A weekly update
Week Commencing 13/01/25
This week I have had a graduate intern with me – Julia has been learning about the role of a councillor and in particular – this councillor. Julia attended all meetings that were permitted
MONDAY
AM
- ‘Casework’ – this is catching up on constituents’ emails, texts and phone calls.
- Met Julia – spoke about the role of councillors and the background to starting The Rubbish Party.
PM
- Constituent meeting in the valley – addressing a housing related issue
- Meeting in CHaT Hub Newmilns to finalise the details of this website
TUESDAY
AM
- Casework
- Update budget meeting with senior East Ayrshire Officers and independent Elected Members re the last few months of the 24/25 financial year.
- Catch up with independent Elected Members on current issues.
PM
- Walkabout in Darvel with Geroge Gardiner from DART – update on DART matters.
EVENING
- Galston Community Council Meeting
WEDNESDAY
AM
- Casework
- Cabinet – attended by Julia – in summary: Approval was granted for the development of supported accommodation for adults in East Ayrshire using housing in Clinchyard Place Galston which is surplus to housing needs. You can click to read the full Chief Executive summary
LUNCHTIME
- History Tour of Kilmarnock – by Cllr Graham Boyd – highly recommended
PM
- Meeting with Andrew Kennedy and James Lally re the roll out of the Litter in Schools Programme – it’s a very effective anti-littering programme – it should be implemented not kept on a shelf! I await the programme for implementation.
- Casework
EVENING
- Newmilns community council meeting
THURSDAY
AM
- Pre agenda G & S – this is a preliminary meeting for the Governance and Scrutiny committee (to be held next week) where we run through the items on the agenda – identifying those areas which are likely to require further information over and above that already provided.
- Meeting with John Read from the Campaign group Clean Up Britain (CLUB). We have been looking at areas where CLUB and The Rubbish Party can work together – in getting rid of fly tipping and littering.
PM
- Casework
- Meeting with Amanda Lowe re East Ayrshires approach to addressing the absence problem.
FRIDAY
- 10AM: Planned phone call with Chief Exec of KSB (Keep Scotland Beautiful) as he was concerned about my criticism of KSB – sadly, to me the evidence is out there all around us, there is more litter, more fly tipping, more dog fouling….. what does KSB do? The emperor isn’t wearing any clothes! The call was cancelled by KSB at 09:47. I await a new date and time…
- Casework
- Follow up of community council matters
