Earlier this year, the SNP agreed a deal with the Green Party to get their budget through by allowing councils the power to impose a workplace parking tax. The whole thing has been a farce since day one, with the SNP quickly distancing themselves from it and passing the blame onto councils. When the SNP government continue to cut council budgets, they are effectively forcing councils’ hands as a way to raise the money they so desperately need.

This tax does not take into consideration someone’s earnings, so if you earn £12,000 you will pay the same as someone earning £120,000.

This tax could cost you around £500 per year just to park your car to go to work.

I agree we need to discourage the growing use of cars to help cut emissions, but at a time when public transport is in an appalling state, costs are rising and reliability is falling, how can the SNP and Green Party think this is a fair and competent way to achieve this? It is yet again a sign of their form of governance, that when education results started falling they chose to lower the pass rates instead of addressing the issues caused by the curriculum they imposed.

The SNP need to ensure public transport is fit for purpose, which it is not.

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There are also people who live in rural areas who don’t have access to public transport. It is an ill thought out tax, which I hope councils have the sense not to implement.

As SUMMER holidays approach it’s good to see the police geared up to ensure preventing anti-social behaviour is a main focus.

It is a shame it is a requirement in our society, but with increased number of people it is important for people to feel safe and enjoy themselves during the summer months.

The Police should not be a reactive force, but a preventative force.

Last week I visited the Violence Reduction Unit in Glasgow who work in partnership with Police Scotland to prevent violence occurring whether it be at home, in public, in school or the work place.

It is important that we, as a society, identify the causes of the problems so they can be addressed, and sorted to prevent them happening in the first place.

The Violence Reduction Unit also work with charities and local businesses who train people who have previously had issues.

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This is very important for our society to develop and encourage people to a more positive route in life.