Low-income families with young children will receive increased payments, digital smartcards and access to a wider range of foods under new proposals. The Scottish Government is consulting on plans to reshape the Welfare Foods Scheme, which aims to help families access a healthy diet. Continue reading Have your say on Welfare Foods Scheme proposals
Continue reading Sugar Levy: just one step in the right direction?
Ministers have published proposed changes to the Councillors’ Code of Conduct that will explicitly prohibit harassment and bullying. The amended Code has been submitted to the Scottish Parliament for approval following its endorsement by COSLA. This brings the Councillors’ Code in line with recent changes to the Scottish Ministerial Code.
Councillors have also agreed to update guidance on acceptable behaviour to accompany the changes to the Code.
Minister for Local Government and Housing, Kevin Stewart said: “Despite the great progress that has been made in promoting and achieving equality, it is clear that harassment and bullying are still issues that need tackled and this is unacceptable.
“Government works for the people and we need to be unequivocal that prejudice of any kind will not be tolerated. The proposed changes to the Councillors’ Code mean that it will specifically condemn harassment and bullying and make clear that where behaviour falls short people can expect to be held to account.”
COSLA President Councillor, Alison Evison said: “This change sends a strong message that all forms of bullying and harassment are not only completely unacceptable but are considered a breach of the Code of Conduct. It is only right that elected members in all spheres of government are held equally to account for their behaviour and set a high example to the rest of society.
“The change to the Code of Conduct is an important part of a wider picture such as continued efforts by COSLA and the Scottish Government to tackle gender based violence, including harassment, through the Equally Safe strategy.”
If agreed by Parliament the changes to the Code are expected to come into force in the summer.
The amendment states that ‘bullying or harassment is completely unacceptable and will be considered to be a breach of this Code’.
The changes have been endorsed by the Standards Commission and the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life, the independent bodies responsible for enforcing the Code, as well as by COSLA. Similar changes to the Scottish Ministerial Code were issued by the First Minister in February.
Fans of live events are set to benefit from new rules coming into force today which will demand more information from sellers on secondary ticket websites to better protect fans from rip-off prices. Continue reading New rules will protect fans from ticket touting
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As the close date nears for applications for a new entrepreneurial support scheme, Edinburgh MSP Gordon Macdonald is pushing the call to all ambitious talented entrepreneurs looking to start up a business in Scotland to apply to the new programme. Continue reading Just one month left to apply to new entrepreneurial support scheme
More than two-thirds of taxpayers will pay less on their current income this year under Scotland’s new tax bands. Changes to the Higher and Top rate tax bands, which take effect from today, also mean an additional £428 million will be available in 2018/19 to invest in vital public services and the economy.
Continue reading New tax bands take effect in Scotland today
