Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 16 March 2011
16 Mar 2011 · S3 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Denny Town Centre Regeneration
The distinction is an interesting one. It is not relevant, however. I apologise again to Mr McMahon. I did not see him sitting up there at the back. Given the extent to which the Labour Party claims to represent communities and the fact that it is the lead party on Falkirk Council, a Labour member could have been in the chamber to speak on behalf of their party.
I have been involved in the Falkirk area for a number of years, both as an elected regional list member and when I worked for the previous member. I have watched various programmes come about, including the Falkirk gateway project, and I have seen the changes in Stenhousemuir and in the region. Denny and Dunipace just seem to have missed out; I have not yet figured out why.
Margaret Mitchell set out clearly the history of the extent to which consultations have taken place, are on-going and will take place. As someone from Cumbernauld who has seen the same process, I know how fed up people can become with that. It is possible to overconsult—indeed, at times, overconsulting is simply an excuse for kicking things into the long grass. I say that notwithstanding legitimate observations about planning consents and who owns what building.
At some point, someone has to take responsibility, draw a line under the consultations and say, “We’re going to do something about this.” The situation that we are debating is characteristic of many other examples that members have raised in the chamber in describing consultations and involving communities only for nothing to happen. Those who are responsible—co-incidentally, they are up for election next year—need to be held to account. I refer to the current or any future composition of the local authority—with Falkirk Council one can never tell. Somebody needs to take some action on the matter. I have full sympathy and empathy for the people of Denny and Dunipace. They feel as if nothing is being done and that they are being ignored.
I congratulate Michael Matheson again on bringing the matter to Parliament and I hope that some of the publicity that may result from the debate will prompt somebody in Falkirk Council to address some of the challenges.
12:32
I have been involved in the Falkirk area for a number of years, both as an elected regional list member and when I worked for the previous member. I have watched various programmes come about, including the Falkirk gateway project, and I have seen the changes in Stenhousemuir and in the region. Denny and Dunipace just seem to have missed out; I have not yet figured out why.
Margaret Mitchell set out clearly the history of the extent to which consultations have taken place, are on-going and will take place. As someone from Cumbernauld who has seen the same process, I know how fed up people can become with that. It is possible to overconsult—indeed, at times, overconsulting is simply an excuse for kicking things into the long grass. I say that notwithstanding legitimate observations about planning consents and who owns what building.
At some point, someone has to take responsibility, draw a line under the consultations and say, “We’re going to do something about this.” The situation that we are debating is characteristic of many other examples that members have raised in the chamber in describing consultations and involving communities only for nothing to happen. Those who are responsible—co-incidentally, they are up for election next year—need to be held to account. I refer to the current or any future composition of the local authority—with Falkirk Council one can never tell. Somebody needs to take some action on the matter. I have full sympathy and empathy for the people of Denny and Dunipace. They feel as if nothing is being done and that they are being ignored.
I congratulate Michael Matheson again on bringing the matter to Parliament and I hope that some of the publicity that may result from the debate will prompt somebody in Falkirk Council to address some of the challenges.
12:32
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman)
Lab
The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S3M-7682, in the name of Michael Matheson, on Denny town centre regeneration. The debate wi...
Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome a number of the local residents of Denny and Dunipace who have come here for this debate because it is on a very important issue in their community...
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
Michael Matheson’s motion is in three parts. The first part asserts that“there is widespread dissatisfaction among residents in the Denny and Dunipace area r...
Hugh O’Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD)
LD
My congratulations go to Michael Matheson on bringing the issue to the chamber, and on his extensive knowledge of the locality. For my sins, or otherwise, I ...
Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member give way?
Hugh O’Donnell
LD
I apologise to the member. I did not see him sitting up there at the back.
Michael McMahon
Lab
The Denny area is represented by the constituency MSP who is leading the debate. The other members who are taking part are list MSPs for the area. Labour doe...
Hugh O’Donnell
LD
The distinction is an interesting one. It is not relevant, however. I apologise again to Mr McMahon. I did not see him sitting up there at the back. Given th...
Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, congratulate Michael Matheson on securing the debate. I welcome residents from Denny and Dunipace to the public gallery.I, too, think that it is disa...
Michael McMahon
Lab
I came to the chamber to pick up papers for this afternoon’s debate on the local government finance orders. There is no Labour representative in the Parliame...
Jamie Hepburn
SNP
That was a very useful clarification. There is no interest from the Labour Party in Denny town centre. It is also very useful to know that Mr McMahon is sitt...
Margaret Mitchell
Con
On what basis can the member say that there is complacency from the Conservatives on the council?
Jamie Hepburn
SNP
On the basis of Ms Mitchell’s contribution, in the main.Hugh O’Donnell stole my thunder somewhat. Like him, I live in Cumbernauld, which, as he mentioned, wo...
The Minister for Housing and Communities (Alex Neil)
SNP
I, too, congratulate Michael Matheson not just on obtaining the debate, but on the tremendous work that he has done, especially for Denny and Dunipace, first...
Margaret Mitchell
Con
I take it that the minister is referring to the motion, which talks about dissatisfaction among the residents about the regeneration process and how it is be...
Alex Neil
SNP
I am referring to both the need for regeneration and the regeneration process—or, as the local people would say, the lack of a regeneration process.Two or th...
Hugh O’Donnell
LD
As Michael Matheson pointed out, the problem is long standing. It predates the current economic circumstances, regardless of who is to blame for them. Conseq...
Alex Neil
SNP
I have visited Falkirk Council to discuss regeneration in general and the needs of certain areas in particular. Of course, every council faces the challenges...
Margaret Mitchell
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Alex Neil
SNP
I am afraid that I do not have time.There is plenty that can be done with a bit of imagination and leadership. If Falkirk Council comes to me as the regenera...