After a warm welcome from Head Teacher Steve Banks and Depute Head Glynis Findlay, Ms Hyslop chatted with children and teachers in the Gaelic primary classes and nursery.

The enthusiastic youngsters delighted her with their performances. Nursery children sang three Gaelic songs, Reece MacDonald, 6, told a traditional story in Gaelic and P2-3 and P4-6 children recited poems and sang songs in unison.

Findlay Crawford and Adele Anderson, both 10, performed a scene from the play they had prepared for the Feis Drama Ghlaschu (Glasgow Drama Festival).

Ms Hyslop said: “I very much enjoyed meeting the teachers and pupils at the Gaelic unit in Onthank. I was most impressed with the Gaelic language skills demonstrated by the youngsters and the breadth of educational experience they are receiving. The performance of the children in singing, reciting and acting was super!

“I applaud East Ayrshire Council’s commitment to increasing the next generation of Gaelic speakers.”‪

Councillor Hugh Ross, Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, said: “We were delighted to welcome the Minister for Culture here to learn more about our high quality Gaelic medium provision in East Ayrshire. I’m very pleased Ms Hyslop took this opportunity to come along and meet the pupils and staff of Onthank Gaelic Unit.”

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For further information, contact Elaine Scott on 01563 576013 or email elaine.scott@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

James Hamilton Academy was awarded Green Flag status last week and everyone – including the Head Teacher, staff and pupils of the Kilmarnock school – is proud of gaining the highest award possible under the Eco-Schools programme.

Head Teacher Janis Teale said: “I am delighted that the hard work and commitment of our Eco Committee has been recognised by Eco-Schools Scotland. Our committee includes staff and pupils and is led by Angela Harkin, Principal Teacher of Pupil Support.

“They have worked tirelessly to raise environmental issues within the school, through presentations at assemblies, organising Anti-Litter weeks, redesigning our courtyard to make an eco garden, producing regular eco newsletters, working with Neighbourhood Services to raise awareness of recycling and working with East Ayrshire Ranger Service to highlight the dangers of litter to wildlife.

“At the core of all their work is the school’s Eco Code which links to one of our school values: RESPECT – Recycling and Energy Saving along with Planting will help the Environment and keep it Clean and Tidy.”

Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning Councillor Hugh Ross said: “The Green Flag award recognises achievement in the areas of waste minimisation, health and wellbeing. James Hamilton is the first secondary school in the Kilmarnock area to receive this accolade and the second in East Ayrshire, Loudoun Academy being the first. This is a terrific achievement for the young people, their teachers and indeed the whole community.”

Scottish schools are amongst the world’s leaders when it comes to sustainability, as shown by the 1,000 schools now achieving the highest award under the Eco-Schools programme.

The Eco-Schools programme is an international initiative that encourages whole-school action for the environment and Scotland is one of the leaders among over 45 countries involved. Schools can apply for three levels of award – Bronze, Silver and finally Green Flag – the highest level and hardest to achieve. Eco-Schools Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful.

For further information, contact Elaine Scott on 01563 576013 or email elaine.scott@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Provost Stephanie Young attended a special preview evening of Ayrshire-based artist Elaine Johnston’s work at Wellington Gallery in Kilmarnock recently.

Elaine is a portrait artist who specialises in fine oil paintings of family and pets. Her current exhibition is entitled ‘Rural Portraits’ and features paintings of farm animals and children.

The exhibition runs throughout the whole of September at Wellington Gallery.

Provost Young said: “I was delighted to attend the opening night of this exhibition. I would urge everyone to go along to the gallery so they may appreciate the amount of talented local artists we have in Kilmarnock and the surrounding area.”

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Provost Stephanie Young met eight year-old Shawn Duthie from Kilmarnock recently to hand over a prize he won after entering a competition at Ayr Flower Show.

Shawn won a family pass to see the movie of his choice at the Odeon in Kilmarnock, kindly donated by Odeon. The competition had a recycling theme, and after viewing the ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ garden designed and developed by the three Ayrshire councils with support from Zero Waste Scotland, entrants had to complete a word search and provide a statement about what they had learned from the garden. The garden demonstrated a unique take on the life cycle of food, showing the journey from garden vegetable patch to kitchen to compost bin. Shawn’s winning entry stated that he had learned “not to waste things and that you can make new things by recycling old waste.”    

 Provost Young said: “It was a great pleasure to present Shawn with his prize. I was very impressed by his awareness of the benefits that recycling brings.”

North and South Ayrshire Councils also selected winning entries from their respective areas.

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Talented young people from schools all over East Ayrshire will take part in live performances featuring a wide variety of instruments and styles. The Gala Concert will include brass, wind, pipe and jazz bands; vocal groups; string orchestra; soloists; and woodwind, guitar and percussion ensembles. These groups highlight the skill and commitment of the young musicians and the high-quality service provided by the tutors of the Instrumental Music Service in East Ayrshire.

The Gala Concert is on Thursday 30 September, in the Grand Hall, Kilmarnock, starting at 7.30 pm – and everyone is welcome to come along.

Tickets, costing £5.00 (£3.00 concession), go on sale from the Palace Theatre Box Office (01563 554900) on Friday 3 September. The box office will remain open until 7.15pm on the evening of this popular concert and while any unsold tickets will be available for sale, there is no guarantee of availability.

The Box Office will be closed on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 September.

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For further information, contact Elaine Scott on 01563 576013 or email elaine.scott@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

The marble statue was erected in August 1848 by public subscription to honour Kilmarnock’s famous son, Sir James Shaw. Sir James was a real-life Dick Whittington – from very modest beginnings he sought fame and fortune in the USA then London.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council said: “Sir James Shaw’s story is quite an incredible one. At the age of 15 years he left Kilmarnock to seek his fortune in New York. He quickly found a job and did well within the company moving to their London office in 1784 where he became a junior partner. Sir James was very highly thought of in business circles and this respect led him to being appointed Lord Mayor of London in 1805. In this position he was responsible for leading the funeral of Admiral Lord Nelson.

“In addition to being Lord Mayor Sir James was also an MP; he held a Baronet, served as an Alderman of London and held the office of Chamberlain of the City – quite an incredible achievement for a local lad. However for all his success Sir James never forgot his roots, he was a relation of Robert Burns and on his death provided financial support to his widow and helped his sons to find work.

“There is no doubt that Sir James was an extraordinary man. It is important that we continue to remember and honour his memory as a town by preserving his statue for future generations.”

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The plan identifies a wide range of sites for housing, industry and other uses to meet future anticipated needs and provides a planning policy framework against which all future planning applications will be assessed.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council said: “Given the difficult economic times we find ourselves in, the new local plan will bring a much needed boost to East Ayrshire by providing a generous supply of development land to attract new housing development and jobs to the area. This will provide East Ayrshire with a competitive edge and I am delighted that this plan will be adopted in the near future.”

Councillor Jim Buchanan, Spokesperson for Delivering Community Regeneration said: “A huge amount of effort has been put into the production of the local plan which provides a positive approach to new development in East Ayrshire. I am grateful not only for the work of Council officers in producing the plan but also the valuable input received from our local communities and the wider development industry.  The Council will be using the plan in a pro-active way to attract new development into East Ayrshire.  We want to see new investment in our communities and will work in partnership with developers to deliver high quality sustainable development.”

Copies of the version of the local plan to be adopted are now available for the public to inspect at Council Headquarters, at planning offices in Kilmarnock and Lugar and in all local community libraries. It is anticipated that the plan will be formally adopted by the Council in November 2010.

For further information:
http://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/devser/planandbuild/lp2010index.asp

To:  Parent/Carer of Gargieston Primary School and Nursery Class

Dear Parent/Carer

GARGIESTON PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY CLASS NEW BUILD PROJECT

I write with reference to the above and the pre planning consultation exercise which is being undertaken at this time.

You may be aware that an information session for the new build design was held in the Gargieston Primary School gym hall on 21 July, and that a second meeting was scheduled to be held on Wednesday 25 August 2010 between 4pm and 7pm in the gym hall.  I can confirm that this second session has been re-arranged for Monday 13 September 2010 from 4pm – 7pm at Grange Academy, Assembly Hall.

This will provide an opportunity for you to view the proposed school design and to seek further comment from Council Officers.  It is hoped that the findings of the ground conditions will also be available by this date.

I look forward to seeing you on 13 September.

Yours sincerely

EUAN COUPERWHITE

Head of Resources

Parent-Guardian of Gargieston Primary School and Nursery Class New Build Project 24 8 10

Works are scheduled to be complete by mid November and during this time a temporary road closure will be in place prohibiting vehicle access to Garden Street.

Improvements within Sandbed Street will also take place between September 6 and 24 including a footway crossing between Nelson Street to King Street and improved street lighting. This will result in the temporary road closure of Sandbed Street. The improvements are designed to improve pedestrian confidence in this area, addressing previous safety concerns.

The work associated with the ‘Connecting Places Project’ has been planned to minimise, as far as possible, disruption to motorists, local businesses and pedestrians. A phased and structured traffic management system is in place to ensure that disruption will be kept to a minimum. Taking alternative routes during peak times may however help reduce delays to expected journey times.

All shops and businesses in Kilmarnock town centre are open as usual throughout the work period.
Councillor Douglas Reid, Chair of the Kilmarnock Townscape Heritage Initiative, said:

“Improvements to the town centre, such as providing high quality pedestrian routes linking the main shopping streets, are a really positive step towards the regeneration of Kilmarnock. Making the streets more attractive and easier to use and working to restore old buildings to their former glory, should encourage people to walk more freely within the town centre.  Our aim is to help people use and appreciate the town centre, making them more inclined to support local businesses, a move which can only bring benefits for all.”

The former Opera House buildings at 6-14 John Finnie Street and 24-26 Strand Street were destroyed by fire in 1989 and since then only the “B” listed sandstone facade has remained in what has become the most prominent derelict site within Kilmarnock Town Centre.

The report proposes that the Council enter into a Development Agreement with a local developer for the development and purchase of an office complex on the site of the former Opera House, which will retain the existing facade, with approximately 25,240 sq ft of office space, to house 220 employees. The initial Kilmarnock Town Centre Strategy anticipated hotel and retail use for this site, but market conditions have changed considerably since the strategy was adopted, and the report asserts that the alternative development of this key site for office accommodation remains in line with the overall objective of the Regeneration Strategy, whilst also being significantly more deliverable in the present economic climate.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council explained: “We are acutely aware of the necessity to be pragmatic as we adjust to new economic circumstances. The Opera House has remained vacant for over 20 years and it has become an eyesore, due to its highly visible location. Over this period there has been very little market interest in the site, and given the current economic climate, this is unlikely to change in the coming years. Without public sector involvement, I’m convinced that this site will remain undeveloped and will continue to blight our town. The removal of this blight from this important town centre heritage area will act as a catalyst to encourage future investment within Kilmarnock.”

He added: “These revisions fit well with the Council’s Town Centre Regeneration Strategy for Kilmarnock and the Corporate Office Accommodation Strategy. We recognise the importance of bringing more jobs into the town centre to help to boost the fortunes of existing town centre businesses and to attract new enterprises. This is an important decision and the Cabinet will give full consideration to the issues surrounding this development proposal at its meeting on Wednesday.”

Overall 400 employees are being relocated to town centre offices; 130 of whom will be accommodated in this new development, if the Cabinet gives the go ahead this week. This will equate to over £260k annually in lunchtime spend.

Councillor Jim Buchanan, Spokesperson for Economic Regeneration said: “The public sector has a key role to play in town centre regeneration. It has been widely recognised across Scotland that local authorities need to lead by example by consolidating and increasing their own presence in town centres; we’ve seen recent evidence of this in East Renfrewshire and Edinburgh. The town is facing a number of considerable challenges, both in economic and regeneration terms and we cannot fail to act on this opportunity.

“There are no other sites of similar size and with such prominence which have the same potential for growth, development, regeneration and appeal. It is hoped that the redevelopment of the Opera House site will attract substantial funding from the CARS and THI projects which are enabling the Council to take a comprehensive approach to the regeneration of the Conservation Area, utilising the town’s historic assets to bring investment into the local economy, whilst improving the environment and restoring pride and confidence in the town.”

Councillor Buchanan added: “The proposed redevelopment and acquisition of the completed office development has the potential to improve the vitality and viability of the town centre and will, if approved by the Cabinet, reassure the people of Kilmarnock and beyond of our commitment to regeneration.”

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The event will kick off on Friday with a sponsored walk for P6 and P7 pupils from Kilmaurs Primary School around the Kilmaurs Town Trail. Bottles of water have been kindly donated by Sainsbury’s for the walk.

On Saturday 4 September you are invited to join the Countryside Rangers on an evening bat walk and discover which bat is so small it can fit inside a matchbox, which bat can hear a ladybird walking on a leaf and which bat can eat 3,000 insects in a night! This walk will leave from the Jougs at 8pm and last for approximately 1 hour. Please bring a torch with you if possible.

There are a variety of walks taking place on Sunday 5 September and opens at 12 noon at the Jougs with the official opening at 12.30pm. There will be four guided walks which will take in some of the village’s beautiful surrounding countryside.

Children should be accompanied by an adult. Dogs are welcome as long as they are under proper control. Please remember to wear appropriate footwear and clothing.

Notes to Editor

Details of the four walks on Sunday 5 September:

Round the Bow-her
Starts at 1.00pm
Distance : 8.25kms / 5.5 miles
Time: 2 hours
Grade: Moderate
Description: Join the Countryside Rangers on a nature walk along this beautifully scenic route which is rich in flora and fauna.

The Water Meetings
Starts at 1:00pm
Distance: 10.9 kms / 7.2 miles
Time: 2 ½ hours
Grade: Moderate
Description: Look for wildlife along the river as well as finding out more about the historical Chapelton Estate.

The Coo Road
Starts at.1:30pm
Distance: 3.2kms / 2.1 miles
Time: 1 hour
Grade: Easy
Description: This is a gentle walk offering great views and the chance to spot some beautiful flora and fauna.

Round the Widdell
Starts at 1.00pm
Distance: 5.1kms / 3.4 miles
Time: 1 ½ hours
Grade: Easy

Description: There will be a display of projects on the history of Kilmaurs by some local school children in the Jougs. Drop in and find out more about the rich history of Kilmaurs as well as finding out more about the family buried beneath the church!

For more information contact Louise Kyle on 01563 554751 or email louise.kyle@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

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A wide variety of activities designed to improve health and wellbeing were on offer throughout the summer for everyone from the very youngest to the oldest. Specially designed Messy Arts, Music & Movement and Fun Fitness activities were delivered weekly to encourage pre-school children and their parents or carers to get active and have fun playing together.

Councillor Kathy Morrice, Spokesperson for Improving Community Health and Wellbeing said: “The summer programme coupled with the work of our EA Positive Play team is all about capturing the imagination of children at the earliest stage, encouraging them and their parents to play together as a family and keeping them all active and healthy.”

The activities focused on parent and child play with the message that playing together is an important and positive part of family life that can have a lasting effect on children as they grow into adults.

Council Leader Douglas Reid experienced the early years fun fitness programme being delivered at St Sophia’s school in Galston and was impressed with the range of activities on offer: He said: “It’s great to be able to see some of the positive things going on in our communities and the impact that it has on our local people. All of the children had a great time, their parents and carers were joining in and going away with ideas for playing at home but most importantly this kind of simple play activity will help our children develop into healthy, independent adults in the future.”

Meanwhile, for those in the slightly older age bracket there were CHIP classes to suit all. Delivered throughout the area, older residents enjoyed taking part in chair based and easy aerobics as well as having fun trying the newest craze to get those hips moving – Zumba!

Councillor John MacKay, Spokesperson for Improving Community Health and Wellbeing visited one of classes in Crookedholm Community Centre. He said: “The people taking part in all of the CHIP classes over the summer really are role models. They prove that it’s never too late to look after your own health and so many of the people here have a story to tell about how this activity has improved their quality of life whether that’s just going about their daily business to actually getting out and about to meet new friends.”

Now that the summer is nearing its end, there’s a whole new programme of healthy activities available for the entire family. For more details about what’s on in your area from pre-five play to healthy walks and classes contact East Ayrshire’s Leisure Development Services team on 01563 576705.

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This particular programme focuses on a community, family-based approach for 5 – 7 year old children who are above their healthy weight, and for their families. The multi-component programme places emphasis on healthy eating, behaviour change, parenting skills, active play and healthy family lifestyles. The programme is also designed to consider the social, cognitive, emotional and physical growth and development of children at this age.

Depute Chief Executive and Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services, Elizabeth Morton attended the Graduation Ceremony and said: “I was delighted to present certificates to the children who graduated from MEND – their families must be very proud of their achievements. The positive lessons delivered by MEND will have a lasting effect on the wellbeing of these young people and their families and will, I’m sure, inspire others to participate in future programmes. Special thanks go to the Recreation Partnership Section of East Ayrshire Council’s Leisure Development Section and NHS Ayrshire and Arran colleagues for working in partnership and creating such a successful initiative.”

One MEND parent said: “This group was great as it opened your eyes to the amount of rubbish that’s in food. The staff were great and always answered your questions. They were great with the kids and I would recommend this programme to any parent who feels their children could benefit from it. The kids don’t even realise it’s all about food as it’s always such fun.”

Due to the success of previous MEND programmes, the Recreation Partnership Service is running its seventh programme starting in September 2010. All sessions are FREE but spaces are limited. This programme will focus on children aged 7 – 13 years.

For more information on the MEND programme or if you are interested in participating, please contact Lesley Fowler, Recreation Partnership Officer on 01563 576684 or Lesley.fowler@east-ayrshire.gov.uk.

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Councillor Jim Todd, Spokesperson for Improving Community Safety said: “I have lost count of the number of times I have seen motorists casually throwing litter from their vehicles. The CEU now has an agreement with the DVLA which will allow our officers to search vehicle number plates online and issue fixed penalty notices as appropriate. Our CEU is moving with the times and will continue to use any means available to them to tackle the scourge of littering on our communities.”

Littering from vehicles has a substantial financial impact on the Council. Larger roads like the A77 have to be closed to allow our employees to clear litter safely, which in addition to the financial cost causes disruption for our road users. During the last clear up of the A77, the Council uplifted some 1500 bags of litter at a cost of almost £15,000.

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As part of the prize that money just can’t buy, the youngsters were put through their paces by Kilmarnock coach Paul McDonald and Kilmarnock Legend Alan Mahood before they joined the first team squad. Their performances turned a few heads and a couple of the boys impressed the Kilmarnock coaches so much that they were given the opportunity to train with Alan Robertson’s Under19 squad.

Kilmarnock manager Mixu Paatelainen also took time out from preparing for Kilmarnock’s seventeenth consecutive year in the Scottish Premier League to watch the ‘icons’ in training. He said: “I was extremely impressed in the level of ability shown, especially by the Under 19’s. Alan Robertson took two of the boys to train with him and said that they did not look out of place in his squad. That really shows the level of talent out there.”

If you would like to register your interest for next year’s ‘StreetSport Icon’ contact EAC’s Youth Sport Development Officer on 01563 576871 or email craig.fulton@east-ayrshire.gov.uk.

Note to Editor

The winners were:

Under 13
Kallium Campbell
Barron Mitchell
Jordan Spiers

Under 16
William Carton
Dimitiri Loudon
Ross McPhersonn

Under 19
Conor Simpson
Sam Nimmo
Michael Webster

Highest Rated Runner Up- James Bunten
Goalkeepers U15- Ross Miller U19- Shaun Gouck

The 12 winners of the ‘StreetSport Icon’, which was organised and delivered by a partnership between East Ayrshire Council’s Leisure Development Service and Kilmarnock Football Club, received the following prize:

Full Kilmarnock FC Strip and training kit, 4 days professional football coaching including lunch with Kilmarnock players, transport to and from Kilmarnock’s training facilities, ball boy role at Kilmarnock’s pre-season game against Spanish side Real Valladolid and the opportunity to further their sporting/sports coaching career with EAC Leisure Development Service.

Normal wear and tear on an electric blanket can often result in it deteriorating into an unsafe state, and it is likely that many blankets will have been used extensively during the particularly harsh winter which we have just experienced. An average of 40% of blankets have failed the safety test over the past 10 years, a failure rate which reinforces the importance of having a blanket tested on an annual basis.

For more information on this safety initiative please contact the Trading Standards Service at 14 London Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7AF – Telephone 01563 521502.

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As part of its summer tour, the CHIP van visited over 40 communities, with hundreds of people getting on board for quick and easy health MOT’s that can help identify early, the signs of potential long term health conditions that can seriously affect quality of life.

Council Leader, Councillor Douglas Reid got on board at one the Van’s regular stops in Riccarton where he got his own health MOT from the friendly CHIP staff. He said: “For many people in our communities the CHIP Van is their first point of contact with health services. The people I met whilst having my own check done visited the Van because the health check involved is quick and can easily put their minds at rest.”

Local MSP Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years also paid a visit to the CHIP Van as part of the Summer Camp delivered by East Ayrshire’s Leisure Development Service at Dean Castle Country Park. On this occasion children, who have graduated from the Council’s MEND programme which helps combat childhood obesity, and their parents were hearing from staff on the CHIP Van about the benefits of having regular health checks, keeping active and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Adam Ingram said: “I was really impressed by the CHIP van and the professionalism of the team. The young people and their parents were enthusiastic participants and were very positive about the improvements to their general health and wellbeing thanks to MEND and the CHIP van.”

The CHIP Van is on the road all year round and offers the opportunity for a free health check on your doorstep. You can have your blood pressure or weight checked, talk to staff about concerns you may have or seek advice about how to stop smoking or become more active. The team will offer advice and support you to take the steps you want to take towards a healthier lifestyle.

To find out when the Van will be in your area or for more info about the healthy activities available across East Ayrshire contact the CHIP Team on 01563 576 705 or email chip@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

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 The award is given to the most outstanding new starter who has found work since being previously unemployed and Craig, 23, was delighted to be named runner-up out of the 150 entrants who were nominated.

 Craig started work with the East Ayrshire Woodlands Project in November 2009 as a Forest Craftsman, a position created through the Future Jobs Fund (FJF).

During his time with the project at Woodroad Park in Cumnock, he became a natural leader and demonstrated his ability to motivate, delegate and complete jobs to a high standard. He worked hard to ensure that the park was a place where people could come and enjoy the great outdoors.

 A job opportunity for a Chargehand with East Ayrshire Council based at Dean Castle Country Park then came in March this year. The post was created to supervise a squad of young people employed through the FJF to clear the path network along the River Ayr Way. Craig’s team started work on Scotland’s first source to sea path network in March 2010 and he is continuing to demonstrate his ability and commitment in leading his team to build boardwalks and benches so that people can enjoy the local countryside.

 While employed through FJF, Craig, who lives in Cumnock, has also studied to achieve his First Aid at Work and PA1/PA6 qualifications.

 Councillor Jim Buchanan, Spokesperson for Community Regeneration, said: “The announcement of the Future Jobs Fund was a response to the soaring levels of youth unemployment and a lack of job opportunities. The local impact could be seen almost immediately and FJF offered young people posts to apply for. Since becoming a Chargehand, Craig has progressed from a national minimum waged job to a salaried job earning 50% more per hour – this demonstrates the impact the opportunity created through the Future Jobs Fund has had on Craig’s life and indeed the lives of many others like him.”

 Craig added: “I was thrilled to receive this award and have really enjoyed working for Countryside Services. Supervising a team of people and training them to do the type of work I enjoy is very rewarding.”

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It is anticipated that the school will re-open as normal on Thursday 26 August however if this situation changes a further announcement will be made tomorrow.

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Chaired by Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council, the Advisory Board replaces the original Local Task Force, which was established last year, and will become the driving force behind Make it Kilmarnock.

Councillor Reid said: “The first meeting of the Advisory Board has great significance as we welcomed new members into the Make it Kilmarnock initiative.  We have gathered a wide field of specialists from the public and private sector, who bring important skills and experience to the table.

“We can learn a lot from other areas which have faced similar challenges and I was delighted that David Hastings, Director of Strathleven Regeneration Company, was able to join our meeting. With Diageo’s support, they were able to bring about the economic regeneration of the site of the former J&B whisky bottling plant at Dumbarton. It is essential that we do our very best for the area and as we move forward we can draw on the knowledge and expertise of people like David.

“I believe that Make it Kilmarnock will make a real difference to how we shape the future of the town, and I am extremely grateful to our new members who have agreed to be part of the Advisory Board, and for giving up their time to contribute to today’s discussions.”

The Advisory Board will review the work carried out to date by the Task Force including the planned relocation of Kilmarnock College to the Johnnie Walker site on Hill Street in 2012.

The Advisory Board will consist of:

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council

Councillor Jim Buchanan

Councillor Bobby McDill

Councillor Tom Cook

Councillor Maureen McKay

Willie Coffey, MSP

Cathy Jamieson, MP

Fiona Lees, Chief Executive, East Ayrshire Council

Heather Dunk, Principal of Kilmarnock College

Ken Robertson, Director of Corporate Relations, Diageo

Colin Liddell, Director, Liddell Thomson

John Howie, Chief Executive – Rail, Babock International Group PLC

Alan Woodison, Group Editor, Scottish & Universal Newspapers

Professor Janice Kirkpatrick, Creative Director, Graven Images

Marie Macklin, Managing Director, Klin Group.

Depute Provost John Campbell and Councillor Robert McDill meet Xchange volunteers at Dean Castle Country Park

There may not be much singing, but there’s certainly plenty of hard work going on at Dean Castle Country Park just now as the Council’s Countryside Services Section work with Xchange Scotland to develop an international volunteer project in the park.

Xchange Scotland is a voluntary organisation developed by Scottish volunteers and others committed to making positive changes in society. For the past six years, the members have been deeply involved in international volunteering with numerous local partners all around the world. Their aim is to open these exciting opportunities up to as many individuals and organisations in Scotland as possible, to bring people to Scotland for international volunteer projects and enable young Scots to volunteer abroad.

A group of 12 international volunteers and two leaders are working with Countryside Rangers at Dean Castle Country Park from 16 to 30 August on a project to develop a series of lagoons within the park. Once complete, the lagoons project will open up a previously inaccessible area of the park to the public and will have information boards, storytelling areas and a viewing platform. The creation of lagoons will also encourage a richer diversity of wildlife to the park.

This is the second year that Countryside Services have worked with Xchange Scotland. Last year’s volunteers helped to carry out path improvements on Cairn Table, one of the highest hills in Ayrshire.

Depute Provost John Campbell went along to see the volunteers in action and said: “For two weeks, the volunteers will be working in all weathers to help construct the lagoons. They are all working incredibly hard and their efforts will make a huge difference to the park. Many new friendships are being forged and I’m sure Countryside Services would be delighted to welcome them back for another year in 2011!”

If you are interested in volunteering abroad and would like more information about Xchange Scotland, contact Countryside Services on 01563 522702 or e-mail info@deancastle.com.

If you’re looking for a special gift, want to treat yourself or want to grab some early Christmas bargains then this event is for you. Visitors will be able to buy quality local crafts and can browse unique stalls and artisan wares including jewellery, handbags, glass paintings, cards and favours, home baking and much more.

For further information contact 01563 52702 or email info@deancastle.com

RAP Card for bus uplift Rugby Park

RISK ASSESSMENT Bus Journeys from Rugby Park

CROSSHOUSE NURSERY         

Morning session                  9.00 am – 11.30 am

Afternoon session               12.30 pm – 3.00 pm

Please note:

(i)         for children due to commence nursery from September 2010 onwards, a separate letter will be issued in due course clarifying their start dates.

(ii)        if your child is not due to be at nursery on a Monday, then they should arrive for the bus on the day they are due to attend.

SHORTLEES PRIMARY  

Start                                                                 9.00 am

Interval (shared with Shortlees)         10.40 am – 10.55 am

Lunch                                                               12.15 pm – 1.15 pm

Close                                                                 3.15 pm

BELLFIELD PRIMARY

Start                                                                9.00 am

Interval (shared with Bellfield)           10.40 am – 10.55 am

Lunch                                                              12.15 pm – 1.15 pm

Close                                                                3.15 pm

GRANGE CAMPUS

Start                                                                9.00 am

Interval (shared with Annanhill)       10.40 am – 10.55 am

Lunch                                                              12.15 pm – 1.15 pm

Close                                                                3.15 pm

The drop off/collection point will be from within the Kilmarnock Football Club site, adjacent to the Moffat Stand, at the car park on the immediate right hand side upon entering Rugby Park from Dundonald Road.

Pupils currently transported by bus from the Gatehead area will be taken to Rugby Park, where they will change bus for onward transport to their respective schools. Buses will be in position by 8.30 am.

For all other pupils, buses will depart from Rugby Park at 8.45 am prompt.  Council and bus staff will be clearly visible to ensure that all children are put onto the correct bus.

Buses to each location will leave in the following order:

1.         Crosshouse Nursery School

2.         Shortlees Primary School

3.         Bellfield Primary School

4.         Grange Campus

Buses will return from their respective locations at 3.30 pm.

Week commencing 23 August 2010 – P1 pupils will leave Shortlees Primary School at 12.15 and will return to Rugby Park at 12.30 pm. Thereafter, from 30 August 2010, P1 pupils along with all other pupils will attend for the normal school day and return to Rugby Park at 3.30 pm.

Transport for Nursery Children

Children attending a morning session will leave Rugby Park at 8.45 am and return at 11.45 am. Children attending the afternoon session will leave Rugby Park at 12.15 pm and return at 3.15 pm.

Transport for Out of School Care

Children who access Out of School Care should be taken by their parents to the Grange Campus where this service will be provided.  For the start of the school day, children will be taken from the Grange Campus directly to their respective schools. At the end of the school day children will be taken to the Grange Campus to attend the afternoon Out of School Care Service.  Parents of these pupils should collect their children from Grange Campus.

All buses will be clearly signposted with details of their destination and the classes being transported.  All buses will have the necessary level of supervision and a register of all children entering the bus will be taken and passed to school staff at each destination. 

Police / traffic warden presence will be in place at the junction of Dundonald Place and Dundonald Road between 8.30 am and 9.00 am to maintain a constant traffic flow into Dundonald Road.

Please note

Kilmarnock Football Club has asked that the area of car park in front of the hotel is kept clear for hotel guests.  In the interests of health and safety and to ease congestion children should arrive at / be collected from the bus area on foot.

Your co-operation is much appreciated.

Dear Parent / Carer

GARGIESTON PRIMARY SCHOOL – TIMES OF SCHOOL DAY AND TRANSPORT DETAILS TO DECANT LOCATIONS

My letter of 18 August 2010 advised that the following locations were being prepared for the decant of Gargieston Primary and Nursery Class pupils from Monday 23 August 2010:

Crosshouse Nursery School         Nursery class children

Shortlees Primary School              P1 and P2 classes

Bellfield Primary School                 P3, P3/4, P4 and P5 classes

Grange Campus                                     P5/6, P6 and P7 classes

The school day at each location for Gargieston Primary pupils and nursery class children will be as follows:

Crosshouse Nursery School        

Morning session         9.00 am – 11.30 am

Afternoon session      12.30 pm – 3.00 pm

Please note: 

(i)         for those children who are due to commence nursery from September 2010 onwards, a separate letter will be issued in due course clarifying their start dates.

(ii)        if your child is not due to be at nursery on a Monday, then they should arrive for the bus on the day they are due to attend

Shortlees      

Start time                                                       9.00 am

Interval (shared with Shortlees)         10.40 am – 10.55 am

Lunch                                                               12.15 pm – 1.15 pm

Close                                                                 3.15 pm

Bellfield        

Start time                                                       9.00 am

Interval (shared with Bellfield)             10.40 am – 10.55 am

Lunch                                                               12.15 pm – 1.15 pm

Close                                                                 3.15 pm

Grange          

Start time                                                       9.00 am

Interval (shared with Annanhill)       10.40 am – 10.55 am

Lunch                                                              12.15 pm – 1.15 pm

Close                                                                 3.15 pm

I am now able to confirm that the pupil transport departure and return point for these arrangements will be from ground within the Kilmarnock Football Club site, adjacent to the Moffat Stand, at the car parking area on the immediate right hand side upon entering Rugby Park site from Dundonald Road.

Pupils currently transported by bus from the Gatehead area will be taken to Rugby Park, where they will change bus for onward transport to the correct decant location.  The bus operators have undertaken to have the buses in position by 8.30 am and for all other pupils, access to transport can be made from this time each school day and the buses will depart Rugby Park at 8.45 am prompt.  Council and bus staff will be clearly visible to ensure that all children are put onto the correct bus.

Buses will return from their respective locations at 3.30 pm, at which time you will be able to collect your children.  The exception to this is for the nursery aged children.  Those attending a morning session will leave Rugby Park at 8.45 am and return at 11.45 am and children attending the afternoon session will leave Rugby Park at 12.15 pm and return at 3.15 pm.

For week commencing 23 August 2010, P1 pupils will leave Shortlees Primary School at 12.15 and will return to Rugby Park at 12.30 pm.  Thereafter, from 30 August 2010, P1 pupils along with all other pupils will attend for the normal school day and return to Rugby Park at 3.30 pm.

Buses to each location will leave in the following order:

1.         Crosshouse Nursery School

2.         Shortlees Primary School

3.         Bellfield Primary School

4.         Grange Campus

Children who access Out of School Care should be taken by their parents to the Grange Campus where this service will be provided.  For the start of the school day, children will be taken from the Grange Campus directly to the appropriate location.  At the end of the school day children will be taken to the Grange Campus to attend the afternoon Out of School Care Service.  Parents of these pupils should collect their children from Grange Campus.

All of the buses will be clearly signposted with details of their destination and the classes that are being transported.  All buses will have the necessary level of supervision and a register of all children entering the bus will be taken and passed to school staff at each destination.

 A police or traffic warden presence will be in place at the junction of Dundonald Place and Dundonald Road during the period between 8.30 am and 9.00 am to ensure that a constant flow of traffic is maintained into Dundonald Road.

Please note that Kilmarnock Football Club have asked that the area of car park in front of the hotel is kept clear for hotel guests.  In the interests of health and safety and to ease congestion, if possible, children should arrive at or be picked up from the bus area on foot.  Your co-operation in this important point will be much appreciated. Further details on when parental access is available at the decant locations will be provided in early course, for those who wish to look at the accommodation.

If you need any further information please do not hesitate to contact the ESS Transport Section at 01563 555516 / 01563 555517.

For clarification, if you have any routine query regarding your child, then you should contact the usual Gargieston Primary School and Nursery Class telephone number 01563 533067 from Monday 23 August 2010.

Yours sincerely

GRAHAM R SHORT

Executive Director of Educational and Social Services

GARGIESTON PS PARENTS – 18 08 10

Our Ref: GS/JP

 18 August 2010

 To:       Parent / Carer of Gargieston Primary School and Nursery Class

 Dear Parent / Carer

 UPDATE ON GARGIESTON PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY CLASS

 In my letter to you dated 13 August 2010 I indicated that the Council would receive a report from the consultants who were conducting ground condition survey work around the present Gargieston Primary School building and that Council staff would assess the findings.  That process has now taken place.  As you would anticipate, and as emphasised in my earlier letter to you, the top priority of the Council is for the safety of children and staff. 

 The consultant’s report indicates void spaces (gaps) have been found under the ground surface and that these extend beneath the present school.  This gap is substantial, at about 2 metres in height, and is relatively near the surface having been located at depths of 14.6 metres and 38 metres respectively, creating a risk of subsidence.  The report indicates that while there is no evidence of any significant subsidence impacting on the school at present the nature of the void space gives a potential significant risk of subsidence, and that the existence of multiple coal seams also gives a potential significant risk.  The consultants have therefore advised that a precautionary approach should be taken in the use and occupation of the school.  This advice has been echoed by the Council’s insurers and the Health and Safety Executive.  The considered view therefore is that the only prudent action available to the Council is to consider the present building to be a controlled area and to vacate it with immediate effect.  Please note, however, that the identified ground conditions should not prevent the construction of the new school as it should be possible to build on the site once appropriate measures have been taken to address the problems presented by the void space.  This approach will be no different to that used in other building projects such as the North West Area Centre and the Grange Campus.

 In the meantime, however it will be necessary to decant children and staff to other school sites.  The decant plan envisages use of the following decant locations:

 Nursery Class Children                      Crosshouse Nursery School

• P1 and P2                                               Shortlees Primary School
• P3, P3/4, P4 and P5                              Bellfield Primary School
• P5/6 class, P6 and P7                          Grange Campus

 This means that all children will be educated within the Grange Learning Community.  Arrangements are also being made separately with PEACE for out-of-school care.  Detailed plans have been developed in partnership between the Head Teacher of Gargieston Primary School and Nursery Class and the Head Teachers of the host schools.   Arrangements have been made to transfer resources from Gargieston to the host schools.  Please note that Gargieston will still exist as a separate school, albeit on different campuses.  All staff, and children will still be the responsibility of the headteacher of Gargieston Primary School and Nursery Class.

 Transport will be provided, although details are still be finalised with third parties. You will be informed at the earliest opportunity of these arrangements, which will include departure and arrival times and pick up points.

 You will be notified in the near future of the details of the daily routines and other administrative arrangements special to each campus.  Similarly, visits for parents to the new temporary locations will be arranged in the coming weeks.  Arrangements will be made for Gargieston Primary and Nursery Class to come together at particular points in the year for assemblies, sports days, festivals and school shows or concerts.  Updates will be provided through the Council web-site : www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk.

 Staff at all levels and in all schools are committed to ensuring that all children will have the best possible experience in this unforeseen situation.  There have already been very positive discussions with the host schools.

 Yours sincerely

GRAHAM R SHORT

Executive Director of Educational and Social Services

Officers from East Ayrshire Council will be present to explain the decant arrangements and the issues surrounding the recent findings from the ground condition surveys.

The  decant arrangements are as follows:

• Nursery classes will be accommodated within Crosshouse Nursery School
• Primaries 1 and 2 will be accommodated at Shortlees Primary School
• Primaries 3, 3/4, 4 and 5  will be accommodated at Bellfield Primary School
• Primaries  5/6, 6  and  7 classes will be accommodated in the Grange Campus

These arrangements have been made taking into account travel distance, the need to minimise the number of locations used and the educational impact for both Gargieston and the receiving schools. Priority has been given to keeping the pupils and staff of Gargieston Primary within their own Learning Community.

Transport arrangements  to take pupils to /from these education establishments are  currently being finalised and will be announced as soon as possible.

Starting first year at Auchinleck Academy next week may not be such a daunting prospect now for pupils who attended a ‘Fresher’s Week’ event held at the school recently.

The fun-packed three-day event saw the young people taking part in a variety of activities including sports, dance, karate and music to help them get to know others who hadn’t been at their primary school. They also enjoyed team building activities and an orienteering quiz designed to help them find their way around their new school!

Councillor Jim Roberts, Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, said: “Fresher’s Week was a great way for pupils to meet others they didn’t already know who’ll be attending the Academy with them next week. They were able to discuss any issues they had and have their questions answered and I’m sure they will all feel more confident now as they begin the next important stage of their education.”

Parents were informed at the public meetings regarding the new build Gargieston Primary before the summer break that drilling work would be taking place over the holiday period within the grounds of the school. The initial reports from these test bores, which the Council only received today, have given rise to concerns which are sufficient to warrant further exploratory tests.

To allow these tests to take place, it has been decided that as a precautionary measure the school and nursery class will close from 16th to 20th August.

The Council fully recognises, and regrets, any inconvenience caused to families during this closure period, however our paramount concern has to be for the safety of the children and Council employees.

Letters are also being sent to property owners who are immediately adjacent to the school to inform them of the current position. Although it is likely that the additional test bores will require to be close to some of the residential properties surrounding the school, it is not intended that any work will be in any way intrusive to these properties.

The Council hopes to have the results of the further investigatory work in the early part of next week, at which point parents and relevant residents will be updated on the situation by letter. Any further developments and updates will also be announced through West Sound radio.

GARGIESTON PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY CLASS – LIST OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 GENERAL QUESTIONS

 1.    What ground survey work has been undertaken at Gargieston Primary School and Nursery Class?

 In the course of the last week initial survey work has been completed to assess the ground conditions at Gargieston Primary School, in advance of the construction of the new school building. This work was undertaken to determine whether there were any issues which required to be addressed during the design and construction of the new school building.

2.    What have the survey results found?

        The test drilling, which was reported to Council officers on Friday 13 August, have given rise to concerns which are sufficient to warrant further exploratory tests.  These concerns relate to the current building and not the new project.

3.    When will the results of these ground tests be reported to the Council?

        The Council expects that findings from the additional test drilling work will be reported in the course of next week.

4.    What is the impact for surrounding properties?

        It is not possible to say with any certainty, what the implications of any ground conditions are for either the school or surrounding properties. The Council has commissioned these test bores, to get as accurate a picture as possible of the ground conditions, and will report these to all relevant parties at the earliest opportunity.

SCHOOL RELATED QUESTIONS

5.    Why is the school closed for a week?

        The school is closed for a week, on a precautionary basis to ensure the safety of pupils and staff. The Council’s prime concern is the health and safety of its pupils and staff, and the exceptional closure for one week will allow further test drilling to be completed and the results to be properly analysed. This will then allow officers, if necessary, to prepare an appropriate course of action for the pupils and staff of Gargieston Primary School.  If children can return before the end of the week, then an announcement will be made over West Sound.

6.    Will this week long closure affect my child’s education?

        No, every effort will be made by school staff to ensure that the learning and teaching processes are not affected in the course of the entire academic session 2010/11. The Head Teacher has already met with senior managers within the Department of Educational and Social Services to develop plans which can be implemented to ensure that children’s education is not affected.

7.    Will childcare be available for me to use next week?

        The Council is currently working with PEACE to ensure that alternative arrangements are put in place for those children attending PEACE at Gargieston Primary. It is anticipated that these services will be available at Onthank Primary for next week.

8.    Could the school be closed and the pupils and staff decanted?

        At this stage it is not possible to confirm whether it will be necessary to decant the staff and pupils in the immediate future or whether they can continue the education process in the Gargieston Primary buildings until the scheduled decant in January 2011. Until the Council receives results of the further test bores it cannot determine what course of action would be most appropriate. If children can return before the end of the week, then an announcement will be made over West Sound.

The Council will also maintain close links with the Chairperson of the school’s Parent Council to advise them of any developments at the earliest opportunity.

9.    If necessary, when would a decant decision be taken?

        Any decision to decant staff and pupils, if required, will be taken at the earliest opportunity next week. Council officers will examine the available spaces within nearby establishments to determine where children would be placed.

10.  How will you advise parents of any decision to decant staff and pupils?

        If there is a need to decant staff and pupils from the existing Gargieston Primary site before the anticipated January 2011 date all parents will be contacted by letter and the education authority would also intend to engage with relevant stakeholders at the appropriate time. It is anticipated that letters providing a situation update and advising if there is any need to decant to alternative accommodation will be sent as soon as possible next week, once the Council has received the results of the latest survey tests.

11.  Is it possible that the ground conditions would result in the new school not being built?

        The Council is committed to building a new Gargieston Primary School and Nursery Class, and in addition to allocating funding from its own capital programme has received Scottish Government funding of £3.6 million for this exciting project. It is only when the results of these further test bores have been completed and analysed that the level of any required ground work, if any, will be confirmed.

       The Council has recent experience in of dealing with ground issues in new build projects such as the North West Area Centre and the schools at both the Grange Campus and Shortlees Primary where groundwork was required before the actual school building could be started.

12.  Would groundwork mean that the overall construction of the school goes beyond the anticipated completion date?

        As the nature of any ground work will be dependent on the results of the further test bores it is not possible to say what work may be required. It is, however, possible that if remedial ground work is necessary, and assuming the school is decanted, ground work is accelerated to ensure that the school building work commences at its scheduled start date of May 2011. Further information on any work which is required and when it will be completed will be provided to all interested stakeholders at the appropriate time.

13.  Where can I get further information on this matter, should I need to contact the Council?

        The Council has a 24 hour, 7 days per week, helpline (0845 7240000) which is available to deal with any enquiries that staff, parents or residents may have in relation to Gargieston Primary.

       During office hours (9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4pm on Friday) calls should be directed to the Department of Education and Social Services at 01563 576252.

If any parent or resident requires further information at this stage, the Council’s Helpline will be open as usual. The number to call is 0845 724 0000.

ends

The Council’s Road Safety Team helped to diagnose any safety issues at a ‘car seat clinic’ in Kilmarnock recently.

Road Safety Officers were on hand in ASDA’s car park to answer questions and provide information on what car seats are suitable for different types of car and different heights and weights of children.

Councillor Jim Todd, Spokesperson for Community Safety, said: “The clinic in Kilmarnock found that 64% of the car seats checked required attention so it certainly proved to be a valuable exercise.

“It’s important to remember that the Council does not recommend using second hand car seats as the accident history of the seat is unknown, fitting instructions are usually missing and important safety components may be missing too.”

ends

Foster carers, children and young people enjoyed thrills and spills at Loudoun Castle Theme Park this week as part of a celebratory event that aimed to raise the profile of the need to support East Ayrshire children living with East Ayrshire Council’s foster carers.

This was the fourth year that an event has been held, and while previous events have focused on consultation and partnership working, this year’s was all about having fun!

Consultations have already taken place this year with carers at their support groups and Business and Issues meetings and with young people at the Young People’s Forums regarding service provision and improvements. Ideas were taken from all and the focus this year is on shared experiences and networking. One of the most popular suggestions for this year’s event to come out of the consultations was a day out at Loudoun Castle Theme Park. It was so popular in fact, that 48 foster carers and 87 children and young people went along on the day!

The Fun Day provided opportunities for foster carers to meet up and share their experiences. It also enabled the children and young people to feel less isolated and to integrate with their peers in a social environment.

Councillor John MacKay, Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing, said: “The day out was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. It gave foster carers a good opportunity to discuss what they have learned and for the young people to meet other children going through similar experiences to them.

“East Ayrshire Council is always looking for people who are interested in becoming foster carers and if you think you might like more information about what is involved, call 0800 434 66 33 or visit www.fosteringandadoption.org.uk for more information.”

ends

Over 70 children from primary and secondary schools all over East Ayrshire were put through their paces last week when they attended a five day Dance Summer School at Grange Academy.

Over the course of the week the children were taught a range of modern dance themes including Jazz, Hip-Hop and Musical Theatre by dance tutors Louise Atkinson, Carrie Paterson, Pauline Adams and Zara Smith, with help from PE teachers, Jennifer Sharpe and Janice Smith. The Ayrshire Gymnastics Team was also on hand to guide them through some additional gymnastic movements.

The highlight of the week came on the last day when the children put into practice all they had learned by performing in front of 200 parents and friends. Councillor Jim Roberts and Councillor Hugh Ross were among the audience.

Councillor Ross said: “Dance is a really popular activity among our young people and this Dance Summer School has given many local children an opportunity to experience something new and enjoyable over the holiday period, whilst at the same time encouraging healthy exercise.

Councillor Roberts added: “Today’s fabulous dance performance has demonstrated that there is a real wealth of creative talent amongst our young people. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the dance tutors involved in delivering this programme, these children have acquired a whole range of new skills which they confidently and expertly put on show for us today.”

The Dance Summer School was funded by Creative Scotland and Active Schools.

ends

Football mad youngsters from across East Ayrshire have been competing throughout the summer for the opportunity to train with their heroes at Kilmarnock Football Club thanks to a joint programme from East Ayrshire Council and Kilmarnock FC with funding from the Scottish Government’s ‘Cashback for Communities’ project.

Kilmarnock Football Club’s StreetSport Icon offered up 12 places for talented footballers to train alongside the Kilmarnock first team, eat lunch with the players and make a half time appearance at a Kilmarnock home game. The 12 young footballers also received full Kilmarnock FC training gear for the experience.

Crosshouse StreetSport Cage was the venue for StreetSport Icon in this, the second year, of the initiative. Over 100 young people competed over three age groups for the amazing prize. The nine winners of their respective age groups were joined by the most talented runner up, chosen by Kilmarnock legend and ex-captain Alan Mahood, and two goalkeepers chosen by Auchinleck Talbot Goalkeeper Adam Strain.

The programme was also supplemented with an excellent promotional initiative from ‘Wiseman Dairies’. Wiseman provided all young people competing in the registration days with flavoured milk which was extremely well received by all athletes.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Douglas Reid, who is himself a lifelong Kilmarnock fan, was especially impressed with the talent on show in the Under-19s age group. Having watched both of the competition’s semi-finals he said: “The young athletes in attendance have shown what a great deal of untapped potential exists within some of the smaller communities of East Ayrshire. This programme not only allows the athletes to display their skills, but is also aspirational in the sense that the young people now know the levels of dedication to the sport and fitness needed to fulfil their potential.”

Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing, Councillor Kathy Morrice added: “What has impressed me about this event is seeing so many young people from different communities coming together to compete for this excellent prize.”

The StreetSport Icon programme is an extension of the work East Ayrshire Council and Kilmarnock FC already achieve in the community. The partnership runs Street Football sessions, Premier Night Leagues, Mini Kickers & KFC Football Academy.

For further information please contact the Youth Sport Development Officer on 01563 576871 or log on to www.eac.eu/sport

ends

East Ayrshire Council was pleased to welcome four new apprentices to its Housing Asset Services section recently.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council, said: “These young men and young woman have a great opportunity in the palm of their hands and I’m sure that they will make the most of it. I would like to wish them every success with their apprenticeships, and look forward to seeing them become a great asset to the Council’s workforce.”

The apprentices are:

Stacey Redmond, Stewarton
Apprentice Plumber

Stevie Rae, New Cumnock
Apprentice Plumber

Grant Prophet, Irvine
Apprentice Electrician

Michael Gavin, Galston
Apprentice Plasterer

ends

Eddie Binnie leads the singing with Provost Stephanie Young, Katie Hawker of Alzheimer Scotland, EAC Chief Executive Fiona Lees, Alzheimer Scotland Chief Executive Henry Simmons and Councillor Tom Cook

Alzheimer Scotland, Action on Dementia, is Provost Young’s chosen charity for this year, following in the footsteps of Combat Stress who benefitted from donations topping £50,000.00 thanks to the support of East Ayrshire elected members, employees, local businesses and public.

Provost Young said: “I’m delighted to be working with Alzheimer Scotland to raise funds and awareness this year. Our appeal hopes to achieve several aims. We’re supporting this “Musical Minds” initiative, a “Football Reminiscences“ project and are looking at establishing a drop in centre in Kilmarnock and a series of community cafes throughout East Ayrshire dedicated to helping those with dementia.

“I was inspired to support Alzheimer Scotland after listening to John Suchet’s story of living with Alzheimers since his wife Bonnie was diagnosed in 2006. Sadly it is a condition which touches many people. This charity does so much work to support people with dementia and their families.”

NHS Patient Services Manager Isabel Marr welcomed everyone to the Danny Coffey suite. “Musical Minds is an innovative project and we’re delighted to be working with East Ayrshire Council and Alzheimer Scotland to be launching the first such group in Scotland. While there is as yet no scientific proof that singing improves dementia we are hopeful that this project will enable us to research the real benefits which music can bring to service users and their families.”

Henry Simmons, Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland said:” We are deeply indebted to East Ayrshire Council for choosing to support our charity for the next year. In Scotland at the moment there are over 70,000 people living with dementia. As a charity we aim to support those people and their families through services such as music therapy, football reminiscence and lobbying for change, breaking down barriers to make life easier.
“The exciting thing about this project is the partnership between East Ayrshire Council, ourselves and the National Health Service. We’re working together to provide a level of care and assistance which is unique in Scotland. We hope the ground breaking East Ayrshire group will serve as an example which can eventually be rolled out across Scotland.”

“Provost Young’s decision to support us during this year is the start of many exciting opportunities to help us achieve our aim. We exist to ensure that no one needs to be alone with dementia and with East Ayrshire’s help we will move closer to that goal.”

Three Ayrshire Provosts receive their trophy

A unique, modern garden designed and developed by three Ayrshire Councils with support from Zero Waste Scotland was one of the highlights at this weekend’s Ayr Flower Show,

The innovative design for the “Love Food Hate Waste Garden” was developed to deliver a message of domestic sustainability. The garden demonstrated a unique take on the life cycle of food, showing the journey from garden vegetable patch, to kitchen, to compost bin. The overall aim of the exhibit was to show how we can all reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.

The Love Food Hate Waste Garden incorporates the use of recycled materials to enhance its overall sustainability. The kitchen area, furniture and garden features were made from wood generated from treeworks in Kilmarnock’s Dean Castle Country Park. The kitchen sink and fridge freezer were reclaimed from recycling centres.

During the show the three Councils were all on hand at a trade stand beside the garden promoting home composting and the Councils’ waste services. Zero Waste Advisers from Zero Waste Scotland were also available throughout the three day event to speak to the public and offer information and advice on ways in which they could reduce their food waste and save some money.

Provost Young continued: “Our garden showed how taking positive action in our own gardens and kitchens can reduce waste sent to landfill. Growing our own vegetables and herbs and only picking what is needed fresh from the garden, reduces levels of food waste. Planning ahead and storing fresh produce correctly also cuts waste. To help focus on creating tasty meals from leftovers there are lots of useful tips and recipes available via the Love Food Hate Waste campaign. And, to complete the loop, a home composter provides the ideal home for your peelings.”

“Through this garden we were also able to introduce our new food waste and mixed plastics bins which will be coming into operation for households in East Ayrshire before Christmas as part of our overall recycling strategy. We were thrilled by the positive response we’ve had from the show visitors and look forward to helping everyone achieve savings which will also benefit the planet.”

Community Service award winning Ayr Flower Show exhibit

Visiting the stall to offer her congratulations on their achievement Provost Stephanie Young said:” To win a silver gilt medal in the first year of entry is a great achievement. Over twenty offenders undertaking Community Service have been involved in this project since the first seeds were planted at the beginning of the year. They’ve been using planning, design, gardening and construction skills to bring this project to fruition. Aged from sixteen to sixty five, many of these men and women have learned a new appreciation of the work involved and the satisfaction to be gained from growing and maintaining a garden.

All the begonias used in the exhibit were grown from seed. Their yellow and orange colours were chosen specifically to represent the golden anniversary theme. Central to the display was a 50 year old bicycle, sourced from the Killie Can Cycle scheme which recycles bicycles of all ages.

Provost Young continued:” Creating something so beautiful and positive from relatively little has been an inspiration to the team. All the seeds used to grow the 1960 – 2010 flower boxes cost less than £5.00 – a reminder to us all that a little effort and minimal expense can produce something for others to enjoy.”

The display will continue to give pleasure now that the Ayr Flower Show has finished. Rosebank Daycare Centre in London Road Kilmarnock is the new location for the plants which will be maintained in situ by the Community Service squads for the rest of the summer.

Any Community Council, person or organisations wishing to make written representations on the proposed amendments should address them to Bill Walkinshaw, Head of Democratic Services, East Ayrshire Council, Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock KA3 7BU or e-mail engagement@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Consultation period for Stage 1 ends: Friday 1 October 2010.

Relevant documentation can be viewed at:

Information Note

Model Schemes
Model Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils in Scotland

Draft East Ayshire Council Scheme for Community Councils for Consultation

Model Constitution for Community Councils

Model Standing Orders

Code of Conduct for Community Councillors

Existing Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils
Community Council Scheme

Existing Community Council Code of Practice
Code of Practice

Boundary Maps
Auchinleck Community Council

Bellfield Kilmarnock Community Council

Bonnyton Community Council

Catrine Community Council

Crosshouse Community Council

Cumnock Community Council

Cumnock Landward Community Council (Netherthird & District)

Dalmellington Community Council

Dalrymple Community Council

Darvel and District Community Council

Drongan, Rankinston & Stair Community Council

Dunlop and Lugton Community Council

Fenwick Community Council

Galston Community Council

Gatehead Community Council

Grange/Howard Community Council

Hurlford and Crookedholm Community Council

Kilmaurs Community Council

Knockentiber Community Council

Lugar and Logan Community Council

Mauchline Community Council

Moscow and Waterside Community Council

Muirkirk Community Council

New Cumnock Community Council

New Farm Loch Community Council

Newmilns and Greenholm Community Council

Northwest Kilmarnock Community Council

Ochiltree Community Council

Patna Community Council

Piersland-Bentinck Kilmarnock Community Council

Riccarton Kilmarnock Community Council

Shortlees Kilmarnock Community Council

Sorn Community Council

Southcraigs-Dean Community Council

Stewarton and District Community Council

Office Bearers
Information relating to Community Council Office Bearers is not available on the web site. Should you have any enquiries regarding your Local Community Council please contact Bill Walkinshaw, Head of Democratic Services by e-mail at bill.walkinshaw@east-ayrshire.gov.uk or by telephone on 01563 576135.

In this section…
Introduction
Democratic Services
Finance Service
Information Technology and Asset Management
Personnel Services
Corporate Development & Communications
Contacts

A unique, modern garden designed and developed by the three Ayrshire Councils with support from Zero Waste Scotland is one of the highlights at this weekend’s Ayr Flower Show.

The garden demonstrates a unique take on the life cycle of food, showing the journey from garden vegetable patch, to kitchen, to compost bin. It shows how changes in your lifestyle can dramatically reduce the volume of waste you send to landfill.

Complementing the garden are messages from the national Love Food Hate Waste Campaign and the Compost at Home campaign.

Although a joint venture, this year the Love Food Hate Waste Garden has been planted and constructed by a team of six staff from East Ayrshire’s Outdoor Amenities section, and incorporates the use of recycled materials. The kitchen area, furniture and garden features have been constructed from wood generated from treeworks originating in Kilmarnock’s Dean Castle Country Park, and the kitchen sink and fridge freezer have been reclaimed from Recycling Centres. Local community arts group Impact Arts also contributed by developing a Love Food Hate Waste message from recycled materials which is interspersed throughout the show garden.

Representatives from East Ayrshire will be on hand throughout the show to discuss the garden and talk about how people can become involved in a wide range of waste minimisation, waste reuse and waste recycling methods. They will also highlight the forthcoming new kerbside collection service for mixed plastics and food waste which will commence in the latter half of 2010.

Council Leader Douglas Reid said: “The joint Ayrshire garden is designed to enable show visitors to relate how taking positive action in their own gardens and kitchens can reduce waste sent to landfill. Campaigns such as Love Food Hate Waste and Home Compositing serve to highlight how simple steps taken at home not only stop waste being sent to landfill, but can provide financial benefits to each and every one of us.

“We’re very excited about our new kerbside collection which will be launched this year to approximately one fifth of our households, initially in the north of East Ayrshire. We’ll be watching very closely to see what effect this has on waste sent to landfill. I’m confident that yet again, our residents will get behind this recycling initiative and our recycling rate will increase.”

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Best Overall Garden

The judging of the 14th annual East Ayrshire Council Garden Competition is now complete and for the seventh time since 2000, the winners of the Best Overall Garden category are Mr and Mrs Moore of Southcraigs Holdings, Kilmarnock.

The Best Council Garden award went to Mr and Mrs Spence of Raithburn Avenue, Kilmarnock.

Councillor Kathy Morrice, Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing said: “The garden competition rewards those in our communities who take pride in their gardens and their communities. All of the entrants work incredibly hard in their gardens and this has a very positive effect on the streets and towns in which they live. Special congratulations go to Mr and Mrs Moore on their seventh win – a remarkable achievement of which they should be very proud.”

Full list of winners:

Best Overall Garden – The Westfield Nursery Rose Bowl
Mr & Mrs Moore, 19 Southcraigs Holdings, Kilmarnock

Best Council Garden – ISS Waterers Landscapes Cup
Mr & Mrs Spence, 5 Raithburn Avenue, Kilmarnock

The L.C.S. Cup
Best Council Garden – Southern Area Mr & Mrs Stevenson, 2 Robertson Place, Dalrymple
Runner up Mr & Mrs Johnstone, 1 Gemmell Avenue, Cumnock

The Mitchell and Struthers Cup
Best Private Garden – Southern Area Mr & Mrs Alexander, 36 Kings Drive, Cumnock
Runner up Mrs Robertson, 26 Highfield Place, Ochiltree

The Abie Paton Memorial Trophy
Best Council Garden – Central Area Mr K. Gill, 8 Earn Place, Kilmarnock
Runner up Mrs Annette Harrop, 38 Munro Avenue, Kilmarnock

The Daily Record Trophy
Best Private Garden – Central Area Mr Cassidy 127 Tourhill Road, Kilmarnock
Runner up Mrs Johnston, 2 Paxton Place, Kilmarnock

The East Ayrshire Garden Competition Cup
Best Council Garden – Northern Area Mr Muir, 10 Lomond Avenue, Hurlford
Runner up Mrs Preston, 2 Hemphill View, Knockentiber

The C.B.C. Cup
Best Private Garden – Northern Area Ms Hamilton, 15 Arran View, Stewarton
Runner up Mr Mitchell, 19 Maxwell Gardens, Hurlford

Best Hanging Baskets and Containers
Mr & Mrs Moore, 19 Southcraigs Holdings, Kilmarnock

Special Achievement Awards

Mr H. Jones, 52 Holland Crescent, Cumnock
Mr Kyle, 22 Clearmount Avenue, Newmilns
Ms Gallacher, 5 Garven Court, Kilmarnock
Mr B. Fadzean, 15 Ayr Road, Kilmarnock
Mr and Mrs Marshall, 50 McLelland Drive, Kilmarnock

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Representatives of the Council will join the clean up and they would be delighted to see as many people as possible from the local community join them.

Come along and help look after your local area by meeting at 9.00am at the pavilion in Victory Park where you will be given safety gloves, tabards, litter pickers and bags. Just make sure you bring suitable clothing and footwear for the unpredictable summer weather!

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Cumnock Support Group for Parkinson’s UK has moved to a new home at Visions Leisure Centre in Cumnock.

The small and informal group welcomes anyone who has an interest in Parkinson’s to monthly meetings where they can keep up to date with information about Parkinson’s and what support may be available. It also gives people the chance to meet others who are in a similar situation and to talk about their experiences.

The group plans to organise lunches, outings and fundraising activities, and is looking for anyone who feels they might benefit from the group’s support to contact them.

Provost Stephanie Young visited the group at its new premises last week and said: “Parkinson’s Support Groups are very close to my heart. My late father-in-law was a Parkinson’s sufferer; he and my mother-in-law received a great amount of help and support from groups such as this one. I wish them all the best for the future.”

For more information about the group which meets on the first Wednesday of each month between 1 and 3pm, contact Andrew McDougall on 01290 420116.

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X normally marks the spot but at an awareness raising event held by the Council’s Corporate Enforcement Unit (CEU) at the Howard Park – a flag marked the poop!

The CEU was joined by Councillor Jim Todd at this unusual event to mark National Poop Scoop Week 2010 and between them they planted 79 flags indicating the extent of dog fouling throughout the park.

Councillor Todd, Spokesperson for Improving Community Safety said: “I am actually quite shocked that we found so much dog waste within Howard Park. The number of flags highlighted the extent of the problem we face from irresponsible dog owners. Our parks should be areas that we can all enjoy without the problem of dog waste. The Corporate Enforcement Unit carries out ongoing awareness raising activities and encourages people to pick up after their dogs. However please be aware that anyone caught not picking up after their dog will receive a fine or be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

“Dog fouling is a real problem throughout Scotland, not just East Ayrshire, but we are tackling it. Together we can improve our environment – making East Ayrshire a better place to live, work and play!”

Anyone wishing to report dog fouling incidents or a dog fouler should contact Environmental Health on 01563 554022.

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Come along and admire bikes of different ages, makes and models. This is a perfect chance to see some stunning classic bikes and have a chat to the owners for free!

There will be a giant slide and bouncy castle for the kids, side stalls and Owl Magic will be there on the day too. Entry to the park and bike show is free. There will be a small charge for inflatables.

For more information contact 01563 522702 or visit www.ayrclassicmc.com.

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Don’t forget that the Classic Bike Show which was postponed in July will also take place on Sunday 8th from 12pm – 4pm with classic bikes of all ages and models as well as inflatables, Owl Magic and side stalls.

On Tuesday 10 August take part in Green Galleries where you can get creative with the Countryside Rangers and make your own masterpiece with what nature has to offer. Spaces are limited on this event to 30 children so please book to avoid disappointment.

Mammal Morphing will take place on Wednesday 11 August. Create your own super mammal with the Rangers and find out more about how our mammals have adapted over the years and why. Booking is necessary for this event due to limited spaces.

Rainbow Ramble takes place on Thursday 12 August. Come along and dip into nature’s colour palette and take part in activities with the Rangers. Spaces are limited.

All mid week events start at 2.30pm from the visitor centre and should be booked by telephoning 01563 522702 or online at www.deancastle.com

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The Co-operative Funeralcare branch on Glaisnock Street in Cumnock was rededicated in an official ceremony recently to mark its refurbishment.

Provost Stephanie Young was invited along to the service which was conducted by Reverend John Paterson and Father Stephen McGratton. The branch was refurbished and redecorated last year, but a rededication that had been planned for the end of 2009 had to be postponed due to a van going through the front window of the building just after the refurbishment had been completed!

Provost Young said: “The refurbished branch looks wonderful and I’m sure that it will help to enhance the professional and caring approach that Co-operative Funeralcare takes towards its work with bereaved families.”

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Robert Burns’ links with Kilmarnock were celebrated recently as Burns Clubs from all over Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway gathered to pay their respects at the Burns monument at Kilmarnock Cross.

Members of the Burns Howff of Kilmarnock hosted a wreath laying event to mark the 224th anniversary of the publication of the famous “Kilmarnock Edition” of Burns’ poetry. Local man John Wilson put his faith in the poet, producing 612 copies at a time when his work was relatively unknown. In a latter day publishing sensation, the book sold out within a month!

Marking the anniversary with a gathering of representatives of Burns Clubs throughout Ayrshire and Dumfries, Provost Stephanie Young said: “I’m delighted to be invited to join these Burns enthusiasts to celebrate Burns and John Wilson’s achievements. Kilmarnock should be proud to be the town which launched the printed career of such a world renowned poet, one who started from humble beginnings, but whose talent has enriched the lives of millions over the generations.”

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A group of local youngsters took positive steps towards a fitter, healthier and happier lifestyle when they  recently participated in the MEND ‘Move It Week’.

Aged between five and thirteen, the youngsters have all previously attended the MEND Programme – a local healthy living course for children who are over a healthy weight. The Programme teaches families about healthy eating and how to enjoy physical activity, which results in participants losing weight, becoming more active, being healthier and improving their self-esteem.

During the Move It Week MEND families participated in a variety of fun games and activities. MEND parent, Elizabeth Bennett, said: “The MEND Move it session was fantastic. The MEND leaders provided a wide selection of exciting activities for the children to take part in. There was a bouncy castle which always goes down a storm with children; circus skills; wannabe pop stars, double dutch skipping and face painting. The children absolutely loved it.”

Councillor Morrice, who attended the Move It sessions, said: “This is a magnificent event provided by the innovative MEND programme in East Ayrshire. MEND is having a major impact on East Ayrshire families by empowering them to make healthy lifestyle choices.”

MEND Move It Week, coincided with National Childhood Obesity Week, and aimed to encourage East Ayrshire families to spend time being active as a family. During the week, MEND encouraged local families to:

• Schedule some time every week with their child doing something active.
• Keep a ‘screen time’ diary for a week noting how much time the family spend watching TV and playing computer games. Start by reducing TV time by 10 minutes each day.
• Create a boredom-buster box and fill it with ideas for fun activities, including some that can be done as a family. This encourages the whole family to become more active and helps to reduce ‘screen time’.

Elizabeth, who has recently become a MEND parent volunteer within Leisure Development’s Volunteer database, added: “I became a volunteer within MEND because of the positive nature of the programme. Every child receives the full enthusiasm and effort from the leaders. Sessions are fun and interesting, get children motivated and build their self esteem at the same time.  It is everything you could possibly want for your child and I wanted to be part of it!”

Harry MacMillan, Chief Executive of MEND, said: “By running the MEND Programme, East Ayrshire is taking practical action to ensure families in the area get the support they need to live healthy lives. The success of the MEND Programme is all about giving families the information they need to make healthier choices. We’re delighted that Councillor Kathy Morrice is helping the families celebrate their achievements during the MEND Move It Week”.

Due to the success of previous MEND programmes, East Ayrshire Leisure Development’s Recreation Partnership Service is running its seventh programme starting September 2010.  All sessions are FREE but spaces are limited. 

For more information on the MEND programme or if you are interested in participating, please contact Lesley Fowler, Recreation Partnership Officer on 01563 576684 or Lesley.fowler@east-ayrshire.gov.uk. 

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Cheryl Ann was the recent winner of the Cook School Scotland’s Chef’s Apprentice competition – a cooking competition open to all local secondary schools which was inspired and sponsored by Craig Stevenson of Braehead Foods.

She fought off competition from eight other local youngsters to secure the star prize of a week’s work experience at Merchants, under the watchful eye of Executive Chef Alisdair Hood. At the end of her week’s placement Cheryl Ann had an opportunity to further demonstrate some of her newly acquired culinary skills by preparing her prizing winning signature dish for the Leader of the Council, Councillor Douglas Reid; Depute Provost John Campbell and Chief Executive Fiona Lees who had visited Merchants to congratulate Cheryl Ann and celebrate her achievements.

Councillor Reid said: “It was an honour to be able to sample Cheryl Ann’s outstanding cooking at Merchants. Our Chief Executive was involved in the Chef’s Apprentice competition as a guest judge along with the Cook School Scotland’s 3 star Michelin Chef Steven Doherty; Ralph Porciani, Executive Chef at Turnberry; Joe Queen, Executive Chef of Thistle Hotels and of course, Alisdair. Fiona had been extremely impressed by the standard of cooking on offer and our meal at Merchants was outstanding!

“It is extremely heartening that local businesses are willing to help our young people in such a positive way and I wish Cheryl Ann the very best in her future ventures.”

Alisdair Hood said: “It was really inspiring to see such enthusiasm and skill level from someone who is the future of our industry. Cheryl-Ann really enjoyed her time with us and I am sure she has learnt a lot from working in a professional kitchen. All my staff were really impressed with her dish and it sold exceptionally well over the week.”

Notes to Editor

Cheryl Ann prepared a breast of chicken stuffed with mushrooms, garlic and soft herbs wrapped in proscuitto ham with mozzarella baked potato

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The letter from the Scottish Government states: “After carefully considering both the information provided by those requesting the call in of the decision and the information provided by your Council, Ministers concluded that East Ayrshire Council has fulfilled its obligations under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 and therefore do not intend to issue a call in notice in respect of the decision. East Ayrshire Council may therefore now implement the proposal to close Crossroads Primary School with immediate effect.”

The Council has written to parents and staff informing them that the school will now close with the children being offered a place in Galston Primary School. The Council believes that it is very important that this will be done as a carefully managed process with children and parents being fully informed of the transition arrangements. Now that the Ministerial decision is known, detailed planning for the move to Galston Primary School has begun allowing children to start their new school following the October school break. Pupils will remain at Bellfield Primary until then. Council officers are meeting with the senior staff of both Crossroads and Galston Primary School to ensure that children have the best possible experience.

The Council is very grateful to everyone who participated in the consultation exercise on the future of the school, and to all who have supported Crossroads Primary School over the last year.

The letter from the Scottish Government will be placed on the Scottish Government website in the following section:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/Buildings/changestoschoolestate/schoolclosures/Q/EditMode/on

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The repairs are required after the section of road suffered badly as a result of the previous severe winter. 

During the spring and early summer the speed on this section of road was reduced to 50 mph for safety reasons until the repairs could be organised and financed. 

The works are due to commence on Monday 9 August 2010 and will last no longer that 14 days.  The resurfacing is being carried out by Colas Ltd in partnership with East Ayrshire Council using the Repave Process whereby less of the existing carriageway is removed than by conventional means. 

The remaining carriageway is then heated and a new hot rolled asphalt is bonded to the existing heated material forming a completely new running surface. 

To allow this process to be carried out safely, the westbound traffic will be diverted onto the eastbound carriageway where a contraflow will be in operation for the duration of the works. 

East Ayrshire Council apologise in advance for any delays which the public may experience, but stress that every effort will be made to have the works completed and have the carriageway re-opened as soon as possible.

Depute Provost John Campbell visited Samaritans Ayrshire last week to help promote this year’s 24:7 national awareness campaign.

Samaritans’ national awareness day is Saturday 24 July and the charity that helps millions of people in emotional distress and at risk of suicide will be raising awareness of the fact that its service is open to anyone who needs it 24 hours a day.

Also at the Ayrshire branch was the Samaritans Smart Car which has been driven by celebrity supporters including The Stig to 175 Samaritans branches across the UK in support of the campaign.

Depute Provost Campbell said: “Saturday 24 July – 24/7 – is the perfect day to raise awareness of Samaritans’ round-the-clock availability. The charity is the only service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, offering support to anyone experiencing emotional distress and I hope that this year’s campaign will be the most successful yet.”

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A new Board of Directors was elected at the meeting and full discussions took place around the next Manifesto of the Scottish Youth Parliament. This manifesto will be informed by a consultation with young people conducted by young people. The ‘Picture The Change’ consultation will be the biggest project the SYP has undertaken to date. 15,000 young people from across Scotland will be consulted; their views will shape the Manifesto and dictate much of the SYP’s campaigning work right up until 2015.

Scottish music star Amy Mc Donald has stepped up to help the Scottish Youth Parliament launch the massive consultation, ensuring that ‘Picture the Change’ gets off to a flying start.

Amy said: “It is important that young people get their chance to influence Scotland’s politicians, and the creation of a Manifesto by the Scottish Youth Parliament provides that chance. I am happy to help, and urge young people to get involved and have their voice heard in this positive way.”

In the run up to the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary elections, the SYP will release the new Youth Manifesto.

Derek Couper MSYP, Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament said: “The manifesto encapsulates everything that the SYP strives for. We aim to understand the thoughts, opinions and desires of young people, communicate these views to decision makers, give young people a strong and effective voice, develop a strong mandate for the SYP and develop the skills and understanding of young people.”

Councillor Jim Roberts, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning said: “Young people aged between 14 and 26 years of age from throughout East Ayrshire will have the opportunity to take part in the national consultation on Wednesday 11 August. Our MSYPs will be at the Cross in Kilmarnock with the Young Scot Infomobile and employees from East Ayrshire Council Dialogue Youth Project and Community Learning and Development. Don’t miss your opportunity to have your say.”

Young people in East Ayrshire can also complete the consultation online by logging on to www.scottishyouthparliament.org.uk

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The company phone potential customers and arrange for a representative to call, often within the hour. Once inside the customer’s home the company fits the alarms very quickly. The customer is then persuaded to sign a maintenance contract credit agreement lasting up to eight years and costing around £5000 – £6000.

Regulations were introduced in October 2008 regarding doorstep selling which protects consumers from high pressure selling like this. The regulations provide a seven day cooling off period for both unsolicited and solicited calls at home during which a contract can be cancelled.

Your right to come out of the agreement could be lost, however, if you agree with the trader that you want the work to commence before the end of the cooling off period.

Always remember that if you sign a credit agreement, at home then that is a separate contract regarding which you have further cancellation rights. Consumers who sign a credit agreement at home have five days to cancel after receiving the 2nd copy (the executed agreement) which must be posted to your home by the finance company to give you time to consider options.

For more information on this press release, please contact the Trading Standards Service at 14 London Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7AF – Telephone 01563 521502.

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The free clinic, which will be held in ASDA’s car park, Kilmarnock on Friday 6 August between 10.30am and 3.30pm and ASDA’s car park in Cumnock on Thursday 12 August between 10.30am and 3.30pm, will provide in car checks on the safety and suitability of fitted car seats. The last time the clinic rolled into town over 50% of child safety seats checked were incorrectly fitted and some were even condemned!

The officers can provide detailed safety advice and will also measure your child’s height and weight, if necessary, to advise you on the type of car seat that will help to ensure your child’s safety in the car.

Be on the safe side – and keep your family safe – take advantage of this free In-car Safety Check.

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Our current apprentices attended the evening and were joined by their managers and supervisors from within Housing Asset Services and key partners from local colleges who support them throughout their apprenticeships. This gave the young people who attended an invaluable insight into life as an apprentice.

The Council also took the opportunity to recognise our apprentices for their hard work and dedication, presenting certificates to four apprentices and an Apprentice of the Year award.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council, attended the opening evening to congratulate our apprentices and meet young people interested in learning a trade. He said: “I was delighted to attend the open evening. This was an invaluable evening for those interested in an apprenticeship and was a great opportunity to congratulate our best apprentices.

“All of our apprentices have shown great skill and commitment but five in particular have surpassed all expectation and have been outstanding. Four Highly Commended certificates were presented to Jamie Cumming, Scott Dinwoodie, David Lees and Rheece Weir and the 2010 Apprentice of the Year Award went to Scott Wright.”

Vokera Boilers generously provided sponsorship for the event and also sponsored the Apprentice of the Year Award. ARCO will be sponsoring this year’s new starts and will provide their PPE kit for a year. Thanks also went to JTC Kitchens who provided the evening’s refreshments.

Note to Editor

The winners were:

Highly Commended

Jamie Cumming – Joiner 2nd year
Scott Dinwoodie – Plumber 4th year
David Lees – Bricklayer 4th year
Rheece Weir – Blacksmith 4th year

Winner

Scott Wright – Plasterer 4th year (Scott was unable to attend the presentation)

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Clare Johnston of Auchinleck Indoor Bowling Club and Graeme Kane and Peter Kirkbride of Kilmarnock Amateur Weightlifting Club are set to be named in the Scotland Commonwealth Squad to be announced on Wednesday 18 August.

The three athletes are supported by East Ayrshire Council and the Sports Council through the Talented Athlete Support Programme and we wish each of them the very best of luck in their pursuit of Medals at the Games. The Council also hopes that their dedication and success will inspire thousands of others to get involved in sport as the country gears up for the 2014 Games in Glasgow.

Councillor Kathy Morrice, Spokesperson of Improving Community Health and Wellbeing said: “We are really proud of these individuals and what they have already achieved in their respective sports. We hope that they bring back Medals for Scotland and East Ayrshire at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later this year. It’s really important though to make it clear that we want to see more people taking part in sport. As Council we value sport and physical activity – it brings great benefits to individuals and our communities. You don’t have to be really talented to take part there are opportunities at all levels in East Ayrshire and we’d like to see lots more people committed to getting active.”

Clare and Peter will be on hand at Play Day, Kay Park on Wednesday 4 August to demonstrate their sports and take some coaching sessions. This will be a fantastic opportunity for our young people to meet athletes of a very high calibre.

The Council would like to see the whole community get behind these athletes and support them on the road to gold medal success in Dehli this October. The Council hope to be able to screen their performances live at a venue in East Ayrshire – for further information please contact the Council’s Sports Development Manager on 01563 576 721.

Clare, Graeme and Peter won’t be the only ambassadors from East Ayrshire at the Games this October; three local people have also been selected to take part in the Handover Ceremony which marks the transfer of Games responsibility from Delhi to Glasgow. Craig Butcher, Ashleigh Wardrop and Amy Gibson will perform in the closing ceremony to showcase Glasgow and Scotland to the rest of the world. The performance which will take place in the spectacular Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will be beamed live across the Commonwealth to an estimated audience of 1 billion people.

Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive, John Scott said: “I am delighted that Craig Butcher, Ashleigh Wardrop and Amy Gibson from East Ayrshire Council are training to be part of the 348-strong cast to perform in Delhi, inviting the rest of the world to the Commonwealth Games in Scotland in 2014.”

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Their young child partially lost his sight after contracting Toxocariasis – a horrible illness which can have very serious side-effects, especially for small children. The child contracted the illness after coming in contact with contaminated dog faeces, or soil contaminated with faeces, and became infected by the tiny worm eggs which live within the faeces.

Councillor Jim Todd, Spokesperson for Improving Community Safety said: “This is a really tragic case but one which could be replicated in any area or any town. People who don’t pick up after their dogs aren’t just lazy or inconsiderate they are putting our young people in real danger. It is easy for a child to pick up traces of infected dog faeces or contaminated soil especially when they are playing in a park. It is essential that dog owners pick up after their dogs and regularly worm their dogs to save any other children from suffering this terrible trauma.”

Notes to Editor

Toxocariasis is an infestation of humans, usually children, with the larvae of Toxocara canis, a small threadlike worm that resides in a dog’s intestine.

A dog harbouring the small round worm causes large numbers of worm eggs in its faeces, which can then contaminate the soil.

Children who then play with an infested dog or with soil contaminated with its faeces can then inadvertently put their fingers in their mouths and can swallow some of the worm eggs. The swallowed eggs hatch in the intestine of the child to liberate larvae, which then travel towards the liver, lungs, brain and eyes.

Children generally run a much greater risk of coming into contact with Toxocara in public parks where there is no guarantee that the dogs which are allowed to roam free there are all wormed.

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The EPS was evaluated externally to determine the impact it has on improving outcomes for children, young people and families across East Ayrshire.

The report highlighted a number of key developments. In particular, the EPS was recognised for the number of new initiatives introduced to help keep young people within mainstream schooling – including nurture groups, training for conflict prevention and the Cool in School programme.

The report acknowledged the service’s involvement in the Pathways to Inclusion initiative which has greatly contributed to a reduction in exclusion rates and increased attainment for vulnerable children and young people. Their involvement with GIRFEC (Getting it right for every child) has also had a very positive effect on the coordinated approach to meeting the needs of our children and young children.

Councillor Hugh Ross, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning said: “The EPS supports children and their families throughout East Ayrshire and this report highlights many of their achievements.

“The team led a partnership group to address the number of children with school attendance problems and a policy paper was prepared to help raise awareness of the issues surrounding poor attendance and how best to tackle the problem.

“The team has also established a number of highly effective links with further education colleges, training providers and Skills Development Scotland to develop systemic interventions and initiatives to enable young people to realise their potential when they leave school. The team developed a school leaver’s passport for vulnerable children that detailed the young person’s additional support needs and this was seen as invaluable by the young people.

“This service plays a vital role in supporting our young people, especially the most vulnerable, encouraging them to attend school and achieve their full potential even beyond the school gates and I am delighted that this report recognises their invaluable efforts.”

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But it is also important to be sun safe and NHS Ayrshire and Arran and East Ayrshire Council jointly recognise the importance of promoting sun safety.

It is especially important to protect children, as even one episode of sunburn increases their risk of developing skin cancer.

To help minimise the number of babies and young children experiencing sunburn, East Ayrshire Council’s Social Work Service recently delivered a sun awareness project for families throughout the area during which parents were advised about the benefits of sunscreen and staying safe in the sun.

Donna McKee, NHS Clinical Nurse Manager for Early Years gives us her TOP TIPS for protecting babies and children in the sun:

Sunscreen

• Use a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15+.
• For best results, slop a generous amount of sunscreen on about 20 minutes before going outside. This gives the lotion a chance to bind to the skin.
• Reapply every two hours (or more often if swimming or sweating a lot).
• Use sunscreen with hats, sunglasses, clothing and shade.

Shade
• Stay in the shade during the peak hours between 11am–3pm when the sun’s rays are at their strongest.

Clothing
• Long sleeves and trousers will protect skin from 95% of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Choose lightweight fabrics like cotton to help keep from getting too hot.

Hats
• Choose a comfortable hat with a wide brim (at least 8cm — about the length of a credit card).

Councillor John MacKay, Spokesperson for Community Health and Wellbeing, said: “Babies and children rely on their parents to look after their skin in the sun and we hope that by providing information, we are giving parents the know-how to prevent their children from being exposed to the long-term risks of sunburn.”

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Provost Stephanie Young, who presented the orchestra with a gift on behalf of East Ayrshire, said: “I was delighted to meet our friends from Joué-lès-Tours and thoroughly enjoyed their wonderful music. The rain stayed away just long enough for the musicians to set up in the courtyard of the castle and play a selection of tunes which had the crowd dancing and clapping along despite the dreary weather.”

Joué-les-Tours is a town with a population of 40,000 situated in the Touraine region of north central France, near the River Loire. It is the second largest town in the region.

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The CEU, with Strathclyde Police and colleagues from throughout the Council, will be patrolling our main towns and will be taking a hard line against those who don’t pick up after their dogs.

Councillor Jim Todd, Spokesperson for Improving Community Safety said: “National Poop Scoop Week is organised by Keep Scotland Beautiful and fully supported by the Council. Dog fouling is a real scourge on our streets. Our CEU has carried out awareness raising initiatives in the past and free dog waste bags are available for residents from local offices at an annual cost of over £7000 to the Council. There are of course no guarantees that this spend will continue as we face tough financial decisions. We are under no obligation to provide free dog waste bags and I would urge dog owners to do the right thing and buy their own!

“It is now time to take a hard-line. Our employees will be working closely with Strathclyde Police and will be issuing fines to anyone caught not picking up after their dogs.”

Keep Scotland Tidy Campaigns Officer, Valerie Carson, said: “It is fantastic that East Ayrshire Council and Strathclyde Police are combining forces to support our National Poop Scoop Week 2010 campaign, which we run jointly with the Dogs Trust.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful has recorded a reduction in overall levels of dog fouling on our streets in recent years, but it still offends a significant number of people in public spaces. Approximately 1,000 tonnes of dog poo is produced a day in the UK, and while the majority of owners are responsible and pick up after their dogs, a careless minority are still leaving the mess behind for others to step in, and each year thousands of complaints are made about dog fouling spoiling our parks and streets. AND it is illegal not to pick up after your dog – you can be fined £40 – so it makes sense to bag the waste and place it in the nearest convenient bin… and please don’t just leave the bag for others to find!”

The CEU will be patrolling our towns, cycle paths, popular dog walking routes and parks during National Poop Scoop Week. Fines will be issued to anyone caught not cleaning up after their dog so bag it and bin it!

Ends

The team picked up the award in the partnership category for the work that it carried out in conjunction with East Ayrshire Carers’ Centre to develop Dalmellington House, a respite centre for carers which opened last year.

Work carried out inside the building included stripping and sanding surfaces; paint work and varnishing; work around cornicing and ornate metal work on the staircase and the restoration of doors. Outside the property, many years of overgrowth was cleared away and four tonnes of red chips were laid. The team also planted flower beds and constructed two raised beds to accommodate a herb garden. The biggest challenge involved pulling out twelve old tree stumps to level the garden area in preparation for the construction of a marquee for the opening ceremony at Dalmellington House.

The new national award ceremony was held to show how community service is making a difference all over Scotland and to illustrate the best examples of Community Service projects created by Community Service teams.

Councillor John MacKay, Spokesperson for Community Health and Wellbeing, said: “For both offenders and communities, it’s important to acknowledge the positive work that is going on to build safer communities. The East Ayrshire team has done some excellent work on Dalmellington House and I’m pleased that this work has been recognised nationally.”

ends

This significant investment will:

• upgrade almost one mile of the A76.
• renew the road surface.
• improve drainage.
• provide landscape renewal.

The work will start on-site on 12th July to coincide with the school summer holidays and, weather permitting, last a total of 10 weeks. A finish date of 27th September is anticipated.

A76 Works at Mauchline

The works, designed and managed by Amey, will be delivered in three phases and make use of traffic restrictions.  Phase one is from the south end of the village to the Cross and is programmed for 20 days. Phase 2 is from the Cross to the north end of the village and is programmed for 50 days. The Cross itself (Phase 3) will be resurfaced during a single weekend, from the Friday night until the Monday morning.

The A76 Trunk Road will be closed for the duration of the works. Access will be provided to businesses and residents in Mauchline. Major delays are expected. Through traffic on the A76 will be diverted via the A70 at Cumnock to Ayr then north on the A77 to Kilmarnock and vice versa. Local traffic will be diverted via the B743  / B713 and A719 at various times.

East Ayrshire Council will close off the Mauchline ‘Hill-top Road’ and Sorn Old Bridge to prevent damage to these roads from diverted traffic. In addition the 20mph zone within Sorn will be extended in either direction to cover the section from the New Bridge to the Kirk.

East Ayrshire Council will take advantage of the A76 closure of the Cross during Phase 3 to carry out resurfacing works on Loudoun Street . This will minimise disruption to the public once trunk route works are completed.

Both before and during the works a site liason officer will be available on site. Paul Farrell can be contacted on 07817 999444.

For more information please go to http://www.trafficscotland.org or http://www.twitter.com/AmeySouthWest

In 2008 the Scottish Government announced a programme of £25m of funding to encourage a new generation of Council house building. The Council has already been successful with two funding bids and work is already underway on ten new affordable houses at MacDonald Drive, Kilmarnock.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council said: “I am delighted that we have been awarded funding for the third time by the Scottish Government. The ten new two-bed homes will allow the Council to provide smaller affordable housing suitable for our aging and ambulant disabled population. These houses will meet the needs of our residents but will also alleviate pressure on the affordable housing waiting lists.

“Atrium Initiatives will be formally appointed in August 2010 so that work can start on site in March 2011.”

Ends

On Friday 2 July 2010, Robert Chisholm was fined a total of £3500 after admitting offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994. Chisholm, a tattoo artist, was selling clothes from the ground floor of his tattoo studio, ‘Living Art’ in the town’s Foregate before Trading Standards Officers swooped to seize more than 400 counterfeit items.

Chisholm had bought counterfeit goods falsely labelled with brand names such as G Star Raw, Diesel and Ed Hardy from the Far East and was duping customers by selling them in his shop at the full retail price of the genuine goods. Unsuspecting customers could pay up to £75 for a pair of jeans and £30 for a t-shirt believing them to be the genuine article not a second rate copy.

Councillor Jim Todd, Spokesperson for Improving Community Safety said: “The trade in counterfeit goods is seriously damaging to legitimate business in the local area and ultimately leaves consumers disappointed and out of pocket. In these difficult economic times, some traders might be tempted to try alternative ways of boosting their revenue. This prosecution sends out a clear message that if these alternatives include criminal behaviour, as in this case, there will be serious repercussions.”

Trading Standards can be contacted on 01563 521502.

Ends

The nine young people who applied to take part in the competition spent three days in the state of the art cook school under the direction of some of the top chefs in the country. Day one saw the young people cooking their signature dish for the chefs and received some positive feedback on how to improve their dish. On day two of the competition the apprentice chef’s cooked their dish again incorporating the chef’s suggestions. Day three and the competition really started to heat up – the youngsters were shown how to cook apple tarte tatin then they cooked their signature dish and apple tarte tatin for the first time against the clock.

Steven Doherty, Britain’s first Three Star Michelin Head Chef and Cook School Chef Director said: “The Chef’s apprentice competition, which was sponsored by Craig Stevenson at Braehead foods, was one of the most enjoyable and genuinely exciting competitions I have been involved with.

“We are talking about young people at school who were cooking to a standard of food that was so good, all my fellow judges agreed we could have served in any of our restaurants. The genuine enthusiasm, passion and commitment was inspiring and infectious. It was a sheer joy being with such a self motivated group of young people. Big congratulations to Cheryl – Ann Ewing from Loudoun Academy who came 1st!”

The competition was judged by Steven Doherty; Ralph Porciani, Executive Chef at Turnberry; Joe Queen, Executive Chef of Thistle Hotels; Alisdair Hood, Executive Chef at Merchants and Fiona Lees, Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council.

The star prize was a week at local restaurant Merchants where Chef Alisdair Hood will help Cheryl-Ann develop her kitchen skills and her signature dish will feature on the menu.

Alisdair Hood said: “What impressed me the most was the overall skills level shown by the students on some complicated dishes. The standard and quality of food was excellent and I am sure they will all have a successful career in the catering industry. It was a pleasure being involved in the Chefs Apprentice and my team and I look forward to welcoming Cheryl-Ann for her week at the restaurant.”

Fiona Lees said: “The Chef’s Apprentice competition was a wonderful opportunity for our young people to work with chefs of a very high calibre and learn new skills from the very best. I was incredibly impressed by the standard of the cooking by our young people and by their real passion for food. I would like to thank Craig Stevenson, who sponsored the competition and Steven Doherty and his chefs who gave our young people real confidence in their abilities.”

Ends

This £150,000 project will involve removing the existing road surface, kerbing, regulating and final resurfacing of 366 metres of carriageway. Works will be carried out during evenings and early mornings from Sunday 1 August 2010 to Friday 6 August, with further works being carried out during the day on Saturday 7 August and Sunday 8 August. Local businesses and residents directly affected with these works will be informed directly.

Preparatory works will take place over the first three evenings, with final surfacing operations taking place over two nights. To ensure the safety of our work force and the travelling public, temporary traffic lights will be erected on High Glencairn Street, Kilmarnock. East Shaw Street will be fully closed and there will be a partial closure of West Shaw Street. Access to East Shaw Street and West Shaw Street will only be permitted to properties /land within the affected length of road. Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

Diversions will be in place and drivers are requested to follow the diversion route when signed accordingly. East Shaw Street and West Shaw Street will re-open during the day and re-close at 7pm each evening. On Saturday 7 August and Sunday 8 August the road marking works will be completed during the day.

Ends

Over the past five years no children have been killed on our roads and there has been a significant decline in the number of children seriously injured. In 2008, 7 children were seriously injured whereas in 2009 this figure fell to zero!

And the reasons behind this great success are the three E’s – Education, Engineering and Enforcement.

Councillor Jim Todd, Spokesperson for Improving Community Safety said: “This three prong approach has effectively cut the number of children seriously injured or killed on our roads. On an annual basis our Road Section analyses the road accidents which have occurred in the area and this informs where our programme of road safety improvements is focused. This policy of focused improvement works has significantly contributed to accident reduction.

“The introduction of 20mph mandatory speed limits and advisory 20’s Plenty signs within residential areas and near schools have also been very effective. The Council will continue to introduce 20’s Plenty areas and will continue to support advertising campaigns which educate drivers about the importance of adhering to the speed limit – we need to encourage drivers to lower their speed and understand how they should drive through residential areas.

“The Council has also received funding from the Scottish Government to improve facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users including children travelling to and from school. A new pedestrian crossing will be built on Holehouse Road in Kilmarnock, a cycle path will be developed in Stewarton and cycle routes will be extended and improved throughout East Ayrshire. This will provide a safe route for youngsters travelling to school.

“Our Roads employees work incredibly hard behind the scenes introducing improvements to our roads and I would like to thank them for their absolute commitment to road safety. I am incredibly proud of our achievements – this is real success which is measured in lives saved!”

Ends

The road improvement scheme at Coalhall has significantly improved sightlines at the junction with the B730 route to Stair, for vehicles emerging on to the A70. This has greatly enhanced road safety.

The Mote Toll junction lies to the west of Ochiltree and the improvement scheme here included the construction of a left-turn lane for traffic heading into Ochiltree from the west to help minimise the risk of queuing traffic on the A70. The junction forms part of the bus route to and from Ochiltree and the scheme will be of particular benefit to buses and other large vehicles which previously had difficulty negotiating the turn.

Councillor Bobby McDill, Spokesperson for Delivering Community Regeneration said: “The A70 provides for essential local traffic movements between communities. It is also an important strategic route which carries longer distance traffic from the M74 corridor directly to Cumnock, Muirkirk and other Ayrshire towns. East Ayrshire Council will continue to upgrade the A70, when funding is available, to enhance safety and improve accessibility to East Ayrshire.”

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Two different businesses, located within separate communities in East Ayrshire, have recently joined forces to provide complementary products, all offered with the same friendly and helpful service.

Paper Roses, a Kilmarnock florist based in John Finnie Street, has recently been seeking opportunities to expand its business and increase turnover while Many Thanks is a gift shop based in Mauchline which specialises in “Made in Scotland products”.

During the summer, major upgrading works will be carried out to the A76 through Mauchline and as the traffic will be taken away from the centre of the village for up to 12 weeks, there will be inevitable disruption to local businesses. To counteract the effects of reduced passing trade, Many Thanks has amended its shop opening hours in Mauchline and will establish a presence displaying and selling its range of gifts, jewellery, pottery and much more in the Paper Roses shop in Kilmarnock.

Evelyn Murray, owner of Paper Roses said: “I am delighted to have been introduced by the Council to Carol Speir of Many Thanks. I was actively seeking to develop a working relationship with another business which is compatible with my work as a florist. Floral arrangements are in themselves a craft product and as the craft products which Carol sells are all of high quality, we will be able to provide our customers with an exciting and locally unique product range.”

Speaking about her enthusiasm for the new arrangements, Carol Speir, owner of Many Thanks added: “After seven years of successful trading in Mauchline, I was looking for an opportunity to extend my business into another location. Although I fear that the forthcoming road improvement works in Mauchline may well cause major trading difficulties for the 12 or so weeks, I am pleased to have entered into this arrangement with Evelyn and Paper Roses which I am sure will be of mutual benefit to both businesses.”

Provost Stephanie Young, who went along to a special late night opening of trading to celebrate the new arrangement, said: “This is an excellent idea and one that will bring real benefits to both businesses as they surely complement one another. I wish them every success.”

Councillor Jim Buchanan, Spokesperson for Delivering Community Regeneration, added: “I am very well aware of the difficult trading conditions in which many businesses currently operate and I am delighted that the Council, knowing both businesses, was able to effect the introduction which has led to the development of this interesting joint arrangement. It is always important to seek to find positives, even in an apparently negative situation, and I wish Evelyn and Carol the best of luck.”

ends

East Ayrshire’s Learning Disability Partnership, ‘VIP Partners’, held a special Bike Day and VIP Cafe in support of Learning Disability Awareness Week recently.

VIP Partners, a family carers’ action forum, held ‘Funky Bike Day 3’ at the North West Kilmarnock Area Centre, which saw some specially adapted bikes being whizzed round the room by some experienced (and some non-experienced!) drivers. The bikes are for use by individuals with learning disabilities and can make a huge difference to people who normally rely on walking sticks, zimmers and wheelchairs to get around.

Also at the North West Centre on the day was the VIP’s Community Cafe which is usually run from the Gateway Centre every Saturday morning, welcoming people with learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder, along with their friends and family.

Provost Stephanie Young, who joined in the fun on the day, said: “These events were just two of many that were held across East Ayrshire to mark Learning Disability Awareness Week and it’s wonderful that VIP Partners were able to support it. The bikes they have are fantastic and can give people with learning disabilities freedom and exercise, as well as allowing them to get rid of stress which has an obvious impact on them and their carers. The cafe is another great resource where people can enjoy home-made cakes and scones and also join in with a weekly sing-along!”

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Provost Stephanie Young was invited along to a special Boys’ Brigade presentation recently in Galston.

Six members of East Ayrshire’s battalion received the Queen’s Badge which is the highest award that may be gained by a member of the Boys’ Brigade. The Queen’s Badge is a balanced programme which provides opportunities for members to develop some of their skills and interests and try out new things.

To gain the Queen’s Badge, members of the Boys’ Brigade must undertake work in the following areas: Leadership in The Company; Service – Outside the Company and Church; and Get Active – Activities – Expedition, Skill or Physical Recreation.

Provost Young said: “It was a wonderful evening and for me a pleasure to have been a part of the award ceremony. The boys have all worked very hard to reach this level and should be very proud of themselves.”

ends

Amey, along with their Principal Contractor Barr Construction, shall take possession of the carriageway from Monday 12 July, and begin works at the south end of the village, to ensure the works in this area are completed before the end of the school holidays. The project will then move north and will reach completion over one last weekend, at Mauchline Cross.

Over the past two years extensive research, consultation and liaison has taken place with Mauchline Community Council, Elderly Forum, Elected Officials, Local Authorities and Strathclyde Police, to determine the best time to undertake the works whilst minimising disruption. Local businesses have also been contacted and convenience stores will still be able to have their perishable goods delivered during the works.

All trunk road traffic will be diverted to ensure the safety of roadworkers and residents during the project. Local access will be maintained.

On completion the community of Mauchline will benefit from a visual improvement to the road through the village, which is currently in a poor condition with numerous potholes and depressions. Existing parking bays shall be resurfaced, drainage repairs and landscaping upgrades will also benefit the community for years to come, as there will be a reduced need for future maintenance, and therefore further disruption to the local community.

Different diversion routes will be in place for each phase of works. The diversion routes will be clearly signed to assist through traffic travelling further a field. Amey will keep residents, businesses, the local press and officials updated on the progress of each phase and advise the diversion routes accordingly. Internet users can keep up to date with information by following Amey on Twitter www.twitter.com/AmeySouthWest

The first phase begins at the south end of the village, where 700m of carriageway will be dug out and replaced. During this period HGV traffic will be diverted via the A70 and A77 and all other traffic will divert via the A70, B743 and A77.

Colin Mackenzie, Amey’s unit manager for south west Scotland said:
“We have built up a strong relationship with members of the Mauchline community over the past two years and we are committed to providing an improved infrastructure to support the high level of traffic travelling through the town and for the community.

“We are working hard to provide useful advance information to residents of Mauchline and users of the A76 and leaflets and posters are being distributed throughout the community. A letter drop is planned for all homes located directly on the A76 within the works site and weekly updates will be provided to local press and a range of other interested parties.”

As spokesman for Barr Construction said:
“We will be working to ensure we are clear of the heart of the village before the school holidays come to an end and we will be working hand in hand with Transport Scotland and Amey to keep the community updated of our progress.

“Access to local properties will be maintained wherever possible. There may however be some short-term restrictions, however we will provide advance notice to homeowners so that they can make alternative arrangements.”

A Site Liaison Officer will be on-site and can be contacted on 07817999444 for public enquiries regarding the works.

Notes to editor:
• Transport Scotland is the national transport agency responsible for trunk roads, rail and national concessionary travel. It is an Executive agency directly accountable to Scottish Ministers. For further information visit www.transportscotland.gov.uk
• Amey manages and maintains the motorway and trunk roads network in South West Scotland on behalf of Transport Scotland, including routes like the M8, M77, M74 and A76.
• For real time motorway and trunk road information visit www.trafficscotland.org
• Amey will be on-site for the duration of all phases to supervise the construction works.

-ends- 28 June, 2010

For further information, please contact:
Amey, Scottish Trunk Roads Press Office, 24hrs, Tel 0141 781 6995

Teams of S1 and S2 pupils from Auchinleck, Cumnock, Doon, Kilmarnock and St Joseph’s Academies competed against each other in five rounds of questions on all things ‘reading’. New to this year’s event were two rounds of ‘Battle of the Books’ with questions on books by the four authors who visited the secondary schools as part of the Spring Read festival in March.

The winning team was presented with the Readers’ Cup (donated by the East Ayrshire Library Service) and National Book Gift Cards (donated by the East Ayrshire School Librarians). All the team members also received a ‘goodie bag’ containing items donated by the School Librarians and companies including Renaissance Learning.

Councillor Jim Roberts, Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, said: “I’d like to congratulate the Auchinleck Academy winning team and all of the pupils who took part. They all clearly had a good level of knowledge about books and authors and this competition was a fun way of testing and enhancing that knowledge.”

ends

Diageo has agreed in principle to donate around eight acres of the 31-acre site to the College, with the land likely to become available after the plant closes in mid-2012. The company has held a series of meetings with the College and East Ayrshire Council to address a number of matters that could clear the way to handing over the land for the college development.

The discussions have been hailed by Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council as “a significant step forward” for Kilmarnock in terms of the regeneration of the town centre and reflects Diageo’s commitment to working in the community to help stimulate and facilitate the growth of the local economy.

Diageo Scotland Managing Director, Bryan Donaghey, said that the company had a very good relationship with Kilmarnock College and East Ayrshire Council and was immensely impressed with ambitions for the future of the college and Kilmarnock and what they will mean for the town as a centre of innovation in education.

Bryan Donaghey said: “We have a number of detailed issues to work through, but Diageo wants to be involved in facilitating this very important development for Kilmarnock and we are working closely with the College and the Council to help make it happen.”

Kilmarnock College Principal & Chief Executive, Heather Dunk said: “The Board of Kilmarnock College would like to thank Diageo for the company’s intention to donate part of the Hill Street site to the College. This partnership will greatly help the College to proceed with its plans to develop a world-class campus in the town.

“The relocation of the College to this site will help provide high quality learning for generations to come. Also it will be significant in creating a vibrant heart of the town.

“We have been working very closely with Diageo through the ‘Make it Kilmarnock’ Task Force and securing a town centre site has been a key priority. I would like to thank Diageo, East Ayrshire Council and members of the Local Task Force for their support in helping to realise this ambition for the College.

“The College inspires achievement and builds futures and this announcement provides us with the opportunity to realise our vision of being a sector leading College in the heart of Ayrshire located within a state-of-the-art campus.”

Councillor Reid also welcomed the development and said: “I am delighted that Diageo is prepared to make part of the Hill Street site available for the development of the new Kilmarnock College campus. The Council fully supports this landmark proposal for the long-term future of Kilmarnock as a prosperous community.

“Our local Task Force, which brought together politicians of all parties and governments, has been working closely with private and public sector organisations to bring forward new projects to help safeguard and develop the local economy and I am particularly heartened by the constructive and enthusiastic way in which Diageo is now engaged with us as part of this process.

“The Task Force has worked closely with the company to secure this substantial commitment from them.

“The development of a new campus at the Hill Street site, sitting prominently alongside the railway station, which has also recently benefited from major investment, will bring vitality back into our town centre and will help to secure the future of our town.

“The new state-of-the-art learning campus will attract students from far and wide but will also prepare our young people for adulthood and the world of work. We are keen to explore the creation of a unique learning community, particularly for senior pupils entering Further Education, Higher Education or employment.

“This announcement is great news for Kilmarnock but it is just the start. I believe that the evolving and expanding Task Force, Make it Kilmarnock, will make a real difference to how we shape the future of the town and this belief is shared by local businesses and people in the community as we work together to revive Kilmarnock.”

One of the most interesting stories of the day came from the 56kg British Seniors Championship category, in which two members of Kilmarnock Amateur Weightlifting Club claimed the top two spots. Winner Steven McMichael has taken home the prize in the 56kg for the past three years and this win was to be his last, as he’s now retiring from competition in the sport. The runner up in the 56kg was Dylan Scott.

Top English lifters were at the event too and the English team members who will represent their country at the Commonwealth Games in India this October were chosen on the day.

Depute Provost Campbell, who went along to present prizes, said: “All of the competitors were on top form on the day and I congratulate them all on their efforts. I’d also like to wish Steven every success with whatever he goes on to do in the future.”

ends

This £255,000 project will involve removing part of the existing road surface, kerbing, drainage, regulating and resurfacing a 1690 metre length of carriageway.

Preparatory works will take place over the first 5 days. To ensure the safety of our work force and the travelling public a convoy system will be in operation during this period and some delays will be inevitable.

The final surface course will be laid on Saturday 10 July and Sunday 11 July and Saturday 17 July and Sunday 18 July. Due to the current road widths this operation will require the A71 to be closed during this period. No traffic will be allowed through the works and access will only be permitted to properties/land within the affected length of road. Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times. Diversions will be in place and drivers are asked to follow the diversion route when signed accordingly.

Traffic will be diverted via the A76, A719, A71 and vice versa. Advisory signs will be erected in advance of the works to alert the travelling public.

The Council apologies for any inconvenience caused during these essential works.

Ends

Thanks to information from the public, a 30-year-old man has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for illegally dumping vehicle tyres near Earlston just outside Kilmarnock. The CEU will also report the firm involved to SEPA and the home authority for further offences linked to waste licences and disposal.

Councillor Jim Todd, Spokesperson for Improving Community Safety said: “This case clearly demonstrates that people engaged in illegal dumping will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

“The public should also be aware that the Corporate Enforcement Unit is determined to detect and deter all environmental crimes in East Ayrshire and will continue to work closely with Strathclyde Police to ensure that offenders are caught and dealt with severely.”

Local community policing constable Jordan McManus added: “We will continue to work in close partnership with East Ayrshire Council to identify and prosecute offenders.

“If you see someone involved in illegal dumping, please contact your local police office, East Ayrshire Council or alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Illegal dumping offences carry fines of up to £20,000.

Ends

The works will take approximately 7 days to complete. This £80,000 project will involve removing the existing road surface, deep patching, kerbing, regulating and resurfacing a 300 metre length of carriageway.

Preparatory works will take place over the first five days – Monday 19 July to Friday 23 July. To ensure the safety of our work force and the travelling public a convoy system will be in operation during this period and some delays will be inevitable.

The final surface course will be laid on Sunday 25 July. Due to the current road widths this operation will require the A70 to be closed during this period. No traffic will be allowed through the works and access will only be permitted to properties/land within the affected length of road. Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times. Diversions will be in place and drivers are asked to follow the diversion route when signed accordingly.

Westbound traffic will be diverted via the M74, A71, B7037, B743 & A70 and vice versa. Advisory signs will be erected in advance of the works to alert the travelling public.

The Council apologies for any inconvenience caused during these essential works.

Ends

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council was joined by Councillor Maureen McKay and Councillor Tom Cook to sign the promise to support the campaign at the recent Council meeting which also featured a drama presentation from young people called “One Big Family”. The messages from that presentation will form a key part of a training programme that elected members will undertake in respect of children and young people who are looked after in East Ayrshire.

Entitled “Give Me a Chance: Be Fair to a Child in our Care”, the national anti-stigma campaign was launched in January by the Minister for Children and Young People. By supporting the campaign, the Council is promising to listen to children and young people and work with them to increase opportunities for them to thrive. The Council will also try to combat the myths associated with children and young people in care and promote a positive message of their achievements. Educating communities and workforces on the reasons for children being accommodated is another task the Council will undertake, along with finding creative ways to include and support children and young people in their communities, including young people leaving the Council’s care.

Councillor Reid said: “Corporate Parenting is the responsibility that councils and their partners have for the children and young people they look after, and this is a role that we take very seriously. We will continue to make our children and young people’s needs a priority and to make sure that their views are not only heard, but listened to.

“A range of events have already taken place since 2009 to raise awareness of our roles and responsibilities which have involved elected members, staff and community planning partners. This work will continue and we will aim for our children and young people to have the same outcomes in life that any good parent would want for their own children.”

Councillor Maureen McKay, Leader of the Labour Main Opposition said: “Each young person is a unique individual, for whom we can make a difference, children and young people need the same from their corporate parents as they need from their birth parents, security, safety, positive regard, support and boundaries, it is both our responsibility to deliver and to ensure that our whole community across East Ayrshire has an awareness of the needs of our corporate young people.”

Councillor Tom Cook, Leader of the Conservative Opposition said: “As elected members we must take our role as corporate parents seriously and get the message across to people that the great majority of young people in care are there for their own protection. It is important that these young people are given the best possible chance in life, free from any stigma, and they should be provided with the opportunities and support that we would give our own children.”

Note to Editor: Who Cares? Scotland is a national voluntary organisation which works with and for children and young people in care.

ends

Teams of all ages and abilities competed together in bright sunshine with great enthusiasm. This was just one of a number of events held in East Ayrshire which celebrated the aims of Learning Disability Week – to celebrate the abilities of those involved and real integration of able bodied and disabled people.

Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Young People, who opened the tournament and joined in the fun, said: “It was my privilege to be present and see the enthusiasm and skill of the players and their supporters. Everyone involved deserves great credit for organising this day which showed the best side of our communities and young people.”

Councillor John MacKay, Spokesperson for Improving Community Health and Wellbeing, who is one of the main organisers of Learning Disability week, added: “We often see people with learning disabilities as requiring support and protection, this is true, but they also have much more to offer and can be role models for us all in terms of the effort and perseverance they display in achieving and maintaining their independence.”

Ends

Come along and admire bikes of different ages, makes and models. This is a perfect chance to see some stunning classic bikes and have a chat to the owners for free!

There will be a giant slide and bouncy castle for the kids, side stalls and Owl Magic will be on hand to entertain the young and old alike.

For more information contact 01563 522702 or visit www.ayrclassicmc.com

Ends

Cabinet has agreed to a series of changes to the event’s funding, and for the first time the public will be asked to make a voluntary contribution to help cover the running costs.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council said: “The Budget consultation held earlier this year received mixed responses about the fireworks display. There is wide spread support for the display, which can be seen from the tens of thousands of people who attend each year, however many people felt that this was an area where the Council could cut funding.

“Together we can make this event a success – a voluntary contribution will help to keep the event running. We are hoping to raise around £7,000 on the night and with 30,000 people regularly attending the event, we should reach this target and help secure the future of what is a spectacular fireworks display.”

Councillor Jim Todd, Spokesperson for Community Safety, said: “I am very pleased that we have been able to keep the Firework Display in 2010. The Council recognises the value of the event and its importance in reducing firework related accidents. We are also delighted that our community planning partners within Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service have been able to assist with funding for the event.”

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The ‘crack-down’ unit is continuing to patrol Kilmarnock Bus Station issuing fixed penalty notices on a regular basis. They are also carrying out regular patrols of the former MFI car park and McDonald’s car park which are strewn with litter on a daily basis.

Councillor Jim Todd, Spokesperson for Improving Community Safety said: “The Corporate Enforcement Unit regularly targets the two car parks which suffer badly from discarded litter. Each visit to date has resulted in two fixed penalty notices being issued. I am sure that people will start getting the message – use the bins provided or face a £50 fine.”

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The East Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board approved the funding allocation at its meeting of 24 June, to support the ‘Make it Kilmarnock’ (MiK) Plan.

The substantial funding award will contribute to the development and implementation of the following three early action projects, which will support sustainable economic growth in the town:

• Retail Rocks: An innovative new public/private sector partnership competition-based programme, which will take vacant retail units in Kilmarnock and transform them into vibrant retail businesses providing amenity and specialist retailing to develop a new customer base for the town centre. The Retail Rocks model already has commitment from key high street retailers and specialists in retail who would provide business mentoring support for new businesses. The funding awarded by the CPP, which it is hoped will be processed in a matter of weeks through the Council’s tendering process; will allow the first stage of this exciting initiative to commence with a detailed analysis of Kilmarnock’s retail sector to be progressed.

• Young Enterprise Centre: This project will explore the potential for the development of an Enterprise Centre in Kilmarnock, which would be a focus for the expansion of enterprise and leadership programmes for young people based around arts, technology and environmental projects. The funding provided by the CPP will allow initial work to be carried out to develop a business case for the Centre. Potential partners would include the local colleges and national level institutions such as universities.

• Integrated Urban Development Plan: The successful implementation of the MiK Plan is dependent on the ability to secure sufficient levels of public and private sector resources, including finance available from European Union (EU) funding programmes. In advance of any application for EU funding, applicants have to produce an Integrated Urban Development Plan; in East Ayrshire’s case this would present a coordinated programme encompassing regeneration activity within Kilmarnock town centre, including the Diageo site. The funding allocation from the CPP will support the development of the Integrated Urban Development Plan and provide the framework for future EU applications.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Chair of the Community Planning Partnership Board, said: “With relatively high unemployment levels and the scheduled closure of the Diageo plant in 2012, the economic challenges for East Ayrshire are significant. Through the involvement of a range of public and private sector organisations, the MiK Plan will provide a coordinated approach to realising the opportunities available for the sustainable economic regeneration of Kilmarnock, and Community Planning Partners in East Ayrshire are pleased to be a part of this.”

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Over 60 members of the local community attended the event to learn more about the future of housing in East Ayrshire. Delegates attended workshops on Homelessness, Housing Asset Services and Rent Setting and presentations were given by Elizabeth Morton, Depute Chief Executive/ Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services and Chris McAleavey, Head of Housing. As part of a packed programme delegates could also speak to representatives from a range of agencies and services including Strathclyde Police, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, NHS and East Ayrshire Credit Union.

Councillor Bobby McDill, Spokesperson for Delivering Community Regeneration said: “The annual tenant’s conference is a brilliant opportunity for us all to join together to discuss important matters relating to our tenants. The Council is committed to improving the housing stock; on an annual basis we fit 760 new kitchens, bathrooms and upgrade electrical and plumbing works; we fit 824 new energy efficient heating systems each year and 344 double glazing units. This is a substantial investment which greatly improves the look of our houses, helps cut energy costs and protects our housing stock for future tenants.”

Councillor Kathy Morrice, Spokesperson for Improving Community Health and Wellbing was on hand at the conference to present Kirkstyle Tenants and Residents Association, Kilmarnock and Campbell Area Tenants and Residents Association, Newmilns with Registered Tenants Organisation certificates at the conference, bringing the total number of registered groups in East Ayrshire to seventeen.

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Second year pupils had a full timetable of activities in a fun-packed ‘Health Fair’ day, both inside and outside school.

On offer were dance classes run by Y-Dance, boxing, softball, Double Dutch skipping, as well as football, badminton and the more usual school sports.

Community Firefighters Alan Coughtrie and Carol Cairns led Fire Safety workshops, while Campus Cop Liam Dickson explained the dangers of drugs to the youngsters in a series of interactive talks.

Other activities included Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Peer Education, Onsite Services food workshops, plus outdoor teambuilding activities.

Councillor Hugh Ross, Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, said: “Education about how to live well and keep healthy is as important as all the other subjects pupils learn in school. Days like this are not only valuable in helping young people develop into healthy adults, but are great fun, too – especially on a lovely summer’s afternoon!”

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For further information, contact Elaine Scott on 01563 576013 or email elaine.scott@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

The School of Rugby, which will be supported by Scottish Rugby, will provide 10 boys starting Cumnock Academy in August and 17 boys due to attend Grange Academy, Kilmarnock with the opportunity to participate in an enhanced curriculum timetable which includes a rugby activity session every day in their first year at Secondary School.

Pupils have been selected on their ability to perform in and out of the classroom with the programme structured specifically to develop their social, academic and sporting abilities over a 40 week period. The programme supports the Scottish Rugby Long Term Player Development Strategy with pupils participating in a variety of national player development themes including catching and passing and lifestyle management. Pupils will not only develop good sporting habits but will also gain a clear understanding of health and nutrition enabling them to make healthy choices for the rest of their lives.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council said: “With the recent back to back Test Series wins against Argentina Scottish Rugby is looking in great shape! I am delighted that East Ayrshire Council will be the first local authority in Scotland to deliver this exciting programme. Not only will it develop excellent rugby players of the future and keep our national team competing at the very highest level but it will also help promote the benefits of physical activity and develop positive attitudes amongst our young people.”
Neil Carrie, Project Manager for Scottish Rugby said: “The School of Rugby will be supported by Scottish Rugby as part of our long-standing and successful partnership with East Ayrshire Council. Scottish Rugby firmly believes that sport can play a powerful role in providing the catalyst to improve the quality of life for young people in communities across Scotland. Rugby can offer potentially life-changing opportunities to enhance education and skills; improve health and wellbeing and fosters an ethos of teamwork, discipline and respect for officials, opponents and team mates. We look forward to supporting this pilot and helping more young people enjoy all of these benefits.”

The School of Rugby will help grow the School of Sport philosophy which sees both Rugby and Football being added to the curriculum. Over the past 2 years a pilot Scottish FA School of Football has been delivered at Cumnock Academy with good early signs of success which will now be replicated at Grange Academy.

Former Head Teacher at Cumnock Academy Gordon Bell, who was instrumental in establishing the football pilot, said: “The School of Football has been an outstanding success and we are delighted to have the opportunity to build on that success by establishing a School of Rugby. The School of Rugby will provide pupils with the opportunity to develop and improve their rugby skills and will actively contribute to positive Health and Wellbeing as well as developing confidence and positive attitudes towards life at school. We believe that this programme model can be extended to other sports and activities and that it is very much in keeping with the philosophy of Curriculum for Excellence.”

For further information on the School of Rugby please contact Stephen Main, Rugby Development Officer on 01563 576702.

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All activities are free and include water slides, hay bales, sand pits, canoeing, bouncy castles, face painting, arts and crafts, drama workshops, sports activities, crate climbing and much more!

Playday provides an opportunity for children, families and whole communities to celebrate the child’s right to play, and makes a massive difference to community spirit. Last year over 5,000 children and adults joined in the fun and with your help we hope to make Playday 2010 the biggest yet!

Councillor Kathy Morrice, Spokesperson for Improving Community Health and Wellbeing said: “This year’s ‘Our place’ theme promotes children as valued members of our communities. It recognises the benefits of being part of a community and will encourage opportunities to get to know each other, across the generations. The aim of this event is to support children to develop their own independence and encourage children and families to reclaim their local open spaces for play in the community where they live.”

Playday will take place no matter the weather, so please bring appropriate clothing, although rain ponchos will be provided – just in case!!

The event is organised by the Council’s Leisure Development Services’ Positive Play Team in partnership with the EA Community Play Forum. If you would like further information or would like your organisation to be involved in Playday, please contact Rose Anson, Play and Recreation Officer on 01563 576703.

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The team from Dunlop competed against thirteen different schools from across Scotland and were unlucky not to win the event having scored very highly throughout the day.

Dunlop’s path to the national final began with a series of regional heats between fourteen primaries from East Ayrshire. The winners from each of the regional heats, namely Crosshouse PS, Dunlop PS, Netherthird PS and Greenmill PS, qualified for the regional grand final which was held at Mauchline Games Hall.

The regional grand final was coordinated by Badminton Scotland in partnership with East Ayrshire Council’s Leisure Development Services. The concept involves a series of fun games-based around some of the techniques used in badminton and teams of 10 pupils (5 boys and 5 girls) from primary 3, 4 and 5 age groups competed against each other. It introduces the basics of badminton to children whilst keeping the emphasis very much on having fun.

For further information please contact Adam Strain, Youth Sports Development Officer on 01563 576737.
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The team from the Council’s Leisure Development Services ran a competition during national School Grounds Week, offering all primary schools within East Ayrshire the opportunity to submit an innovative playground design with the winning design being painted on the school’s playground.

Connell Morton from Catrine Primary’s winning design, entitled ‘Clean Teeth Maze’, was chosen from hundreds of entries received. The EA Positive Play team were particularly impressed by Connell’s imaginative ideas and his positive healthy eating and dental health message.

Councillor Kathy Morrice, Spokesperson for Improving Community Health and Wellbeing said: “The playground design, which looks incredible, was put to good use as part of the school’s and C’mon Catrine’s recent health week. The EA Positive Play team delivered playground activities that were not only great fun but encouraged healthy elements of physical activity, social interaction and confidence building.”

If you would like further information please contact Allison Young, Play and Recreation Officer on 01563 576719 or log on to eac.eu/play

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The Provost’s Charity Appeal was launched in October with the aim of raising £25,000.00 to build a new psychological services building at the charity’s Ayrshire residential unit, Hollybush House.

Provost Young said: “We hoped we might make twenty to twenty five thousand pounds, but were well aware that companies and individuals are all feeling the pinch. To have doubled that total in just eight months is testament to the people of East Ayrshire and the high esteem in which they regard the charity.

“We’ve been inundated with cheques from individuals and organisations throughout the year. Our Ball was a huge sell out success and the raffle and auctions alone raised over £15,000. To have raised this amount is overwhelming. It’s great to think that our efforts will help to make a real difference to the lives of people who have given so much so that we can live normal peaceful lives.”

Combat Stress was founded in 1919 by women looking after first world war victims of what we now know as post traumatic shock disorder (PTSD) but was then better known as “shell shock”. Many were shot at the front or committed to asylums and never recovered. The founders of the charity recognised that with help, these people could be helped to regain a normal life.

Today treatments and help extend to veterans of all the armed services and include outreach and family support services.

Clive Fairweather, chief fundraiser for Combat Stress said: “A year ago Provost Young visited Hollybush House and immediately asked what she could do to help. We had identified the need for more psychological services and needed the space to do that.

“A year on, we’ve now been able to employ a psychologist and psychiatrist and the trustees will shortly be meeting to plan our new facilities. But to me the greatest benefit is the awareness which has been spread by this campaign. More and more people are coming forward seeking help. Professionals too, such as nurses, doctors and social workers are more aware of us now, so we’re getting more referrals, and I’m now being asked to speak to groups and organisations about the work we do. Undoubtedly this campaign has saved lives and will continue to do so.

“None of this would have been possible without the enthusiasm and dedication of the elected members and officers at East Ayrshire Council. When they say they will do something they do it with a degree of style and great good humour. We’ve all worked hard, but we’ve had fun too. And amazingly we’ve doubled the target! Residents of East Ayrshire should be very proud of their Council.”

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The Instrumental Music Service’s fourth Youth Music Initiative (YMI) concert saw groups performing including the YMI Guitar Ensemble; YMI Woodwind Ensemble; two YMI percussion Ensembles; Greenmill Primary School String Project run in partnership with the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) and Drake Music Scotland; East Ayrshire Traditional Music Project in partnership with RSAMD; YMI Double Bass Ensemble and Kilmarnock Junior String Orchestra.

The music played ranged from pupils’ own compositions through to Wallace and Gromit and Coldplay!

Provost Stephanie Young, who attended the concert, said: “For many of the pupils involved this was their first concert experience and they all performed to a very high standard. It was a very entertaining evening and my congratulations go to all of the pupils and teachers involved.”

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Six schools from the south of East Ayrshire took part in eight rounds of ten questions about police-related issues, crime and general knowledge provided by quizmaster PC Fiona Davidson.

Barshare Primary took second place and Netherthird Primary came in third. Greenmill’s prizes included a cup and £200 of sports equipment from Donsport Cumnock. The pupils also each received a gold medal, vouchers for Loudoun Castle Theme Park and the Galleon Centre as well as various other goodies.

The sponsors of the event were ASDA; Loudoun Castle Theme Park; Strathclyde Police; Donsport; Ross TV; Rosebuds and East Ayrshire Community Safety section.

Provost Stephanie Young, who handed out the prizes, said: “My congratulations go to all of the pupils who took part and to those who organised the event. All of the teams scored very highly and were a real credit to their schools.”

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The Council decided to apply for the award following the house being awarded three ‘excellent’ ratings by the Care Commission in June 2009.

The house won the award in the ‘Service Innovation and Improvement’ category for its innovative approach to service improvements for accommodated children and young people. The approach uses the involvement of young people, changes in staff and management ethos and a robust and developing quality assurance system which helps to shape the future of the service.

The development of the building and its environment has involved young people and staff from its design stage to its opening and beyond. This has encouraged greater ownership and investment from young people in the house than existed previously and has helped them to take a real pride in their surroundings. The young people even picked the name of the house as well as the fabrics, furnishings and colours used within it.

The house holds weekly young person’s meetings where issues of importance to them are discussed with managers which can regularly result in significant changes to service delivery. Young people also form part of the interview panel when recruiting staff to all East Ayrshire Council residential childcare houses. Staff from Sunnyside took part in specially commissioned training which helped form a new staff group with an enthusiastic commitment to creating a more dynamic approach to improving the service.

All of the young people currently at Sunnyside are attending school or college, are working towards a targeted education plan and have a full leisure and activity programme.

Councillor John MacKay, Spokesperson for Community Health and Wellbeing, said: “The focus of Sunnyside Children’s House has always been to produce a welcoming, caring and safe environment. A defining feature in the creation of Sunnyside has been to see it through the eyes of the young people who live there and to make sure that they are always fully involved in decisions surrounding the place in which they live. My congratulations go to all the staff, and indeed the young people, for coming so far in the award process.”

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