7/29/2019 Sarah Boyack's e Newsletter March 2013
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At the start of next month,Edinburgh Council will launch
itsre-designed property conservationservice.
The new Shared Repair Service hasbeen designed in the wake of
thescandal over the councils handling ofstatutory repairs.
Under the new scheme the councilwill be able to issue a
statutory noticein emergency situations. However theprimary focus
will be on the provisionof information to support homeownersto take
responsibility for repairsthemselves.
This will include information onservices like property factors,
adviceon how to organise shared repairs,and details of the options
available toowners to meet their share of costs.
We need to know how the newsystem will overcome barriers like
the
difficulty of getting owners to worktogether, particularly in
cases wherethere are absentee owners.
This was a key driver behind whystatutory notices came to be
seen asa first, rather than a last resort.
A public consultation on the re-designshowed that people agreed
with theprinciple of statutory notices. It wasthe failure to
properly manage andexecute the notices that causedconcerns.
The Council has taken this on boardas has committed to
developing aservice that would allow it to
undertake larger, non-emergencyprojects on behalf of residents.
Ibelieve this is a sensible way forwardand will continue to monitor
progresstowards developing this approach.
While I broadly support the approachbeing taken by the Council,
they facea challenge to rebuild trust amongresidents. The success
or otherwiseof the new scheme will depend on thequality of service
that people receive.
I am pleased that colleagues pressed
to bring forward a review of the newservice so that its
performance canbe monitored at an early stage.
I am keen to look at how the law ofthe tenement, which provides
atemplate to allow the majority ofowners to take forward agreed
works,can be incorporated.
The problem is that builders will notcommence works without
certaintythat they will be paid and owners areunderstandably not
prepared to payfor someone elses share.
I will be raising these issues with thecouncil to see whether
they wouldconsider using this route to supporthomeowners to keep
property safe.
REPORTING BACK FROM MALAWI
This past week, Ive been in Malawias part of a Parliament
delegation.
On the visit I met Christina Chiwoko,a Malawian MP, and visited
herconstituency to learn about thechallenges facing her
constituents.
I got the chance to visit a localschool, a project helping
orphanedchildren and an HIV/Aids project that
is educating communities throughtheatre and dance.
These visits showed the extremechallenges facing Malawi in terms
oftackling poverty and developinginfrastructure to support
society.
As part of the visit, I delivered apresentation to MPs detailing
theScottish budget process. While thismay sound like a dry subject,
theMPs took an active interest.
I also and got the chance to take partin a lively discussion
aboutempowering women take a moreprominent role in society using
theexample of how we have encouragedmore women into politics in
Scotland.
If you are interested in finding outmore on the visit, I kept a
daily blogwhich you can read on my website.
Get the latest news online
For all the latest news of my work in the Scottish Parliament,
visit mynew website.
The website is updated on a regularbasis with news of what Ive
been up to
in Parliament and a video diary oncurrent issues.
There are also links to a variety of usefulinformation on the
workings ofParliament.
www.sarahboyack.com
Contact SarahAs an MSP for Lothian I am keen to hear any
problemsor concerns you may have. If you think I could helpyou, get
in touch
Write: The Scottish ParliamentEdinburghEH99 1SP
E-mail:[email protected]
Online:www.sarahboyack.com
Twitter:@sarahboyackmsp
March
2013Latest Parliamentary News from Sarah Boyack MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothian (Scottish
Labour)
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