Union says workers are being ‘grossly undervalued’ compared with UK council counterparts
Unite has confirmed that its committee for local government workers has rejected the latest COSLA pay offer following a meeting in Glasgow yesterday (22 July 2024).
Unite said no ‘extra cash’ has been added to the new pay offer by COSLA, which amounts to a 3.2 per cent increase for a one-year period between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. COSLA has taken two months to shift from its previous offer, which was also rejected outright by Unite on 24 May.
Unite is highlighting that the new pay offer ‘grossly undervalues’Scottish council workers in contrast with the offer made to UK counterparts.
An offer of £1,290 has been made to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the National Joint Council (NJC). This equates to a rise of 67p per hour or 5.2% for a council worker earning around £25,000 based on a 37-hour week. In contrast, the COSLA offer of 3.2% equates to £800 or a 41p per hour increase.
The pay offer difference means that a Scottish council worker would need to earn above £40,000 to match the offer being made to council workers across the UK. This means the lowest paid council workers are being disproportionately hit by COSLA’s offer.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “COSLA has taken months to put a new offer to our local government membership, and it’s one that does absolutely nothing to address more than a decade of deep cuts to pay and services.
“Unless COSLA and the Scottish government move quickly to make an acceptable offer then mountains of rubbish will pile up across the nation’s streets. The politicians have a choice, and one more chance, to resolve this pay dispute before strike action.”
Unite has the largest union membership on the verge of participating in a first wave of strike action involving waste workers, street cleaners, and recycling centre operators.
The union has strike action mandates involving thousands of its members across 16 councils, and it is in the process of re-balloting workers in 5 other councils (see notes to editor).
Graham McNab, Unite industrial officer, added: “COSLA’s latest pay offer doesn’t add any extra cash. It continues to grossly undervalue Scotland’s council workers compared with the offer made to their counterparts across the UK.
“A stinking Scottish summer looms unless COSLA and the Scottish government quickly sort this out by injecting more cash into a new offer. Any offer will need to value the lowest paid council workers, at least, on similar terms as the offer made to other UK council workers.”
“The Scottish government can no longer sit idly by, we are on the brink of nationwide strike action which could last for months.”
SAVE Britain’s Heritage has launched a public petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to host a national debate to bolster safeguards for threatened listed buildings
The petition, validated on 6th June 2024 by the Scottish Parliament, calls for an urgent Parliamentary debate to address a gap in legislation that leaves listed buildings across the country vulnerable to demolition.
The current loophole allows councils to demolish listed buildings under emergency public safety powers without providing evidence to justify their actions.
The case follows the highly controversial demolition of Category B listed Ayr Station Hotel by South Ayrshire Council which is still on going.
It has been carried out due to public safety concerns, following a major arson attack last year, but without the reports or surveys to justify the decision being made public and without providing evidence that alternatives to total demolition were robustly explored.
While fully recognising the paramount importance of making dangerous buildings safe, enhanced guidance is needed to address this policy gap, setting out the minimum structural evidence and process before undertaking demolition works to listed buildings on public safety grounds, including when consulting national heritage advisor Historic Environment Scotland. This will ensure only the minimum demolition necessary takes place to make the building safe, avoiding excessive or total demolition.
SAVE’s petition is calling for policy safeguards to ensure that listed buildings like Ayr Station Hotel cannot be demolished without robust and transparent justification.
We are specifically calling for the following policy controls to be introduced alongside existing public safety legislation:
1. Enhanced policy guidance setting out the minimum evidence and processes required by local planning authorities before making decisions on demolition of listed buildings under emergency powers
2. A mandatory policy requirement for local planning authorities to engage conservation-accredited engineers in all cases involving listed buildings
Henrietta Billings, director of SAVE Britain’s Heritage, said:“We see a huge opportunity in bringing this national issue to the attention of MSPs and opening a much-needed debate on the protection of listed buildings across the country.
“These buildings are gifts to the nation from the past – and we should be taking every step necessary to ensure they are protected from unnecessary demolition – as is intended by the legislation.”
Paul Sweeney MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow, said:“This petition addresses a glaring loophole in existing policy. It is not acceptable that councils can demolish listed buildings in Scotland – using so-called public safety powers – without providing evidence to show that there is no alternative to demolition.
“It is my hope that the Scottish Parliament’s petitions committee backs this petition so that we can strengthen protections of listed buildings in Scotland.”
Jocelyn Cunliffe, acting chair of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland, said: “The AHSS supports SAVE’s petition to the Scottish Government to provide enhanced safeguards for listed buildings across Scotland.
“Local authorities are empowered to act timeously to save listed buildings and it is imperative that all options be considered and that there are adequate checks and balances before demolition, which should be a last resort, takes place.”
Joe Traynor, director of The Scottish Civic Trust, said:“The Scottish Civic Trust endorses SAVE’s petition which encourages policy makers to respect and boost the protection of Scotland’s historic buildings.
“These need to be protected, reused and celebrated as unique to the make-up of our communities and places.”
Current conflict of interest
In cases involving the use of emergency powers on grounds of public safety, current legislation creates a potential conflict of interest for Local Authorities between the legal duty of Planning Departments to protect listed buildings under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1997 and the duty of Building Control Departments to make any dangerous building safe, including via demolition, under Section 29 of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003.
The drawn-out demolition of large parts of Ayr’s Category B listed Station Hotel by South Ayrshire Council following an arson attack which damaged the building in September 2023, has brought this issue into the national spotlight.
Following the fire, the Council assumed legal responsibility for the site, with Building Control proceeding to demolish the south wing of the building, without publishing detailed evidence to justify its actions, and no requirement to gain approval from Historic Environment Scotland before doing so.
SAVE has remained consistently opposed to the council’s decision to pursue demolition and raised these issues of national heritage importance at a specially convened cross party round table at the Scottish Parliament in November 2023.
Photos published with this press release show the devastating impact of the demolition of the Station Hotel’s highly ornate south wing – and subsequently much more of the building.
In February, SAVE called for the retention of the listed building’s surviving north wing and tower as a key priority in South Ayrshire Council’s emerging vision for Ayr Town Centre which went out for public consultation in January 2024. These sections of the listed building were far less extensively impacted by the fire in September 2023 and could have formed the foundation for a refurbished modern railway station without tearing the heart out of the town.
However, South Ayrshire Council began demolition of the tower and a substantial portion of the north wing in April 2024, on the grounds of public safety. Yesterday, the council announced that this demolition is “on target” to be complete by 17th June 2024. A Dangerous Buildings Notice has been issued by South Ayrshire Council requiring the owner of the building to make the surviving section of the north wing safe.
SAVE’s petition, which addresses this loophole in legislation which allows councils to demolish listed buildings under emergency public safety powers without providing robust justification, was published on 6th June 2024 by the Scottish Parliament and is now open to signatures.
The next stage will be consideration at an upcoming Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee (CPPPC) meeting, at which point the committee will decide on what action will be taken.
This can include asking for a debate about the petition in the chamber or recommending actions for the Scottish Government. SAVE’s petition has called for an urgent Parliamentary debate.
Legislation which will see the introduction of a National Care Service for Scotland (NCS) has passed Stage 1 in Parliament.
MSPs have voted for the general principles of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill which will ensure greater transparency in the delivery of community health and social care, improve standards, strengthen the role of the workforce and provide better support for unpaid carers.
The proposals include establishing a National Care Service Charter, rights to breaks for carers and provisions to enact Anne’s Law so people in care homes have the right to be visited by their families.
Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “We need long-term, widespread transformation to fix some of the ingrained issues within the system and ensure sustainability for the future.
“We have spent considerable time working with people with lived experience on how to reform social care for the better. I’m grateful to the thousands of people who have lent their voices and I am determined to ensure the Bill delivers the positive change needed.
“Today’s vote shows that the Scottish Parliament also recognises this and I am grateful to them for bringing us one step closer to this urgent reform.
“This Bill is the biggest public sector reform since devolution and it is our chance to make meaningful change that we all agree is needed to the social care system. I know the people of Scotland will see huge benefits.”
Scotland’s largest trade union bodies have condemned the Scottish Government’s proposed National Care Service Bill as ‘not fit for purpose’ as MSPs approve the legislation at Stage 1.
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) alongside the three biggest social care unions in Scotland – UNISON, GMB SCOTLAND and UNITE – have written to the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care Neil Gray outlining their shared concerns on the Bill.
The letter states that social care workers’ concerns have been ‘widely ignored’ by the Scottish Government and that, at this stage of proceedings, the Bill as drafted remains ‘firmly unacceptable’.
Last week the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s report into Stage 1 drew criticism from trade unions who outlined the ‘glaring deficiencies’ of the proposals on costs and operation of the service.
Commenting, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “It beggars belief that, despite repeated warnings to the Scottish Government, Scotland’s social care workers are still in the dark on the basic fundamentals of the new National Care Service.
“Our social care sector already suffers from insecure conditions and low pay. We cannot risk those weaknesses being carried over into any new system of nationalised care.
“We must see the Scottish Government take seriously the recommendations of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s report into the Bill. This would include improving pay, terms and conditions for social care staff, including a £15 per hour minimum wage. We also need to see Scottish Government guarantees on Fair Work and sectoral bargaining in addition to full sick pay from day one of employment.
“Our social care staff are the lifeblood of our system. We value their work and it’s high time the Scottish Government does likewise.”
COSLA: “SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS” ON NATIONAL CARE SERVICE PLANS
Speaking ahead of the Stage 1 debate for the National Care Service Bill in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 29th February, Councillor Paul Kelly, COSLA’s Health & Social Care Spokesperson, commented:“Councils have expressed significant concerns regarding current National Care Service plans and believe there is still work to do to ensure proposals can meet aspirations.
“In particular, Council Leaders are disappointed in the decision of the Scottish Government to continue to push through legislation where a power will be given to Ministers to delegate children and justice services, despite the potential disruption to services and extensive negotiations and concessions from Local Government.
“Council Leaders remain concerned that such a move risks excessive centralisation of decision-making away from local people and areas. Leaders did agree that COSLA should continue to work closely with Scottish Government to address these concerns.
“COSLA welcomes the progress which has been made in reforming some National Care Service proposals, including that local authorities will continue to play a central role in the delivery of, and accountability for care.
“There is a pressing need to improve people’s experiences of accessing and delivering care in Scotland. Although legislative and governance reform may be part of that, the reality is that national funding decisions – including the proposed council tax freeze which has not been fully funded – will further squeeze local care and social work services which are already under incredible pressure.
“Investment in social care must be seen as a priority which can enhance the wellbeing of people, of society and of Scotland.”
Having passed Stage One, the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill moves into Stage 2 where amendments will be considered by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee before Stage 3, when the full Parliament makes a final vote on whether to pass the Bill.
COUNCIL LEADERS SEEK URGENT MEETING WITH DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER
COSLA has today (Friday) described the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget as a missed opportunity for the communities of Scotland in relation to transforming our economy and meeting climate targets.
The councils’ umbrella body added that Scotland’s Council Leaders, Councillors, the Local Government Workforce and communities should be treated with the respect they deserve demonstrated through investment, not cuts.
A COSLA spokesperson said: “At a special meeting just before Christmas, there was dismay and frustration from Scotland’s Council Leaders about the way Local Government and the communities we represent had been treated in the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget.
“As the Budget currently stands, communities will see and feel a range of negative impacts.
“COSLA’a budget campaign set out the case for fair funding that would allow LG to deliver for the people of Scotland, particularly around Transforming our Economy through a just transition to deliver net zero, one of the 3 shared priorities laid out in the Verity House Agreement.
“The response from the @scotgov to our Budget ask is disappointing and will mean that the potential that councils have to prevent problems occurring will be limited severely.
“The Budget is bad news for the just transition to a net zero economy. We are still analysing the impact across all services but one notable cut is to the regeneration capital grant fund (RCGF) and the vacant and derelict land improvement programme (VDLIP) .
“Overall capital regeneration funding to Local Government has been cut by 27%, from £62.5m to £45.8m. This undermines work to regenerate communities, tackle inequalities and to reduce carbon emissions.
“This means the RCGF, which is jointly managed by Local and Scottish Government, now won’t be open to new bids for 2024-25. Our town centres and communities will be worse off due to this decision.
“On a larger scale, cuts to local government revenue and capital funding are completely the wrong things to do if Government is serious about tackling climate change and its impact on society and the economy.
“Given that 82% of all emissions are within the scope of influence of Local Authorities, plans to deliver on the Scottish Government 2030 statutory target must now be in serious doubt a few weeks after Ministers were talking up Scotland at COP 28.
“COSLA’s President, Vice President and Political Group Leaders from all parties have written to the DFM and are seeking an urgent meeting. Leaders will not let this lie, they simply cannot afford to because it will have such a detrimental impact on the communities they represent.”
Councils are keyto unlocking both the potential and the best outcomes for our local communities but require proper funding to do so, COSLA said yesterday.
The comments came as COSLA launched their Budget Lobbying campaign for the coming year, ahead of the Scottish Government’s Budget announcement on December 19th.
COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, said: “Councils really are the key to unlocking the best for our communities – from safe, quality housing; to clean streets; to supporting the most vulnerable people to thrive; to education and social care – the importance of these services cannot be emphasised enough, but they need to be funded properly.
“We all see the headlines in our local and national press about the difficult financial choices councils need to make, deciding whether to reduce or even cut vital services and ending funding for essential charity and community partners.
“Unfortunately, Councils have no choice but to protect core statutory services, especially with the unprecedented financial challenges we are all experiencing. Budgets are tight, creating risks to many other local services our communities rely on, such as programmes supporting children and young people, sports and leisure facilities and public transport.
“The Verity House Agreement has facilitated positive working between Scottish Local Government and Scottish Government since being signed in June, but COSLA is clear that we must use this to jointly tackle poverty, make a just transition to Net Zero, and achieve sustainable public services.
“Fair funding for Local Government must be a Scottish Government priority in order to unlock the full potential of our councils to achieve these goals.
“The campaign we are launching today clearly illustrates not only the challenges our Councils are facing, but the great potential they have if funded properly. We will continue to work closely with Scottish Government and other partners to get the best deal for our councils and our local communities.”
COSLA Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann added: “What councils deliver with and on behalf of communities is key to creating the safe, healthy, vibrant and empowered communities we all want to see.
“Local Government holds the key to unlocking the potential in local areas, with its unique understanding of context, challenges and opportunities in individual local areas.
“Sadly, our reality right now is an extremely challenging financial climate coupled with years of real-terms cuts to council budgets while additional policy commitments are continually being introduced.
“If this situation doesn’t start to improve soon, it will mean tough choices being made and the many essential services councils currently provide will cease – services that not only address problems on the ground, but actively prevent bigger issues occurring down the line.
“We have been clear that cutting frontline staff isn’t the answer. We need to see Scottish Government investing in Local Government, so we can do what we do best – preventing problems in the first place and improving quality of life.
“The challenges we face nationally are best addressed at the local level, not at crisis point in A&E or within the criminal justice system. From better health to reaching our net zero ambitions to improving our economy, a well-funded Local Government is the key to Scotland achieving a better future.”
New research from RoSPA shows that Scotland’s water safety collaboration is at a high, but more local councils need to develop water safety policies
Water safety collaboration in Scotland reaches record high, but more policy commitment from Local Government is needed. That’s the message from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), following the release of its 10-year review of water safety policy in the country.
Supported by Water Safety Scotland, RoSPA’s research set out to understand the current picture of Scotland’s water safety at local government level to develop policies and programmes that better tackle drowning.
Encouragingly, RoSPA saw responses from all 32 Scottish local authorities, with91 per cent of local authorities ranking water safety as an important issue in relation to other service demands, and 68 per cent having a named person or department responsible for water safety.
Compared to 2013 when only 44 per cent of respondents had a named water safety lead, this shows an overall improved awareness of water safety, and an increasing commitment to its improvement in the region.
Crucially though, only 25 per cent of Scotland’s local authorities have a water safety policy in place.
According to data from the Water Incident Database (WAID), the number of drownings in Scotland is disproportionate to the rest of the UK. Scotland’s rate of accidental drowning is 0.82 per 100,000, which is triple the rate of England and nearly double that of Northern Ireland.
WAID data shows there were 45 accidental drowning fatalities in Scotland and a further 37 water related suicides in 2022. Although there have been small decreases in accidental fatalities, it is clear that drowning fatalities and water-related harm remains a serious issue in Scotland.
Carlene McAvoy, Leisure Safety Manager at RoSPA, said:“This 10-year comparative research shows an improved picture of water safety in Scotland, demonstrating that the issue is further up the radar of local councils.
“Furthermore, most local authorities were aware of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy, and in many cases, work closely with Water Safety Scotland.
“However, it is also clear that there is a clear need for policy-level commitments to water safety – and we believe all local authorities should aim to have a water safety policy no later than 2026, in line with Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Policy.
“We encourage all of Scotland’s local authorities to take water safety seriously by creating thorough water safety policies that help protect people in our communities.”
The STUC has published new ‘Public Power League’ showing the progress made by local authorities across Scotland to develop their own energy projects.
The league tables, which show Aberdeenshire topping the capacity chart with 226 megawatts of energy, aim to show the progress made by local authorities in creating local municipal energy projects.
The data, which further shows Stirling Council leading on the number of installations at 2,420, builds a picture of Scotland’s energy network as progress is made towards delivering a just transition to net-zero by 2045.
Municipal energy can increase revenues for local authorities or be targeted to reduce energy bills and tackle fuel poverty. At the same time, public control can support a Community Wealth Building approach, ensuring new energy projects prioritise local economies and supply chains with significant multiplier effects for jobs and greater accountability in the energy system.
The STUC, Scotland’s largest trade union body, is calling on all councils to redouble their efforts to capture the opportunity of public energy in their area. The move comes as intensified campaigning begins from the union to highlight private companies lining their pockets from people’s energy bills soaring.
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer, said: “In 2022, we’ve seen Aberdeenshire and Stirling Councils leading the charge with their energy projects including heat pumps, solar PV and onshore wind.
“These projects have helped local authorities to tackle fuel poverty in their areas and retain vital income in their communities.
“More public energy is essential as people in Scotland watch their energy bills soar while private companies make billions from our natural resources. By holding power in our hands, we can prioritise lower bills and investment into communities, decent jobs, and meeting our climate targets.
“The People/Public Power League shows which local authorities are grasping this mantle. Every councillor in Scotland should be redoubling their efforts towards greater local authority ownership of energy and heat projects for the good of people in their area.”
Holyrood and Scotland’s councils on collision course
Measures to ensure that teacher and pupil support staff numbers as well as school hours are protected have been announced by Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.
The Scottish Government has committed to increasing teacher numbers by 3,500 during this Parliament.
Since 2017/18 local authorities have received funding to protect the pupil-teacher ratio, teacher numbers and to provide places for all probationers who need one.
Additional annual funding of £145.5 million is also being provided to maintain increased teacher numbers and support staff. In the year ahead (2023/24), if this is not delivered by a local authority, the Scottish Government will withhold or recoup funding allocated for these purposes.
Regulations will also be introduced under legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2016 to enshrine a statutory minimum number of school hours.
Ms Somerville said: “The measures I have outlined today demonstrate our unyielding commitment to closing the attainment gap and making Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.
“We are committed to recruiting more teachers and support staff, and we have already provided significant additional funding to Local Authorities to help ensure this happens.
“The Scottish Government recognises the challenging budgetary decisions facing councils and that is why the Deputy First Minister has committed to delivering a new deal for local government. However, this Government has a clear commitment to improving education – and maintaining both teacher and support staff numbers and learning hours is crucial to that.
“I recognise the importance of strong partnership working between local government, central government and Education Scotland to achieve our ambitions.
“I will be writing to COSLA today, and each individual council in the coming days, to set out the details on protecting teacher and support staff numbers, and next steps on learning hours.”
COSLA HIGHLIGHTS MASSIVE CONTRADICTION IN RELATION TO EDUCATION AND COUNCIL FUNDING
COSLA yesterday (Tuesday) highlighted to the Scottish Government a massive contradiction in relation to Scottish Education and council funding.This followed an emergency meeting of Council Leaders on Friday and ahead of Ms Somerville’s Parliamentary statement.
At Friday’s meeting Council Leaders reacted with great disappointment to the Scottish Government’s cutting of Local Government’s funding on the one hand whilst at the same time legislating/intervening to prevent headlines showing the unpalatable consequences of those cuts.
Councils are unanimous that attainment is not just about teacher numbers, especially in areas where school rolls are declining, and depends also on a wide range of other council services and support staff.
Accordingly, councils must be left with the flexibility to manage their inadequate budgets to minimise the impact on attainment and the other services the public depend upon. To do more than this will require the Scottish Government to provide additional funding, not more restriction.
Council leaders were clear that Local Government wants to protect education. Councils want to continue to improve the attainment and achievement of children and young people, whilst also retaining the teachers and support staff that are required to do this. It’s the Budget which is putting these things at risk, not Local Government.
COSLA said that the reality is that Scottish Government Budgets over a decade have left us with a funding crisis in Local Government the likes of which have never been seen before.
Commenting yesterday in a joint statement, COSLA’s Presidential Team said: “The timing and approach of the Scottish Government’s latest move undermines the democratic mandate of Local Government and is a U-turn on previously agreed flexibilities for councils over their budgets.
“It is not the case that Local Government wants to cut any of our services; we have to work with the budgets we have and unless there is more funding, we are forced to make democratic decisions on priorities for the communities we serve.
“On the one hand our budgets have been cut in real terms, and on the other hand the Scottish Government is intervening with additional policies which means significant cuts will have to be made in other areas that support children, young people, families and our communities.
“We have been clear about the limited options facing Local Government because of the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2023/24, a view which is shared by the independent body Accounts Commission.
“We have also highlighted the impact of the initial proposed interventions on other Local Government services, including those which directly support the attainment, health and wellbeing of children and young people.
“These latest asks and the Government’s narrative demonstrates a Government who does not fully value and respect Local Government’s role. Asks of this nature are addressing a symptom, not the cause.”
Cut in spend of £1,052 per pupil with ASN since 2012
‘Postcode lottery’ of spending between local authorities on ASN
Increase of just under 100,000 in the number of pupils with ASN since 2012
Cut in the number of ASN teachers to an all-time low
An alliance of leading independent and third sector organisations, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), has called for greater resourcing to support children and young people with additional support needs (ASN), such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems.
The call comes as new figures contained in a parliamentary answer reveal that spend per pupil with ASN has slumped dramatically, while the number of specialist teachers supporting them has dropped to a new low and the number of pupils with ASN has escalated dramatically.
The figures highlight that average spend per pupil on additional support for learning by local authorities in Scotland (primary, secondary and special education) has fallen from £4,276 in 2012 to £3,224 in 2020 (in cash terms).
This amounts to an overall cut in spending of £1,052 per pupil, representing a 24.6% drop.
Spend per pupil ranges from £1,737 in Edinburgh to £5,849 in the Shetland Islands, pointing to a ‘postcode lottery’ in spend across local authorities (see Notes to Editors for figures per local authority).
This fall is against the backdrop of an 82.9 per cent increase since 2012 in the number of pupils identified with ASN, from 118,011 to 215,897, amounting to 97,886 individuals. Those with ASNcurrently represent just under a third of all pupils (30.9 per cent).
Between 2012 and 2020 the number of full-time equivalent ASN teachers (publicly funded primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) has fallen from 3,389 to 2,836, a decrease of 553 teachers, representing a cut of 16.3 per cent and an all-time low.
Against the background of Covid-19 and its disproportionate impact on those with ASN, the SCSC has called for greater resourcing from both the Scottish Government and local authorities to ensure that those with ASN in Scotland’s schools receive the care and support they need.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “It is vital that those with ASN get the care and support they need, especially during and as we come out of the current Covid-19 crisis. This is also key if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap as we know that those with ASN disproportionately come from lower income families and areas of deprivation.
“Such a situation is clearly challenging in an environment of austerity and evidence of cuts in spending per pupil with ASN and in the number of specialist teachers supporting this group.
“It is vital that the Scottish Government and local authorities work together to provide the necessary resourcing to address the needs of those children and young people with ASN, who represent some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. “
The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal was signed yesterday, confirming millions of pounds of investment into the Scottish Borders.
Ministers of the UK and Scottish Governments and representatives of the five councils of the Borderlands Partnership signed the deal, which aims to drive inclusive growth and deliver significant and lasting benefits for individuals, businesses and communities, including the creation of up to 5,500 jobs.
For the Scottish Borders, investment will include:
· £19m for an ambitious project to create the world’s first Mountain Bike Innovation Centre, integrated adventure Bike Park and Trail Lab in Innerleithen (further details below)
· £11m Destination Tweed tourism project based around the River Tweed
· Funding to further develop the 7Stanes mountain biking network across the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway
· A share of £20m for town and community improvement projects through a Place Programme in the south of Scotland
· Funding for improved business infrastructure in Hawick and Coldstream
· Funds to support rural innovation and skills
· Projects to tackle gaps in digital and mobile infrastructure
· £10m to deliver the feasibility activity around extending the Borders Railway from Tweedbank to Carlisle
· Funding to support the generation of low carbon energy
· Pilot projects covering woodland, upland and agricultural areas to trial new approaches to valuing and protecting our natural capital to capture the benefits of our environment in a sustainable way
Councillor Mark Rowley, Scottish Borders Council’s Executive Member for Economic Regeneration and Finance, said: “The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal has been worked on by the various partners for a number of years and this level of investment and joined up partnership working has never been more important than it is today, as we look towards our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This deal can transform the Scottish Borders, allowing multiple, large scale projects to be taken forward by the Council and a wide range of partners, delivering new jobs and sustainable growth which will help support the region for decades to come.
“Significant investment into our towns and communities, our tourism infrastructure and our environment means that this deal will see the benefits shared right across the whole of the Scottish Borders.”
Innerleithen Mountain Bike Innovation Centre/Tweed Valley Bike Park and Trail Lab
A key element of the Borderlands Growth Deal for the Scottish Borders is the development of a new mountain bike innovation centre in Innerleithen that will support Scottish, UK and international businesses to develop innovative products and services within mountain biking and across the cycling sector.
In addition, a Tweed Valley Bike Park and Trail Lab will be created in what is thought to be a global first in terms of combining tourism and innovation. An adventure bike park will deliver infrastructure to attract and sustainably manage visitors to the Scottish Borders.
Borderlands Growth Deal will invest £19million in the project, which is predicted to contribute £141m in Gross Value Added (GVA) and over 400 new jobs in the South of Scotland.
The project partnership includes South of Scotland Enterprise as project sponsors Scottish Borders Council, Edinburgh Napier University and Scottish Cycling, through Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS).
Ed Shoote of DMBinS, the Senior Project Manager of the Mountain Bike Project, said: “It is fantastic news that the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, including the Mountain Bike Project, is pushing ahead.
“The vision is for the south of Scotland to be recognised as the European leader in mountain biking and this is an important step forward.
“There is still a lot of work to do to realise this vision and we will continue to work with the project partners and the local community to deliver the best project for the region.”
Councillor Mark Rowley added: “This project is a fantastic example of how projects funded by the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal can deliver multiple benefits, in this case attracting new businesses and jobs to the area and also attracting tourists from across the UK, Europe and beyond, building on the already well-established reputation of the Tweed Valley as one of the world’s top mountain biking destinations.”
Professor Nick Antonopoulos, Vice Principal for Research and Innovation at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Today marks another important milestone for Edinburgh Napier and its partners in our journey towards making the South of Scotland the mountain bike capital of Europe.
“The Borderlands Growth Deal will build on the fantastic groundwork of the Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland, hosted by Edinburgh Napier University who have been supporting cycling innovation since 2012.
“This investment will take the work of Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland to the next level, helping to drive innovation and support product research and development, whilst working with local and international companies.
“Together, these projects will power commercial activity, attract inward investment and deliver positive outcomes in terms of public health and supporting carbon neutral products and processes.
“We are also hugely excited by the potential research opportunities for Edinburgh Napier colleagues across a range of academic disciplines, including exercise science, health and wellbeing, engineering, inclusion, product design, artificial intelligence, big data and tourism.”
South of Scotland Enterprise Chair, Russel Griggs OBE, added: “This is a transformational project which could really put the South of Scotland on the map as a global leader in the mountain biking industry.
“The potential wider economic and community benefits for the local area are significant in terms of inward investment and jobs, as well as bringing further UK and international tourism to the region.
“I am delighted the South of Scotland Enterprise will be working with various partners to realise this ambition.”
