Latest news with #AnnetteChristie
Glasgow Times
04-08-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Details of Glasgow city councillors foreign trips revealed
The list of excursions outside the city, approved by the chief executive under delegated functions, includes many in the UK and several foreign trips as far afield as Egypt and Japan. The total cost between September last year and May this year was £8460, which was for 24 visits by 10 councillors. READ NEXT: Glasgow recovery charity performs hard hitting play about suicide and survival Susan Aitken, the leader of the council, had the most visits with six over the nine-month period. The total cost was £967.20. Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life, was away on five occasions and had the highest bill, costing £3614.99. While Ruairi Kelly, convenor for housing and development and Allan Casey, convenor for homelessness and addictions, were at three each. Deputy Leader and City Treasurer, Ricky Bell, was away at two conferences while the Lord Provost, Jacqueline McLaren, city centre convenor Angus Millar, and councillors Paul Leinster, Imran Alam and Thomas Kerr were on one visit each. The highest single cost was £988 for Annette Christie to go to Strasbourg for a European Mayors Summit last October. The lowest was £31.40 for Susan Aitken to go to Edinburgh for a Climate Delivery conference. Other trips, which cost more than £500, include £739 for Annette Christie to attend the Eurocities SAF Conference in Amsterdam from May 13 to 16, and £615 to travel to Bucharest in Romania, for the Eurocities Heritage Hub Forum in October. Christie also attended the Eurocities and European Commissioners meeting in Brussels in February this year for three days, costing £526.99. A four-day trip to Belfast for Christie to attend the Eurocities Culture Forum last September cost £733. READ NEXT:'Serious concerns': Charity probed by regulator placed in liquidation Susan Aitken's visits include £648 for a two-day visit to Paris for the OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth meeting. The council leader also went to Japan for three days in April for the Global Cities Forum, with all costs met and no cost to the council. Aitken also visited the Royal Armouries Museum and New Dock in Leeds in May, costing £200. The council leader took three visits in Scotland, costing under £50 each, to Edinburgh and Dundee. Ruairi Kelly has three entries for visiting Manchester for 'various development meetings' costing £190 each. Allan Casey was a speaker at the European Harm Reduction Conference from December 2-5 last year in Warsaw, Poland, which cost £460. He was also a speaker at the UN Habitat World Urban Forum from November 4-8 last year, in Cairo, Egypt, costing £400 with other costs covered by the organiser. And he attended the Social Innovation Lab from September 18 to 20 last year in Torino, Italy, costing £455. Thomas Kerr, now a Reform UK councillor, travelled to South Shields in Northumberland for a Youth Services, Safeguarding, Radicalisation & Knife Crime conference, costing £600. Ricky Bell travelled to Brussels for the Eurocities Internal Audit Committee in March, at no cost to the council. He also attended a LUCI urban lighting conference in London in September, costing £354. The other trips approved were for the Lord Provost to go to Strasbourg for the Council of Europe in March at no cost to the council. Paul Leinster attended the Eurocities Digital Forum from April 1 to 4, in Bordeaux, France, costing £410. Angus Millar attended the Scottish Cities Alliance – Cities Week from January 19 to 21, in London at a cost of £185. While Labour councillor, Imram Alam, attended a LUCI urban lighting Summit in London in April, costing £447.25. The details have been revealed to the council's Operational Performance and Delivery Scrutiny Committee. The Chief Executive of the council is authorised, in consultation with the Council Business Manager, to authorise the attendance of elected members at conferences in the UK up to a maximum of £800 and to approve international travel up to a maximum cost of £1,000 per person.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New 10-year strategy aims to get Glaswegians more active
New Physical Activity and Sport Strategy for Glasgow 2025-2035 unveiled (Image: Glasgow Life) A new strategy is aiming to make sport and physical activity a core part of everyday life. Active Glasgow: A Physical Activity and Sport Strategy for Glasgow 2025-2035, developed by Glasgow Life and sector partners, aspires to enhance the lives of Glaswegians through activity and sport. Advertisement The plan, approved by the City Administration Committee, seeks to integrate sport and physical activity into the daily routines of Glaswegians. (Image: Glasgow Life) Read more: MSP praises Glasgow initiative making equipment accessible to everyone It targets health inequalities and promotes diversity, equality, and inclusion, with success measured by a positive increase in activity levels. Changes in environments, practices, and policies will be monitored in addition to evidence-based shifts in activity levels within targeted communities. Various partners, including sports clubs, health services, educational services, and public health organisations, will collaborate on the strategy's implementation. Advertisement The strategy has been deemed essential in light of figures revealed around the state of physical wellbeing in Glasgow. Figures have shown that 34% of adults and 31% of children in Glasgow do not meet the NHS's weekly physical activity guidelines. Bailie Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council convenor for culture, sport, and international relations, said: "Physical activity and sport have the power to boost mental and physical wellbeing, unite communities, and transform lives. "This strategy focuses on addressing the issues that prevent people from getting involved in physical activity by offering solutions to help more Glaswegians and visitors to our city get active and experience the benefits of an active lifestyle." Advertisement The strategy aims to make Glasgow a leader in creating an encouraging environment for physical activity. It proposes a single referral point for people who need support to be active and plans to develop the Live Active Exercise Referral Scheme and the Live Well Community Referral Programme. Dr Emilia Crighton, director of public health at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: "The health benefits of physical activity and active living are well-known. "Physical exercise is often branded a 'miracle cure', due to the critical role it plays in improving physical and mental wellbeing and helping to address a range of illnesses and health conditions. Advertisement "Creating an environment where physical activity becomes the easy option for people is central to health and wellbeing, and it is at the heart of this strategy. 'The focus on accessibility, availability, existing community assets, and greenspace, together with building confidence and skills for people of all ages, are critical to enabling this city to become an Active Glasgow – and therefore a healthier Glasgow.' The plan also includes widening access to green spaces, recreational, and sports spaces, and ensuring they are safe and welcoming for all. (Image: Glasgow Life) Read more: Glaswegians urged to 'light up the longest day' and help feed hungry children Paul Johnston, chief executive of Public Health Scotland, said: "Implementation of this strategy will transform environments, infrastructure, and services across Glasgow, making it easier for individuals to incorporate movement into their daily lives. Advertisement "Being physically active is hugely beneficial to improving our physical and mental health and contributes towards the prevention of illness and diseases. "We hope this will be the first of many local strategies which will drive the necessary changes to create a healthier, more active Scotland." The Active Glasgow strategy can be read in full on the Glasgow Life website.
Glasgow Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Return of Glasgow's fireworks display being explored
There has been no display at Glasgow Green since 2019 and Glasgow Life, which organised the event, had previously said there were no plans for it to be brought back. However, it has now emerged that officials are looking at a smaller event at reduced cost but still a public display free to the public. READ NEXT: Glasgow Labour clash with SNP and Greens over Kneecap in Palestine debate Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life told a meeting of Glasgow City Council that a report on the discussions would be produced int eh next two weeks. She said the budget is smaller and security and safety costs are high. Christie said: 'Currently Glasgow Life is exploring the feasibility of a similar event within a reduced budget of approximately £100,000 potentially through the Common Good Fund. 'The event would still be free to attend, take place around Bonfire Night and aim to deliver meaningful impact and quality. 'This work is nearing completion but does remain challenging. 'Safety and security costs are still substantial and may leave limited funding for a display of adequate scale.' She was asked by Jon Molyneux, Greens councillor about using the Common Good Fund for a display. Any new event would not be the same as before when tens of thousands were in Glasgow Green for a spectacular show and the associated costs could rule out Glasgow Green. READ NEXT: Council tells Celtic fans 'Do not attend' title party in Trongate on Saturday Christie, said: 'Glasgow Life previously estimated that reinstating the traditional free civic Bonfire Night fireworks display would cost around £330,000. 'This figure reflects the scale of the event accommodating 25,00 people and the need for a high quality display. 'Safety and security requirements are also a major factor in these costs.' She said that closing off a section of the park, and providing full police, security and medical support was 'challenging'. The organisation's chair said: 'We have to install hostile vehicle mitigation in the surrounding streets. We also have full security and medical deployment, complete with ambulance provision and Police Scotland provide anti-social disorder officers as well as the regular deployment of officers, which requires payment also.' She said she was 'happy to look at other areas of the city, not necessarily Glasgow Green' and suggested 'smaller neighbourhood displays' She invited councillors to come forward with any suggestions. Molyneux said a return to a free civic display would be welcome. He added: 'I'm pleased to hear that work is progressing and will progress at pace. 'I think it's clear that this is something that would be popular with most Glaswegians. "It would certainly be welcomed by the fire service and I think it's important that we extend the areas in the city that may be subject to fireworks controls.'
