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Recent releases
The priorities are:
Priority 1 We will provide a good start in life for all our children
Priority 2 We will prepare our young people for adulthood and employment
Priority 3 We will care for our older and vulnerable people
Priority 4 We will support and stimulate our economy
Priority 5 We will maintain the safety and security of our region
Priority 6 We will protect and sustain our environment
Gavin Stevenson also outlined the scale of the reduction in the funding along with some of the major developments to come in future years including:
- implementing new legislation such as the Children and Young People's Bill
- integrating health and social care
- continuing to improve our educational performance
- mitigating the impact of welfare reform on our residents and region
- meeting our environmental obligations including waste collection
Council Leader, Councillor Ivor Hyslop said, "Overall the direction of travel is meeting our priorities. Things are getting harder, but hopefully at the end of the next four years of this plan we will see an economic upturn that will allow us to invest more. I have to thank other elected members - we don't always agree, but good suggestions are coming forwards from committees. Our partners have also played significant roles in the progress noted here."
Depute Leader Councillor Brian Collins said, " We are only a year into this Council, but so far progress has been good. Even through these difficult times our Council is continuing to invest, with new schools for Langholm and Dalbeattie, development work on specialist and residential educational provision and the working up of detailed plans for the Dumfries learning Town.
"We are continuing to invest in Modern Apprenticeships and our graduate employment scheme. As Strategic Housing Authority we have been highly successful, working in partnership with Registered Social Landlords, in attracting Scottish Government Finance for affordable housing.
"Our Council was quick to realise the need to support and fund the roll out of next generation broadband. We stand to gain significantly with an estimated future coverage of 95% of the region's homes and businesses.
"We face significant challenges; the integration of adult health and social care; tackling youth unemployment; helping vulnerable people navigate their way through the welfare reform changes and capitalising on national events such as the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
"I am confident this Council is better placed to meet these challenges than ever before and credit must be given where it is due most. I want to pay particular tribute to our staff who work so hard and serve our region well as a matter of course. They also demonstrate, as they did in the severe weather this spring, that they will go above and beyond the call of duty when circumstances demand. This report is a credit to heir efforts, but it is also only the beginning and I know this administration will see that progress continues and accelerates over the next four years."
The report can be found on our website: Full Council 19 July 2013
