘personalisation’ plans being presented as choice when, in reality, they were being used, cynically,  to create cuts to services for vulnerable people and their families.

A question relating to the Commonwealth Games was: ‘How do the candidates feel about Glasgow hosting the ‘public relations’ front line for some of the countries which have abysmal human rights records?’

A member of the public said that money could be saved by abandoning the opening and closing ceremonies at the Commonwealth Games. ‘The money could be used to reinstate services cut by the Council. She went on: ‘The ‘Games are really about land deals and building contracts; there is little by way of a sustainable legacy for the people of Glasgow.’

 

Singing the song of human rights

An evening of poetry, music, song and food, was celebrated by the Campaign for Human Rights in the Gambia this week in Glasgow.

A key speaker was former Vice President of the West African country, Bakary Dabo, who now lives in London. In a calm and diplomatic way, he explained how a Rule of Fear had overtaken the democratic rule of law which The Gambia had enjoyed before a military coup. ‘The people in power now are not leaders.’ he said. ‘It is a depressing picture. This small country of 2 million people has an appalling human rights abuse record. There is a very vicious despotic system in place run by one man with his clique.’ Mr Dabo emphasised how important it was for groups such as Amnesty International and the Glasgow based Campaign for Human Rights in The Gambia and others to be raising awareness of the situation and to be supportive in the search for a solution.

‘We are hopeful,’ he continued. ‘But The Gambia is right now held by its throat as a hostage.’

Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Danny Alderslowe. A Green Party Councillor, he had that day at the final meeting of the Glasgow City Council before the local government elections, won a motion to review the Personalisation process being implemented by the Council.

Danny had orchestrated an excellent programme of entertainment at the Afro Caribbean Centre in Osborne Street G1. This ranged from Haggis on the bagpipes with Omar on the drums, Jethro from the Congo, Scratchy Noises fiddle band, Fozzy singing fighting songs, Lucio and friends on an array of African stringed instruments and Tomona reciting one of his thoughtful poems. Danny, himself, had written a poem based on the fact that the osprey flies between the Gambia and Scotland ‘easier than a jumbo jet!’

Other speakers included Elena Soper from the University of Glasgow’s Amnesty International group who detailed some of the human rights abuses known about in the Gambia; Arthur West, chairman of the Gambia Human Rights Campaign and John Matthews Chair of the Glasgow Branch of the National Union of Journalists. ‘We support the Campaign wholeheartedly,’ said John. ‘We are the first trades union to recognise journalists who are seeking asylum, as members of our union and we can act on their behalf when possible. As a political journalist, our colleague Alieu Cessay had to flee from the Gambia. He is not alone. Some journalists – and others who have displeased the regime – have disappeared, been imprisoned, tortured. The evening is to celebrate life while expressing our compassion for the safety of our brothers and sisters and highlighting the need to have a free press and freedom of speech if a country is to be truly free.’

 

 

Women evicted from Council meeting

Labour councillors were called ‘two-faced sods’ by citizens in the public gallery at today’s full Council Meeting. Three women were ejected as they shouted at the Councillors who had passed a resolution which served the death knell on the Accord Centre in Dalmarnock.

All are mothers of adult children with cerebral palsy, autism and similar learning disabilities. Along with almost 50 other families, they use the Accord Centre as a day centre and social meeting place.

But Glasgow City Council is in the process of closing it as the space is needed for a car park for the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Users have been fighting for months to get the Council to keep its promised of a ‘like for like’ centre to replace the Accord.

A proposal by the SNP councillors for a ‘replacement facility which meets users’ agreed requirements,’ and amended by the Green Party councillors; was defeated.

Instead, the current administration’s plan that Accord users are dispersed to the Bambury Centre in Camlachie, and the Riddrie Day Centre, was passed.

But as Cheryl McArthur said: ‘I’d love to go to the Riddrie Day Centre. It is very nice. But they’ve told me I can’t go because it is full.’

When the vote was taken,

the mothers in the public gallery couldn’t contain their anger.

Said Mary McArthur: ‘I feel so angry they couldn’t get their facts right. One councillor said the Banbury was only six years old. It is nearer 16 years old and in one of the worst crime spots in the city. The centre is not a safe place for vulnerable people like our sons and daughters to go to.’

George (43) is the son of Maureen Crone and was sitting beside her in the tickets only public gallery. ‘A man grabbed my Mum by the arm. I’m not happy about that,’ he said. Mum Maureen added: ‘He has a very keen sense of what is right and fair. He sees this as assault.’ For herself she said: ‘The situation is terrible. The lies that were told made me angry. And I had to speak out, but I was threatened that if I didn’t go out quietly with the attendant they’d get the police to me.’

The issue cannot be raised again in the Council Chamber for six months according to the rules of the house.

Afterwards another of the Accord users said: ‘This is a disgrace. But the quicker there is an election the better, and we can get all the Labour Councillors out.’

Labour Councillor Alistair Watson who spoke in favour of his party’s proposal as ‘an improvement’ and a ‘further step towards the modernisation of day services,’ said: ‘Users should be thankful they are being moved to the Banbury which has improved services.’  Labour Councillor George Redmond of Calton, said: ‘we need to work with users to bring about a satisfactory solution.’ Green Party Councillors supported the SNP’s motion which was defeated. But since Labour hold 47 seats and SNP 19, that was always going to be the only outcome.

Accord Centre families are already looking for people to stand against the Labour Party Councillors they consider have let them down badly on this fundamental service.

Following the publication of this story on the website: www.localnewsglasgow , Glasgow City Council asked for detailed information about the Accord to be published. We are happy to do so:

Glasgow City Council told this website that the Accord Centre is closing as part of the Learning Disabilities Service’s day service reform. ‘This makes it very clear that the number of day centres in the city for people with learning disabilities would be reduced from eight to five,’ said a spokesman. ‘Two other centres have already shut down and the Accord Centre will be third to close. This is entirely in keeping with a plan that pre-dates Glasgow securing the Commonwealth Games in November 2007.’

He added: ‘It is also the case that the centre is closing because it is in poor physical condition and serious health and safety concerns have been raised in relation to the use of the centre. In other words – the Accord Centre would have been a candidate for closure in any event.

‘It is fully accepted that the site of the Accord Centre will be used to support the Athlete’s village during the 2014 games. However, it must be stressed that changes at the Accord are being driven by reforms to the Learning Disability Service first and foremost. It should also be noted that the site in question will eventually be used for a mix of social and private housing.’

This website must obtain special permission to visit the Accord Centre and has been told that no unauthorised visit by the media is permitted.

Gambia Day of Action

As part of an Amnesty International Day of Action, the Campaign for Human Rights in the Gambia will hold a rally, information day and vigil on Friday 22 July starting at 11am at the Donald Dewar Statue at the top of Buchanan Street, Glasgow.

It co-incides with a Gambian national holiday called Freedom Day which has been celebrated since President Yahya Jammeh took over the running of the West African country in 1994 after a bloodless coup.  Speakers in Glasgow will include Westminster MP for Glasgow Central, Anas Sarwar; National Union of Journalists Past President, Pete Murray and Green Party elected representatives Patrick Harvie MSP and City Councillor Danny Alderslowe.

Said Campaign Chairman, Arthur West: ‘We hope the event will be well supported. The main purpose is to raise awareness of the very worrying human rights situation in the Gambia at present.’

Amnesty International has compiled a dossier on the situation. People who were selling t-shirts with a political slogan for a legitimate political party recently, have been charged with sedition. Politicians,

journalists and other community leaders have disappeared, been  jailed, tortured and murdered. The only common thread seems to be they have said or done something to upset the government which is controlled by the President. ‘This has created a climate of fear in the country,’ said exiled journalist Alieu Badara Ceesay.  He added: ‘Fear, intimidation, torture and killing have no place in a democracy. The Gambian people deserve a free media and to live in a plural society with open debates and freedom of expression. We hope the efforts of Amnesty International, the international community and civil society groups around the world will lead to tangible reform in The Gambia.’

Down to work at the Scottish Parliament

The successful Constituency and List candidates from last week’s election lost no time in starting work at the Scottish Parliament.
Familiarisation for the newcomers, settling in for the seasoned MSPs and the swearing in ceremony on Wednesday 11 May for everyone. With a new presiding officer selected -Tricia Marwick, the first female to hold this important office – the Team Scotland in all its different hues was ready for action.
The LOCAL NEWS GLASGOW has asked each party what its priorities are now.
Glasgow’s lone Conservative and Unionist Party MSP, Ruth Davidson, said: ‘I’m delighted and honoured to be elected to represent Glasgow in the Scottish Parliament. I pledge to work for everyone regardless of how they voted – especially during the period of the Commonwealth Games when the eyes of half the world will be upon us. I will do everything I can to stand up for Glasgow in the Scottish Parliament.’

In the Green corner, Patrick Harvie retained one of the two seats his party had held previously in the Scottish Parliament, by attracting 5.95% of the Glasgow List vote. He said: ‘It’s great to be back in Holyrood again and thanks to everyone across the city who voted Green last week. Now the SNP have won their historic majority, it will be harder and more necessary for the rest of Parliament to scrutinise them and to hold them to account. But we will also aim to work constructively with them where there are opportunities to do so. I am also committed to being as strong a Green voice as possible for Glasgow and to working with party colleagues towards next year’s crucial local council elections.’

The jubilant SNP, with 69 seats have a majority for the first time in the Scottish Parliament’s history.  Now they can easily drive through their legislation. Even reduced by one seat when Tricia Marwick became Presiding Officer, the SNP majority gives their Government real clout.

Labour have 37 seats in the Scottish Parliament and have lost several leading politicians in Glasgow – Frank McAveety, Charlie Gordon, Bill Butler and Pauline McNeill. Conservatives took 15, Lib Dems 5, Greens 2 and one Independent seat to bonnie fechtur, Margo Macdonald.

First Minister Alex Salmond was on the phone to Westminster as soon as he knew the good hand the Scottish electorate had dealt him. His first negotiation was to push to strengthen the Scotland Bill. The demands from Holyrood now press the Westminister government for earlier access to enhanced borrowing powers to support capital investment, responsibility for Corporation Tax and control of the Crown Estate to benefit the renewables programme.

The first SNP MSP to respond to the LOCAL NEWS request for their priorities was James Dornan for Cathcart Constituency.  He took the seat from Labour’s  Charlie Gordon.

 He said: ‘my immediate priority is to put my office in a high-profile, extremely visible location to ensure everyone knows who their MSP is and where they can contact me. I’ll continue the work I started as a Glasgow City Councillor in representing my constituents and do all I can to save Glasgow’s charities from the brutal and heartless decision of the city’s Labour administration, to cease the concessionary rent scheme. This is leaving some of Glasgow’s most crucial charities in real danger of closure.’

Sandra White the Constituency MSP for Kelvin said: ‘One of my many priorities will be to ensure that the grassroots voices of the people of Kelvin will be heard. I also aim to protect our open spaces and the unique character of Kelvin and to promote equality of life for all through housing, jobs and education.’

List MSP Bob Doris of the SNP said: I intend to ensure that sectarianism and anti-Irish racism continues to be tackled long after the latest round of media headlines have faded. We need a consistent, long-term approach and I hope to lead a Members’ Debate on the matter in the Scottish Parliament in the near future. I also want to do all I can to promote jobs and economic recovery in our city and – yes- that does require more powers for Scotland. I am also preparing to consult on a Members’ Bill to change legislation to allow Fatal Accident Inquiries to be held into suspicious or unexplained deaths of Scots overseas. This follows the tragic death of Maryhill woman Julie Love’s son, in the waters of Margarita Island, Venezuela. Add to that my wedding to my fiancee, Janet, in Rhodes in August and it should be a busy few months ahead!’

The  first Labour MSP to respond was Paul Martin who said: ‘ It is a privilege to be elected the first MSP for the new  Glasgow Provan seat. The next five years will be incredibly challenging given the decrease in public spending that is forecast. I want to spend the next term in Holyrood fighting for health services to stay local by making sure we keep Lightburn Hospital in my constituency open.  I also want to make sure that local people are not left stranded with a bus service more worried about profits than the public. The re-regulation of the bus industry is vital and the cowardice from the current Scottish Government cannot continue. However, most importantly for me, I will always make sure that the views of local people and communities are heard. It is an honour to serve the area I was born and brought up in and I will spend the next five years dedicated to its residents.’

Human Rights in Gambia the talk of the table

Anaas Sarwar introduced the early day motion

MPs in Westminster and Holyrood are fighting for human rights in the Gambia. The tiny West African country is known for the sunshine holidays it offers UK citizens

. But it has recently activated the death penalty and is the subject of a report from Amnesty International which says abuses include arbitrary arrests, torture, incommunicado detention, unfair trials, rape, disappearance and extra-judicial executions.
In the House of Commons, Glasgow Central MP Anas Sarwar’s Early Day Motion has attracted at least 24 cross-party signators. It calls on the coalition Government to place international pressure on the Gambian government to uphold fundamental human rights.
The motion applauds members of the Scottish Campaign for Human Rights in the Gambia for continuing to raise awareness of the issue. Said Labour MP Sarwar, who sits on the Commons International Development Select Committee: ‘I was pleased to facilitate a meeting with the Foreign Office, the all -Party Parliamentary Group on Human Rights and representatives of the Scottish Campaign for Human Rights in the Gambia.
‘That Campaign is doing great work to draw attention to a government that rules by intimidation, torture and killing. It is crucial that the Coalition Government does everything it can to place international pressure on the Gambian government. I have asked questions about challenges facing Gambian citizens in their country and abroad and I will continue to press the coalition government.’
In Edinburgh, the Scottish Parliament passed a motion condemning the catalogue of human rights abuses in Gambia. Proposed by Green Party MSP, Patrick Harvie and supported by more than a dozen others from all parties, it highlighted the case of missing journalist Ebrima Manneh who disappeared after allegedly attempting to publish an article criticising the Gambian Government for violations of human rights.
Expressing support of Gambians who are resident in Scotland but who might feel unable to speak out about the situation in their country for fear of the consequences, the motion urges the UK and Scottish Governments to ensure that international pressure is put on the Gambian Government in defence of human rights. For further information check website: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/business/motions/Default.aspx?motionid=20216

Green Party boss pledges support for Gambia Campaign

Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green Party leader and MSP for Glasgow, has pledged to support the newly formed Scottish Campaign for Human Rights in the Gambia (SCHRG).

Patrick met SCHRG Chair Arthur West, and other campaign members, in his Glasgow office on Monday 1 November. Arthur told Patrick that the the campaign was set up in September this year ‘in response to a critical human rights situation in Gambia where problems include enforced disappearances, extra-judicial execution and detention without trial.’

He added: ‘We are currently affiliating with Trade Unions and voluntary organisations as well as contacting MPs, MSPs and MEPs to solicit their support about the the situation in Gambia. We are anxious to get as much support as we can.’

Patrick, Vice Convenor of the Cross Party Committee on Human Rights in the Scottish Parliament, pledged to put a motion to Hollyrood concerning the plight of Gambia and its people and to push for the issue to be raised in Westminister.

Said Patrick: ‘Major international human rights organisations have highlighted the catalogue of human rights abuses in Gambia, including torture, secret detention, lack of fair trials, and more. It’s vital that we in Scotland should support people from Gambia who are living here, as well as put pressure on the UK Government to make sure that international concern is brought to bear in defence of human rights.
‘We wouldn’t accept harassment of democratic activists, killing of journalists, threats to kill people for being gay, or any of these other abuses in this country – we should be equally unwilling to accept them around the world.’

Alieu Ceesay, SCHRG Information Officer and exiled Gambian Journalist, told Patrick of human rights violation, torture, and unexplained dissapearancs in the Gambia. SCHRG believes that the Gambian Government are implicit in these crimes. Said Alieu: ‘In Gambia today, fear rules and all public protests have stopped. Self censorship of the media has become the rule rather than the exception.The human rights community in the country is very weak and opposition voices, though once vibrant, have been silenced by threats and violence.’

SCHRG has appealed to the Scottish Government to call on the Gambia government to protect and respect the human rights of the Gambian people.

‘Another nail in the coffin for Victoria Road’?

 By Stuart Maxwell and Elyas Hussain

An award winning Post Office in the heart of Glasgow’s Southside is poised to be shut down despite fierce community opposition who see the service as vital.

There are plans for Crosshill Post Office, Victoria Road, to be closed and relocated to 540 Cathcart Road- where it will be a hybrid service, integrated with another retail venture. This comes a little over a year after the branch was awarded ‘Best Town and City’ Post Office in Scotland.

Fiercely opposed to the relocation, Iain MacInnes, Govanhill and Crosshill Community Council secretary, has headed a local campaign. Said Iain: ‘We have nearly 700 signatures from the local community in opposition to this. People are showing great displeasure. Post Office provisions have cut heavily all over the Southside. All such cuts are morally bankrupt. It is an iconic building to all cultures. They see it as part of their community being taken away.’

Iain’s campaign has been supported by Nicola Sturgeon, local MSP and Government Minister. In a letter to Post Office Ltd. Nicola wrote: ‘Many in the area doubt the business viability of such a ‘dual purpose’ branch and fear that if it wasn’t successful, it would not be too long before a proposal was forthcoming to close the branch altogether.’

Govanhill resident Brian Rowinson is one of many angry at the proposed closure. The 39 year-old told LOCAL NEWS: ‘If they close this post office it will effect the elderly community because Crosshill is within walking distance. The new premises are smaller- how will they possibly accommodate all the customers? It’s horribly ironic that Crosshill Post Office won the Post Office of the Year and is being closed?

The LOCAL NEWS has been told by Post Office Ltd that the decision to advertise the franchise was taken after the business went in to receivership in December 2009, and that the sole applicant wants to move the service to Cathcart Road. Julie Morrison, Head of External Relations for Post Office Ltd said: ‘She (the applicant), wants to relocate to Cathcart Road. Rents and rates on Victoria Road make it an nonviable option. This is the best solution available to us.’

Iain MacInnes is not convinced: ‘As a community we have seen no evidence to show that there were proper procedures for other people to put their names forward to run this post office.’
The period for consultation, allowing the public to respond to the proposal, ended on October 26. Julie Morrison has pledged that Post Office Ltd ‘will take all all submissions into consideration before making a final decision.’ Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, who has presented a motion to the Scottish Parliament against the relocation, fears community views will be shelved

Said Patrick: ‘The decision to close and relocate has been taken too early.. I don’t think the Post Office have explored all options for maintaining the service on Victoria Road. The branch on Victoria Road is clearly more accessible for the local community. There have been many reductions to Post Office services in the Southside and there comes a time when you have to say enough is enough. The peoples’ wishes tend to be ignored but this decision has stirred enough reaction to make the Post Office think again.’

In 2007, David Meikle, Councillor for Pollokshields, led a protest against Post Office plans to close a branch on Kildrostin Street. 1300 signatures were gathered but the closure went ahead. David told LOCAL NEWS: ‘At the time, the Post Office cited a new service on Shields Road and Crosshill itself as alternatives. We were promised two counters in the Shields Road hybrid, but have only one. To now hear that Crosshill is to close is really a piece of nonsense. You get the impression there is no real consultation period and that it’s a done deal. This will be another nail in the coffin for the vitality of Victoria Road.’

Next Page »