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Good news for volunteer drivers
The UK Government has increased the tax-free Approved Mileage Allowance Payment (AMAP) volunteer mileage rate from 45p to 55p per mile. This follows four years of tireless campaigning by activists and organisations, including our partners at the Community Transport Association (CTA) whose ‘A Fair Deal for Volunteers’ campaign played a major part in this decision. Read more here

WD Tourism Strategy and Action Plan
West Dunbartonshire Council is preparing its Tourism Strategy and Action Plan and invite you to a Community Workshop. This will give you an opportunity to discuss local priorities, opportunities and challenges, and to explore how tourism can better support communities, local businesses and places across West Dunbartonshire. The workshop will be held at Dumbarton Football Club on Thursday 6^th August, registration is from 5.30pm, workshop Starts 6.00pm finished 8.00pm. To register your attendance, please book using this link Your views and local knowledge are important to ensuring the strategy reflects the aspirations of communities and helps create a stronger, more sustainable visitor destination. 

Heat Stress and UK Food Imports
With a powerful El Niño event now confirmed and the heat stress impacts of climate change already being felt in many food-producing nations, the UK’s food security is under threat. The nations most exposed and least resilient to climate change-driven extremes were the source of 13% of UK food imports, worth £8.9 billion. The 15 top suppliers from that group alone made up 11% of UK food imports, worth £7.4 billion. That included rice, for which India is our biggest supplier, as well as soft and citrus fruits like grapes, lemons, oranges and nectarines from South Africa, Peru and Egypt, coffee from Vietnam and Brazil, cocoa beans (to make chocolate) from Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, Colombian and Ecuadorean bananas, and Kenyan tea. Read more

Committee Calls for Views
Two newly-formed Scottish Parliament committees have launched inquiries, and a “call for views”. The Public Service Reform Committee’s pre-budget scrutiny inquiry will consider how the 2027/28 Scottish Budget can promote public service reform, including by removing barriers, promoting preventative approaches and simplifying public service delivery. Find out more about their call for views here The Finance and Public Administration Committee’s pre-2027-8 budget scrutiny focuses on the affordability and sustainability of Scotland’s tax and spending plans. Find out more about their call for views here. 

Furniture Donation
Radio Clyde has a range of office furniture that they would like to donate to local charities – not to be re-sold for profit. They have a selection of: 
– Office desks
– Office chairs
– Lockable GDPR cupboards
– Under desk drawers
– Sofas
– Rubbermaid wastepaper bin/recycling bins
– Kitchen items
And so much more………………… If interested, please contact Kristine on 0141 565 2200 or by emailing reception@radioclyde.com 

Home Energy Scotland Impersonation Scams
Recently, there have been reports of cold callers visiting properties and saying they are surveyors working with Home Energy Scotland. They have letters that include the Home Energy Scotland and Scottish Government logos, which offer to help homeowners secure funding for energy-saving measures such as insulation and heat pumps. Although the cold callers referred to a legitimate scheme funded by the Scottish Government – the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme – they were not representatives of Home Energy Scotland. The details they provided on the letters included a Gmail address and personal mobile phone number. Home Energy Scotland NEVER cold call – they will only contact customers who have given them permission to do so.
Advice on avoiding scams