Latest news with #HeatherAnderson
The Courier
5 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
STEVE FINAN: Dundee homeowners deserve better than Raac fiasco
Imagine being a homeowner and a firm rolled up at your door and declared they were to attempt repairs on your home – whether you like it or not. The firm hadn't given an estimate, hadn't asked if the timing was convenient, hadn't said what guarantees were in place for a job that might not even be the best thing in the long run. And you might have to pay the bill for it. A bill you don't know the size of. Or the terms and conditions of. Or when you have to pay it by. Or the ramifications if you don't pay. I reckon most homeowners would tell them to go away – they'd probably use more robust language. If you're not a homeowner, imagine this concerned your car, or bike, or TV, or mobile phone. Is there anyone who thinks this is a proper way to tackle a problem? Dundee City Council said it will send a bill for Raac repairs after starting work on homeowners' flats in Cart Place. Without prior consultation. Now you may think people who have Raac in a property bought from the council have no one to blame. 'Buyer beware' is the phrase often used. I disagree. I don't believe anyone should be left with faulty goods through no fault of their own. I reckon a home should be of satisfactory quality and fit for its intended purpose. That means it must function, safely, for a reasonable length of time. And 'reasonable' for a home is several generations. If it doesn't, the seller (and that could be construed as the government) must remedy the problem. The same way a car will be recalled if it isn't safe, or a kettle with faulty wiring is repaired or replaced. This 'no consultation' fiasco comes down, yet again, to the single greatest failing of Dundee City Council. A failing that repeats itself multiple times in different ways – but that it never seems to learn from. Communications are woeful. They are silent on all issues. Why didn't they inform homeowners what was happening? Goodness knows what DCC's chai latte-sipping communications department does. It certainly isn't to communicate. It leaves our councillors looking like they are sitting in their comfy chairs in the city chambers saying nothing and doing nothing about a major issue. Again. By not communicating they look like they either don't know what's going on, or don't care. They are supposed to represent the people. I also find myself returning to Heather Anderson's declaration last month that she is to stand as an MSP. Heather, you identified Raac in homes as a 'priority' when asking for votes. No one forced you to say that. Cart Place is smack bang in the middle of the Dundee West constituency you want to represent. Are you treating this as a 'priority'? What is your opinion on the homeowners' plight? This is the sort of situation where ordinary people need politicians to fight for them. Communicate with your prospective constituents, Heather. How are you tackling your priority issue in this instance? As part of our Trapped By Raac campaign, The Courier is asking people to sign this petition to help give homeowners a voice.
BBC News
23-04-2025
- BBC News
Dog owners sought after boy, mum and pet bitten in Poole Park
The owners of a dog that bit a boy and his mother as she tried to help him in a park is being sought by Police said the boy, who suffered an injury to the back of his knee, and his mother were checked in hospital following the attacks in Poole Park last Thursday at about 16:30 dog, described as a large black Alsatian with a tan front, also bit the dog they were force said officers were keen to speak to a man with long black hair wearing a white or beige T-shirt and dark trousers and a blonde woman in a blue dress who were walking the dog. The force said the pair were also walking a second dog, described as a beige Heather Anderson, of Poole police, said: "I would also urge the man and woman involved to please do the right thing and get in touch with us so we can take your account of what happened."Witnesses and anyone with information are also being urged to come are allowed in the park off Parkstone Road, except within the fenced play areas. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
The National
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
How campaigners are fighting for Scotland to get back into EU
A delegation featuring representatives from campaign groups Yes for EU and Europe for Scotland as well as ex-MEPs Alyn Smith and Heather Anderson visited the European Parliament earlier this month to meet with six MEPs as concern grows for UK security post-Brexit in the era of Donald Trump. Andrea Pisauro, political coordinator for Europe for Scotland, said the MEPs they met were 'very supportive' of Scotland and were even open to working on a resolution in the years to come to outline the Parliament's position on EU enlargement and Scotland joining the EU in the event of independence. It is part of a long-term goal to build up Scotland's links with MEPs and keep awareness of the injustice Scotland faced in the aftermath of the Brexit vote alive, with some also keen to look at getting Scotland back into the Erasmus scheme prior to independence. David Spacey, of Yes for EU, told The National he left the Belgian capital buoyed by the conversations he had had and the positive attitude of Europeans towards Scotland. READ MORE: Report on currency in independent Scotland will give 'definitive answer' He said: 'I approached the day with a bit of a feeling of sadness, heading off to Brussels and the heart of the Parliament, and knowing we're not part of it anymore. 'But that changed as I met the others on the steps of the Parliament and we were doing a photo opportunity with the Saltire. This Spanish man came up to us and said 'are you guys from Scotland? We love Scotland, when are you coming back?'. 'Although that was just a member of the public, that summed up the mood of the entire day. That was the spirit and vibe we got from the MEPs we were speaking to as well. 'The door is very much open – open to dialogue, open to us joining, open to a closer relationship in any shape or form.' The delegation met with Italian MEP Brando Benifei, part of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, alongside several MEPs from the Greens/European Free Alliance group – Austria's Thomas Waitz, Par Holmgren of Sweden, Catalonian MEP Diana Riba i Giner, Vicent Marza from Valencia and Terry Reintke of Germany. The event was organised ahead of Europe Day in May, with this year being the 75th anniversary of the Schumann Declaration which proposed the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The ECSC was the first of a series of supranational European institutions that would ultimately become today's European Union. (Image: Europe for Scotland) But Spacey said he is keen to make it an annual event and get the message out there that the only thing stopping Scotland from joining the EU is the country becoming independent. READ MORE: Brussels is holding the EU door open for Scotland 'We think this should become an annual event, built around Europe Day on May 9 and linkages between Scotland and Europe,' he said. 'There was also some talk about inviting MEPs to come and visit Scotland, either as a delegation or as a series of visits and joining them up with Scottish ministers on devolved matters. 'I think we need to speak about how we get this message out across Scotland, that the only thing stopping from Scotland from joining the EU in quite a rapid fashion is the small matter of our independence. 'I don't want people to forget that injustice [Scotland faced]. I have two grandchildren and I find it absolutely heartbreaking that they will both have less opportunity to study and travel and work across the continent than I have had. 'That's just not on and in a time when both geopolitics and domestic politics, there are many voices trying to persuade us to cosy up to Trump, I think it is really important that we point out Europe is on our doorstep, they share our values, they welcome us.' READ MORE: MEPs pledge to support independent Scotland joining EU Pisauro said many of the politicians were acutely aware of Scotland being treated unjustly through the Brexit process after the vast majority of Scots voted to stay in the European Union and were dragged out against their will. He said a few were keen to look at the issue of getting Scotland back into the Erasmus programme to enable students to more easily study on the continent. Campaigners were also looking to explore whether MEPs felt it would take Scotland a long time to join the EU as an independent country, but he said Reintke told him she did not forsee this while others they met confirmed they were confident their nations would not veto Scotland joining the bloc. Pisauro said: 'Terry mentioned that she couldn't forsee it would be a long process at all because there is a degree of convergence already with the laws and the fact it had been part of the EU already as part of the UK. 'Unanimously they said there would be no veto from their countries.' Pisauro added he felt it was important to work with MEPs to 'keep the light on' for Scotland, especially in the face of Trump. 'We had quite a few comment from people who had been following the Brexit process over the years and they knew Scotland went through an unjust process,' he said. 'A couple of MEPs were scared by Farage topping the polls and there is a level of concern for the political dynamics, I think particularly in England. 'In many ways, we think it's a disastrous there isn't a Scottish voice in Europe so citizens from Scotland and Europe need to supply that voice and we need to keep that issue alive. 'We think it's important to keep the light on and remembering the injustice of Brexit. We think it's very important in the face of Trump to stand up for European unity and democracy.' Yes for EU will be sharing more from their trip to Brussels during an event at Augustine United Church in Edinburgh on Friday, May 9. To find out more click here.
