[imc-scotland-discussion] Fwd: common good assets and privatisation

Fri Feb 2 08:23:14 PST 2007

Hi all,

Yes, look out for the 'Common Wealth' Games -- not least in light of  
Olympics.

But this is also a GCC 'fix' to losing on equalities of pay  
legislation, and back-pay, as the new body won't be bound by the ruling  
-- see recent GCC cuts in after school care blamed on the ruling and  
the bankruptsy of One-Plus. GCC Culture & Leisure services itself is  
bigger than most other Local Authorities so the impact here on workers'  
rights & job-security is huge.

There will also be a knock-on effect on Council tax, as part of the  
shift to Charitable Status will mean a reduction in rates etc. from  
Cultural & Leisure services -- potentially huge amount of money not  
going back into Council coffers but represented as a 'saving'. How will  
this shortfall be met -- by the normalisation of selling off of what  
were public assets.

And the Executive's Culture Bill, shifting responsibilities to Local  
Authorities at such a time -- with the McConnells connection (GCC Head  
of Culture & Leisure Services & First Minister) how can they be  
unrelated.

I think a couple of Unions are drafting responses to the Bill, but  
think it important they also respond in the context of this  
privatisation -- as another mechanism for withdrawal from  
accountability, I doubt it will be challenged by the political parties  
and will be something rolled-out across Scotland.

Really this needs a collective overview of the totailty of the impact  
of what's proposed.

All best,
Leigh

On 26 Jan 2007, at 10:38, neil gray wrote:

> hi all,
>
> i thought this was worth passing on. please circulate widely. this is  
> an enormous privatisation and disgusting land grab.
>
> write letters and fill in petitions if you like. organisation and  
> resistance would be better.
>
> indymedia? INC? can anyone do a piece on it?
>
> neil
>
>
>> From: Bob <bob at citystrolls.com>
>> To: undisclosed-recipients:;
>> Subject: Who belongs to Glasgow culture ?
>> Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 22:14:07 +0000
>>
>> Well perhaps if you can privatise the parks and nobody knows or  
>> perhaps bothers to much, in the belief that "They can't do that, the  
>> parks belong to the public" Well don't worry to much because culture  
>> belongs to the public to...?
>>
>> Glasgow's common good assets are in danger. I received the following  
>> email from our friends in Edinburgh. And as mentioned ...time is of  
>> the essence. We need to demand to see what Glasgow City Council are  
>> planning  to give away. B.
>>
>> Hello Bob
>>
>> Your help is required for your city`s common good.  If you can`t help  
>> please let others know who may be able to...folk involved with land  
>> issues, campaigns etc?
>>
>> I don`t know how much you know about the Common Good?  To get you up  
>> to date you can see the latest on Andy Wightman`s website below.   
>> There was an article in last Fridays Herald see Andys update, which  
>> told of how the Glasgow council are wanting to basically privatise  
>> all of its culture & recrecretion services, (before the elections)  
>> which includes common good land, assets etc...I wrote a letter along  
>> with other petitioners and those aware of CG and the implications.  
>> You can read them on the site below too.
>> http://www.caledonia.org.uk/commonweal/cgl_progress.html
>>
>> But alas now of us are Glasgow citizens and cannot challenge them  
>> directly.  A letter to the Herald would be good , asking for the  
>> council to let the citizens see their common good,  the land, the  
>> buildings,the moveables etc...........as they should have a register?  
>>  Where is it? What are they proposing handing over to this "charity  
>> company" ?
>> What is required in the meantime to  is to write to the Chief  
>> Executive of Glasgow
>> Chief Executive
>> George Black FCCA, CPFA
>> City Chambers
>> GLASGOW
>> G2 1DU
>> Phone: 0141 287 4739
>> E-mail: george.black at ced.glasgow.gov.uk
>>
>> and ask him for the register of the Common Good Fund Register  (which  
>> is a statutory obligation) see Marys letter see link below to the  
>> committee considering the common good petitioners.
>> Also request to see the Common Good Fund accounts. And ask if they  
>> are available on the council`s website?
>> You can also FOI for it as well, as you probably know.
>> http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/lg/documents/ 
>> MaryEMackenziesupplementaryevidence.pdf
>>
>> see this link to papers on public petitions re CG in parly
>> http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/lg/ 
>> currentInquiries.htm
>>
>> I hope this makes sense..........time is of the essence
>> thanks
>> Sally
>>
>> (Save Our Old Town)http://eh8.org.uk/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> www.citystrolls.com
>>
>> "We rented a garret, for which we paid (I think) 25s. a year, bought  
>> a few second-hand forms and desks, borrowed a few chairs from the  
>> people in the house, bought a shilling's worth of coals, had the gas  
>> (which was already in the house) laid on at the cost of a few  
>> shillings, and started our College. We did not advertise it in the  
>> newspapers or on the streets, for we could not afford to do that, but  
>> we invited all our friends and acquaintances to join us, and in a few  
>> days we had about twenty members. ... We had no men of position or  
>> education connected with us, and I believe we were better without  
>> them, but several of the students who had made special study of some  
>> particular subject were appointed teachers, so that the teacher of  
>> one class might be a pupil in another."
>>
>> Mutual Improvement Culloden College, 1860. p66
>> The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes. Jonathan Rose
>>
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