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Six
Months And Still No Sign Of Life
 November
3 represents the six month anniversary of the election of
a Labour / Tory coalition in Falkirk Council yet what has
changed since?
In
Holyrood the attack on the SNP government is that we have
not delivered all of our manifesto commitments in the first
six months. Within Falkirk Council the jibe is that the
Labour / Tory coalition have failed to deliver any initiatives
in the first six months.
It's
hard to imagine a new administration at any level of government
that can not agree on a single new policy initiative yet
that is the reality of the current Labour / Tory Administration
within Falkirk Council.
In
contrast since the elections the SNP Group has brought forward
proposals in areas such as;
-
Introducing a Graduate's Work Experience Scheme to assist
young local university graduates gain work experience.
- Proposals
to regenerate commercial centres in areas such as Bainsford
and Banknock following the SNP's success in the regeneration.
- Tackling
anti social behaviour by restricting the sale of alcohol
to youths.
- A
scheme to teach more local history in our schools.
- The
inclusion of special interests groups in the membership
of Falkirk Council's committees.
- Proposals
to protect the viability of the district centres economy
by ensuring free parking is retained.
- Proposals
to protect the existing post office network against attack
from the Labour UK Government.
Residents
of Falkirk district will be unaware of most of these policy
initiatives as virtually every one has been ignored by the
Falkirk Herald.
Speaking
on the policy hiatus SNP leader on Falkirk Council David
Alexander said,
"It
is bizarre but true, there has not be any movement at all
from the current coalition to change any of the councils policies
or programmes.
This
is mainly due to the lack of unity that exists within the
new administration where the mavericks hold sway and genuine
leadership is sadly lacking.
Politically
there is little policy difference between the Labour and
Conservative members, both believe in privatisation of council
services for example. However, they seem incapable of agreeing
anything within Falkirk Council.
The
general atmosphere of confusion and loss of direction is
having a serious impact on policies and programmes introduced
by the SNP. There has been delays in progressing The Falkirk
Gateway, Denny and Grangemouth Town Centre regeneration,
the next phase of the council's investment programme in
commercial premise, the next phase of the Falkirk Stadium
and many others.
Put
simply, the Labour / Tory coalition are losing us the competitive
advantage the My Future's in Falkirk strategy brought us."
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