Latest news with #SusanMcGill
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Bequest helps museum continue legacy in centenary year
The bequest will also be used to enhance and promote the Galleries and collections in years to come. While Ms Hubbard was born in Morningside, Edinburgh, in 1926, she grew up in Wemyssfield, [[Kirkcaldy]]. She went to Seaview Private School in the town and it was here that her passion for learning was nurtured. She developed a love for the arts and would spend a lot of time in the town's museum and art gallery with her parents. As it happens, the Galleries came into being as the result of another donation. When plans were being prepared for a war memorial to commemorate the soldiers who had died in World War One, local industrialist John Nairn donated further funding for it to be extended to include the creation of a gallery in memory of his only son, Ian, who died in France shortly before the armistice. Read More Argyll museum wins prestigious award after redevelopment success By coincidence, Ms Hubbard's father, Harry Hubbard, who was an architect in Kirkcaldy, was involved in drawing up the plans for the town's World War Two memorial. After leaving school, most of her working life was as a librarian at what was then [[Kirkcaldy]] Technical College, later to become Fife College. She never married and was known for giving many donations to worthy local causes. When she died in 2015, she left most of her estate 'for the benefit of Kirkcaldy Galleries.' Chris McLean, OnFife's Museum and Heritage Service Team Leader, explained: 'It took some time to settle Jean's estate, and it was not until 2023 that we began discussing how it should be used. 'We were very mindful of her wish that it be used for the benefit of Kirkcaldy and the Galleries, and with the Galleries' 100th anniversary coming up, along with the commemoration of the war memorial, which had also been given to the town and which her father had been closely involved in, it all tied in together and we started thinking about how to put this idea into action. Some of the money was used to purchase a piece of pottery, called the Referendum Teapot, by Scottish artist Susan McGill (Image: Supplied) 'With the centenary celebrations we wanted to be able to concentrate specifically on a special exhibition and other events around that, and we decided to create a temporary Project Curator post for a year to help do that. 'It was taken up on a job-share basis by two of our current team members, Jane Freel and Janice Crane, who have worked extremely hard with our Collections Development Manager, Nicola Wilson, and our Kirkcaldy Galleries' team to pull together all the activities around the KG100 events and exhibition.' Sadly, there are no paintings or photographs of Jean Hubbard but she is acknowledged in the A Century of Kirkcaldy Galleries exhibition that her bequest made possible. Some of the money was used to purchase a piece of pottery, called the Referendum Teapot, by Scottish artist Susan McGill. It was made to mark the Scottish independence referendum and reflects the thoughts and feelings of people at the time. The bequest has also been used to work with local groups such as the Beehive Nursery, with visits to the Galleries producing a wealth of animal-themed artwork for display in the art space, and with the Sewing Circle, which put together a banner illustrating 100 years of the Galleries in Kirkcaldy. With funding from Museums and Galleries Scotland, OnFife has also worked with The Hive, where young people from the LGBT+ community created a Pride banner which is on display in the centenary exhibition. And staff from OnFife worked alongside the Royal British Legion Scotland's Kirkcaldy branch to link the commemoration of 100 years of the War Memorial with the Galleries' centenary celebrations, including bringing Bud, Poppy Scotland's interactive touring exhibition to a Big Birthday Bash celebration in June, and culminating in a visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla in July 'We are very grateful to Jean Hubbard for her generosity which has enabled us to do a huge amount to celebrate the centenary and put the Galleries in the spotlight with displays and exhibitions,' said Chris McLean. 'From its very beginnings, the support of benefactors has enabled Kirkcaldy Galleries to become one of the best gallery spaces in Scotland and Jean Hubbard has continued that tradition, all to the benefit of the people of Kirkcaldy.' For more details of the centenary celebrations visit the KG100 page at
The National
23-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Stirling Labour councillors survive no-confidence vote
SNP councillors called for a special meeting last week to table a motion of no-confidence in the Labour administration's financial management of the local authority. Labour had been accused by the SNP of 'wasting millions' on projects, including shelving plans for £30 million worth of new and refurbished offices, and being in 'financial chaos' by accruing thousands of unprocessed invoices. However, despite being accused of failing the 'most basic financial housekeeping,' the Labour administration survived the vote of no confidence on Monday. READ MORE: Historic estate on banks of Loch Lomond goes on market for £7m Labour survived with 11 members voting in favour, and with 12 against the move. SNP Group Leader Susan McGill said: 'With Tory support, Stirling Labour's financial mismanagement of Stirling Council will continue. 'The Unionist parties will always back each other and put self-interest before services.' The Labour group will continue to run as a minority administration, led by Council Leader Gerry McGarvey. The Council's members are: nine SNP, eight Conservative, four Labour, one Green and one Independent. SNP Finance Spokesperson Councillor Gerry McLaughlan added: 'The cabal is dead, long live the coalition!!! 'This vote leaves the people of Stirling in no doubt; Labour and Tories are joined at the political hip, collude for power and will stop at nothing to protect their own political fortunes.' (Image: Twitter) The SNP said they tabled the motion on Monday due to a number of high-profile failures by Labour, including Stirling Council's agreement to spend £870,000 to rebuild the historic 117-year-old clock tower, which was demolished in a failed conservation effort. SNP Councillor Gene Maxwell said: 'Council Leader Gerry McGarvey has been a senior member of this administration for YEARS. 'Yet today his key defence was based on taking action a whole 5 DAYS AGO regarding unaudited and overdue accounts! Asleep at the wheel doesn't even get close!' The Stirling Labour group has been approached for comment.
The National
17-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Stirling Labour councillors face no-confidence vote
SNP councillors have called a special meeting next week to table a motion of no-confidence in the Labour administration's financial management of the local authority - which the SNP has claimed has reached a 'tipping point'. Labour councillors have been accused of 'wasting millions' on projects, including shelving plans for £30 million worth of new and refurbished offices and a £10m National Tartan Centre. Stirling Council's agreement to spend £870,000 to rebuild the historic 117-year-old clock tower, which was demolished in a failed conservation effort, was also highlighted by the SNP as another 'high-profile example of Labour's failure'. READ MORE: Independence 'the defining choice for this generation', says First Minister SP councillors have claimed that behind the scenes at the local authority, 'financial chaos is rife' with allegedly no audited accounts and a multi-million-pound management system that has failed to accrue thousands of invoices. The group claimed that Labour had failed politically at the 'most basic of financial housekeeping'. SNP Group Leader Susan McGill added: 'Labour's long, slow political decline is costing Stirling dearly. We are at a tipping point when something MUST be done.' Meanwhile, SNP Finance Spokesperson Councillor Gerry McLaughlan said: 'Political failure and financial chaos are rife under Stirling Labour. 'Change is desperately needed and our no-confidence motion seeks to stop the rot. Stirling's communities deserve better.' (Image: The Kilted Photographer) Labour holds a minority administration at Stirling council and are backed by the Tories. They took control of the local authority in May 2022, with Labour's then group leader Chris Kane, who is now the MP for Stirling and Strathallan, saying at the time there was no option but to try and find common ground in a bid to break a stalemate. Stirling Council and Stirling Labour have been approached for comment.
Daily Record
05-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Stirling schools music tuition in new cuts confusion
Campaigners say proposals to slash the service's budget by £200k were outlined to staff earlier this week without the knowledge of councillors - but council denies the department faces any savings Music tuition in Stirling's schools was this week at the centre of cuts confusion ... just two months after councillors unanimously rejected an option to slash it by £250,000. Staff from the council's instrumental music service were said to have been called to an urgent meeting chaired by a service manager on Tuesday of this week and told that education officers are seeking £200,000 of 'efficiency savings' from the service in this financial year. Specific details of where the axe could fall were said to have been outlined at the meeting. With councillors across the board unaware of the move, questions were then being asked over just how a cut of almost the same level was being brought in 'under the radar' without the knowledge of elected members. But yesterday (Thursday) the council denied any such cuts were being considered. Earlier, one campaigner told the Observer: 'The people of Stirling, through their elected members, have made it quite clear that they value and wish to see the music service remain intact and enhanced. 'Unelected council bureaucrats appear to be wilfully disregarding the wishes of Stirling councillors and are bringing forward these efficiency savings behind the backs of elected members.' A Stirling SNP group spokesperson meanwhile said: 'From what we have discovered, [the 'efficiencies'] could be over £200,000, with cuts to tuition at McLaren, Balfron and Stirling High Schools. 'Stirling SNP councillors remain resolute in avoiding the annual stress to families of such cuts at budget time and indeed our motion to protect music tuition was passed earlier this year. 'As such we are now concerned these proposals, if true, run contrary to this motion with cuts nonetheless being brought in 'under the radar' as 'operational efficiencies'.' SNP Group Leader Susan McGill said: 'The SNP group proposed to protect music tuition for the remainder of this council term, but if this is true, these services won't last past the summer holidays.' Stirling MP Chris Kane (Labour), a former leader of Stirling Council, said: 'Music education opens doors, nurtures confidence, and helps young people thrive. 'I've asked the chief executive of Stirling Council for urgent clarity on reports of cuts to the service. Any decisions must be transparent, accountable, and reflect the clear support all councillors have shown for protecting music tuition in Stirling's schools.' Local Scottish Conservative MSP and Shadow Minister for Local Government & Public Finance, Alexander Stewart, who was preparing to put an urgent question to First Minister John Swinney at Holyrood, said the move 'could have a detrimental effect on music teaching at Stirling, Balfron and McLaren High Schools, in addition to all associated primaries - potentially leaving pupils without a music teacher'. He added: 'Music has long played a central part in Scottish culture and the removal of this service could have a disastrous effect on these children's life chances. 'Also this situation is certainly not in the spirit of the unanimous motion in support of the music service passed by councillors only two months ago, which I welcomed in Parliament. 'So I have written to Stirling Council's chief executive requesting an urgent meeting regarding this awful situation.' As the Observer went to press, however, council leader, Labour's Cllr Gerry McGarvey, said: 'The administration stands by the budget motion of earlier in the year and is concerned that inaccurate information has been circulating.' A Stirling Council spokesperson also denied music tuition was being targeted for savings. They added: 'The 2025-26 budget saving proposal to review the music tuition service (achieving a saving of £200,000 in the current financial year) was rejected by councillors when this year's budget was set and therefore it wasn't implemented. 'All council services continually assess service delivery for improvement and to ensure best value. Work to identify service delivery transformation which may achieve savings is underway across services - but no savings are being taken forward in relation to music tuition.' The music tuition service has been a target in budget options tabled by council officials for savings for a number of years. However, the move has also consistently attracted strong protest and successive council political administrations have baulked at the idea of the cuts. Earlier this year protesting musicians - including teachers, pupils and supporters - struck up their instruments outside Stirling Council's headquarters, helping to cement the message on the controversial budget cut proposals. And ultimately councillors, while entertained by the musicians, were not entertained by the thought of slashing the music tuition budget. Campaigners have argued that such cuts would remove many instrumental music teachers currently working in Stirling schools, with serious implications for the staff concerned and hugely damaging consequences for young people learning music in Stirling. The local campaign against the budget cuts, which attracted more than 5000 signatures, was backed by international composer and former Gartmore resident Sally Beamish OBE. Former Stirling High School pupil and Emmy-winning musician John Lunn - who has composed for hit shows Downton Abbey, Shetland, and Grantchester - also backed the campaign, as did Jeffrey Sharkey, principal of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Daily Record
07-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Raploch residents remain in limbo six months after being given move ultimatum
The latest development at Penman Court saw residents being told they may have to move out for 'approximately 12-14 weeks' - but there has been no news since then. Residents living in a troubled Raploch housing development are still in limbo - more than six months after being told they would have to temporarily leave their new homes. Last October, residents who had already moved into social housing at Penman Court were told they may be forced to move out for 'approximately 12-14 weeks'. And others hoping to move into new homes are also still waiting for a date. The issues relate to ongoing investigations regarding the social housing after concerns were raised over foundations at the site. At a meeting of Stirling Council last week, SNP councillor Susan McGill asked convener of community wellbeing and housing, Labour councillor David Wilson, for an update on the situation. She specifically sought answers on 18 occupied semi-detached properties potentially needing repairs and asked whether the remaining 22 properties being built were now occupied. The situation also impacts Forth Housing Association and Castlerock Edinvar housing. She was told: 'The Housing Service advises that the 22 remaining properties are now at the final stages of completion, following remedial foundation works. 'These units are expected to be handed over to the council once the developer, Robertson Partnership Homes, secures the necessary completion certificates from Building Standards in the near future. 'In relation to the 18 occupied properties requiring decant for foundation investigations and subsequent remedial works, the service continues to meet regularly with Robertson Partnership Homes to monitor progress. 'It is anticipated that the majority of tenants will be temporarily rehoused within the new flatted developed of Site 22 on Drip Road. 'Final snagging works are currently underway at Site 22, with Robertson Partnership Homes preparing to seek Building Control completion certificates for these flats. 'Once Site 22 is officially handed over to the council, this will enable the decant process to begin. 'The service confirms that adequate time has been built into the programme to ensure ongoing tenant engagement and to ensure full communication ahead of the decant process beginning, with colleagues from the Housing Service providing support throughout.' Cllr McGill, however, pointed out that local councillors were informed and tenants notified of the decant as far back as October last year - and asked why there had been such a delay and how soon the work would be undertaken. Cllr Wilson replied: 'There are quite a few complications going on still with the handover of the houses and this was due to fixing issues with Robertsons. 'I am not quite sure at this point in time why there is still a delay but I'll come back to you in due course with an explanation for it.' The site at Penman Court covers a range of private and social housing and a professional assessment of potential problems, including possible foundation works was instigated. A spokesperson for Robertson Partnership Homes said last October: 'During the build on other areas of the development, issues were identified with the ground improvement treatment and as a responsible landlord, Stirling Council has instructed investigations be undertaken to homes completed prior to the ground improvement issue being identified.'
