More Scottish Government money comes to Glasgow!

I'm attending an update event on the Commonwealth Games tonight at Tollcross Leisure Centre (5pm, all welcome!), so I was particularly pleased to see in my news feed this morning that Glasgow will be getting even more money from the Scottish Government related to the Commonwealth Games. 

The Scottish Government are already providing 80% of the funding for the Games; this additional sum of over £1m will go towards the redevelopment of the Theatre Royal and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

I've heard a few people in arts organisations mention that they were a bit concerned that the focus would be sport, sport, sport in the run up and legacy for Glasgow 2014, so it's good to hear that these important cultural venues will be getting investment too. 

From the Scottish Government press release:

"Culture and External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop confirmed the Scottish Government has allocated more than a million pounds from its 2011/12 budget for work on the Theatre Royal and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

Scottish Opera will receive £605,000 to progress plans to upgrade the Theatre Royal while the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) will receive £413,000 towards the redevelopment of its new home at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

Ms Hyslop said:

"Hosting the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is a fantastic opportunity to create a lasting legacy for the people of Scotland.

"The Scottish Government's funding commitment will enable Scottish Opera and the RSNO to take the first steps with the redevelopment of these venues, enhancing the programme of cultural activities on offer in 2014 and beyond and supporting Glasgow's continued status as UNESCO City of Music.

"These projects form part of the major regeneration work going on in Glasgow in preparation for the Commonwealth Games, which includes more than £1 billion of infrastructure projects which are already helping generate significant economic benefits for Glasgow and the whole of Scotland.

"The Scottish Government is passionate about delivering a successful Games which is not only a spectacular sporting extravaganza but which also showcases Scotland's world-renowned culture and creativity. Our intention is to make a further substantial capital contribution to the overall construction costs of the Theatre Royal Redevelopment and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall projects."

Time Capsule

On Friday afternoon, I attended the placing of a time capsule on the Glasgow 2014 NISA and velodrome site.

Local children had chosen a number of items, including the t-shirt from Dalmarnock Primary School you can see in the photo, to put in the capsule. The staff from contractors McAlpine had inserted a concrete shaft with a lid to make sure it'll be kept safe and dry until the day comes when it is rediscovered.

I read recently about a time capsule being recovered almost one hundred years since it was placed. The idea fascinates me, that these children have created their own small piece of history. They were keen to tell their own story of Dalmarnock now, and their hopes for the future.

I wonder if they'll be around when the capsule is re-discovered, and what will have changed.

£2.8m for Dalmarnock Station!

More good news for Glasgow today - and excellent news for my constituents.

A bid for European Regional Development Funding for the refurbishment of Dalmarnock Station has been successful, and will bring nearly £3m in investment.

As you can see from the photos, there's a lot of improvement to be done, and works will need to get underway soon to ensure the station is ready for the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

This station has been neglected for many years, and I'm glad to see that it's being brought up to scratch by an SNP Government. This will benefit my constituents, people travelling to the area for the Games and the football, and local businesses.

Scottish Government press release:

Dalmarnock Station in Glasgow's East End to be redeveloped European funding of 2.8 million pounds is being invested in a project which will help support the redevelopment of Dalmarnock Rail Station in Glasgow's East End.

John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, announced the funding package for the station, which will be a key transport hub for the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

The work at Dalmarnock will offer commuters more travel choices through the heart of the Games village and help meet travel demands beyond the Games.

Mr Swinney said:

"The Scottish Government is working tirelessly to ensure the right infrastructure is in place to support sustainable economic growth. That's why I'm delighted to announce this 2.8 million pounds investment from the European Regional Development Fund which will help support the redevelopment and refurbishment of Dalmarnock Station.

"When delivered, the station will not only provide additional transport services for the Commonwealth Games, but also help support the regeneration of the wider Dalmarnock area.

"As we look forward to the Games in 2014, this investment will help deliver an efficient transport network for visitors to the city, as well as a lasting legacy of improved transport links in Glasgow's East End."

Background Project Partners delivering Dalmarnock Station refurbishment are Transport Scotland, Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, Clyde Gateway and Network Rail. Project partners are currently working up preferred options for the station redevelopment. This work is progressing well for delivery in 2013. The ERDF contribution towards the funding for the scheme has been confirmed as 2,859,500 pounds.

Dalmarnock station

As part of the investment for the Commonwealth Games and in connection to the regeneration taking place in my ward through Clyde Gateway, the train station at Dalmarnock will be receiving a substantial upgrade.


I went for a meeting with SPT officials this week, and got a bit more information on the plans for the station and the timescale for the improvements.

I use the station occasionally going to meetings in Dalmarnock, but it's a bit isolated and it's usually easier to get the bus.

I'm not alone in this view, as it's pretty quiet. At the moment, the station faces out on to Swanston Street, which makes it all but invisible from the main road. Some early plans show a change in the entrance to Dalmarnock Road, and this seems to have been a popular idea at Clyde Gateway's consultation meetings.

SPT are currently working with partners to draw up a series of options, and working out the costs of the improvements.

The station itself, as you can see from the pictures, is pretty unusual, with large concrete beams supporting retaining walls, and bridges going overhead. This makes it more challenging to get the station up to the best standards to allow access for disabled passengers. Lifts would clearly be the best solution, but with limited space, I can see that careful planning will be required to fit them in safely.

The station will be well-placed for the Commonwealth Games, and everyone is keen to see it play a part, bringing tourists, and then being available for the new residents who will come to live in the area afterwards.

The officials hope to have the refurbishment work completed by the autumn of 2013, and I'll certainly keep you updated with any further information.






Eastbound platform - this may end up being the new entrance from Dalmarnock Road.







Platforms and tunnel - the roads above are Swanston Street on the left and Dalmarnock Road straight ahead.








Bridge over the tracks and supporting beams - you can see how narrow the station is, and how little room there is to redevelop.



I'd like to give my thanks to Cllr Watson and his staff for their time and the helpful information they provided.

More SNP Government money for Glasgow

News today that the Commonwealth Games is set to receive an additional £39 million from the Scottish Government. Our Government is also putting in place a £20 million contingency fund. Glasgow City Council are putting in £9 million, and the Organising Committee hopes to raise £13 million through commercial activities.

Does this mean that Labour politicians will still be claiming Glasgow's being ripped off? Silence, all around. The blessed organ of impartiality and truth has a uncharacteristically mild quote from the leader of the Council noting his "disappointment" at the cost increase.

Interestingly, it seems that the root of the funding shortfall lies not with Glasgow, or the Scottish Government, but with the BBC. According to The Herald:

"the largest single factor contributing to the budget increase has been the refusal of the BBC to commit to signing up to becoming host broadcaster, creating a potential multimillion-pound deficit."

The BBC is dithering on whether they will show the Games on free to air tv. I don't recall much debate about covering Melbourne or Manchester; indeed, at the time, Manchester was trailled as being the BBC's biggest outside broadcast operation. For the Olympics, they sent more staff to Bejing than Team GB had athletes. I would expect the coverage of Delhi next year to be just as comprehensive.

The BBC's involvement in Glasgow 2014 didn't get off to the best of starts, missing the live announcement of Glasgow winning the bid, but to bargain over the price to the extent where coverage is threatened entirely is bizarre. Given the limited ability of other channels to cover such big events, the BBC is the only game in town. The contract for 2014 coverage should be today's equivalent of the service provided to previous Commonwealth Games.

Most championships in athletics, bowls, and tennis are already covered by the beeb. Coverage of F1 has improved immeasurably since the BBC won back the contract, Euro 2008 and Wimbledon in HD were utterly glorious and Match of the Day continues to be very high quality. The nearest comparison was the utterly woeful ITV coverage of English cup competition, dreadful both in presentation and in punditry.

The BBC has the expertise and the capacity to showcase Glasgow to the world in 2014. To mess the Organising Committee about only adds to complaints of Scotland being marginalised by the BBC.

Common Wealth?

I recently attended the showing of a 'rough cut' of a video, and am pleased to be able to link to the finished version below. It illustrates local people's hopes and fears about the Commonwealth Games. I think it's a very important and well-considered work, and have put it up here for people to have a look at. Comments would be most welcome. Please pass on the link http://vimeo.com/1605372 to anyone you think would be interested!


Common Wealth? - East End hopes & fears for the 2014 Games from Peter Gerard on Vimeo.

Inner East End – Common Wealth?

This DVD was produced through a partnership with Faith in Community Scotland, Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (GCVS) and The Village Storytelling Centre in Glasgow. Our plan for this project was to produce an 8 to 10 minute video exploring the aspirations and fears of local people from Glasgow's Inner East End with relation to the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2014. Many of the local communities in the East End of Glasgow fall within the poorest 5-15%, according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), it is important to us to ensure local people can express their views in relation to the legacy of the games.

We interviewed people from the Inner East End with the aim of covering a range of different backgrounds and experience to express the diversity within the communities. The number of participants was kept low so the video maintains focus and the individuals are able to speak freely.

Approach
The approach to interviews was designed to stimulate free-flowing conversation, hoping to get to the heart of people's feelings about the Games and their dreams and fears for the future of their community. Each interview was conducted in an exterior location relevant to the interviewee and the issues being discussed. Interviews began by showing the subject a video clip of the announcement of the success of the Bid and the excitement of crowds in Glasgow. This "trigger" encouraged those interviewed to react to the clip and begin talking about his or her own feelings.

What Now?
The DVD will act as a ‘discussion starter’ for an event which will bring together both local people and strategic partners to sit together and discuss how people’s hopes can be realised and how their fears can be addressed.

It is hoped that further funding can be secured to re-interview some of those who participated in this DVD, alongside some new faces, as the years roll forward to 2014. This will allow us to monitor progress on the original hopes and fears as well as keep in touch with new ones which will naturally evolve as the games approach. It is also hoped that a similar exercise can be carried out after the games to measure the impact the games have made in the local area.

Directed by Peter Gerard
Interviews & Research by Julie Dawid & Peter Gerard
Camera by Leo Bruges
Editing by Andy Green
Music by Mick Cooke
Story Consultation by Rachel Smillie

Dalmarnock Post Office closed

I was very disappointed, but not entirely surprised to hear the confirmation that the Post Office on Springfield Road was indeed one of the ones to be closed in Glasgow. While a few were saved, others have been chosen to stand in their place, due to the crazy position where a certain number (44) have to be closed in this area, come what may. Operating in this fashion really gives no certainty and no confidence in the manner in which Post Offices are selected for closure. If the original 44 were supposed to be chosen with particular criteria, why were they even allowed to be "saved"? And if a certain number must be closed, does this not completely undermine the concept of consultation?

Aside from the immediate Post Office issue, I'm really worried that the people of Dalmarnock are being left with fewer and fewer facilities. It almost seems as though they are being fobbed off with the big bright hope of the Commonwealth Games; "sit tight, it'll all be fine by 2014". That's just not acceptable to me, and I really hope I'm not proved right.

Unexpected press

I was a bit surprised yesterday to get a call from the Evening Times about Dalmarnock Sewage Works (the majority of coverage this last week has mostly involved one particular Labour Councillor in the ward, so I'd started to think I didn't exist to them!).

I know that that local people have complained about the smells from the plant, as well as issues of river pollution, but I had some confidence that Scottish Water would be fulfilling their commitment to refurbish since the Commonwealth Games bid was successful. This seems now not to be the case, so I've taken the issue to Scottish Water for a reply. I'll keep the blog updated on what I find out...

Glasgow did it!

Totally delighted by today's news that Glasgow has won the Commonwealth Games bid for 2014. I was at the Old Fruitmarket for the announcement, and I've never been in a room so tense! My hands were shaking as we got closer and closer to the result.

After the result was called, I headed out to the Bambury in my ward to join the celebrations. It's great news for the people of the East End of Glasgow, and the folk at the Bambury were excited for what the future holds. I hope we can all make it live up to their expectations.

Off to work with my fingers crossed...

So today's the day. By lunchtime, we'll know whether or not the Commonwealth Games comes to Glasgow or goes to Abuja. I've got a few butterflies in my stomach; this is such an important decision for the city and for the people I represent. I hope our team in Sri Lanka have done enough to convince the Commonwealth delegates that we're the best choice.

Commonwealth Games

Today's Herald carries news of Glasgow's bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. I'm really excited about this, not least because significant parts of the games will be held in the area I hope to represent come May.

Looking around just now, there are huge gaps in the landscape, areas left vacant and decaying. Some of the land is contaminated by long-gone industries. In my view, the East End of Glasgow has been neglected by the Council - so many areas seem so uncared for.

I don't believe that the East End of Glasgow should have to rely on the Commonwealth Games to get investment, but I do believe it's a great opportunity to provide new facilities.

The plans show that Dalmarnock will be the location for the athletes village - which afterwards will provide much-needed new housing in the area. I hope that the East End in it's entirety is considered as part of the plans - it's easy to build a shiny new "village", but if the problems (poor health, vandalism, anti-social behaviour, crime and lack of decent housing) that many residents face are not dealt with, the area will continue to be left behind. I intend to fight to ensure that all residents benefit from the investment the Games will bring.

I still have a niggling worry that if Glasgow doesn't get the games, that the Scottish Executive will pull the plug on funding regeneration, especially after reading this part of the Bid website:

"The Scottish Executive and Glasgow City Council have agreed to underwrite the costs of staging the Games. This will be on the basis of an 80/20 split. It is expected that the majority of the 80% of costs to be covered by the Executive will be new money committed to the sports and major events budget."

With this kind of split, the Council might not be able to pick up the massive funding gap. So I'll keep my fingers crossed til the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) make their decision on the 9th November this year.