Welcome to my newsletter, where I set out what I have been doing over the last month. If you want to see more of what I am up to, follow me on social media. If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch through the details below.
It's been another very busy month in the world of politics with voters due to go to the polls this Thursday.
Last week the Scottish Conservatives launched their manifesto and the choice could not be clearer. This election in Scotland is our golden opportunity to beat the SNP, focus on creating decent jobs, reducing NHS waiting times and investing in schools, whilst also protecting our Oil & Gas sector here in the North East.
Remember, only a vote for the Scottish Conservatives here in the North East can defeat the SNP. Labour & the Liberal Democrats are simply too far behind to win.
You can read our manifesto and pledges in full here
School attendance has shown a concerning decline in Scotland in recent years. In Parliament, I questioned the Cabinet Secretary about whether the Scottish Government would reconsider collating data on the number of children absent from education, a task they have yet to undertake.
You can watch the clip here
Earlier this month, the First Minister called a debate on eradicating child poverty, yet completely neglected to mention the vital role that Education must play in this effort.
I wanted to contribute by resetting the balance and reminding Parliament that it is not only the most powerful devolved Parliament in the world, equipped with the powers to address the issue, but also operating within the largest cash-terms block grant in devolution history. It was a serious speech, and I hope the First Minister took it that way.
You can watch the clip here
Did you know that due to a chronic shortage of secondary school teachers, primary school teachers are being recruited to work in Secondary Schools across Aberdeenshire? This is of significant concern and has led to removing certain subjects from the curriculum in some schools as staffing levels for subjects like Maths, English, Home Economics and Technical Education fall well below the required numbers.
It’s completely unacceptable that our rural schools in Aberdeenshire and throughout Scotland are suffering the consequences of ill-thought-out policies under this Scottish Government. The Scottish Conservatives have proposed a New Deal for Teachers which runs together with our Grasping the Thistle economic paper. Hopefully, the SNP government will finally take notice and meaningful action, so every child in Scotland has the same educational opportunities, regardless of where they live.
You can read more here
During the last Aberdeen City Council elections in 2022, Councillors Christian Allard and Miranda Radley clearly stated that electing them would help advance the delivery of a new railway station at Cove.
This promise likely persuaded many of the residents in Cove to support them. In March, two years after the election, I wrote to demand an answer about the progress Allard and Radley have made towards a station at Cove.
Strangely, I did not receive any response and had to follow up in May. Even then, it wasn't until I asked prior to our regular meeting with Aberdeen City Council that I finally got a reply. Have a look at the response and draw your own conclusions. I don’t see much evidence of “helping bring forward the delivery” but perhaps I am just a cynic and should not put too much faith in SNP election promises.
You can read the letters here
We are really lucky to have some stunning parks and open areas in Aberdeen City and Shire. However, I was recently made aware of a vandalism issue in one of my favourite parks, Johnston Gardens on Viewfield Road, with graffiti being painted on the wooden shelter that overlooks the duck pond.
I wrote to Aberdeen City Council concerning graffiti in Johnston Gardens, and I am pleased to see with the help of The Friends of Johnston Gardens and the park manager the graffiti was quickly removed.
You can read my letter to the Council here
I had a great time (or did I?) taking part in the Triangus Montrose Triathlon. Don’t think I’ll be troubling the leaderboard, but it is such a good event and always good fun (AFTER it’s over!). Much appreciation to the volunteers and people who make this happen. Fundraising this year was Tayside Mountain Rescue Team. I certainly earned my dinner and pint at Aberdeenshire Cricket Club afterwards!
Made any dinner plans for the coming weekend? If not, I would recommend you pop down to the Redcloak Fish Bar in Stonehaven.
Jamie, the owner, recently won the Best Young Fish Fryer Award and the Chip Bar itself won Best Newcomer at the recent Fish and Chip Awards. Maybe I’m showing my age here, but growing up, many households observed ‘Fish Friday’.
The notion of eating fish on a Friday originated from early church tradition of refraining from eating meat at the end of the week, especially during Lent. Regardless of any religious connotations, I think the idea of having a delicious fish supper at the end of a hard week is always worth consideration.
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