Councillor Dougie McFadzean, Kintyre South and the Islands
As the nights start to draw in and we face another long autumn and winter period, I cannot help but worry for those of us struggling to make ends meet.
The cost of living crisis is having a real and profound effect on all of us, particularly people who have lower incomes.
Inflation is still very high and I have already noticed fuel prices increasing yet again, which will have a knock on effect on just about everything, from food prices to the cost of heating oil, which a lot of us still use to heat our homes.
If you find you are struggling to pay your bills, please reach out to the council for help and advice. Have a look at the council website for guidance.
It has been an extremely busy four weeks for me yet again. I attended my first meeting of the council’s audit and scrutiny committee, which I have now joined. The remit is to examine closely the operations of the council at every level to ensure it is efficient, compliant and transparent in the way it serves our communities.
My first meeting was excellent and I’m looking forward to working with this small group of councillors and staff.
I’ve attended a couple of meetings with Islay and Jura Community Enterprises (IJCE) in the past few weeks, where I sit on the board. IJCE is more commonly known as “The MacTaggart Centre” on Islay, or more simply “The Pool”, but the charity does so much more than simply provide swimming.
Activities including injury/illness rehabilitation, fitness, support for older people both within and out with the building, youth support and many other offerings. It’s a constant challenge to raise enough funds to keep the place running and I have to say the staff and funding partners have been brilliant in keeping the centre open.
I am loving being involved with the IJCE and want to see it succeed well in to the future.
On Thursday I attended the full meeting of the council at HQ, Kilmory. It was disappointing to see such a low “in person” turn out at the meeting.
Holding meetings online is all well and good, and can be very helpful, but I believe “in person” meetings are far more effective and debate can be carried out more effectively.
Only three councillors from the administration group turned up in person at the council chambers.
To lighten my update a bit: why the picture of a large bin, may you ask.
Well, I’m finding out that the job of a councillor is even more wide and varied than I had originally thought.
We set council budget spending, decide on local priorities, fight for local improvements in services (including ferries), speak with Government Ministers lobbying for our areas and people, get potholes fixed, deal with complaints and other distressing issues – and sort bins!
The bin story has taken many months of work, believe it or not. About two years ago Tayinloan ferry terminal lost its large commercial bin to the sea during a storm. I was contacted by a concerned local resident several months after I was elected and he pointed this out to me.
Many months of conversations back and forward between me and council officers, plus visits to Tayinloan, have now resulted in a brand new bin being located at the pier.
I am as happy getting this sorted as I am getting positive results from Government Ministers.
I’ve got a huge area to cover and will try my best to help in every location in my ward.
I’ve included a few pictures of me around the area in the past couple of weeks, which gave me the opportunity to talk to lots of constituents, business staff and visitors to beautiful Kintyre and the Islands.
As ever, if you want to get in touch the best way is to pop me an email, thanks.