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Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Alexander Dennis bus firm pulls out of Scotland with manufacturing jobs at risk
Workers at Greenfold Systems Ltd in Dunfermline were informed of potential redundancies as around half the workforce are employed to construct parts for the firm's buses. Up to 90 jobs are at risk at a Scots manufacturing firm after bus company Alexander Dennis revealed plans to pull out of Scotland. Workers at Greenfold Systems Ltd in Dunfermline were informed of potential redundancies as around half the workforce are employed to construct parts for the firm's buses. The building - one of three - is dedicated to the work on the buses, with other sites in Lochgelly and Chatham, England. Graeme Downie, Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, said he has written to First Minister John Swinney about the threat of job losses. He told STV News: 'The management and staff at Greenfold Systems are doing their best in an incredibly difficult situation but the fact these 90 jobs in Dunfermline are at risk just shows the ripple effects of the SNP's economic incompetence and their failure to support Alexander Dennis and bus building in Scotland.' Plans under consultation at Alexander Dennis would close their Falkirk plant and cease production at the nearby Larbert factory, with 400 jobs at risk. Bosses at the bus firm this week said the closure of sites at Scotland is 'not a done deal'. The company told MSPs that orders for up to 100 buses and changes to regulation are needed before the end of the year. The jobs would instead be consolidated at a single site in Scarborough. In evidence to a Holyrood committee, president and managing director Paul Davies said: 'It's absolutely not a done deal, it is a consultation process." Davies told the committee the firm would need to see consistent orders to help stabilise the future of the business in Scotland. He said this would be around 70 to 100 buses by the end of the year and 300 to 400 for next year. Calls have been made for a furlough scheme to be put in place, with the Government being urged to step in and pay workers until building can begin. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes pledged earlier this month to 'leave no stone unturned' to secure a future for the workers at risk. Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Jamie Greene MSP said: 'This will be an extremely difficult time for the workforce at Greenfold Systems, and my thoughts are with them today. 'The SNP's failure to support bus building and buying in Scotland is inflicting a chain reaction of misery for workers and local communities across the country. 'If the SNP government are serious about delivering for our economy, they should be sitting down with the firm to thrash out a solution and finally get behind Scottish manufacturing.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Minister for Business and Employment Richard Lochhead said: 'I am very disappointed to learn that Greenfold Systems Ltd has entered into consultation with a view to making redundancies at its Dunfermline site. 'This will be a difficult time for the employees at risk of losing their jobs, their families and for the local area. Scottish Enterprise will engage with the company to better understand the reasons for this decision and whether it can offer any assistance. 'The people affected by this announcement are our immediate priority and the Scottish Government will do everything in its power to help those affected through our initiative for responding to potential redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment.'
Glasgow Times
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Glasgow Times
New speed limits set to be introduced across Bearsden
The new scheme will see widespread implementation of 20 miles per hour limits in residential areas, and also at stretches of several larger roads in the area. Public consultation held over February and March attracted 141 responses, including 94 valid objections and 47 letters of support. The vast majority of objectors claimed Switchback Road, Maryhill Road, Stockiemuir Road Duntocher Road, Drymen Road and Milngavie Road were distributor roads and suitable for higher speeds of traffic, while police said enforcement would be difficult without physical traffic calming measures. Supporters of the scheme feel that reducing speed limits for motor vehicles will create a safer environment for other road users such as cyclists, and also make streets more liveable for residents and local businesses, reduce emissions and also improve safety, especially near schools. The traffic regulation orders have been split into two groups, one being a list of residential streets across Bearsden where the limit will apply to their entire length, and the other focused on larger roads where specific stretches will be affected. Tabling the motion at the meeting, depute leader Councillor Calum Smith (SNP, Bearsden South) said this was not an example of the council hating cars and admitted that he personally had penalty points for speeding. 'When I first encountered plans to reduce speed limits to 20 miles an hour my knee-jerk reaction was the same as many. 'How can you do that? That'll never work. It's so slow'.' READ MORE: 'It is in desperate need of attention': Huge potholes on street set to be fixed He went on to say that over time he realised the importance of the road safety benefits and also of changing mindsets with regard to travel, and highlighted the massive difference for pedestrians being hit at 20 miles per hour versus 30, with the latter around eight times more likely to be killed. He added that in recent years the Highway Code had been updated to challenge the supremacy of the car in the hierarchy of road users, and that communities were not simply networks of roads to be passed through as quickly as possible but places where people should feel safe. He also said that people were very capable of quickly adapting to changes which initially seemed unthinkable, from compulsory seat belt use to banning smoking in pubs and back passes to goalkeepers. Councillor Alan Reid (Liberal Democrat, Bearsden North) moved for some alterations to the scheme, such as Maryhill Road where the dual carriageway has a 50 mile per hour limit on the Glasgow side of the local authority boundary, part of Stockiemuir Road leading out of Beardsen where there are no homes or businesses, and Milngavie Road, the main route through town, as slowing down traffic here would encourage drivers to use other streets as 'rat runs'. He added that otherwise he supported the proposals, and consensus was shared by Bearsden councillors as had been expressed at a recent meeting of ward representatives. The Scottish Government is providing funding towards the cost of implementing the new limits, such as funding, but also imposed a spending deadline which prevented any trial or pilot scheme. Three rounds of voting were held with the changes tabled by Councillor Reid treated as separate amendments 14-6, 15-7, but all were voted down in favour of the motion as presented by Councillor Smith.
Edinburgh Reporter
2 days ago
- Politics
- Edinburgh Reporter
Election data shows incredibly tight race in Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart by-election
Labour and the Liberal Democrats were neck and neck at the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart by-election, according to data released by the council. Under the Single Transferrable Vote system used by the election, candidates are eliminated in stages, with the lowest scoring candidate in each stage eliminated. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, and can rank as many or as few candidates as they wish. For each candidate knocked out, their votes are analysed. If a voter had a lower-ranked candidate still in the running, their vote was redistributed to them. Reform UK's Gary Neill was the first major party candidate to be eliminated, ranking last in the ninth stage, with 196 votes transferring to Mark Hooley, and a handful going to other parties. Next to fall was the SNP's Murray Visentin, who went at the 10th stage. The majority of his votes – 408 – went to the Scottish Greens' Q Manivannan, with 134 going to Labour, 116 to the Liberal Democrats and 29 to the Conservatives. This pushed Manivannan into the lead briefly, with their 1,595 votes standing 97 ahead of Labour's 1,498, and 115 ahead of the Liberal Democrats' 1,480. Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats were within 30 votes of each other for most of the transfer stages. But, the tight-necked race collapsed when Conservative candidate Mark Hooley was knocked out in the 11th stage. Some 387 of his votes went to the Liberal Democrat candidate, Kevin Joseph McKay, while only 166 went to Scottish Labour's Catriona Munro, giving Mr McKay a 199 vote lead. A rebound for Scottish Labour came when Manivannan fell out in the 12th stage, with 449 of their votes going to Mr McKay and 551 going to Ms Munro. But, it was not enough to secure Labour the seat. Mr McKay was still ahead by 97 votes – enough to bring him the victory, and increase the Liberal Democrat group in the council to 14 members. Ms Munro's votes were still redistributed in a 13th stage, with 1,093 of them transferring to McKay – leaving him with a total of 3,409 votes. It marks a stark reversal for the Liberal Democrats, who in the 2022 council elections took home just 7.1% of the first preference votes and were knocked out in the fifth stage. By comparison, this time, they took home 20.4% of the first preference votes. The victory is the third by-election win for the party this term, snagging one seat in March 2023 and another in November 2024. However, their win last year was incredibly short lived, with councillor Louise Spence resigning after six days due to her having apparently made plans to move to Dubai within days of the by-election. The party now holds 14 seats, below the SNP's 17 but ahead of Labour's 11 and the 10 each for the Tories and the Greens, as well as the council's one independent member, Ross McKenzie. To hold a majority of votes in the City Chambers, a coalition needs 32 councillors behind it. When asked on Thursday night if his group might make a bid to run the council, Liberal Democrat group leader councillor Ed Thornley said that his group 'will have a conversation'. By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Powys County Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Powys council misses information request deadlines
The number of requests for information met on time by Powys County Council plummeted during 2023/4, a meeting has heard. At a meeting of Powys County Council's Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet senior councillors received a historic annual report on Information Governance covering 2023/2024. The report showed that during that year the council received a total of 1,271 information requests under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and Subject Access Requests (SAR), 16 per cent up on the 1,093 received in 2022/2023. FOI and EIR requests are supposed to receive an answer within 20 working days while for SAR the deadline is 30 days. The performance during 2023/2024 saw was 73 per cent for FOI, 77 per cent for EIR and for SARs only 32 per cent were completed on time. This is down on the 84 per cent for both FOI and EIRs and 57 per cent for SARs that the council achieved in 2022/2023. The Information Commissioner expects the compliance rate to be at 90 per cent. The report explains that the team have had staffing issues during the reporting period. Cllr Raiff Devlin (Liberal Democrat) who was installed as the cabinet member customers, digital and customer services only last month said that an 'Information Management, Assurance, and Governance plan' was in place to try and improve things. As of the end of March last year only 35 per cent of this plan had been completed. Cllr Devlin said: 'Further work is required to meet the targets. 'Compliance rates have seen a decline, and this is as a result of resource challenges within the department. '66 per cent of non-compliant responses were due to delays in the provision of information by the service enabling a response to be drafted or released. 'Complaints to the commissioner are mainly linked to late requests.' 'The commissioner made decisions on two complaints, over an exemption applied and information held. 'The commissioner found in favour of the council on both occasions.' He said that the report provided 'reasonable assurance' that the council's arrangements and plan 'adequately' reflect the principles of good information governance. Cllr Devlin added: 'It is important to note that this report is from 2023/2024 and many of the forward plan priorities have already been actioned by the department and that the 2024/2025 report is in development.'
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Edinburgh by-election: Lib Dems consider council power play after winning Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart
The winner of the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart by-election for Edinburgh City Council has been announced. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Liberal Democrats have clinched a surprise victory in the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart by-election, further weakening Labour's position running the council. Newly elected councillor Kevin Joseph McKay said he would strive to 'make Edinburgh great again' and would look to focus on roads, pavements and active travel at the city chambers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Liberal Democrat Kevin McKay emerged as victor in the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart by-election | TSPL And following the result confirmed on Friday morning, which came after a close race with the Labour and Green candidates, the council's Lib Dem leader said an attempt at taking control of the local authority was not out of the question. Cllr McKay, a retired water scientist, emerged the winner in what turned out to be a close three-horse race. He narrowly squeezed out Labour and the Greens to win in a ward where the Lib Dems had finished fifth at the last council elections in 2022. Their victory gives the party 14 councillors – more than the 11 of the Labour minority administration, but still behind the SNP, who have 17 councillors. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Asked about launching a power grab for the council, Lib Dems group leader Ed Thornley said: 'We had a conversation after the [last by-election]. We will do the same this time.' The result marks a resounding boost for the Liberal Democrats in the ward, after the party only captured 7.1 per cent of the vote in the 2022 council election. When it came to counting the votes, Labour received the most first preferences, with the Lib Dems second. Cllr McKay was elected thanks to the transfer of votes from other candidates as they were gradually eliminated under the Single Transferable Vote system. Following the result, Cllr McKay said: 'I am feeling happy. And I want to get started. I've been a long time in the community council and I've been frustrated by some things that happened in the community council.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The by-election was called after the sudden death of Labour councillor Val Walker in April. Party sources across the council almost unanimously said the result would be hard to predict between the five parties in the chambers. Edinburgh City Chambers. | Getty Images Cllr McKay, now a pensioner, was formerly a scientist working in water treatment and has lived in Edinburgh for the past 11 years. Born in Dunfermline, he said he moved around during his youth and spent time in New Zealand during his professional life. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said he called Ms Walker a friend and they knew each other through their time in the community council. Cllr McKay was elected after 13 rounds, with Labour candidate Catriona Munro being the last competitor to be eliminated. Shortly before the win was announced, Liberal Democrat councillors and supporters started screaming and hugging each other in the council canteen. A few metres away and a few minutes later, council chief executive and returning officer Paul Lawrence announced Mr McKay as the winner of the by-election. Final turnout 33.1 per cent (6,264 of 18,945 registered electors in ward) Final first preference votes Bonnie Prince Bob – Independent: 36 Derrick Emms – Independent: 9 Lukasz Furmaniak – Scottish Libertarian Party: 25 Mark Hooley – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party: 857 Richard Crewe Lucas – Scottish Family Party – 857 Q Manivannan – Scottish Green Party – 1,133 Kevin Joseph McKay – Scottish Liberal Democrats: 1,269 Catriona Munro – Scottish Labour Party: 1,293 Gary Neill – Reform UK: 489 Mark Rowbotham – Independent: 25 Murray Visentin – SNP: 905 Steve Christopher West – Independent: 39
