All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 1958 contributions
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 10 December 2024
Willie Coffey
Another issue is that some groups feel that the relationship between the ombudsman and public bodies is too close. In fact, Accountability Scotland said to us that the SPSO is not measuring service standards against best practice and that too much agreement with public bodies is evident. I invite you to respond on the relationship that you have with public bodies. Is it too close?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 10 December 2024
Willie Coffey
Does your panel of advisers reach out to complainers to get a more rounded bigger picture and a more articulate presentation of the issue? As I have said, the balance of evidence can sometimes favour the institutional side in the quality and depth of the defence paperwork that you might receive on an issue. Do you reach out to complainers to ensure that there is a balance when it comes to the quality and quantity of information that you consider?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 10 December 2024
Willie Coffey
So, we have a variability scale rather than a safe or unsafe outcome.
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 10 December 2024
Willie Coffey
Who would determine that? Will there be any guidelines in place for a sheriff—if such a case goes before a sheriff? How would the determination as to whether there is a legitimate issue be arrived at?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 10 December 2024
Willie Coffey
Thank you. My other question is about the ability of people to use the new protections.
As you well know, minister, when considering the Housing (Scotland) Bill, the committee heard about issues around how tenants can be made aware of and enabled to exercise and enforce their rights. It sounds as though the same issues might confront us in relation to the Renters’ Rights Bill. How do you see us giving support to tenants who may wish to bring issues forward? What support might they be able to receive?
Economy and Fair Work Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 4 December 2024
Willie Coffey
If Matt could come in as well, that would be great.
Economy and Fair Work Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 4 December 2024
Willie Coffey
My next question is about digital projects that you may have been delivering. Could you give us a wee flavour of some of the projects that you have been developing that go beyond establishing more connectivity and extending the reaching 100 per cent programme and so on? I am thinking of things such as community wi-fi zones in railway and bus stations and in places where people congregate, rather than in buildings. It could be town centres, the transport network and even our many stadiums across Scotland.
I am sure that, if you have been in any of those places where large numbers of people gather, you will know that the wi-fi is still pretty poor in those areas. Can you give us examples of what you have done in your areas to advance and develop the ability for the public to engage in the communications network when in spaces and places rather than in buildings?
Economy and Fair Work Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 4 December 2024
Willie Coffey
Can I come back in, convener?
Economy and Fair Work Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 4 December 2024
Willie Coffey
Okay.
Economy and Fair Work Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 4 December 2024
Willie Coffey
Thanks very much convener. Good morning—[Inaudible.]—that discussion that we had with Murdo Fraser’s questions.
I am interested in how the growth deals have kept pace with changing political objectives at Scottish or UK Government level. I am thinking about things such as the national strategy for economic transformation and national planning framework 4, which as you know has themes at the heart of it such as community and place, local living, 20-minute neighbourhoods, nature and biodiversity and so on. Can you give a flavour of how the growth deals have developed in more recent years to embrace and incorporate those wider changes in both Governments’ policies?