Linda Fabiani MSP has welcomed a Scottish Government funding boost which will see South Lanarkshire Council receive an extra £1.064m from a programme allowing local authorities to fund adaptations to the homes of older people and others with disabilities, to enable them to continue to live independently. Overall the programme is to receive an extra £15 million from Communities Scotland this year.

The extra funding for Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG), which brings the total to over £82 million this year, will help thousands of older and disabled people who need a grant to carry out adaptations or practical assistance through their local Care and Repair service.

The additional funding will also help local authorities prepare to implement the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, which gives them powers to make new services – such as specialist advice – available to homeowners who need to repair and improve their homes.

In addition, this funding, and all future PSHG funding will be distributed to authorities on a much simpler, and less bureaucratic, basis. This enhanced funding flexibility will also allow for any unspent PSHG to be held by authorities for use in 2008/09 and 2009/10. This will help authorities by giving them funding certainty, particularly where people apply for funding but the work takes place over an extended period of time.

Welcoming the announcement of the extra funding from Communities and Sport Minister, Stewart Maxwell, Ms Fabiani said:
“This demonstrates the Scottish Governments commitment to ensuring everyone in Scotland has the right to live in a decent home.

“South Lanarkshire’s share of £1.064m will increase the councils overall allocation in this area to £5.839m for 2007/08
“The additional money will allow the local authority to raise the standard of living for some of the most vulnerable residents in East Kilbride and elsewhere in the county.

“The Scottish Government have told local authorities that they will have over £68 million each year until 2010/11 and greater flexibility in the year-on-year use of those funds.

“This will help thousands of people adapt their homes to support them to live independently, and will enable councils to fund new approaches to helping owners fund repairs and improvements.”

Strathaven based MSP Linda Fabiani has voiced her appreciation for the efforts of Christmas and New Year workers.

Commenting on the sacrifices they make at this time of year Ms Fabiani said:

“While many of us are celebrating the festive season with families and friends many others will be out working to provide essential services.

“Police, fire and rescue, ambulance, nurses and doctors and all the support staff are just some of the jobs we associate with 24 hour 365 days a year cover and their work is essential to our personal and societies well-being.

“There are many other workers who will work through this holiday period in shops, restaurants, hotels and a great many industries that will not receive our gratitude for the jobs they do.

“I am lucky enough to be able to spend Christmas day at home, as will many others but we should spare a thought for those who would wish to do the same but whose work does not allow them to take time off.

“All of us use services that require to be covered over the festive period like the shops on a daily basis and we may even have need for an emergency service and it is simply not possible for these people to stop work.

“For all of the workers kept busy over this period I wish them all the best for the festive season.”

Strathaven based MSP Linda Fabiani has welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Government, that South Lanarkshire will receive £3.9 million next year from the Scottish Government.

The money will enable South Lanarkshire Council to freeze the council tax but also allow them:

to cut class sizes

invest in social care including support for vulnerable people, care for those with disabilities

invest in our police services

fund those caring for relatives and friends at risk

Welcoming the announcement Linda Fabiani said:

“This is welcome news for the people of Strathaven and South Lanarkshire as a whole.

“The Scottish Government, in committing this money is supporting South Lanarkshire Council to deliver key local and national services to benefit people across the area.

“The funding increase of 4.5 percent will allow South Lanarkshire Council to freeze the council tax and avoid the 3.5% rise that would otherwise land on people’s doorsteps next year, and I hope that is what they will choose to do.

“People across Scotland suffered under the weight of a 60% rise in Council Tax over a 10 years period under the Labour Government and it is time to address the burden on people’s lives that this caused.

“The SNP Government is increasing the funding available for people with disabilities, mental health issues and victims of domestic violence amongst others.

“The SNP Government is taking action to ensure South Lanarkshire Council can meet all their commitments to people in Strathaven and that local authorities have the financial freedom to respond to the needs of their local community.

“I hope politicians of all persuasions will welcome the announcement today and that South Lanarkshire Council will be one of the first to commit to freezing the council tax.”

Strathaven based MSP Linda Fabiani has welcomed the Scottish Governments decision to give Scotland’s police officers a 2.5 per cent increase in their pay with immediate effect.

The decision to pay the increase in full, including a backdated element to 1^st September 2007, was taken despite a decision by the Westminster Government not to honour the full recommendation from the Police Arbitration Tribunal.

Ms Fabiani said:

“Scotland’s police officers have a vital role to play in protecting our communities and tackling crime. Already this Government is supporting the police service with an additional £54 million to deliver 500 new recruits, improve the retention of skilled and experienced officers and support the redeployment of officers to strengthen community policing.

“Police officers have a difficult job to do, often in very challenging circumstances and we want to ensure they are paid appropriately for this. Paying up on the full recommendation of the PAT is no more than an acknowledgment of the contribution they make day in and day out to our communities.