I have had a very busy week fighting hard for my local constituents across our council ward.
At the start of the week I was speaking to people in Port Charlotte while leafleting and It was great to once again listen to the public's justifiable concerns about roads, internet speed and condition of local social housing. I am happy that the new heating systems that I have been pressing to be installed across much of our social housing stock are finally being fitted and are being well received due to their reliability and efficiency.
The following day I attended the Integration Joint Board meeting and raised at numerous times the matter of the demographic time bomb facing usĀ in Argyll and Bute with the elderly population growing rapidly at the same time as our working age population decreasing. This means that the challenges facing our health service will only increase as time goes on. I also raised concerns about NHS Highland's well earned reputation for not listening enough to public consultations.
On the 1st I travelled to Grog Port and Carradale to speak in person to local residents before then attending the East Kintyre Community Council meeting and listening to numerous local issues being raised including concerns about future changes to GP services.
After travelling back to Islay I was delighted to attend the opening of the Bowmore Post Office in the newly renamed Islay Community Shop. This is a great expansion of the terrific local service and employment by the Islay Development Initiative. I am more than happy to support and encourage the hard work being done by the Islay Development Initiative across our Island.
I then went out leafleting and speaking to my constituents in Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Portnahaven and Port Wemyss. I am determined to keep working tirelessly for my local constituents not just at election time, but all year round.
Cllr Alastair Redman