Trapped by Raac: Have your say at Aberdeen 'Question Time' event
Bringing together those impacted by the concrete crisis and the leaders charged with finding a way through it, we'd like to hear from you.
Aberdeen city councillors, MSPs, MPs and ministers have been invited to join members of the Torry Community Raac Campaign group for the evening.
Whether you are a homeowner or tenant affected by Raac, a concerned Torry resident wondering what life will be like living next to a building site, or just an Aberdeen taxpayer who has an opinion on who should foot the bill, send us your thoughts and questions.
During our campaign, amidst heartrending stories of suffering and anguish, we've identified several questions to be resolved, including:
More issues were raised during last week's live P&J Raac debate.
If you would like to share your opinion or ask a question, use the form below.
We'll be sharing footage and content from the event afterwards.
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Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Ukrainian troops cut Putin's two-pronged frontline breach in HALF in wake of Trump summit in major blow to Vlad
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) UKRAINE has managed to cut Russia's two-pronged frontline incursion in half in the latest major blow to Vladimir Putin. Moscow suddenly breached an area in the Donetsk region as a reported 110,000 troops advanced on the eastern front being swiftly contained and pushed back. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Ukraine's armed forces prepare a Howitzer in Donetsk as they fight back against Russia's two-pronged frontline incursion Credit: Getty 7 Dozens of Russian military assets have been left up in flames as Ukraine continues to push back any advancing troops Credit: X/@NAFORaccoon 7 Soldiers of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade, known as 'Kholodnyi Yar' fire an anti-aircraft gun equipped with a thermal imaging camera in Donetsk region Credit: Getty 7 Putin's bloodthirsty forces reportedly advanced by at least 10km north in two prongs as part of his attempt to capture the entire Donetsk region. The terrifying development came just days before the Alaska summit with Donald Trump and was seen as a warmongering Putin trying to gain the upper hand ahead of the talks. Moscow currently controls over 70 per cent of the highly-contested Donetsk region. Capturing it entirely would allow Putin's forces to cause major disruption to supply lines on the eastern front and force Ukraine into submission. read more in Ukraine war PEACE PLOT Trump & Putin 'plan West Bank-style occupation of Ukraine' to secure truce Despite the Russians making an initial burst into Ukrainian territory these advances soon petered out. Ukrainian troops have since been able to drive the enemy away from positions near Rubizhne, Zolotyi Kolodiaz, Vesele, Vilne Shakhove, Nikanorivka, and Sukhotske, according to data from DeepState. Fierce battles erupted near the coal mining town Dobropillia with the 1st Corps of the Ukrainian National Guard announcing several hundred casualties for the Russians. The valiant corps also destroyed a Russian tank, took out two IFVs and managed to damage 37 light vehicles and three artillery pieces. President Volodymyr Zelensky also publicly praised the 1st Corps as well as several other units working in the Donetsk region in recent days. Speaking on X today, he said: "We are defending our positions along the entire front line. Donald Trump vows full peace deal not 'mere ceasefire' after Alaska summit as Zelensky to head to White House "For the second day in a row, we have achieved successes in some extremely difficult areas in the Donetsk region – in the direction of Dobropillia and Pokrovsk. "The destruction of the occupiers who tried to infiltrate deeper into our positions continues." Zelensky, who is now planning to meet Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss a peace deal to end the war, added: "I am grateful to all our warriors for their resilience." He also made a special shout out to the units of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade 'Kholodnyi Yar' squad. Footage of the resilient forces battling on the ground and in the air in the village of Vesele shows them eliminating dozens of Putin's men. A clip shows a kamikaze drone smashing straight into two bumbling troops as they venture across a road. Another shows a missile being dropped from the sky and exploding upon impact as it hits its Russia target below. The Kholodnyi Yar unit were even responsible for capturing several soldiers and making them prisoners of war. Has the Alaska summit helped broker a peace deal? AS Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin both flew out of Alaska on Friday it appeared as though the summit was an utter failure in the eyes of Ukraine. There had been no agreements on a peace deal as Trump appeared to be hesitant to truly reveal what demands Putin was making. But a few hours after the meeting ended Trump took to social media to reveal the meeting was a success in his eyes. Trump said Russia and Ukraine both believe a full peace deal is "the best way" to end the war - rather than a short term ceasefire. Now diplomatic sources have revealed some of the initial details of the potential agreement, according to news agency AFP. The US has reportedly proposed an agreement that would see Ukraine not join Nato - but instead be offered Nato-esque protections similar to Article 5. Article 5 on Nato's founding treaty agrees collective defense - meaning allies see an attack on one as an attack on all of them. Trump reportedly floated the plan with Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders during a call after his meeting with Putin. The US President is set to discuss the terms of an agreement with Zelensky on Monday when he travels to the White House. Zelensky did not directly address any potential plan but he did say on X: "We discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing security for Ukraine." 7 A Ukrainian walks through his decimated restaurant on the frontline near Dobropillia after a Russian strike at the start of the week Credit: Getty 7 A clip shows a kamikaze drone smashing straight into two bumbling Russian troops in Vesele Credit: X/@NAFORaccoon
The Herald Scotland
10 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish Government urged to back RAAC homeowners' campaign
Now, Ms McAllan has agreed to meet with representatives of the UK RAAC Campaign Group. Dozens of affected properties have been identified in Clackmannanshire. (Image: Scott Barron) In a letter to the group's chair, Wilson Chowdhry, she wrote: 'I am planning to meet directly with affected homeowners, in areas with the highest number of privately owned RAAC-affected properties; to listen to their concerns and explore potential solutions. It is my intention that invitations to attend these meetings will be issued to residents, local campaign groups and elected representatives. 'My officials will shortly take forward work making the relevant arrangements - which will include arranging meetings with affected homeowners in Clackmannanshire and West Lothian Council areas. 'Noting your reference to these areas, I will ask my officials to inform you when dates for these respective meetings have been agreed and to liaise with you on a separate meeting with you, as representative of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, as part of a wider engagement process.' Speaking to The Herald, Mr Chowdhry said he was 'relieved' to finally receive a response from the Secretary, although he expressed "frustration" at the lengthy delay. He said: 'Families have been living in financial and emotional freefall for months, and every day of delay has deepened their hardship. I can only hope that the legislative changes I have submitted—including restoring first-time buyer status, ensuring capital-only repayments without interest for any outstanding mortgages on homes lost through no-fault safety concerns, and reforming the Homebuyer Report framework—will be seriously considered when delivered to the UK Government. Mr Chowdhry's daughter Hannah saw her Aberdeen home plunge in value, after she was informed that contained the crumbing concrete. This spurred the veteran campaigner to meet the crisis head on. Aberdeen City Council has announced plans to demolish the homes. (Image: Getty) He added: 'Legal reforms could also prevent future crises by placing a legal burden on developers and contractors to rectify safety defects in buildings they profited from, rather than leaving ordinary people to carry the cost.' 'I welcome the recognition of the work of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, and while the Housing Minister has offered us a private meeting, the First Minister must also attend. We will not simply be discussing the human impact of this debacle—which the Government should already be acutely aware of—but will be delving deep into concrete solutions. 'The First Minister has already expressed openness to such an engagement, and the reality is that these decisions must be taken at the very top of government.' Ms McAllan was criticised in July after the Press and Journal revealed she had yet to respond to a letter sent by Aberdeen City Council appealing for urgent aid from the Scottish Government, a month after it had been sent. Commenting at the time, North East MSP Liam Kerr said: 'Getting a fair deal for the people of Balnagask should be top of the agenda for the new housing minister. "It took a massive effort to get the SNP to focus on the plight of Scotland's RAAC victims. "In Aberdeen there is a golden opportunity to use a pot of money that is more than likely going to disappear, very soon.' A decade-long City Region Deal reached in 2016 is set to expire next year, with £20m yet to be spent. Campaigners have urged the government to release the funding before it expires. The RAAC campaign has also received support from Scottish Labour. Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishman plans to lodge a formal written petition to Parliament in September, calling on the government to provide support for affected communties. Read more: 'We hold the cards': residents hit out at 'measly' council RAAC payments Aberdeen City Council recommends demolition and rebuild of dangerous RAAC homes Aberdeen RAAC residents take their case direct to First Minister John Swinney A Scottish Government spokesperson confirmed Ms McAllan's plans to meet with campaigners. They said: 'We recognise this is a worrying time for homeowners affected by RAAC. The Scottish Government takes RAAC very seriously and we have established regular meetings with public and private sector bodies to ensure best practice is shared across sectors impacted by RAAC. The Cabinet Secretary looks forward to meeting with campaigners, including homeowners, to discuss their concerns. 'We have repeatedly called on the UK Government to make available a dedicated RAAC remediation fund but they have failed to do so. 'We are continuing to work with local authorities across Scotland as they respond to the impact of RAAC in their areas and we expect all social landlords to be engaging with their tenants and developing plans to remediate RAAC in their homes. The Scottish Government remains closely engaged in this work.'
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- The Guardian
Monastic music that survived Henry VIII's dissolution brought back to life
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