Gordon Macdonald MSP

Edinburgh Pentlands Constituency Monthly Report August

2013

Kingsknowe sewer work underway !

Crime at a 37 year low

Figures showing a record high in the number of police officers in Scotland have been described by Gordon Macdonald MSP as just one example of the benefits of legislating for Scotland from within Scotland. Latest quarterly Scottish force strength statistics show that there were 17,496 police officers by March 31, 2013, an increase of 7.8 per cent or 1,262 officers since 2007. In Lothian the number has increased since 2007 by 190 or 6.8 per cent to 2,983 officers today.

Work started at the beginning of July to upgrade the waste water network to stop flooding in the area during periods of heavy rain. The work will involve the up-sizing of the waste water pipes and due to the complex nature of the project and the necessity of accessing the site through Redhall School, the project will be carried out in 2 phases. Phase 1 which began on the 1st of July will see a new sewer line being installed to the rear of the properties at Peatville Terrace and is expected to take 5 weeks to complete. Phase 2 is expected to begin mid-August and last for 12 weeks will see a new sewer line being installed in Kingsknowe Crescent. Gordon Macdonald MSP stated Im pleased for the residents of Kingsknowe Crescent, who have had to put up with flooding in the area for over a decade that this problem is finally being tackled. We have been working with residents since the flooding of July 2011 to find a solution and at long last it is being delivered. If you have any questions about the project, you can contact the Scottish Water Customer Helpline on 0845 601 8855 quoting reference Capital/403178/GL.

This stands in stark contrast to England and Wales where the Westminster governments public service cuts agenda has seen police numbers drop to their lowest level since 2002. Local MSP Gordon Macdonald said: The increase in police numbers has resulted in crime at a 37 year low in Scotland and communities are safer than ever before. Thanks are also due to our police officers for the tremendous efforts they make to protect people and property. The Scottish Governments determination to maintain additional police officers is rock solid and I believe that, together with other issues such as the bedroom tax, people increasingly realise that all Scotlands public services are best secured and controlled from within Scotland.

Keeping you up to date @ www.gordonmacdonaldmsp.info

Wester Hailes receive 290k from Climate Fund

Gordon Welcomes the Edinburgh Jobs Fund

Gordon Macdonald MSP recently submitted the following parliamentary motion: That the Parliament welcomes the City of Edinburgh Councils Edinburgh Jobs Fund, supported by Youth Employment Scotland, which is progressing the Scottish Governments commitment to help unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds move into work; notes that the fund is able to offer a wage incentive to micro-businesses and SMEs with less than 250 employees wishing to offer new and additional job opportunities in their organisations; understands that the Employer Recruitment Incentive returns 50% of the cost of the national minimum wage to the employer for a maximum of six months, and commends those businesses applying for the Edinburgh Jobs Fund that are assisting the Scottish Government in tackling youth unemployment. Youth unemployment in Scotland over the 3 months to April was 6.1% lower than the same period last year. The youth jobless rate of 15.2% is lower than the UK rate of 19.5%. Follow Gordon on Social Media

The Climate Challenge Fund was launched by the Scottish Government in June 2008 to help community groups reduce their carbon footprint and make community improvements. Since its launch the CCF has made 563 awards to the value of over 46.9 million to 408 different community groups from across Scotland. Funded projects have included energy efficiency improvements in community halls, energy efficiency advice, low carbon transport schemes, community growing projects, and initiatives to reduce, reuse and recycle. In March of this year Wester Hailes Health Agencys Edible Estates project was awarded 290,519 from the Scottish Governments Climate Challenge Fund. The Project aims to help residents to grow and cook their own food by setting up growing spaces in their estates. The project also aims to encourage residents to work together to make their local green space more attractive and more accessible to locals. Details of the fund can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/ccf and applications are invited to present to the CCF grants pane in September and December 2013, and March 2014. How to contact Gordon Macdonald MSP:

@GMacdonaldMSP

gordonmacdonaldmsp

1 By email: 2 By phone: 3 By letter: 4 By appointment: 5 Surgery:

Gordon.Macdonald.msp@scottish.parliament.uk Local office: 0131 466 5810 or Parliament: 0131 348 5741 Gordon Macdonald MSP, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP 69 Inglis Green Road, Edinburgh EH14 2EZ Held every Monday at 6.30pm at various locations throughout the constituency

6 Home visits are available for those people who cannot travel.
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Published by Gordon Macdonald MSP at 69 Inglis Green Road, Edinburgh, EH14 2EZ. The cost of this publication have been met out of parliamentary allowances.