February 2012 (BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats)

BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats <info@banffandbuchanlibdems.org.uk>

February 2012

February 3, 2012 2:17 PM
Originally published by Alison McInnes

Independence debate

The one story that has been dominating the headlines since Parliament returned from its Christmas break is the debate over the Independence referendum.

We have finally seen a date set - autumn 2014 - and we've seen the launch of two consultations, one from Westminster aimed at ensuring the referendum is legal, and one from Holyrood discussing how the referendum should be framed. I think it's clear already that the debate on both sides of the issue is going to be, at times, heated, but I do hope that ultimately politicians on all sides can ensure that the public get all the information they need to make an informed decision.

For my part, of course, I firmly believe that Scotland is better off as part of the United Kingdom. I think we gain far more from being part of the union than we ever would from leaving.

I won't though, be so arrogant as to assume that people will simply agree with me based on so broad a statement. Over the next couple of years I, along with everyone else who believes that Scotland will be best served by remaining within the United Kingdom, will need to make that case in a clear, fair and balanced manner.

Police and Fire reform

With all the press coverage for the referendum debate, it would have been quite easy to miss the Scottish Government's publication of its controversial Police and Fire Reform Bill recently. The bill will abolish our existing regional police forces and fire and rescue services, and see them replaced with single national services instead.

These changes are, potentially, a big concern for more rural areas like Aberdeenshire. While currently these services are run locally, the proposed new services will be run from the central belt, and as a result be far less responsive to local needs. As well as this, the changes in focus and prioritisation that are inevitable could very well put our local retained fire stations at risk, and see a marked reduction in the number of police officers we see out and about on the beat in our smaller towns and villages.

Equally worrying is the political influence that will be asserted on the new national services. They will be run by Government-appointed boards, the Chief Constable's appointment must be approved by ministers, and the Government will be able to direct the police as to what its operational priorities should be.

For my part, I firmly believe in the independence and local accountability of our police, and I will be seeking to encourage the Government to think again over these plans.

Balmedie-Tipperty dualling

Some welcome news is that the dualling of the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty has finally been given the go ahead, with initial work due to get underway in June. As someone who has been campaigning for several years to see this work get started, I'm delighted that, at last, the end seems to be in sight. I know through working with local residents how badly the ongoing uncertainty has affected them, so I hope that now it can finally be put to rest.