At the City Council's City Development Committee last night, councillors considered a report on the city's attempts to secure more Scottish civil service jobs.This report was as a result of my motion agreed by committee on 24th August calling for officers to update councillors on Dundee's record in attracting these posts to the City over the past few years. You can read the report by clicking on the headline above or by going to http://tinyurl.com/dundeecivilservicejobs.
What the report makes clear is that, although Dundee was successful in attracting civil service jobs under the previous LibDem/Labour Executive (243 jobs from 1999-2004) the current SNP government has been a dismal failure in this regard, and what makes this all the more disappointing given the promises previously made by SNP politicians.
I reminded committee last night of the commitment SNP Minister Shona Robison made at a 'Courier' hustings meeting at the 2007 election (see http://tinyurl.com/ych3eh2) :
"Nearly all of the parties gave their support to the fight for civil service jobs in the city ... Shona Robison was given a rousing hand when she said a fair share would be far more than they were getting at the moment."
I presented a motion to committee last night to instruct the City Council's Chief Executive to write to all constituency and regional MSPs who cover the city calling for their support for Dundee's campaign for more civil service jobs for Dundee. I am pleased that committee unanimously agreed to my proposal. All must be done to secure further employment opportunities for Dundonians and bringing more civil service jobs to Dundee would greatly assist.