Good news as we finally start on the conversion of the ground floor of the Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre into a Family Café. Plans are all in place now and we hope soon to have a traditional tea room serving tea, coffee, soft drinks and high quality baking and snacks. Wall space will be used as before for art exhibitions with works by local artists on display and for sale.

Many of you will have noticed the new patch of hard standing down near the main gate. This is the base for a new cabin, with picnic tables to the rear, which will offer a range of takeaway items. The cabin will replace the van that stands at present in front of the West Range of glasshouses.

 

I was delighted to be with fellow Maryhill Kelvin Councillors and local City Building apprentices to mark the beginning of work at Maryhill Locks Transformational Regeneration Area.

We broke ground for the beginning of work at Maryhill Locks as part of the local Transformational Regeneration Area (TRA) programme, which aims to deliver affordable housing for rent and sale alongside community, business, leisure and retail spaces in a high-quality environment.

The project will see more than £15m being invested in Maryhill, with a long-term goal being 700 new homes.

One of the biggest issues I’ve faced since becoming a Councillor is the shortage of new social rented homes and in particular family sized homes so I’m delighted to see over a 100 new Housing Association properties being built and the aim for up to 600 additional homes for shared equity and for sale.

And the other real benefit is the jobs created for new local apprentices which is something I know all of the ward Councillors welcomed.

Latest update following collapse of Southern Cross posted below.

Briefing to Elected Members on the Current Position of Southern Cross 

Date: 11 July 2011

1. 1.        Background 

1.1     Southern Cross is the UK’s largest Care Home operator with 8 Care Homes within Glasgow. 

1.2     On the 11 July 2011, the Provider announced that it intends to wind up its operation following the notification of their intention to leave the Southern Cross Group. The Provider has intimated that it will no longer exist after the period restructuring at the end of October 2011.   

1. 2.        Glasgow Service Users 

2.1    There are 8 Southern Cross care homes within Glasgow with capacity to support 497 individuals.  Currently there are more than 400 service users receiving support within Southern Cross’ Glasgow based care homes.  Glasgow City Council placed approximately 335 of these individuals with the remaining 86 service users placed by external Local Authorities. 

2.2     In addition to this Glasgow City Council has placed circa 176 individuals in Southern Cross Care Homes across the UK (173 out with Glasgow but within Scotland, and 3 out with Scotland). 

2.3     Glasgow City Council’s total spend with Southern Cross is c£10.5m (c£7m within Glasgow based services and c£3.5m out with). 

1. 3.         Business Position

3.1.    There are a number of landlords within the Southern Cross group.  The biggest in the UK has intimated that they will continue to run their business and will be negotiating with other care providers to provide care in their homes. It is anticipated some smaller landlords will continue to work in partnership with this landlord.

3.2.    The exact position with the other landlords is unclear but they will also all be actively seeking other care providers to provide care in their homes.

3.3.    The National Contingency Planning Group has been working with key stakeholders to ensure as smooth a transition as possible. There are regular meetings of this Group and senior management from Southern Cross will be present at the next meeting to give further update on the current position.  

3.4.    Cosla does not anticipate any closures of care homes in the short term and will continue to demand continuity of care from landlords and providers. The default position is to assume that the market will deliver a solution.

3.5.    SCSWIS (formerly the Care Commission) is also meeting regularly with the Provider to ensure that there is a seamless transition to another care provider

1. 4.         Council Position

4.1.    The Council is represented on the National Contingency Planning Group and continues to work closely with Cosla, Scottish Government, SCSWIS and other Councils and the Provider to ensure consistent care continues to be delivered by Southern Cross and that any disruption to service users is minimal.

4.2.    A Glasgow Contingency Planning Group chaired by David Williams, Assistant Director, Social Care Services meets weekly to ensure that there is a well coordinated response within the Department. Every service user within Glasgow has an allocated care manager. There is programme of reviews organised for those service users who have not had a review in the last 6 months.

4.3.    Active contract management is also taking place with regular visits to the homes with regular feedback also being sought from home managers.  These processes will highlight any concerns regarding the care provided in these homes.

4.4.    Regular updates to briefings will be provided as more information becomes available.

 

Like many other Councillors I’ve been contacted about bin collections being affected due to the recent bad weather so I’ve posted the most recent update on cleansing operations received from Land and Environmental Services.

MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF ROBERT BOOTH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Dear Member

As you are aware, our refuse collection service was disrupted during November and December as a consequence of the extreme weather conditions.  The situation was exacerbated to a certain extent during the festive holiday period, with the normal seasonal peak in refuse produced coupled with reduced resources on certain public holidays.  I am pleased to inform you that with the recent improvement in the weather the majority of these services are now returning to normal, however, I must warn you that further snowfall has been forecast for the coming weekend which may once again impact on this service.

Provided below is a general summary of the current situation, followed by further detail on an area basis.

Multi-Storey Locations – Collections from all multi-storey locations across the city are all currently up to date.  Advance uplifts are continuing at a number of these locations to ensure refuse chambers within these properties have sufficient space to safely cope with any additional New Year refuse.

Kerbside Wheeled Bin Uplifts – The Service has returned to scheduled weekly uplifts for residents with kerbside collections.  The vast majority of wheeled bins presented are now up to date citywide.  Festive arrangements for kerbside wheeled bin uplifts were generally successful with certain allowances for delays due to weather.  All New Year refuse will be collected from domestic wheeled bin routes by Sunday 9 January. 

Back-Court and Lane Collections – These locations continue to present the most challenges at the moment and additional resources are being deployed to assist with dealing with the backlog in specific areas noted below.  Priority will continue to be given to putrescible waste with recycling collections following thereafter.

Outstanding Collections – We continue to work closely with Customer & Business Services, sharing information and identifying and resolving known hot-spot locations.

Temporary Neighbourhood Refuse Deposits – Prior to Christmas, additional large bins were sited in neighbourhoods across the city in order to assist residents who wish to deposit excess waste.  We have identified locations within each area where these additional refuse containers have been successfully utilised.  At these locations the service will be extended until Friday 14 January in order to alleviate any local difficulties.

Commercial Collections – Have been largely unaffected and have now returned to normal.

Bulk Uplift – A limited service is being operated at present with priority being given to bulk materials already placed on the kerbside.  The remaining resource from this service is currently assisting with domestic waste collections and will return to their core duties as soon as possible.  Partner organisations such as GHA and GERA have also been providing much appreciated assistance with this service.

Area summaries are provided below with more detailed information.

North Area

Dawsholm

Wheeled Bin Routes – all up to date.

Tenemental/multi occupancy/lane routes (domestic waste) – all up to date.

St Rollox

Tenemental/multi occupancy/lane routes (domestic waste) – all up to date.

South East Area

Polmadie Complex

Route

Wheeled Bin Routes – 2 hours behind.

Tenemental/multi occupancy/lane routes (domestic waste) – generally 2 days behind in Govanhill, Castlemilk and Shawlands areas.  Up to 3 days behind in Gorbals and Mount Florida.

Additional resources are being deployed in each of the areas, to recover the outstanding backlog.  As they become available resources from other areas in the city will be diverted to the South East in order to assist this worst affected area.

East Area

Eastern

Wheeled Bin Routes – 2 hours behind.

Tenemental/multi occupancy/lane routes (domestic waste) – half day behind schedule.

Easter Queenslie Complex

Wheeled Bin Routes – all up to date.

Tenemental/multi occupancy/lane routes (domestic waste) – 1 day behind (Tollcross area) additional resources deployed to clear backlog.

West Area

Western Depot

Tenemental/multi occupancy/lane routes (domestic waste) – half day behind schedule.

South West Area

Wheeled Bin Routes – all up to date.

Tenemental/multi occupancy/lane routes (domestic waste) – 1 day behind.

Working closely with the Customer Care Centre, we are continually reviewing and responding to any addresses within the city where domestic refuse has remained uncollected for any substantial period.  Close liaison with our colleagues in the Customer Care Centre has meant that for the period 1 Jan until 7 Jan 2011, we have managed to reduce the number of reported missed collections to 620 – representing 44% of the total for the same period last year.  Notwithstanding any further adverse weather, we anticipate that we will return to a normal collection schedule by Friday 14 January.

 

Below is the new list of grit bin locations within Ward 15 Maryhill Kelvin including the temporary 1 ton self help supplies. Constituents can also get up to 10kg of rock salt for free from the Dawsholm Depot.

There is a 24hr free phone number 0800 37 36 35 or 0141 276 7000 (for mobile phones) to report any requests for gritting or replenishing of salt bins.   

Land and Environmental Services confirm that all available resources, both Glasgow City Council and sub-contractors, continue to be deployed on winter maintenance duties on a 24 hour basis. All priority roads and footways have been continually gritted during this period of adverse weather, with resources being deployed to secondary routes, e.g. residential areas, when resources permit, together with the replenishment of the 1,000 salt bins deployed throughout the City.

CADDER

Herma Street Opp. No. 65, North Footway of Tresta Road @ Fara Street, 13 Scapa Street, Tresta Road @ Skirsa Street, Tresta Road Opp No.179

NORTH MARYHILL and SUMMERSTON

Ilay Road @ Vets College, Acre Road @ No.63, Acre Road @ No.71, Acre Road @ No.107, Acre Drive Opp No.19, Dalsholm  Road @ path leading to Dalsholm Bridge, Dalsholm Road near Maryhill Road, Crosbie Street @ Dungoyne Street, Kirn Street Opp No.11, Innellan Grdns between 16 + 20 @ parking entrance, Innellan Place @ Innellan Gardens, Skaethorn Rd 30m South of Roundabout with Cowal Rd, Skaethorn Road @ Fearnach Place, Fearnmore Road Between No.32 & 4, Fearnmore Road @ No.88 (A), Fearnmore Road @ No.88 (B), Fingal Street @ No.71, Fingal Street @ No.27, Aray Street @ Sandbank Street, Sandbank Drive @ Sandbank Street, McLaren Crescent Between Fernie Gdns + Willock Pl, McLaren Crescent @ Willock Place, McLaren Gardens, McLaren Crescent Opp No.6, McLaren Crescent @ No.17, Glenburn Street @ Cottar Street, Glenavon Road @ Thornton Street, Arrochar Court, Fairhaven Road @ No.27, Dougalston Road @ No.10, Invershiel Road @ Gallan Avenue, Broughton Road Opp No.220, Broughton Road @ No.241, Lynne Drive @ No.2, Broughton Road @ No.171 – 181, Newstead Gardens Opp No.23, Abercorn Place @ No.2, Letterfearn Drive @ No.46, Milovaig Street @ Invershiel Road, Dalsholm Rd Opp No 106 @ Dalsholm Park entrance, 20 Celtic Street, Duncruin Street @ Cranbrooke Drive, Sandbank Avenue @ side of No.1, Killermont View @ side of No.1 TEMP GRIT BAG, 171 Cumlodden Drive

KELVINDALE and KELVINSIDE

Strathcona Gardens @ Strathcona Drive, Dorchester Avenue at path leading to Ripon Drive, Weymouth Drive Opp No.70, Beaconsfield Road @ Cleveden Drive, Beaconsfield Road @ Service Road, 5 Lancaster Crescent, Cleveden Drive @ Cleveden Road, Bellshaugh Rd @ Kirklee Gardens Opp.Cleveden Drive, Kirklee Gate Opp NIB, Balcarres Avenue at Winton Drive, Balcarres Avenue Opp Sub Station, Grandtully Drive Opp Fortingall Avenue, Fortingall Ave @ car park ent to Nos 1-3, Highfield Place @ Cleveden Road, Dorchester Avenue @ Cleveden Road, Colchester Drive @ Weymouth Drive, Colchester Drive @ Winchester Drive, Opp 1 Kirklee Road @ Kirklee Terrace, GWR, Ashburton Road @ side of 76 Leicester Avenue, Chelmsford Drive @ Ashburton Road, Chelmsford Drive opp No.2050 Manchester Drive

MARYHILL ROAD CORRIDOR

Gairbraid Court @ Kelvindale Gardens, Glenfinnan Road @ Fogo Place, Ruchill Street @ Chapel Street, Chapel Street Industrial Estate @ No.13, Oran Gate @ Dead End (Footpath to Avenuepark St), Oran Place @ Sub Station, Garrioch Drive Opp No.14

This morning saw the release of  details of spending cuts of over £100 million being considered by the city’s Labour administration.

Service	2011-12	2012-13	Total
	£m	£m	£m
Corporate	6,150,000	7,125,000	13,275,000
Corporate Services/Chief Executives	457,300	2,952,400	3,409,700
Development and Regeneration Services	430,000	120,000	550,000
Education Services	17,534,200	15,913,800	33,448,000
Financial Services	660,000	617,500	1,277,500
Land and Environmental Services	1,220,000	1,050,000	2,270,000
Related Companies	3,900,000	3,705,000	7,605,000
Social Work Services	15,500,000	11,000,000	26,500,000
Technical	7,346,700	5,954,700	13,301,400
Total	53,198,200	48,438,400	101,636,600

The Herald newspaper lead with the headline that “Schools bear brunt of Glasgow council’s £90m budget cuts” and listing proposals under consideration including:

• the possible removal of the school breakfast provision.
• removing mobile creche facilities.
• reviewing early years provision
• cutting school psychologists
• increasing Secondary class sizes in Mathematics and English above the current limit of 20 pupils per class in S1/S2
• freezing teacher pay
• issuing 90 day notices to remove salary conservation from teachers
• moving school support staff from 52 week contracts to term time working contracts.

Also proposed but not recommended included the closure of Blairvadoch Outdoor Resource Centre, increasing the cost of school meals, cutting teacher numbers and scrapping nurture classes.

Options under consideration elsewhere include the Assisted House Gardens Maintenance scheme which provides a service for over 17,000 vulnerable citizens. Labour are now considering a proposal to introduce a new weekly charge for this service.

Full details of the budget options put forward by departments can be found at: Glasgow Budget options