The campaign for a north of the river solu-

tion to healthcare will soon reach a critical

stage when NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
publishes its recommendations for the future
of our hospital services. Over 10,000 people
from every part of the constituency have already
signed up to the campaign to say that the Royal
Alexandria hospital in Paisley is a bridge too far.
We want to have access to specialist and acute
services at the Golden Jubilee in Dalmuir; pro-
tect services at the Vale of Leven hospital and
bring A&E back north of the river. With the
health board expected to launch its consultation
in the Spring it is now time to stand together as
a community and make sure our voice is heard.
Jackie said:
I have been campaigning for a north of the river
solution for over a decade but now we could be
on the verge of reaching our goal. This consulta-
tion really is crunch time for people in Dumbar-
ton, the Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Lo-
mond. The cross-party and community hospital
campaign team has worked hard over the past
year to keep local healthcare services top of the
agenda but this is where it really counts. I have
been very pleased by the response to our petition
but now we must transform these 10,000 signa-
tures into consultation responses.
Jackie celebrated the opening of the new state-of-the-art
Vale Centre for Health and Care with Lily Kennedy,
Jackie Maceira, Gail Casey and Martin Rooney.
The RAH in Paisley is a Bridge too far

1. The full range of services should be kept
at the Vale

1. Specialist and acute services delivered
from the Golden Jubilee

3. A&E should be north of the Clyde








Residents in Dumbarton,
Vale of Leven and
Helensburgh and Lo-
mond now have just
eight months to decide
before we head to the
polls to vote on Scot-
lands future. The refer-
endum, which takes
place on 18 September
2014, is sure to be one
of the most important de-
cisions that many of us
will make in our lifetime-
between remaining in the
United Kingdom or
breaking apart. Jackie
said: Independence
would have implications
for all areas of Scottish
life so it is important that
everyone gets the
answers to their ques-
tions before casting their
vote. I am keen to speak
to as many people as
possible over the next
few months so please do
get in touch if you have
any points to raise.
Youth unemployment is
a ticking time bomb in
communities across the
constituency. Nearly
ten per cent of 18 24
year olds are out of
work and one in five of
them are still looking for
a job after a year.
Jackie recently found
out how one local busi-
ness is tackling the
problem when she at-
tended a workshop for
young jobseekers at the
Co-ops Balloch store.
Jackie said: It is en-
couraging to see local
businesses making an
effort to increase young
peoples chances of
finding work. Theres
been a slow improve-
ment over the past year,
partly due to initiatives
like this and West Dun-
bartonshire Councils ap-
prenticeship scheme, but
there is still a long way to
go to eradicate the
scourge of youth unem-
ployment.
January is always a month
when cash is tight but for
some local people who
turned to payday loan
companies to get through
Christmas it could be the
start of a vicious cycle of
debt. Over the past few
months Jackie has been
campaigning for tougher
regulation of payday lend-
ers, better promotion of
alternatives like credit un-
ions and increased sup-
port for those struggling
with debt.
A recent report from debt
charity Stepchange
showed that their clients
had an average of almost
1000 payday loan debt.
Jackie said: Companies
offering quick loans at
massive interest rates
have invaded our high
streets in Dumbarton,
Alexandria and Helens-
burgh. With some con-
stituents racking up
1000 debts we must
cap the cost of credit
and stop companies
charging eye-watering
interest rates of over
5000%. I supported the
campaign to ask the
Scottish Government to
publish wealth warnings
to warn people of the
dangers of these loans
and promote local lend-
ers like Dumbarton
Credit Union and Vale of
Leven Credit Union.
There are currently five payday lenders operating in
the constituency. If you are experiencing any prob-
lems with these companies please contact your
local Citizens Advice Bureau by calling 01389
744690 (Dumbarton), 08456 123808 (Helensburgh)
or 01389 752727 (Alexandria).










Jackie recently joined
councillors David McBride
and Tommy Rainey on a
visit to the new Dumbar-
ton Academy. Jackie said:
With almost one in five
children in Dumbarton
constituency living in pov-
erty it is now more im-
portant than ever to invest
in our childrens educa-
tion. I was delighted that
pupils at Dumbarton
Academy have joined
their peers at Vale of Le-
ven Academy and Her-
mitage Academy in hav-
ing a brand new state-of-
the-art building. We cam-
paigned with the local
community for new build
schools to give our chil-
dren the best possible
start in life. Once the
Council agree on a site
for a new Our Lady and
St Patricks, soon every
high school pupil in Dum-
barton constituency will
benefit from a top-class
education in modern sur-
roundings.
Jackie has been campaign-
ing to protect local policing
in Dumbarton, Vale of Le-
ven, Helensburgh and Lo-
mond. Last year Police
Scotland announced contro-
versial plans to permanently
close Alexandria and Gare-
lochheads police stations to
the public and keep the
doors shut at Dumbarton
police station for 16 hours a
day and all weekend. So far
Helensburgh has been
lucky to escape the axe but
there is no guarantee that
evening and weekend open-
ing will last beyond the fore-
seeable future pending the
outcome of a CCTV review.
Jackie said: A damning
report from Audit Scotland
has made it clear that Po-
lice Scotland has no clear
financial strategy in place to
meet the 1.1 billion cuts
the Scottish Government
expect of them by
2026. Its time the Scottish
Government realised that
cutting the police budget
will drive a wedge between
local communities and po-
licing and take bobbies off
the beat.
People rely on our police
stations not only in emer-
gencies but also when re-
porting crime and making
enquiries so we must stand
up for local policing. Talking
to someone in a call centre
or social media just isnt a
good enough substitute.
Jackie is currently tak-
ing a Members Bill
through Parliament
which would remove
the fear of eviction from
hundreds of local ten-
ants hit by the bedroom
tax. If the Bill receives
cross-party support
then all social housing
tenants would have a
no-evictions guarantee
backed by law. The
Scottish Government is
being urged to fund the
50 million gap in coun-
cil and housing associ-
ation budgets caused
by rent arrears. Jackie
said: This is the perfect
example of just how the
Scottish Parliament
could act now to make a
difference to those who
are struggling most. My
Bill has has already won
wide support from
churches, bedroom tax
campaigners and
COSLA. West Dunbar-
tonshire Council has
pledged to protect its
tenants but this Bill is
the only way to protect
all social housing ten-
ants in the area
Jackie campaigning with Councillor McGinty outside
Alexandria police station


1. Write: Constituency Office, 11 Castle Street, Dumbarton, G82 1QS
2. Email: jackie.baillie.msp@scottish.parliament.uk
3. Phone: 01389 734214
4. Fax : 01389 761498
5. Website: www.jackiebaillie.co.uk
The Parliament is not responsible for the content of other internet sites.

6. Visit Jackie at one of her regular advice surgeries on the 3rd
Friday of each month:

2.45pm Alexandria Library, Gilmour Street, Alexandria
4.45pm Victoria Halls, Helensburgh
6.30pm Constituency Office, 11 Castle Street, Dumbarton


The costs of this publication have been met out of parliamentary resources







Its a worrying time for bill payers in
Dumbarton, Vale of Leven, Helens-
burgh and Lomond as most of us await
the first energy bill of the winter. Local
people struggling with the worst cost of
living crisis in a century would have
been horrified at last years price hikes
of up to 10%. Fuel poverty already af-
fects two fifths of households in Argyll
and Bute and one fifth in West Dunbar-
tonshire but these increases will force
even more low income families to make
the choice between heating and eating
this winter.
Jackie said: When times are tough the
big energy companies should not be
forcing their customers to cough up
even more cash to boost their profits.
The Scottish and UK Governments
must look at all options, including a
price freeze, to support struggling fam-
ilies.

Over the past year Jackie has ramped up the pressure on
Strathclyde Passenger Transport to improve the Kilcreggan
Gourock ferry service. When Clydelink won the contract com-
muters had to put up with frequent cancelled sailings and worry-
ing safety issues. At Holyrood Jackie called on the Scottish Gov-
ernment to take responsibility for the route after passengers ex-
pressed concerns over SPTs slow response. Jackie said:
Passengers were offered a glimpse of hope last year when SPT
told me that they would be happy to transfer the service to the
Scottish Government. But all of a sudden SPT has now changed
its mind after meeting with Argyll and Bute Council. The transfer
cant go ahead unless SPT and councillors agree so the ball is
in their court. If they continue to block the move then SPT owes
it to the hundreds of passengers who use the ferry every day to
come up with a plan to respond to calls to improve service.
Jackie is pleased to be work-
ing again this year with Age
Scotland to offer free hot tips
calendars for elderly resi-
dents with advice on how to
keep warm and safe this win-
ter. The calendar has infor-
mation on heating services,
room temperature settings,
energy efficiency and benefit
entitlements for older people.

Jackie said: It is important
that older people have easy
access to services that can
help them stay warm this win-
ter. I have already been dis-
tributing the calendar among
pensioners groups across the
area but you can also pop in
to my Dumbarton office be-
tween Monday and Friday or
call me on 01389 734214 to
pick up your free copy.