Former Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dunfermline
29/05/2012
The Forth (Rail) Bridge is the first of only two UK sites being submitted for UNESCO World Heritage status, after the iconic Bridge topped the Tentative List of 11 UK nominations, followed by the Gorham’s Cave Complex in Gibraltar.
MSP Bill Walker, whose Dunfermline constituency is just a short distance from the Bridge, said he was hopeful it would be recognised by UNESCO. Read more of this post
28/05/2012
Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline has received a grant of nearly £6,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to develop their extra-curricular sports programme, which is open to all pupils. The school will purchase and install rugby posts, basket ball stands and basketball markings. Read more of this post
28/05/2012
The cross-party, Scotland-wide Independence campaign has officially launched — and Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker has pledged his support by signing the declaration on the new Yes Scotland website.
The declaration, which has already attracted well over 10,000 signatures, begins: “I believe that it is fundamentally better for us all, if decisions about Scotland’s future are taken by the people who care most about Scotland, that is, by the people of Scotland.” Read more of this post
25/05/2012
Local MSP Bill Walker has welcomed the progress of four super-efficient affordable houses being built in Dunfermline’s Inchkeith Drive.
The houses, constructed by Beattie Passive for Fife Housing Association, are said to require 90% less heating and reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 100%. Read more of this post
24/05/2012
MSP Bill Walker has welcomed news that a Dunfermline Primary School has received a grant to redevelop its playground.
St Leonards Primary School has secured £8231 from the Big Lottery Fund, through Awards for All. Among other things, the school will buy artificial grass, a pergola, a bench, a music panel and wall games. Read more of this post
23/05/2012
Charlestown, Limekilns and Pattiesmuir Community Council has received a grant of almost £10,000 to run a floral displays scheme. The Council hopes to encourage locals to become involved in community gardening, so as to help beautify the villages and enhance civic pride.
Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker welcomed the news: Read more of this post
11/05/2012
Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker has voiced support for an MP’s calls for Westminster to debate the future of Scotland’s regiments, following reports that the names of the Black Watch and Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders are to be merged.
Perth and North Perthshire SNP MP, Pete Wishart, has demanded the UK Government abandons any plans that would further compromise the identity of the battalions, which he says would be a bid to mask cuts to the army. Read more of this post
10/05/2012
A showcase event exploring the commercial possibilities of new building technologies takes place on the 30th May at the Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline.
Building Technologies Showcase 2012 will be hosted by the Fife Construction Forum and Napier University’s Low Carbon Building Technologies Gateway, who hope to draw on the success of last year’s first-ever Showcase. Read more of this post
10/05/2012
An acclaimed training organisation for overseas English language teachers has confirmed Dunfermline as their Scottish learning centre.
International Study Programmes (ISP) specialises in courses for English teachers whose first language is not English, as well as holiday language courses and tailor-made educational visits to Britain. Read more of this post
09/05/2012
Samantha Barber, of Dunfermline, has been appointed chairman of the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of Scottish Power’s parent company, Iberdrola — which is responsible for improving social policies and community relations.
Ms Barber, who was appointed to Scottish Power’s Advisory Board in 2007, has previously served as a Policy Advisor at the European Parliament in Brussels, as Director of Business for Scotland and as Chief Executive of Scottish Business in the Community. Read more of this post
04/05/2012
A medieval village recreated in Dunfermline’s Pittencrieff Park will be the busy hub of this year’s Bruce Festival, taking place on the 25th and 26th of August.
The 2012 celebration aims to be the best Bruce Festival to date, after last year’s event drew a record 18,000 visitors to watch jousting and re-enactments, as well as browse arts and crafts and sample the wares of the food village. Read more of this post
26/04/2012
Small businesses in Fife have benefitted from more than £26m in rates relief since the launch of the Scottish Government’s Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) in 2008 — more than any of the 33 Scottish local authority areas outside Glasgow, Highland and the City of Edinburgh.
Moreover, in the latest figures for 2011-12, Fife scooped nearly double the assistance as it did in 2008-9. Read more of this post
25/04/2012
MSP for Dunfermline, Bill Walker, has welcomed news that projects assisting ex-servicemen and women back into civilian life are set to receive an £80,000 funding boost.
Scottish Government Veterans Minister, Keith Brown, has earmarked allocations from the Scottish Veterans Fund for eleven projects across Scotland, including Veterans Scotland and Officers Association Scotland. Read more of this post
23/04/2012
Following months of consultation, Carnegie College has confirmed it will seek the creation of a Regional College for Fife before a Tertiary Education Institute with Edinburgh’s Napier University.
The College has consulted extensively with students, staff, the community and industry stakeholders, as well as holding intensive discussions with Adam Smith College, Elmwood College and Edinburgh’s Napier University. Read more of this post
18/04/2012
I have tried to avoid fuelling a media feeding frenzy regarding allegations in relation to my former private life. However, the allegations have become so distressing that I feel compelled to issue a brief statement. Read more of this post
13/04/2012
Tourism in Dunfermline and West Fife looks set to enjoy a boost, thanks to a Fife-wide series of visitor guides and a new branding strategy — initiatives welcomed by local MSP Bill Walker.
The colourful, up-to-date 32-page guides highlight Fife’s many attractions and include maps setting out sections of the Fife Coastal Path. They are free to pick up at visitor attractions, transport hubs and in tourist accommodation. Read more of this post
12/04/2012
Schoolchildren from Dunfermline are the latest to benefit from Big Lottery grants, aimed at encouraging involvement in sports.
Five primary schools and Dunfermline Athletic Girls Football Club received awards totalling £7,758. Four of the schools — Blairhall, Wellwood, Milesmark and Pittencrieff — will use their funding for Olympics-themed sports, while Cairneyhill Primary School aims to provide a wide range of sporting opportunities for all pupils, including those with significant additional support needs. Read more of this post
10/04/2012
On Saturday, 7th April 2012, following a Hearing with the Disciplinary Committee, I was expelled from the Scottish National Party (SNP).
The Committee upheld the Complaint from the Party’s National Secretary that I had withheld from the Party information about unproven allegations concerning my former marriages when applying to become an approved Parliamentary Candidate for the 2011 Scottish Elections. I deny that such was the case and still maintain that I completed the relevant application form in a full and proper manner.
At no time during the vetting, selection and confirmation processes was I ever asked about my declared previous divorce proceedings and related matters. Read more of this post
02/04/2012
With council candidate nominations now closed, West Fife and Coastal Villages councillor, Bill Walker, has wished the best of luck to two candidates hoping to replace him in Fife Council in May. Read more of this post
30/03/2012
Dunfermline once again has its own beer, after more than a century — thanks to David Austin of popular New Row deli-café, Reuben’s.
The ‘de Brus’ blonde ale is named after the Bruce clan and already has the seal of approval from the current Clan Chief, Lord Elgin. Read more of this post
27/03/2012
Dunfermline Delivers is inviting suggestions for local heritage plaques to bring the history of Dunfermline up to date. Read more of this post
23/03/2012
Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker has welcomed the progress of his parliamentary colleague Mark McDonald‘s efforts to legislate for high hedges. Read more of this post
20/03/2012
MSP Bill Walker has referred to a question about Rosyth Dockyard, raised by Labour MP Thomas Docherty to the UK Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, as “scaremongering at its absolute worst”. Read more of this post
20/03/2012
MSP Bill Walker has called on Dunfermline people affected by prostate cancer to provide feedback on a draft set of standards for quality prostate cancer care. Read more of this post
19/03/2012
Dunfermline MSP Bill Walker has responded to a Labour Fife councillor’s criticisms of the Victoria Hospital by pointing out that the decision to shift services from Dunfermline’s Queen Margaret Hospital to Kirkcaldy was made by Labour. Read more of this post
Bill Walker 