Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Official Report 308KB pdf

Interests

Good morning, everyone. I warmly welcome everyone to the first meeting in this session of the Local Government and Communities Committee. I will chair the meeting only briefly, as I am allegedly the oldest member of the committee. After the first two items, I will pass over to the individual who is chosen as convener.

I remind everyone to switch off any mobile phones, please, as they can interfere with the electronic sound system.

The first item on the agenda is declarations of interests. I will go round the table so that everyone can declare any interests that are relevant to the committee’s work.

I declare that I have a private flat in Glasgow that I let out to tenants.

I previously received money from Unison to support taking forward in Parliament my Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Bill. I am also a member of Unite the union.

Just for transparency, although I do not think that it is directly declarable, I declare that have on-going membership of the Educational Institute of Scotland. That is just for clarity and to put it on the record, although this is not the Education and Skills Committee.

I am a councillor in South Lanarkshire.

I am currently a councillor in Angus Council.

I have no declarable interests, although I was a member of the commission on local tax reform until December last year.

I am a councillor on Perth and Kinross Council.