CONGRATULATIONS to Banchory Primary School and their road safety awareness raising work. Their road accident mock-ups at the school and the recent march to Lornshill Academy was all great work to remind drivers of the importance of slowing down on the streets where we live, work and play.

Clackmannanshire Council has taken the lead on many road safety measures and was one of the first in Scotland to introduce area wide 20mph limits which have had a big impact. Over the summer I will be introducing my Members Bill to parliament so the rest of Scotland can follow Clacks lead and make streets safer by dropping to 20 limits.

However, signs alone are not enough and the kind of long term education campaigns that involve communities and the police, would really help with speed reduction and safer driving. The impact of reminding drivers of the consequences of dangerous driving shouldn’t be underestimated and it’s great to see young people taking the lead.

It’s been over four years now since work on a Stirling City Region Deal was kicked off. A City Commission was launched with a wide range of businesses, community and public sector bodies coming together to develop a strong plan focussed on building the economy up while enhancing the environment and quality of life of the area.

The extension of the deal to include Clacks was a welcome move, however, it’s disappointing to see how little thought has gone into how to spend the £8million that has come forward for the area.

We now have Tory MP Luke Graham launching a ‘Clackmannanshire Investment Forum’ via his Facebook page, apparently to decide on where the millions will go within a few months. An organisation with no website, no listed membership, no application process and no contact details beyond Mr. Graham’s office. At best, this is amateurish – at worst, this is pure pork barrel politics.

I was delighted to join hundreds on a pro-Europe march in Perth last weekend, making a stand against the Tory disaster that is Brexit.

One of the precious freedoms we have as EU citizens is the right to free movement and Scotland more than ever needs control over its own immigration policy. It’s not just health workers that we need. Fruit pickers and vets are other trades where shortages are already appearing because of Brexit. We should be welcoming and thanking immigrants rather than demonising them.

Generations of young people in our own country have grown up as EU citizens enjoying their right to live, study and work hassle free across Europe. That is their birthright and it was wonderful to see so many young people on the march defending their rights.

Holyrood is now in recess and I’m making plans to be out and about across my parliamentary region.

If you have a project or group in Clackmannanshire and want to meet for a one-to-one about an issue, then please do get in touch via mark.ruskell.msp@parliament.scot or 01786 448203.