Month: October 2015

Cllr Donald Kelly has told the Dunoon Observer that the 40% cuts proposed to the staff delivering an additional support needs service to children were always going to be withdrawn. If he is correct, and I think he is, this is the most cynical abuse of position by Cllr Walsh and his tawdry administration. To… Continue reading How Argyll & Bute Works: The ASN cuts

Here’s a wee tale about the council that I can’t give you exact details of, ie where, when or who due to the fact the paper was one of Argyll & Bute’s classic exempt items where press and public are excluded. It was discussed at the audit committee meeting mind you so maybe it would… Continue reading How Argyll & Bute Works: The land swap

I have written before about the proposals to address the council’s budgetary issues and in particular the fact that alternatives are there if councillors wish to take them. Read here to see what these might be. On Thursday last week the administration led by Cllr Walsh started to show its first cracks, with the Argyll… Continue reading How Argyll & Bute Works: Budget Cuts

Late yesterday Michael Russell MSP, Mike MacKenzie MSP and Brendan O’Hara MP issued a document that sets out a radical alternative to the cuts proposed by the council. In so doing, they were very critical of the current administration and, in particular, of Cllr Dick Walsh. They were right to be so critical because Cllr Walsh… Continue reading How argyll & Bute Works: The fightback begins

I took some time off for a holiday and will be back again very soon with more  information on the way Argyll & Bute Council works. regards

There is no question that the council faces major financial challenges over the next few years. This is caused in the main by Westminster imposed cuts combined with the declining population in Argyll & Bute. To make matters worse, much of the rest of Scotland’s population is increasing and since the distribution of funds to… Continue reading How Argyll & Bute Works: more on the budget

There is a meeting of the council’s Policy & Resources Committee tomorrow, Thursday. It will be discussing the papers that were issued last Thursday including the options on cutting services. These papers can be found at the link below. Public reports pack Thursday 08-Oct-2015 10.30 Policy and Resources Committee In advance of that I wrote… Continue reading How Argyll & Bute Works: Policy & Resources Committee

All councillors received a letter from Simon Macfarlane of the trade union Unison on Wednesday last week. He wrote on behalf of all the unions the council deals with and expressed concern at the budget proposals that can be seen here and here. He says the process of looking at what areas of the council… Continue reading How Argyll & Bute Works: Trade Unions and the budget cuts

My most recent piece on the proposed budget cuts can be read here. This piece also has a link to the budget papers issued late on Thursday but the link is shown again here: Public reports pack Thursday 08-Oct-2015 10.30 Policy and Resources Committee Late yesterday, Michael Russell MSP, Mike MacKenzie MSP and Brendan O’Hara MP… Continue reading How Argyll & Bute Works: There is an alternative

I have never had a day when I have had so many phone calls from members of the public. The topic? Service Choices or Cllr Walsh’s secretive way of inflicting pain on us. People who read the Dunoon Observer and then went on line to see what was put into the public domain late yesterday… Continue reading How Argyll & Bute Works: the harsh reality of Cllr Walsh’s secret service