West Fifer Robert Remembers Dunfermline

30/07/2012

A former architectural designer with the literary touch hopes his poem on old Dunfermline will spirit fellow West Fifers down memory lane.

Robert Sclater, who has lived and worked locally all his life, has submitted ‘Remember Dunfermline’ to the Scottish Book Trust’s My Favourite Place project. The former pupil of Blacklaw, Woodmill and Queen Anne Schools did so on the recommendation of a tutor, after attending a creative writing course held in Carnegie Library and in East Port’s Music Institute. Read more of this post

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S4M-03706: Can-Am Pipe Band’s Jubilee Tour of Scotland

27/07/2012

That the Parliament extends its warmest wishes to the 100-strong North American pipe band Can-Am on its jubilee tour of Scotland; understands that the visit of the band will include performances at Pittencrieff Park in Dunfermline and the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, and, in hoping that Can-Am enjoys a successful jubilee tour, wishes the band fair skies for all of its outdoor performances.

Supported by: Margaret Burgess, Mike MacKenzie, Angus MacDonald, Stuart McMillan, Richard Lyle, Colin Beattie

Date Lodged: 26/07/2012

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North American Pipe Band to Perform in Glen

26/07/2012

A North American 100-strong pipe band will perform at Pittencrieff Park in Dunfermline on 3rd August, as part of their Jubilee Tour of Scotland.

Can-Am will play outside the Louise Carnegie Gates at 1pm, before marching through the Glen for a 2pm performance outside Pittencrieff House Museum. Read more of this post

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Flood-risk Insurance

26/07/2012

Recently, I raised a motion in Parliament regarding householders in Scotland contributing disproportionately towards an annual £200 million UK flood-risk subsidy, through their home insurance premiums.

In Scotland, almost no new buildings are ever erected in areas at risk of flooding, compared with 11% of all new buildings in England. Of existing homes, 5% are classed as vulnerable to flooding in Scotland, compared with 23% in England. Yet in order to keep costs down in England, low-risk householders in Scotland are charged higher insurance. Read more of this post

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Crown Estate

26/07/2012

I would also urge the UK Government to rethink its refusal to devolve the management of Scotland’s coast and seabed from the UK Crown Estate to the Scottish Government, with further devolution to community level.

Currently, the Crown Estate manages around 50% of our coast and most of our seabed, with surplus revenues paid to the Westminster Treasury. The Westminster-appointed Scottish Affairs Committee has produced a highly critical report on the Crown Estate’s management, which it says lacks accountability, transparency and public consultation. Local communities claim the Crown Estate acts like an “absentee landlord” and “tax collector”. Read more of this post

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London Olympics

26/07/2012

When London won the bid for the 2012 Olympics, I feared a massive drain of taxpayers’ money to the southeast of England.  Although some football matches will be held in Glasgow and we have some sub-contract work, I regret that my concerns have been proved right, with little benefit coming to Scotland. Read more of this post

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Visit Dunfermline Seeks Bannockburn Celebration Suggestions

24/07/2012

With just under 700 days till the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, Visit Dunfermline has invited the public to submit ideas for Dunfermline-based events to commemorate the occasion. The anniversary, along with the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup, will be a major focus of Scotland’s Homecoming 2014 celebrations.

Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker said: “This is a great opportunity for people to get involved in Homecoming 2014. With the world’s eyes on Scotland in 2014, we have a chance to really boost the profile of Dunfermline. Read more of this post

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Alison Rooney Reappointed to NHS Fife Board

20/07/2012

Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker has welcomed the re-appointment of Kincardine-resident Alison Rooney as a non-executive board member of NHS Fife. Ms Rooney has already sat on the board for four years.

Mr Walker said: “Congratulations to Alison Rooney on the Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, appointing her for a further four years. Read more of this post

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S4M-03654: Low-risk Scots Overpaying £200 Million Flood Subsidy

20/07/2012

That the Parliament believes that householders in low flood-risk areas in Scotland should not be contributing disproportionately toward an annual £200 million subsidy on their home insurance to pay for high-risk parts of the UK; understands that 11% of new buildings in England are built in areas vulnerable to flooding compared with almost none in Scotland or Wales; further understands that less than 5% of existing homes in Scotland are at risk of flooding compared with 23% in England; agrees with David Crichton, who is considered an expert in flood insurance and is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Dundee and Honorary Visiting Professor at University College London, that this subsidy enables continued housing development in high-risk areas in the south east of England, a claim similar to that of Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, who says that householders in Scotland are “effectively subsidising the higher risks in England”, and calls for the insurance of householders in Scotland to proportionately reflect the risk of flooding to their properties.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Richard Lyle

Date Lodged: 17/07/12

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S4M-03653: Crown Estate Marine Assets Must be Devolved

20/07/2012

That the Parliament calls on the UK Government to reconsider what is seen as its refusal to commit fully to the recommendations of the Scottish Affairs Committee, which has called for the management of Scotland’s coast and seabed to be devolved from the Crown Estate to the Scottish Government, with further devolution at community level; understands that the Crown Estate currently manages around 50% of Scotland’s coast and most of its seabed; expresses considerable alarm at what it considers to be the highly critical nature of the Scottish Affairs Committee’s report, which concludes that the Crown Estate lacks accountability, transparency and public consultation and which records claims by some local communities that the Crown Estate acts like an absentee landlord and tax collector; notes that the committee’s chairman has stated that “the Crown Estate has raised millions more pounds from its assets in Scotland than it invested back into coastal areas”, and strongly believes that Scotland’s marine assets should not be under the control of an unelected body lacking in accountability to local communities.

Supported by: Richard Lyle, Mike Mackenzie

Date Lodged: 17/07/12

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