Political Stand: Coalsnaughton support remains top priority

At the moment, the biggest issue facing Clackmannanshire continues to be the ground movement incident in Coalsnaughton.

Since the incident first occurred in May, supporting affected residents has remained my absolute priority.

I have attended residents’ meetings, raised the issue repeatedly in the Scottish Parliament, met with the First Minister and ministers from both the Scottish and UK Governments, and continued pressing the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) for answers.

The MRA has now accepted responsibility for the incident, which is a significant milestone. However, accepting responsibility is only the beginning.

Residents deserve certainty about their future, fair compensation for the disruption and financial losses they have suffered, and reassurance that no one will be left worse off because of an incident entirely beyond their control.

I will continue pressing for the support and answers they deserve.

Another issue I have been pursuing this summer is the unacceptable delay many local people face when trying to book a driving test.

Constituents have told me about waiting months for appointments, travelling significant distances to find an available test and, in some cases, seeing their theory tests expire before they can secure a practical test.

I have written to the UK Government calling for urgent action to tackle the backlog and asking that consideration be given to extending theory test certificates where delays are outside candidates’ control.

I have also requested a Members’ Debate in the Scottish Parliament, which I hope will take place soon after Parliament returns from recess.

While driving tests are the responsibility of the UK Government, this will give MSPs from all parties and areas of Scotland the opportunity to raise the experiences of their constituents and press the UK Government for urgent action.

There has also been plenty to celebrate locally this summer, not least the achievements of our young people receiving their exam results.

Clackmannanshire recorded one of its strongest attainment performances to date, with 84 per cent of awards across National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher achieved at A-C level.

Particularly encouraging is the continued narrowing of the attainment gap and strong progress among young people who face additional barriers to learning.

These results are also encouraging evidence that the continued focus and investment in Whole Family Support is beginning to make a difference.

Policies like these do not always produce results overnight. Supporting children and families early, tackling the wider barriers that can affect learning and giving young people the support they need takes time, so it is particularly welcome to see that sustained work now being reflected in improved outcomes.

Of course, behind every statistic is a young person who has worked hard to achieve it, supported by teachers, school staff and their families.

Success also comes in many different forms, and I want to congratulate all our young people as they take their next steps into further or higher education, training, apprenticeships or employment.

Finally, one of the best parts of the summer has been getting out to meet some of the fantastic organisations working across Clackmannanshire.

I recently met CHUMS Clacks, who are developing new support for families of children with additional support needs after securing funding through the What Matters to You programme.

I also met with Ochil Youths Community Improvement (OYCI), hearing about the fantastic work they continue to do with young people across the Hillfoots.

Whether responding to major challenges or celebrating local success, I am continually reminded of the strength of our communities and the people who work every day to make Clackmannanshire a better place to live.