Working for Glasgow East - come rain or shine!

Utterly glorious weekend, with a lot of time spent campaigning for John Mason in Glasgow East. It's always nice to work on a sunny day, chatting to people in their gardens and out on the street. Not that the rain stops us, as you can see from the photos from last Monday! There's always plenty of work to be done.



SNP Housing Minister, Alex Neil joined us on Saturday, and visited just a few of the areas currently balloting for housing stock transfer from the GHA to local housing associations. Nearly 2000 homes in six areas have already transferred under the SNP Government so far, with more set to transfer and more tenants to vote soon.

The five LHOs which will go to ballot next month are among 29 local communities in a timetable for SST which could see up to 16,500 homes transfer in 2010 and 2011.

So far, Six Second Stage Transfers – involving 1929 homes - have gone ahead.

These involved Ardenglen (285 homes); Cassiltoun (Castle Stuart) (526); Parkhead (Crossview) (68); Shettleston (728); Glasgow West (Hyndland) (127) and Provanhall (195).

At the end of last year a majority of tenants who voted did so in favour of transfer to Queens Cross HA (Hamiltonhill) (604 homes) and Cernach HA (420 homes). The transfers will happen in March.

This is a significant achievement - SST stalled under Labour, and the GHA empire grew. Local control is important, and I have seen first-hand the positive benefits it can bring for tenants and whole local areas.

If you would like to help John's campaign, the office is now open at 891 Shettleston Road, Glasgow, G32 7DB. Contact dlinden@glasgowsnp.org or call 07807214394

Dennistoun runs dry

Consternation this morning when I went for a shower - there was no water. Some skilful contractors managed to hit a 24 inch water main just over the river next to the College of Nautical Studies, swiftly depriving homes and businesses in the Gorbals, Rutherglen, Oatlands, Port Dundas, Carntyne, Dennistoun, Royston, Firhill, Possilpark and Springburn of water. I don't quite understand how they could manage to do this, but I hope it's fixed soon.

With strike action preventing me from going into the City Chambers today, I was hoping to run some errands then head over to Glenrothes to help out with the by election. I ventured out to do what I had to do, and unexpectedly got to view some beautiful new homes for social rent in my ward. I'm not really sure that the voters of Fife would appreciate my unwashed state, so I guess I'll be staying in this afternoon. Hmph.