Ballot boxes all present and correct

Within minutes of polling stations closing on Thursday 3 May,  white vans were being packed with the ballot boxes to deliver to the SECC. The first arrived from Jordanhill within 25 minutes. In the course of the following hour, 110 vehicles from City Building and GHA delivered all the others.

They were guarded through the night by security staff  who were keeping a sharp look-out for the inquisitive fox which managed to enter the building earlier in the week. Counting of the votes in this council election was scheduled to start at 9am on Friday morning and will be done electronically.

There was a poor turnout at polling stations according to the sample visited by this website.  Most campaigners at the gates estimated between 10 and 15% of those entitled to make their mark, actually did so. But 50,000 people across the city requested a postal vote and around 70-80% of them were anticipated to have submitted that by the deadline.

At Hyndland Secondary School, one of several places for voters for the Hillhead Ward, 1394 people had slipped their ballot paper into the box out of the possible 5168 on the electoral roll. This would suggest almost one person in four had voted. But another 500 people used a postal vote taking the turnout to nearer one person in three.

The complex single transferable vote (STV) system establishes a quote figure by dividing the number of ballot papers counted in the ward by the number of seats to be filled + 1 and finally adding another 1 to that total.

Glasgow’s Chief Executive, George Black, is the returning officer who announces the results. He is responsible for the election mechanics, security and scrutiny. ‘I expect the job will be done by 5pm on Friday,’ he forecast as he supervised the arrival of the ballot boxes in the SECC.

Exchange of social enterprise info

Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP, will be the keynote speaker at  The Social Enterprise Exchange, the world’s biggest social enterprise event on Tuesday 27 March 2012 at the SECC.

This unique forum brings together social enterprises and those wanting to do good business with Scotland and the UK’s innovative social business movement. It has been organised by Social Enterprise Scotland, Social Enterprise UK and CEiS Events.

First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, said:In advance of the event, First Minister Alex Salmond said: ‘Social enterprises as part of an enterprising third sector are making a significant contribution to supporting a strong and sustainable return to growth for Scotland’s economy. We are committed to doing all we can to enable the sector to develop and evolve to deliver its full potential. The Social Enterprise Exchange event is providing an opportunity for social enterprises to learn from each other as well as from best practice around the world. It will enable organisations to innovate together and pick up new business. I am confident it will have a positive impact on the growth of the sector and the Scottish economy as a whole.’ Said Laurie Russell of Social Enterprise Scotland: ‘Scotland is probably the best country in the world for social enterprise. We have a tradition of being creative, enterprising and we are passionate about community empowerment and social inclusion. We are hosting the world’s biggest social enterprise event this year in Glasgow and I am delighted that the First Minister, Alex Salmond, will be making the keynote address at this unique event. The Scottish Government’s support has helped nurture the growth of social enterprises to make a real impact in communities across Scotland.’

Social Enterprise Scotland is an independent, Scottish, member-led organisation, built and controlled by social enterprises. Membership is open to anyone. For more information see website:  www.socialenterpriseexchange.com.

 

 

 

SNP crowd to conference

But for the fire and safety regulations, it would have been standing room only on day one of the SNP’s conference in Glasgow. More than 2000 people attended and the overspill for key speeches from Leader Alex Salmond and Deputy Nicola Sturgeon were accommodated in four additional conference rooms at the SECC.

In the initial speech from Nicola Sturgeon, she recapped on the euphoria of the SNP win as it was played out last year at the count in the very same location. ‘That night will live long in our memory,’ said the politician. ‘It is a huge pleasure to be back here in the SECC.’

In a rallying call to members she said: ‘ These are exciting times. We are working to make Scotland a fair and progressive place. We want to make an election breakthrough and control Glasgow City Council. Labour is crumbling before our eyes. For the first time the SNP will have candidates in all 32 local government constituencies – including Orkney and Shetland. We need local councils to work hand in hand with the Scottish Government. We are ambitious. We want this country to be independent. But the future is in our own hands. We are masters of our own destiny. So let us work hard at persuading the people of Scotland to win the local elections in May and the referendum YES vote in 2014.’ She concluded: ‘Let’s get to work. Let’s get on with it!’

The two day party political conference will boost Glasgow’s revenue by an estimated £1million.

Visions for Scotland wanted

Future of Scotland

Conference

Thursday 1 March

10am -12.30

SECC

Glasgow

The aim of the event is to enthuse and inspire a wide range of people from across civil society to engage in the debate about the Future of Scotland and encourage them to open out discussions to their members, connections and service users. The event will be a key opportunity to listen to the issues that matter to people and engage a large number of people in a lively debate. The programme has been designed to be flexible and interactive.

In order to maximise the levels of interaction and reach, vox pop video clips of people from across Scotland will be shown at several points throughout the event, people can contribute their thoughts and questions via a live Twitter feed the entire event will be streamed live on the website:www.futureofscotland.org It will be recorded for web viewing later.

The conference registration is now open to groups and individuals via the website: www.futureofscotland.org or via the ACTS website homepage: www.acts-scotland.org

Attendance is FREE but you will need to PRE-REGISTER online.

Caravans race to provide top holidays

Formula 1 racing driver Paul di Resta was the special guest of The Caravan Club at the opening of the Scottish Caravan and Outdoor Leisure Show last weekend. (2-5 February)

The Bathgate born 25-year-old told the SECC crowd: “A caravan gives me a ‘home-y ‘ feeling when I’m on the circuit.’ A Caravan Club member, he said his family had always enjoyed caravanning and commented that it was ‘a big thing’ for him to open the show.

Within a couple of days of his appearance in Glasgow, he was in Jerez, Spain clocking up the second fastest time of the day just 0.102s behind former world champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Paul, who was driving the Mercedes powered Sahara Force India VJMO5 said: “It was a good, solid day’s work,” after completing 101 laps round the 2.75 mile circuit. He added: “There’s still an awful long way to go before the start of the first race in Melbourne.”

There’s an even longer way to go before caravanning becomes as popular as it could be but the Caravan Club is investing heavily in Scotland. According to Nick Lomas, Director General of the Caravan Club who introduced Paul at the show: ‘We have spent £2 million in Strathclyde Park which provides more than 100 car pitches and 50 for tents. There are now more than 200 sites across Scotland and we expect occupancy to be up 25% on last year. There will definitely be more people staying closer to home this year. They’ll discover they can fall in love with their own country.”

 

Glasgow hosts emergencies symposium

People who have led teams coping with emergency situations around the world, were  in Glasgow this week to share their knowledge at the Resilience Symposium organised by the Emergency Planning Society, and  held at the SECC.

A key speaker was Bob Parker, Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand when the first earthquake struck that city. He described the impact of the disaster on the community and explored the role of leadership required at the critical time. David Brunsdon, Director at Kestrel Group Ltd, Risk and Emergency Management company outlined the challenges for businesses recovering from the NZ earthquakes.

Dr David Johnston, Associate Professor and Director of the Joint Centre for Disaster Research, discussed the social and economic impact of the earthquake in Christchurch.

Eric Ouannes, General Director, Médecins Sans Frontières in Japan, dealt with the medical and humanitarian response to the relief effort in Japan after the recent earthquake and tsunami there. He examined the co-ordination, the challenges and the safety issues that had to be addressed.

Professor Patrick Regan, an expert in Radiation and Environmental Protection at the University of Surrey, focussed on the Japanese nuclear power crisis and its impact on the UK.

Emergency and resilience professionals from around Scotland and the rest of the UK, attended the new event which had an associated exhibition – Emergency Scotland 2011.

TWO TICKETS TO BBC FOOD SHOW UP FOR GRABS

This weekend the BBC Good Food Show is coming to Glasgow!  The LOCAL NEWS has 2 tickets to give away from Plenty- the creator of the UK’s primo household towel.

The BBC Good Food Show, paradise for the palate, will run from this Friday 22 October at the SECC until Sunday 24 October. Celebrity Chefs will be on hand to display their culinary mastery, Scotland Food and Drink Regional Village will offer a sensuous journey through Scottish produce. The BBC Good Food Show is a must for anyone who takes cuisine seriously, or for anyone who wants to satisfy neglected taste buds.

The LOCAL NEWS are delighted to offer two tickets after teaming up with Plenty. To win the tickets simply answer this question- looking at the accompanying picture, who is the Plenty Mysterious TV Character? A) Juan Sheet
B) Juan Spill
C)Joe Blogs

Respond by emailing your answer to competitions@localnewsglasgow.co.uk and if your lucky enough to win the LOCAL NEWS will deliver your BBC Good Food Show tickets asap.

Also, Plenty, determined we should eat in style, are running their own competition- the gastronomic chance of lifetime, dinner for two at John Torode’s- him from MasterChef- restaurant SMITHS of SMITHFIELDS in London plus passes for MasterChef live this November. To enter visit www.plenty.co.uk/masterchef

Glasgow App-earance

by Lynsay Keough

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) and conference organisers,  Congrex UK, have developed two bespoke applications (apps) for delegates to the World Parkinson Congress (WPC) at the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre from 28 September – 1 October, to download information to their iPhone, iTouch or IPad.

With a combination of comprehensive city guide and real-time functionality, GCMB’s bespoke app is a world first for a visiting international conference. The app is free to download for WPC delegates and provides information on more than 600 businesses including attractions, restaurants, bars, cafés, venues and shops on Glasgow’s style mile – plus details of any special offers.

In addition, its user-friendly A-Z directory and integrated google mapping feature will ensure WPC delegates don’t get lost and make the most out of their stay in Glasgow. The bespoke App also features the WPC logo, an information page on the conference, and an introduction to the city.

The Congress,  is coming to the UK for the first time. It is expected to attract 3000 delegates including scientists, researchers, patients and carers, and it will be worth an estimated £4.6 million to the Glasgow economy.

Scott Taylor, Chief Executive of GCMB, said: ‘Glasgow has always been at the forefront of using the latest technology to enhance our conference industry. Competition in the conference sector is globally fierce and Glasgow is determined to go the extra mile to give conference organisers more than our rivals.’
The Glasgow City app can be downloaded at http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/wpc-glasgow/id389180736?mt=8.

Take Away a Healthy Lesson

by Lynsay Keough

The Scottish Learning Festival gets underway at the SECC on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 September. It includes the Cooking Bus rolling up at the door. The bus is actually an articulated lorry that opens out into a purpose-built kitchen and classroom.
It is funded by the Scottish Government as part of its Healthier Scotland programme along with the Food Standards Agency and is run by the Focus on Food campaign.

Started in 1996,  it takes a lead in the teaching of cooking in schools across the UK.
Pupils can climb aboard the bus for lessons under the expert eye of Advisory Teacher Susan Blackwell. Her programme of cooking activities is tailored to suit everyone from four to 18. Training for teachers and the wider community will also be on offer, so that they can continue helping youngsters cook with confidence, long after the bus has moved off.
The buses tour the UK delivering lessons to school childre on how to prepare, cook and enjoy real food.
The Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus is part of the Scottish Government’s efforts to improve the health of the children and families in Scotland. As well as teaching cooking, nutrition and food safety and hygiene to pupils, the bus will welcome mums and dads, guardians and carers and community groups. The core of all lessons will be hands-on cooking.
Scottish Minister for Public Health, Shona Robinson said: ‘the Cooking Bus is a fantastic way to teach children some of the basics about where food comes from and how to cook healthy, tasty,  meals. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated and that will be an important lesson for the young chefs on the Cooking bus.’

Summer Eventia in Glasgow

by Lynsay Keough

This weekend 250 key delegates from the UK’s events and live marketing industry will arrive for Summer Eventia 2010, which takes place at the SECC from 4-6 July. This will be the first time that Glasgow will host this influential conference that will coincide with Eventia’s fifth anniversary. This summer’s Eventia will provide a mix of educational, networking and social activities designed to inspire, inform and entertain event professionals at every level.

Eventia is recognised as the official trade body of the events and live marketing industry providing leadership and representation on important issues to Government, regulators and the corporate community. Max Saxby, Chair of Eventia will introduce Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and new Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau to the conference delegates at the opening session on Monday 5 July.

Councillor Matheson will then officially welcome the delegates to Glasgow and describe the city’s event and conference credentials; its cultural treasures, renowned shopping and ease of access.
Said Councillor Matheson, who is the new Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau ‘ I am delighted to have the opportunity to address the board and delegates of Eventia.

‘This will be a valuable opportunity for me to highlight Glasgow’s event credentials and unique selling points to this audience of highly influential decision makers.

‘The fantastic line up of global experts and speakers at this year’s conference is testament both to the reputation of Eventia within the events and live marketing industry and to Glasgow as a first class meetings destination.’

Scott Taylor, Chief Executive – Glasgow City Marketing Bureau will co-chair a session on destination marketing with Leigh Jagger, CEO of Banks Sadler.

Keynote Speakers include:
·         Dr Dominic Swords, an expert in economic intelligence, formerly for the Bank of England, and a leading business economist at the Henley Business School will map out the current economic landscape and make predictions relevant to business development.

·        Claire Smith, Vice President Sales and Marketing from the Vancouver Convention Centre who will present: The View from Vancouver: What London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 can learn from the Vancouver Experience.

·          Google UK’s Andrew Barke will discuss the rise in video marketing and the use of YouTube to amplify brand and increase the life-span of event activity.

In addition, the former editor of The Herald newspaper Charles McGee, will interview Dr Dominic Swords, former politician John Greenway and Dr Lesley Sawers, Chief Executive – Scottish Council for Development and Industry  on what the new political climate means for business and how will economic recovery be affected.

As well as attending the conference at the SECC, Eventia delegates will also attend a Gala Dinner at the Old Fruitmarket which is being sponsored by Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

For further information on Summer Eventia- go to: www.eventia.org.uk

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