News Update

Scottish Government's Budget For 2010/11: A BIG LET-DOWN - 3 February 2010

Cathcart MSP Charlie Gordon described next year's Scottish Government Budget as : "…a big let-down for Scots, in several respects."

Charlie's reaction came after MSPs voted 66 to 59 to reject an amendment to the Budget which would have re-instated the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL).

"The refusal too re-instate GARL, a project which would, according to the Scottish Government's own appraisals, create 1300 jobs and £300 million of investment, is the opposite of what Scotland needs to help it emerge from recession." said Charlie.

"It's incredible that the Scottish Government in Edinburgh won't use £11 million, ie 0.03% of its £35 billion Budget, to give Scotland and Glasgow, a fair shake. It's also incredible that 7 Glasgow MSPs voted to do their own city down in this way." Charlie continued.

"Another let-down is  Scottish Government's refusal to find £6.75 million from its budget to fund free bus travel for people on the lower rate of Disability Living Allowance, which  flies in the face of the unanimous support that MSPs gave to my motion proposing such a measure as recently as 10 December 2009 and  perpetrates unfairness to many disabled Scots." concluded Charlie.

To view Charlie's Parliamentary debate on the Budget, please click here.

Calling time on rogue landlords - 28th January 2010

Cathcart MSP Charlie Gordon has welcomed a new Draft Bill published by the Scottish Parliament which would strengthen the laws against rogue private Landlords.

Private Landlords of most privately tenanted properties in Scotland must register with local Councils, so that the latter can regulate the Landlords’ activities.

But many communities suffer anti-social behaviour by tenants of rogue private Landlords, who do nothing to address communities concerns.

The new Bill would:-

• Force tenants to provide information to help track down rogue Landlords.

• Increase fines for rogue Landlords from £5,000 to £20,000.

• Name and shame rogue Landlords refused registration or removed from the register.

“Too many of my constituents’ lives are being made a misery by irresponsible private Landlords”, said Charlie Gordon. “That’s why I back this Bill”.

Calling time on rogue factors - 27th January 2010

Charlie Gordon MSP has signed up in support of a Draft Proposal in the Scottish Parliament for a Bill to regulate Property Factors, sponsored by Patricia Ferguson MSP.

Many flatted properties in Scotland, such as Glasgow tenements, have a Property Manager or Factor who arranges maintenance of the common areas of the building, on behalf of the owner/occupiers or tenants living in it.

Property factoring in Scotland is unregulated and while there are many reputable firms of Factors, there are too many greedy ones.

Complaints sent to Charlie Gordon MSP about Factors recently include:-

• Factors increasing their annual management fees by between 4/1% and 5%, ie well above the rate of inflation.

• One Factor charging only £120 per annum to insure a building, but another Factor charging £1151 to insure an identical building.

• A Factor charging £120 to have an old mattress from a backcourt removed.

“Unregulated factoring has been a licence to print money for too many rogue Factors in Scotland. It is time to call a halt. That’s why I support this Bill”, said Charlie Gordon MSP.

It will become clear in 3 weeks times whether the Bill will proceed to the next Parliamentary stage.

"£11 million per year would save GARL" says Gordon - 21st January 2010

Glasgow Airport

Glasgow Cathcart MSP, Charlie Gordon, has revealed that it would cost only £11 million from the £35 billion budget of the Scottish Government for financial year 2010/11 to continue with the construction of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL).

The information was relayed from a Scottish Government Official via the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, which provides research services for MSPs.  Continuing GARL from the Scottish Government's capital budget would require some £62.6 million in 2010/11; however, getting Network Rail to fund the project then repaying them over 30 years, (as is being done for the Airdrie/Bathgate rail link), would cost £11 million per year.

"£11 million is a fraction of one percent of the Scottish Government's £35 billion budget for 2010/11 and is not too much to ask for a project that will boost jobs at this difficult time."  said Charlie

The Scottish Government's draft budget for 2010/11 was approved in principle in the Scottish Parliament on 20th January 2010 by 64 votes to 46, with 18 abstentions.

Charlie Gordon was one of the 46 MSPs who voted against it.

However, there will be further Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft budget over the next few weeks.  "Its still not too late for GARL, or indeed for other key projects, to be included" said Charlie.

Gordon asks Swinney to help clear Scotland's pavements - 7th January 2010

Cathcart MSP Charlie Gordon has asked Finance Minister John Swinney to give Councils more money to employ extra staff on overtime to clear ice and snow from Scotland's pavements.

Charlie's call came during questions in the Scottish Parliament on Mr Swinney's Ministerial Statement there about the current severe weather, on 7 January 2010.

For the full text of Charlie's question and Mr Swinney's answer, click here

Anger As Gordon’s Bus Bill Falls - 6th January 2010

Cathcart MSP Charlie Gordon has expressed anger that his proposed Bill to regulate bus services has fallen due to a lack of cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament. Under Holyrood rules, at least 18 MSPs, drawn from at least 2 of the major political parties represented there, must sign in support before a Bill can proceed to the next stage.

Charlie’s Bill had the signed support of 32 Labour MSPs, but none from any other party. “I’m angry and quite frankly, puzzled;” said Charlie; “ as recently as 10 December 2009, two of the main features of my Bill, i.e. free bus travel for people on the lower rate of Disability Living Allowance and the entry of community transport buses to the free travel scheme, were unanimously passed in a motion I moved at Holyrood.

By not signing my Bill, too many MSPs have shown that they can only talk a good game when addressing the public’s concerns about bus services, but that they are unwilling to actually do something about them. But my campaign for better bus services will continue.

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