SAMH Archives - Aberdeen Voice

Tories Vote Against Rates Relief For Businesses

Feb 242017

With thanks to Banffshire & Buchan Coast SNP.

Tory councillors in the North-east of Scotland have rejected plans to offer businesses rates relief for the second time in under a week – after the Tory-led Moray administration recently threw out an SNP amendment encouraging the Moray Council to follow Aberdeenshire’s lead in offering local business rates relief.

SNP councillors in Aberdeenshire last week passed a budget allocating £3 million for a local business rates relief scheme, to help those that have seen larger rates revaluations and are feeling the effects of the downturn in the north east economy.

SNP councillors in Moray had tabled an amendment to the Tory-led budget in Moray suggesting a similar scheme, but this was rejected by Tory councillors, including part-time-MSP-come-referee-come-councillor Douglas Ross.

On the same day as Ruth Davidson has reportedly stated that businesses are “staring down the barrel of a gun” due to changes to business rates, the actions of Tory councillors clearly demonstrated they are more interested in opportunistic soundbites rather than providing firms with meaningful support when they have the powers to do so.

Commenting, SNP MSP for Banffshire & Buchan Coast, Stewart Stevenson, said:

“This is quite astonishing from the Tory-led administration in Moray. They have not stopped criticising the Scottish Government for the changes to business rates, yet they refuse to use the powers that they have at a local level to provide firms with meaningful support.

“It is clear that Ruth Davidson’s Tories are only interested in scoring political points rather than actually providing any support to the businesses they have claimed to support in recent weeks.

“Voters across Moray and Aberdeenshire aren’t daft, and they’ll have seen Douglas Ross and others leading the chorus against changes to businesses rates, before he voted today to prevent businesses from receiving substantial support. Their opposition has been proven to be nothing more than crocodile tears.

“The Tories ought to be ashamed of themselves – and their actions won’t be forgotten by voters in Aberdeenshire, Moray and beyond when they go to the polls in May.”

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Tory MSP Called Out On Mental Health Service Claims

Aberdeenshire, Opinion No Responses »

Feb 202017

With thanks to Banffshire & Buchan Coast SNP.

Aberdeenshire Council has refuted claims made by Tory MSP Peter Chapman that a new mental health service is excluding people, insisting that the new service will be equitable across Aberdeenshire and provides a more person centred service.

Following the awarding of the contract for a new ‘Mental Health – Pathways to Recovery’ service last year, Aberdeenshire Council has been working with provider SAMH as they roll out the new service across Aberdeenshire.

It was commissioned to provide a community-based mental health service and to promote the achievement of a mentally well and inclusive Aberdeenshire in which people who experience mental illness are enabled to recover and achieve their personal outcomes.

It provides more equitable services across north, central and south Aberdeenshire; to target service provision more appropriately to individual risk and need; and to support people who experience mental illness and help them enjoy mainstream activities alongside other members of the community.

Co-Leader of Aberdeenshire Council Cllr Richard Thomson said:

“It is simply not true to say people have fallen through a chasm and been forgotten about as has been claimed. Everyone who has registered with the new service has been contacted by SAMH and we continue to urge anyone who requires support to register with SAMH.

“If for any reason they do not want to register with SAMH they can contact our Community Mental Health Teams who will support them.

“We of course acknowledge that some existing services users remain anxious about the change of provider and new model of delivery, but there are many advantages of the new services which will be more personalised, more recovery focused, better linked to employability, accessible seven days per week, and is available across Aberdeenshire as a whole.”

Cllr Anne Allan (pictured), Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Communities Committee added:

“The new service is about helping people to recover and supporting them to achieve their outcomes. A buildings based service restricts the number of people who can access the service. If people cannot attend the building at the time it is open then they are excluded from the service.

“When developing our modified service specification we were made aware that many people especially in rural areas who wanted help were unable to access the previous service model. We now have a service which is accessible to all. I completely understand that people are nervous about change but I would urge them to speak to SAMH or Community Mental Health teams so we can support them on the road to their recovery.“

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Aberdeen 3 Motherwell 3 – Pittodrie Stadium 23/09/12

Aberdeen City, Sport No Responses »

Sep 242012

Had he not envisaged covering this game for Aberdeen Voice, Andrew Watson would have perhaps not bothered staying until the end of the game!

All in all it was thrilling to watch – particularly the last ten minutes or so.

Having handed out leaflets prior to the game, in support of the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), my pal and I, far from the comfort of our seats in the Merkland Stand, found ourselves with fellow pamphleteers in the lower tier of the Dick Donald Stand.

The view was better than usual, and we were treated to an early goal, initiated by Hayes, and delivered by Gavin Rae.

We had barely taken our seats when Rae glanced a beautifully manoeuvred header into the bottom-right corner of the Motherwell goal, after about six minutes. 1-0.

The banter (abuse) in the Dick Donald was markedly better than the Merkland, as Motherwell soaked up early pressure, courtesy of the our wee marauding midfield maestro, Fraser; seemingly willing, these days, to put himself where it hurts and come back for more.

The defensive fare from the Steelmen was nothing short of the fisticuffs you’d maybe see at a heavy metal concert, and our fellow Dons fans seemed more than keen to get on the pitch themselves and act as minder for Fraser. We all know he’ll need one to remain injury-free for the rest of the season.

Even Clangers Clangfield, without his redoubtable Dunfermline mentor Tinkerbell Blunderwood to act as foil for his occasional stupidity, got a foot in the midriff for his trouble, after quite rightly soaking up a Motherwell advance with surprisingly firm hands.

Would he spill the milk later on, in spite of such noted bravery? Surely not…yeah, maybe. Yes. Yes, he would.

Anyway, back to the banter: Tom Hately, son of Rangers legend Mark, seemed telepathically willed to fluff his corner by large sections of the home support; loudly reminding him, rightly or wrongly, of his lineage to a certain Germanic emperor of days gone by, forename Attila.

Did the ball even get onto the pitch when struck? Your erstwhile reporter here, though never engaging in such horrid antics, admittedly giggled with glee.

Not being a Motherwell fan, the game from this point onwards wasn’t exactly pretty (pretending to be Arsenal, passing it into the net, would come later) or funny. Aberdeen barely held together as the Fir Park natives rampaged through Pittodrie’s so-called defensive stalwarts, a la Anderson and company; the last in line, holding fort…and failing miserably.

1-1.

Half-time, and the only respite was the Aberdeen youth team parading their trophy on the touchline to muted applause and little fanfare. When will we see the sight for, ahem, real, ? You can’t help but ask.

Second half.

1-2, after three minutes.

1-3, after another, torturous, thirty-four minutes. Cue mass exodus from Pittodrie.

Sticking around ‘cos I’m a true red, ken? To be honest, I can’t say I’d much faith. Never mind, this is where it gets kind of interesting.

2-3, TWO minutes later! Who said hope dies when you watch Aberdeen? Niall McGinn making a perfect comeback as super sub! Good man.

Wait, maybe, perhaps … impetus gained. Petering. Petering. Gone.

…

…..

Impetus regained. Free kick. Last kick of the ball. Shot. Saved. Rebound.

…….

Magennis, you’re a defender. And today, a bad one at that!

GOAL!

3-3

Josh Magennis, you beauty!

Perhaps manager Craig Brown has silenced his critics today with this goal-scoring display. Yet taking Vernon off, our poaching talisman, but not exactly a lone striker in the mould of Wayne Rooney – nor Lionel Messi! – was his best tactical shift of the ninety minutes.

However, early on, we looked set to win the game easily. Realistically, alternately, this was Motherwell, riding high in pole position, and being 1-0 up wasn’t exactly a fair representation of the game after the initial first fifteen minutes or so. We did well to come back from a two-goal deficit, which was very un-Aberdeen.

A draw, one which we didn’t really deserve, snatched from the jaws of defeat?

Oh well, it is Aberdeen we’re talking about here!