Happy New Year! Traditionally a time to think ahead and a good time to consider the big challenges facing Scotland and the wider world.
At present, Brexit dominates the policy discourse and, within…Read more…
Health and care integration report card – could do better
Audit Scotland tries hard to use building language in their reports, but it was obviously a real challenge when it comes to health and care integration.
Audit Scotland has recently published their…Read more…
Commemorating the sacrifices of the First World War
This is a very special Armistice day, marking the centenary of the end of the First World War. It ends four years of anniversaries that commemorate the events of that terrible conflict.
There can be…Read more…
Living Wage Week
This is Living Wage Week, another opportunity to promote the benefits of the real living wage and fair work more widely.
The week traditionally starts with the announcement of the new Living Wage…Read more…
Let’s make this the last major anniversary of rail privatisation
This week marks the 25th anniversary of the legislation that privatised British Rail into a complex series of franchise arrangements.
This is not an anniversary to celebrate. As Aslef’s…Read more…
NHS Scotland faces huge challenges, but don’t forget the underlying causes
“The performance of the NHS continues to decline, while demands on the service from Scotland’s ageing population are growing. The scale of the challenges facing the NHS means that decisive action is…Read more…
Real action on mental health in the workplace
Poor mental health affects half of all employees, but only half of those who experience problems talk to their employer about it.
I have been working with an employer on improving their approach to…Read more…
Communities or regions?
Boundary change in local government is usually shunted into the ‘too difficult’ box, for good reasons. Local identity can get everyone excited. I painfully recall spending three days at Boundary…Read more…
Carbon Capture and Storage
There is broad cross party support for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as an important component of our climate change strategy. The problem is turning policy support into action, in our so called…Read more…
Reshaping electricity
Is the electricity sector facing major disruption due to technological innovation, including the falling costs of renewables and energy storage, along with tougher environmental policies and…Read more…
Tackling austerity
The Autumn 2018 UK Budget will set the spending envelope for public services for the coming years, although Scotland has some flexibility with half the budget now decided by the Scottish…Read more…
Reflections on a worthwhile career
This month I retire from my job at UNISON Scotland. I have worked for UNISON and its predecessors for almost 38 years, and a lay official for 4 years before that. The memoirs might be a retirement…Read more…
Tories two-faced on austerity
In this year’s Spring Statement, the Chancellor had an opportunity to address the devastating impact of eight years of austerity on public services. However, he rejected calls to announce the end of…Read more…
Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival
I had the pleasure of attending the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival yesterday. Some thirty years ago I worked in Dorset, and as Chair of the local trades council, I helped to organise this event. I still…Read more…
We need a radical Transport Bill, not another market dabble
The Transport Bill is an opportunity to take a radical look at integrated transport in Scotland. Sadly, the Bill as introduced falls somewhat short of this aim.
The Scottish Government has…Read more…
Happy Birthday to our National Health Service
Happy Birthday to our National Health Service, one of Labour’s finest achievements in government. A brilliant socialist concept that shows the benefits of collective action to tackle the challenges…Read more…
Pensions reform offers no easy options, but scale matters
Scotland’s largest pension scheme is considering major changes in the way it’s £42bn worth of assets are administered.
The Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme (SLGPS) Advisory Board is…Read more…
Time for coordinated workforce planning
Workforce planning in Scottish local government is largely a local and ad-hoc approach, which is simply inadequate for the challenges created by austerity and will not cope with future demand. It is…Read more…
Democracy matters – The Local Governance Review
Modern Scotland needs a major devolution of power, placing responsibilities and resources with citizens and communities. This means strengthening democracy through the ballot box and by giving people…Read more…
Rebuilding the intergenerational contract
The gulf between the earnings of younger and older people has increased by 50% in the last 20 years, leaving young workers struggling to survive. Does this mean the Intergenerational contract is…Read more…