Travel boost to help unemployed Buddies get back to work
When you are unemployed, the cost of getting to interviews or going to work for weeks before your first wage arrives can be a real problem.
Renfrewshire is becoming known for leading the way in tackling these types of problems that are barriers to getting out of poverty.
That’s why I am delighted that Renfrewshire has teamed up with Transport Scotland, McGill’s Buses, and Young Scot to give practical help to young job-seekers.
If you are aged 16-25 and are registered with the council’s Invest in Renfrewshire programme, your adviser can pre-load journey tickets for McGill’s Buses on to your Young Scot card.
This latest scheme is another example of giving people the support they need to access opportunities and hopefully make a lasting difference to their prospects.
Scottish Government must keep its jobs promise.
Recently Chivas confirmed the closure in 2019 of its Paisley plant.
It followed on from the announcement by Doosan Babcock that it planned to leave its site in Renfrew.
Scottish Government ministers agreed to join Renfrewshire Council in setting up a multi-agency task force last November to tackle these emerging jobs issues.
However, since then, the Scottish Government has allowed Scottish Enterprise to close its office in Paisley – despite the clear need for coordinated action on these significant adverse developments.
Renfrewshire has made significant progress in starting to turn round our economy through the likes of Invest in Renfrewshire and our participation in the Glasgow city Region City Deal.
We need the Scottish Government to provide action now and not just words to protect and enhance the local economy.