Hansard

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

12 Sep 2012

Proposed Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill

I welcome the opportunity to take part in today’s debate, for which the term “the graveyard shift” springs to mind. Community empowerment and renewal go to the heart of not only my values but Labour Party values. Therefore, I relish the opportunity to speak about the good work...

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

12 Sep 2012

Proposed Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill

As a member of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee, I look forward to the bill being presented to that committee. I think that it will contain much on which committee members will find consensus. However, the committee will also scrutinise the bill when necessary. ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

13 Mar 2013

Petition

I agree with everything that John Wilson said. I declare an interest in that I am on the Public Petitions Committee and was among the members who referred the petition. At that time, I was thinking about the forthcoming community empowerment and renewal bill, and issues such a...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Welcome, panel. I have a few questions. I might dot all over the place. My first question is for Maggie Paterson. In your submission to the committee, you said that the bill’s provisions “do not directly facilitate community empowerment.” Throughout your submission you talk ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

12 Sep 2012

Proposed Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill

I stand corrected by Ms MacDonald. Claire Baker mentioned that if projects are set up in good faith, they can sustain themselves and do not need the same amount of funding thereafter.For the bill to be successful, there must be strong local leadership. Community development co...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Apr 2013

Public Services Reform and Local Government: Strand 3 (Developing New Ways of Delivering Services)

I want to follow on from what you just said. How do we improve community empowerment and community engagement?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

04 Sep 2013

Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill and Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

With regard to CPPs, how do these bills tie into the proposed community empowerment and renewal bill?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

25 Sep 2013

Regeneration

I mean the proposed bills on procurement reform, European funding, community empowerment and renewal, cities and the national planning framework.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

13 Nov 2013

Procurement Reform (Public Services and Community Regeneration)

I have a question for Mr Gould. In the written submission that we have received from Highland Council, as opposed to SOPO, your answer to the question, “How should communities be empowered by the new procurement system?” is not very positive. How do you think the bill will ass...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

13 Nov 2013

Procurement Reform (Public Services and Community Regeneration)

How could we amend the bill to ensure that we increase community empowerment and community benefit?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

11 Jun 2014

Flexibility and Autonomy of Local Government

When will the community empowerment bill be laid?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

05 Mar 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill (Draft)

I would like to ask about the consultation period. I am aware that there were two written consultations. To what extent did the Government engage directly with the people and communities?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Mar 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill (Draft)

Could you say more about the reconfiguration of finance streams? When do you intend to divulge that information? As you said, some communities are relaxed about saying what they really want to do, simply because of the current finance arrangements, so is that something that wi...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Mar 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill (Draft)

I am not normally the negative one on the committee, but I feel that I must be today. When you introduced yourselves, you said that the draft bill looks good and that you are all 100 per cent behind it. However, you said that there are implications. Are those financial implica...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

12 Mar 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill (Draft)

An omission that has not been spoken about this morning, although it is the greatest resource in our communities, is our young people. We spoke to the earlier panel about community councils, community planning partnerships, the structures that those involve, how they are creat...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

11 Jun 2014

Local Government Elections

I am keen to contribute to this debate on delivering improvements in the participation in and the administration of local government elections, given that I am a member of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee, that I was previously a Glasgow city councillor and that...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

24 Sep 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I will move on to the national performance framework and the national outcomes. I am intrigued by Councillor O’Neill’s earlier comment that there was an increase, rather than a decrease, in poverty after the work had been done. In what ways do the Scotland performs strategy an...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Sep 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Under the bill, can we do that through CPPs?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Sep 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Okay. Thank you.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Sep 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Staying on the subject of allotments, I note that, according to the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society, the bill “repeals the existing legislation and in doing so some of the protections for plot-holder and allotment sites contained in the provisions of the old legislati...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Sep 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Yes, I have another small point—in fact, it is a huge point. Some sector bodies have highlighted a difference of opinion, shall we say, in relation to the financial memorandum attached to the bill.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Sep 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

On lifting people’s game, many community groups in my area meet around the medium of sport. Have you spoken to and consulted people in sport?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Sep 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Sport should be a viable partner as it involves huge parts of our community, for very good reasons.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

01 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Good morning, panel. CPPs have been around for a while and you have all been involved in them, particularly Ms MacDowall, who has involvement in 27 CPPs. Why do we need to make that participation statutory? What difference will that make?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

01 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

How will participation change?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

01 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Will the new CPP structures that are set out in the bill make a difference to community involvement?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

01 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Good morning, panel. Could any changes be made to the provisions to enhance the power and make it more likely to be used? Could anything be done to make it more user friendly, accessible and transparent?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

08 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I thank Mr Hosie for what he said, which leads me on to the next question. You have illustrated the fact that some of our communities do not have the capacity to take advantage of the provisions in the bill. What will your organisation do to assist those communities?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

What would you do proactively to encourage community members?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Yes.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Yes. We have heard a lot that less-deprived communities will suffer as a result of the bill. What will your organisation do to combat that?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I will reiterate what the convener said. Given how prominent your organisations are in your communities and how hard you work, what plans—if any—did you put in place to gather information for the consultation?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Oct 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Has that made you think about how to inform your communities about the bill?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Dr Neil mentioned the involvement of local people—I fully appreciate your point. How best can we involve local people?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I have three small questions about the appeals process. As we discussed earlier, the bill requires local authorities to consult community councils and other community bodies about their common good registers. However, there is no appeals mechanism if the community disagrees wi...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Could Mr Gray give us an example of good practice in respect of the dispute resolution that he mentioned?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

And—

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Yes, convener. This might require just a yes or a no, but do you support the rules that require local authorities to have regard to the views of community councils and bodies when disposing or changing the use of common good property?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Thank you. My other question has been answered, convener.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I thank and welcome the panel members. I will stick to the issue of size, although I know that you have just discussed it, convener. Before that, I make people aware of the visit that I went on with Stuart McMillan. We are very grateful to Ian Welsh and to Judy Wilkinson, who...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I did not meet any allotment holders who were not concerned about what would happen if the size of allotments was not in the bill, in that local authorities could well take shortcuts and cut sizes. I heard what Mr Welsh said earlier: if people do not have a statutory size to b...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Yes, but the size matters. The concern from the community groups and people that I have met is that, if we do not define the size, local authorities might well take shortcuts and make half and quarter allotments, which would then get them up to the number that they should be a...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Good afternoon, panel. We will forgive you if you think that I should be saying, “Good evening,” as we have been here for a while. How will the bill assist with the measurement of achievements and value for money by public bodies? Will you incorporate in your answer some of t...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Given what Ms Gardner said in her answer, do you believe that there is enough in the bill that links local improvement plans, strategic priorities, partner bodies and single outcome agreements?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I have a tiny final question—I thank the convener for his patience. Should any community planning partners be removed from or added to the current set-up?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

05 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Thank you.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

12 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Yes, convener. It is just a wee supplementary.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

12 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Good morning, minister. I have loads of other questions, but I will ask them later. I have listened to everything that you have said so far, but I seek some reassurance on allotments. Councils are worried about what is contained in the financial memorandum about the requiremen...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

12 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I welcome those comments, but can you give reassurance to allotmenteers, who are concerned that local government might halve, quarter or otherwise reduce the size of allotments in order to meet its duties and requirements? Some people think that that is fine and only fair dos;...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

12 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Thank you, minister.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

12 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I share with the minister that, on one of our fact-finding visits, I met a plot-holder who is a single parent, who told us: “my allotment is my garden, my kitchen, my dining room, my gym and my social worker.” Their allotment is an enriching thing for them, and their comment...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

12 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

No, that is fine.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

24 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I thank the panel for having us along here tonight and I also thank the audience. The bill requires that “A community planning partnership must ... make all reasonable efforts to secure the participation of ... community bodies” that it considers “are likely to be able to ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I thank you for your comments. Transport is significant in this area of the Highlands. How would you get the community to participate in discussion on that issue? Would you ask for their views? For example, would you ask a community if it would be harmed by a change to a part...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I think Sarah-Jane wants to add something.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I think David wants to come back in first.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

24 Nov 2014

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

What happens, though, if the community council then disagrees with the bus company? Where is your role within that, given that you subsidise transport?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

23 Apr 2014

Flexibility and Autonomy of Local Government

I wish to return to the point that was raised earlier about considering solutions should we have a blank canvas. I am a community development worker to trade, and I enjoy hearing about all this. However, I have been hearing discussions about giving more power to communities fo...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

03 Feb 2015

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Alex Rowley referred in his opening comments to poor legislation and the challenges in the bill. Does he agree with the latest statement from the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society, which asks for section 7 to be removed from the bill and passed as separate legislation?

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

26 Feb 2015

Commission on Local Tax Reform

It sounds like a Green Party moment, asking me to rattle off figures off the top of my head. Yes, we want to see an increase and some restructuring, but I apologise for not having the figures off the top of my head. Tough and unpopular decisions have to be made—like the ones ...