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24th April 2024
When I wrote the first edition of Local People Leading, I never imagined I’d still be doing it as I came to retirement but that is indeed what’s happened. And with all that needs to be done to ensure I leave a relatively orderly ship for my successor, Elizabeth Docherty, I’ve decided to make this my last. I’ve not kept count but a quick tally suggests this might be the 370th edition. And so, because it’s something of a team effort, a few thanks are due. To Jon Hollingdale who proof-reads it, often very late on a Tuesday evening, and never fails to find something out of place. To my wife, Trisha, for letting every second weekend be slightly less free of work than it should have been. To those of you who send me interesting items for inclusion. And finally to everyone for taking the time to read it and even, on occasion, commenting on its content. The plan is to pause for a while and then, once Elizabeth has settled in, for something else, perhaps a little different, to take its place. Over the years, I’ve come to enjoy the process of writing this newsletter. I’ll miss it.
In the most recent briefing…
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On the ground
Read moreThe plans to establish a National Care Service, despite hitting some significant bumps along the way in the form of widespread opposition from trade unions and local government to the perceived power grab by Scottish Government Ministers, continue to gather pace. And despite all the evidence that consistently highlights 80-90% of good health outcomes arise from factors outside of our formal health and care systems, the proposals make no mention whatsoever of how community based health and care ecosystems will be part of the new Service. LGIU highlights some good examples from England, Wales and USA.
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On the ground
Read moreThe shift to public transport or, where none exists, to community transport is slowly gathering pace but needs to move much more quickly if car use is to be reduced in line with current targets. And if the use of community transport schemes is to be increased, users first need to know where to find them. For the first time ever, a comprehensive map has been produced to show where all of Scotland’s community transport providers are based. And for good measure, the map highlights where the gaps in provision are as well. It’s proving popular too. 10,000 hits and counting. Well done, CTA.
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On the ground
Read moreHow well placed are Scotland’s communities to benefit both collectively and individually from the opportunities emerging out of the fast expanding renewables sector? To establish some baseline data on the scale of community energy at present and to scope out the level of potential interest from communities not currently involved in the sector, a major survey is being coordinated by Community Energy Scotland. So, even if you are not currently active in the market but might like to be in the future, this survey is for you. Deadline has been extended until 6th May.
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Policy talk
Read morePerhaps the most surprising thing about the Scottish Government’s belated admission last week that its much lauded climate targets had been ripped up was that anyone was surprised. All the low hanging fruit has long since been picked and those big, hard decisions that needed to be taken have been consistently ducked. So what should a Climate Plan look like now? It’s surely not the time to batten down the hatches, rearrange some deck chairs and kick those big decisions even further down the road. In his own inimitable fashion, Robin McAlpine suggests it’s time to change tack.
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Policy talk
Read moreCivil servants are an easy target for those who sit outside of government but are often directly impacted by the actions (or inactions) of those same civil servants. There was a time, long since forgotten, when a system of work shadowing was encouraged to promote better understanding across the sectors. Now we are reduced to second guessing why things happen as they do. From a distance, it seems that parts of the civil service are highly stressed and functioning much less well than they used to. If that’s true, then this is offered in the spirit of wanting to help.
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Policy talk
Read moreMany factors lie behind the Scottish Government’s reluctance to take the tough decisions that would have kept its climate targets on track. One must have been an internal assessment of whether any proposals for radical action had sufficient grass root support to outweigh the inevitable push back from powerful vested interests. And the view must have been that no such supprt existed. Joyce McMillan, writing in the Scotsman, argues that too many policy initiatives, irrespective of their merit, are perceived as being top down and therefore, almost inevitably, to be resisted. She suggests that chickens have come home to roost.