Updates from Holyrood (Alison McInnes)

Alison McInnes <info@alisonmcinnes.co.uk>

Updates from Holyrood

Alison writes a regular column for local newspapers in the North East to keep residents updated with the latest goings on at Holyrood, and on her work on important issues from around the region. Below you can find a recent column, along with links to those from previous months.

May 2012

Local Elections

There are just a few days to go now until the council elections on May 3^rd, so a lot of my spare time in the past few weeks has been spent out and about with some of the local Liberal Democrat candidates across Aberdeenshire. We've been knocking on doors and talking about the issues that the election is all about - education, social care, local transport, housing and much more. It's always a pleasure to meet people and find out their views on how politicians can better work for them.

A lot of people don't realise the huge impact that decisions taken by our local councillors have on our everyday lives. The Liberal Democrats' have been in administration in Aberdeenshire since the council was founded in the 1990s, and I'm very proud of our record over that time. My colleagues on the council have done great things, whether it be gaining national recognition for their work on road safety and public transport, helping Aberdeenshire become one of the most environmentally-friendly areas in the country, or making more affordable housing available in towns across the Shire.

With all the media attention that Holyrood and Westminster get, it's often easy to overlook the work that goes on locally. But I've seen first-hand just how hard each and every one of my colleagues has worked for their local area over the past five years, and so I hope that the voters will once again put their trust in them to keep on getting the best deal for Aberdeenshire.

Ellon Health Centre

Something I've once again been highlighting locally is the need for a new Health Centre for Ellon. As many of you will know, it's been a long, drawn-out saga with much talk and very little action, which is a cause for concern.

It seems there is almost universal agreement that a new centre is needed, but the will to actually go ahead and start work seems to be lacking. I've raised the issue again with NHS Grampian, and so hopefully we may see some progress made soon.

Bus Services

One issue you might have noticed being debated at Holyrood last week was local bus services. Changes from the Scottish Government's last budget have just kicked in, and we are already seeing a big impact on bus companies across the country.

A cut in the bus services grant, combined with a change to the way in which companies are subsidised, means that we're beginning to see bus routes being cut and fares increased in many parts of the country. The real concern is that the change has been made with little consideration of the impact it will have on people who rely on bus services.

In a largely rural area such as Aberdeenshire many people need buses to get to work, or to go into town to do their shopping. That means any impact that the changes to bus funding might have on local services has the potential to be a real problem.

As ever, if you've been affected by any of these changes, please do let me know - this is an issue that my colleagues and I intend to continue to press the Government on.