Category Archives: Fife News

Fife Library Consultation

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Fife Council is currently consulting on the future of library services in the Kingdom. In the face of a £77 million budget gap over the next three years the current proposal will see a change in current library structure.

The structure proposed would establish three models of library services: libraries open for up to 20 hours a week, libraries open 20 – 40 hours a week and libraries open 40 hours or more a week. Unfortunately under this structure 16 libraries are earmarked for closure.

Nobody wants to see libraries close and following a recent coffee morning and constituent survey in Kinghorn, I fully understand the strength of feeling within the community for keeping their local library open.

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Fife Circle concerns raised

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Prior to the opening of the Borders Railway I was concerned that the trains used would have an impact on the Fife Circle. Following a letter to the Managing Director of Abellio Scotrail I was assured that this would not be the case.

However since then I’ve become aware that constituents are still experiencing services that are running with reduced carriages, including during peak times. Some services, despite a promised six carriage train, are only running with two.

I’ve therefore decided to once again write to the Managing Director to ask further questions. You can see my letter below.

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Claire visits Fife Migrants Forum

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Scotland has proudly led the UK in our response to the refugee crisis and it is important that we continue to do so. We must ensure that refugees that come to Scotland are given more than just a place to stay but also hope of a better future.

That is why the work undertaken by organisations such as Fife Migrants Forum is so important and I was delighted to be able to visit their offices in Kirkcaldy to highlight their efforts in ensuring that migrants and refuges are integrated into their local communities. The visit followed a roundtable meeting on the ongoing crisis in the Scottish Parliament which we both took part in.

Following the UK Government’s announcement that they would be accepting 20,000 Syrian refugees over the course of Parliament, the Scottish Government has agreed to their share of at least 2,000. Fife Council has signed up to accepting a number of these refugees to the Kingdom, with the first refugees due to arrive in the next few weeks.

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Methil GP taken over by NHS Fife

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It has been recently announced that The Cannons Surgery in Methil will be taken over by NHS Fife as a result of major staffing concerns. The surgery had made various attempts to recruit two GP Principles without any success resulting in one GP single –handedly covering the surgery with support from a Nurse Practitioner.

As a result the decision was taken that The Cannons Surgery would resign from its Section 17C GMS contract in November when NHS Fife will take over the running of the practice.

Alongside the Methil surgery there have been unsuccessful attempts to recruit GPs in Kennoway, Lochore and Dunfermline, with many practices in Fife recording difficulties in securing locum cover.

The warning signs of a crisis in general practice has been growing for some time and the repeated failures to find two full time GPs for Methil will be a major cause of concern for locals and patients at the surgery. Continue reading →

Trade Union Bill concerns raised in Parliament

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Yesterday in Parliament I raised my opposition to the Conservative Government’s Trade Union bill which is currently making its way through the UK Parliament.

This bill is a draconian piece of legislation designed to attack the rights of workers that we have battled so hard for throughout the years.

Council Leaders from across Scotland, including the leader of Fife Council, David Ross, have come out against the bill and its potential impact on council workers.

Only last weekend I was out in Kirkcaldy gaining support for a petition against the bill. It is clear that there is a real strength of feeling that what the Tories are doing is wrong and must be stopped.

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Havelock Europa concerns raised

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Earlier this month Havelock Europa announced a restructuring of its business that will see up to 50 workers lose their job. Following this news I raised the issue in the Scottish Parliament with the Business Minister.

During that question I received assurances that those currently going through their apprenticeships would not be affected by the plan to cut the company’s workforce by 10%. This is a move that I welcome.

However it has since been announced that the company has reported a pre-tax loss in the first 6 months of this year of £1.8 million, combined with a drop in group revenues of 5.2%.

This will bring further worry and insecurity to the workforce, which is why I have written to both Havelock Europa and the Scottish Government to seek reassurances there will be no further job losses.

I appreciate that for many business the current climate is challenging and the local Fife economy has been dealt many blows in recent weeks and months from the closure of Tesco in Kirkcaldy, the closure of Tullis Russell and redundancies at Bi Fab. That is why we must work together.

You can read my letters to the Chief Executive of Havelock Europa and the Business Minister below. Continue reading →

Claire goes pink for breast cancer awareness

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Last week I showed my support for women with breast cancer by dressing up in pink to encouraging constituents to take part in Breast Cancer Now’s flagship fundraiser, wear it pink, on Friday 23rd October.

Wear it pink, the UK’s biggest pink fundraiser, calls on supporters across the country to ditch the day-to-day colours and pull on some pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving breast cancer research.

I was delighted to join fellow parliamentarians in wearing it pink in Holyrood to encourage people across Scotland to get involved.

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SCIAF Celebrates 50 years

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This week SCIAF joined us in the Scottish Parliament to celebrate their 50th anniversary, hosting a well attended evening celebrating on Wednesday.

It was good to meet and discuss all the fantastic work they do throughout the world. I look forward to further conversations as we work together in my role as Democracy spokesperson for Scottish Labour.

Claire calls for stronger Scotland Bill

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Today I led for Scottish Labour in a Parliamentary debate on the Scotland Bill and the issue of more powers for the Scottish Parliament. 

During the debate I called for the Bill to be strengthened to ensure that more powers come to the Scottish Parliament. Labour has laid amendments to the bill that would see the bill go beyond what was agreed in the Smith Commission and ensure that all VAT raised in Scotland would stay in Scotland.

I also called for full transparency in that discussions taking place between the Scottish and UK Government over the fiscal framework that will underpin the bill. We must ensure that we are getting a fair deal for Scotland.

Havelock Europe job losses raised in Parliament

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This week in the Scottish Parliament I raised the recently announced job losses at Havelock Europa. The Kirkcaldy based company have announced that they would be cutting their staff by 10% which would see the loss of 50 jobs.

The job losses are another major blow to Kirkcaldy and the wider Fife economy, coming on the back of significant losses at major employers such as Tullis Russell, BiFab and Tesco.

Following the closure of Tullis Russell the Scottish Government has been working with Fife Council and set up a taskforce to help retrain and find employment for workers who were laid off. Continue reading →