Edinburgh’s proposed Low Emission Zone will only protect the health of wealthy residents and tourists – Edinburgh Evening News

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COP26 site Glasgow is dubbed the UK’s ‘flytipping capital’ – Daily Mail

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SNP trio top bill as Glasgow MSPs claim quarter of a million in expenses – Glasgow Evening Times

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COP26 climate change summit: Why is Glasgow so lukewarm about its biggest ever event? – The Scotsman

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Anger over Glasgow’s filthy rat-infested streets and alleyways hidden from COP26 delegates – Daily Record

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These are the filthy, rat-infested side streets and alleyways that COP26 delegates won’t see when they come to Scotland next month.

Refuse collectors have said they can’t cope with cuts that have led to a rise in rancid conditions in Glasgow’s streets – just miles from where world leaders will thrash out a climate change deal.

GMB officials, who have now pleaded with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to intervene in the waste row, took our reporter to some of the worst-hit areas.

Union officials have said the city’s back streets have become Glasgow’s “secret shame”.

They warned staff were risking injury to get the streets tidied up in time for the eco conference.

In a lane near Allison Street, in Govanhill, in the heart of the First Minister’s constituency, we found rat traps, abandoned mattresses and litter. At nearby flats, overflowing bins spilled into common areas, making it a no-go area for residents.

In neighbouring Cessnock, in lanes that run parallel to the main clean thoroughfare, litter lay piled up in common areas.

Fly-tipping has increased after the council introduced a £35 special uplift charge this year.

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SNP: Gaming The System – Mark Irvine (blog)

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Mhairi Hunter and Jennifer Layden are both senior councillors in Glasgow whose roles are regarded as a full-time commitment because of their additional responsibilities over a backbench councillor who is paid at two-thirds of the full time rate.

The full-time rate can vary depending on the nature of the role and according to Glasgow’s Register of Interests Jennifer is paid a salary of £35,000 while Mhairi receives £26,000 – around £15 and £20 an hour respectively.

Yet both SNP councillors have other paid jobs – Jennifer works in Humza Yousaf’s office having previously enjoyed a similar role in Margaret Ferrier; while Mhairi has a role in none other than Nicola Sturgeon’s office and a separate paid commitment as a member of Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board.

Now I have no problem with councillors being properly remunerated – I was a member of the independent (SLARC) committee which recommended a new salary structure for elected councillors in Scotland in 2006.

Yet the SLARC regime is now being abused because no one has been scrutinising the system since the former SNP finance minister, Derek Mackay – who resigned in disgrace of course, decided that independent oversight was no longer necessary and that the SLARC committee should be disbanded.

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Glasgow named among most dangerous cities in Europe in new poll – Glasgow Live

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The city joined the likes of Donetsk (Ukraine), Kyzyl (Russia), Mitrovica (Kosovo) and Marseille on the list, which noted how the murder rate in Glasgow accounted for 19% of all homicide cases in Scotland between 2019 and 2020.

Glasgow has been named among the most dangerous cities in Europe in a new poll.

Scotland’s biggest city came in at number 10 in the list, published by Toronto-based bilingual digital media website Que Pasa, which has over 100,000 followers on Facebook and 60,000 on Instagram.

Joining Glasgow on the list is Donetsk (Ukraine), Tbilisi (Georgia), Kyzyl (Russia), Sofia, Tallin, Grozny (Russia), Mitrovica (Kosovo), Bradford and Marseille – which is regarded by the website as the most dangerous city on the continent.

Introducing the list, the website wrote: “Smuggling and street crimes, such as robberies, are some of the problems that plague the cities of Europe, affecting the prosperity of companies and the community in general.

“In terms of homicide rates, European cities may be safer compared to those in the United States, however, some of them face public order problems that directly affect the economy, ranking as very harmful and unsafe cities to live in. and even to visit.”

And in naming Glasgow in 10th place, they noted: “The murder rate in Glasgow accounts for 19% of all homicide cases in Scotland. The murder rate stands at 5.1 per 100,000 people, which is the highest in Scotland and by extension one of the highest in Europe.

“In Glasgow crime figures are still too high relative to other cities, which is a shame, because Glasgow is a port city in Scotland known for its incredible architecture.”

The most recent homicide statistics released by the Scottish Government back in October last year confirmed that Glasgow City had the highest number of homicide cases (12) in 2019-20,, representing 19% of the Scottish total.

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