…the blog and website of Andy Wightman
(Following my tweets today – if you simply want the source for the statistics and brief descriptions of the functions of the various tiers, download and read Local and regional Government Structures in Europe. Structures and Competences published by the Council of European
Continue readingThe Scottish Parliament has had its high points and its low points but the past couple of days has witnessed as woeful a low as I can remember. Scotland’s mainstream political parties appear to value petty point-scoring about who said
Continue readingSimon Pia, writing in today’s Scotsman, provides a welcome reminder that property tax in Scotland is in a mess with politicians of most persuasions (he quite rightly excludes the Scottish Greens & their LVT proposals) have avoided this thorny issue
Continue readingKinross Town Hall & Public Library lying derelict and abandoned. Responses to a consultation on what the Scottish Government’s Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill should contain closed in September and will be published soon. This is my response in which
Continue readingOn Thursday this week, Stirling Councillors meet to decide the fate of the King’s Park (item 19 on agenda). This is the first time the new Council has the opportunity to consider the plans developed by the last council. For
Continue readingThe people of Alyth marching up Toutie Street, Alyth to the Hill of Alyth to protect their ancient rights. 24 July 1949. Land Action Scotland is a new campaigning framework to advance the cause of land reform and land rights
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I was quoted in the Evening news yesterday as arguing that if the people of Portobello decide that Portobello Park is the best site for a new school, then the Court of Session ruling could be countered by a “Private
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Today the Bank of England and HM Treasury launched the Funding for Lending scheme (full details here) designed to enable banks to lend more money to the “real economy” (i.e. not financial institutions). But, as the above graphic shows, the
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Today, the UK Government published its response to the final Report of the Scottish Affairs Committee’s Inquiry into the Crown Estate in Scotland. The SAC Inquiry was the most detailed evidence-based investigation into how the Crown Estate Commissioners (CEC) operate
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John Swinney writes a long piece in today’s Daily Record (1) on the Barclay’s rate-rigging scandal. He says a lot about Labour’s past failings but nothing about his own plans for banking reform and merely concludes that “If we are
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