20 November 2024

Corrections to the previous post (and an uplifting play list - in development)

Some corrections are required to the previous post.

First the library - the dates when the ALEOs were created, Culture Perth and Kinross was created in 2016 but Live Active Leisure, and  Perth Theatre and Concert Hall were formed much earlier.

Wind generation schemes - Glen Tarken is being built by SSE but is on the Drummond Estate. To be fair this is not such a terrible scheme, SSE will improve biodiversity on the site by at least 10% (an interesting idea, but I'm not actually clear what that means). I went to a public open session to explain the project and from being opposed I might now be marginally in favour of this scheme. It will be interesting to see in comparison what the Oxygen Conservation open session is like. The access roads mostly(?) already exist, although they will need to be "improved". I've also learned that the Drummond Estate is to plant "native" woodland nearby the proposed generation site. I need to pay the place a visit. More info in a future post.

Twitter now deleted from this blog. I stopped using X when it was renamed and deleted my account.


19 November 2024

Library emergency (sweary language warning if you scroll down below the library piece).

There is a community emergency, the county council, its elected representatives and its ALEO (Arms-Length External Organisation) have decided to close our village library, and those of six or seven other rural communities in Perthshire. Whilst the County Council have brayed about the information related to these closures being "in the public domain" since the decision was made back at the end of last year it appears that elected representatives have been somewhat circumspect in their duties to inform the communities via the community councils. The long and short of this is that the proposal to close the libraries only became public knowledge following the ALEO issuing a wonderfully obtuse survey to library users, not actually mentioning the intention to close the library. This is a situation occurring all across Scotland, in one form or another, and I believe across England, although perhaps not managed in such an apparently underhand manner. I've been writing Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and then trawling through the outcomes to try to get at the details of the decision making process and the finances.

Save Comrie Library From Closure!


The creation of ALEOs, hiving off, "non-essential" services like libraries, museums, art galleries, sports centres and swimming pools, has become common practice amongst local authorities across the UK. In the case of Perth and Kinross Council these were created in 2016 and in my opinion the intention  was always to create a buffer between the council and the electorate to prepare for cutting these services. One reason for the creation of ALEOs is that they may then apply for external funding that is not available to local authorities. However, in reality this is truly a bit of a smokescreen given the monies involved and how difficult it is to obtain such external funding in the climate of the former slash and burn Westminster Tory government. Whilst the Scottish Government and the Barnett Formula might attempt to provide a buffer to try to protect some Scottish services, for this particular ALEO to somehow come up with nearly £1,000,000 (Bank of England inflation calculator) to hold its funding at 2016 levels is unrealistic. Initial budget funded by Perth and Kinross Council in 2016 c£3,400,000 (worth c£4,500,000 in today's money), latest service fee from the council to the ALEO in April 2024 was c£3,500,000. 

There is some interesting research by UEA carried out on Suffolk libraries demonstrating that for every £1 spent on library provision the economic benefit is about £6. I'm struggling to find the URL for this, but will post it here when I do. I have an electronic copy that I'm happy to share though if anyone would like one.

There is no good news at the moment it seems. The industrialisation of our countryside is to continue with windfarms proposed, and no doubt put through on the nod by the Scottish Government in Glen Lednock at Invergeldie and Glen Tarken. Effectively this is one large scheme with two owners SSE and Oxygen Conservation. So much for the Scottish Government's biodiversity aims! These schemes will involve ploughing huge access roads through moorland. I do wonder what the CO2 costs and gains are over the life of windfarms like these. With the disturbance of the moorland, the concrete, the manufacture of the structures, the constant vehicular access to remote areas etc. Added to this is the upgrading of the transmission infrastructure, mostly above ground and involving more huge industrial structures. Hard to find figures for this information. It is worth reading this paper - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352484721010805 My MP and MSP have studiously avoided my letters on this matter.

And then of course Trump...

 

01 November 2024

PSB and other stories

 So we went to Glasgow, I'd not been there for quite a while. A Turkish meal - 

Through the window.

Public Service Broadcasting have a new album, The Last Flight, it's based around Amelia Earhart's story. The stage set is like the cockpit of an aircraft, it reminded meof flying out to North Ronaldsay, and Papay.

PSB in full-flight.

The subtlties of the album are largely lost in live performance, but all the same. A great new album and of course they played all our favourites as well. Barrowlands is well suited to their music.

I've been remiss in not mentioning that we went to Edinburgh during the festival, just for a day. Small venues and front row seats for stand-up are not really my thing, but we had got in the queue early and we were ushered to the front of a small but packed venue for Alok. If you don't know them Alok is a bit of a phenomenon (and is not a Brazilian DJ) - 

 

...this Alok https://www.alokvmenon.com/ not the other dj one. (Photo Alok's website, an amazing image, not mine, sadly.)

Politically astute, clever, intelligent and pointed "comedy", funny, but sometimes horrific, not ha-ha. The men in the urinal gag is a good one - especially as heading for a pee later I was fortunate in just avoiding them, perhaps. I think I would have seized up!

Something good to eat and then on to Lisa O'Neill. One of my most favourite artists. Lisa did not disappoint, and a big thank you to her for performing so soon after the death of a close relative. There's a lot of chat between and around the songs, most of it political, Lisa is a woman in tune with our times. It was so impressive that two people could so brilliantly re-create the complex sounds of the last album, stunning. Don't miss Lisa if she plays near you, you will not be disappointed.

https://lisaoneill.ie/home/shop/

Back to the present, or, at least the more recent past.

Much time expended in trying to prevent the closure of our local library. Not unexpectedly the SNP majority council (but not controlled) behaving in a shitty manner. OK, so there's no money, or at least not enough, but, FFS this is a democracy not your own fiefdom. More proof that the SNP's time is done, like Blair's Labour, a hugely wasted opportunity, a chance to do something lasting and good pretty much entirely squandered for short-term politics and the distraction of independence (their hopeless pipe-dream). Having sat, or at least pondered sitting, briefly, on the independent fence (I voted No though) their performance of recent years has convinced me that this is not a party capable of independent government, let alone a party to be trusted with anything more consequential than Hornby OO.

Younger daughter and I watched Paterson, she'd never seen it. It remains my most likely contender for favourite movie ever. I love the cyclical, intentionally coincidential nature of it. Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch it is a work of gentle genius. And coincidentally elder daughter had recently, and entirely independently, declared her liking for it. 

Lastly, the play list.... some great stuff in this one with new albums by Bill Callaghan (Live), Fontaines D.C. and Arab Strap. Also, a new entrant to my greatest ever pop single collection, welcome Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan.

 

Adaption

 I was in London, for various reasons, and having an afternoon available, having negotiated a crowded shop or two I headed to the Saatchi Ga...