ph 5

The Council this week submitted listed building and planning

applications for the demolition of the City Hall and the creation of the new square.

Given its prime location in the centre of Perth the area has an important role to play in supporting

the local economy. The wide variety of associated uses of the civic square will help attract more visitors and shoppers to Perth, and enhance the vibrancy of the city centre.

The plan is to create a space that is versatile, attractive and practical. It draws on design practice that

has proven to be effective in other locations, as well as on elements that are unique to Perth. The design uses St John’s Kirk, the oldest medieval church in the area and Perth’s most historically important building, as a focal point.

The plan will restore the space that

would originally have existed around St John’s and bring it up to date as a space suitable for modern day use, featuring fountains and attractive street furniture.

It will be a place for people to enjoy day-to-day, and also play an important

SUMMER EVENTSAt The Black Watch Castle Museum

page 4

BYZANTIUM Restaurant

centre pages

TECH HUBLosing information online

page 14

HUB SportsRound up of the latest sport

page 15 & 16

Serving Perth and Surrounding AreasIssue Number 5 7th - 20th July 2011

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7th - 20th July 20112EDITOR’S COMMENTS

onlineHub HQ: 01698 803 929www.thehubpaper.com (HQ)

editorHello and welcome again to another copy

of Perthshires favourite newspaper – The HUB.

It has been all go here at the HUB and whilst we all get somewhat stressed at times, it is better to be busy and looking at how we grow and expand, compared to looking at where we are forced to make savings.

As we publish this issue we also celebrate the second anniversary of our original HUB title and we are delighted with how things have developed throughout that period. We have managed to break into new markets, launch new titles within our portfolio and recruit some very

talented staff.

The HUB’s success is undoubtedly down to those from within our communities who have shown us support. That also goes to the businesses that have shown faith in our product by allowing us to advertise and promote their brand in our titles.

There have been many positive things happening within Perthshire over the past few weeks. The planning application for the new civic square looks amazing, wish I had more space in the paper to print more photos!

Good news regarding rail timetables giving more

frequent services from Dundee and Perth to Glasgow which will be starting in December.

Great to hear that three new play areas around Perth have been upgraded which is great for the kids this summer. Just remember to put kagools in the weans packed lunch boxes...this weather!!!!

As always remember to send in any “Good News”. Whether it’s about a relative, friend, neighbour, club ...anything you would like to share. I will always try to get it in the next issue.

Finally, may I personally thank you all for your continued support.

Liz.

advertising salesStephen Croft :

m: 07512 714640

e: [email protected]

Gary Hutton:

m: 07818 781 544

e: [email protected] Liz Gibb, EditorThe Perth HUB

ANNABELLE’S LOCAL HERO: “VOLUNTEERS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF COMMUNITIES”The Scottish National Party’s Ms

Annabelle Ewing MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland & Fife, invited Alan Moffat of Comrie First Response to take part in festivities as her ‘local hero’.

MSP’s Local Heroes took part in a Riding of the Royal Mile. This part of the ceremonial of the old Scots Parliament was successfully updated to mark the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, the Holyrood building in 2004 and the start of Session Three in 2007.

Ms Ewing said: “I was delighted that Alan Moffat was able to accept my invitation to the official opening of this session of the Scottish Parliament. Alan - like everyone else involved in First Response Comrie - is a true local hero.

“First responders represent everything that is best about small rural communities pulling together to provide a truly life-saving service to local people.

“I like the way in which the ceremonials of the Scottish Parliament seek to celebrate and involve communities and individuals from across the whole country.

“Such a refreshing change from Westminster where all the pomp and spectacle seems designed to impose barriers between parliament and people, between rulers and ruled.”

When asked beforehand Mr Moffat added: “I am really looking forward to playing a part in the ceremonies marking the opening of this fourth session of the Scottish Parliament, it is an honour to do so.

“I am grateful to Annabelle for inviting me and I hope that through me everyone involved in Comrie First Response and other local voluntary organisations will feel that they are represented.

“Local volunteers represent the lifeblood of our communities in so many different ways and I am pleased that their contribution is being represented in this way.

Consultation on Expansion of Local Consumer Protection SchemePerth & Kinross Council Trading

Standards Service is carrying out a consultation on proposed developments for an existing scheme which protects residents from rogue tradesmen.

The Better Business Partnership scheme (BBP) was introduced in 2003 by the Council’s Trading Standards, in partnership with Tayside Police, as a way of providing consumers with a list of traders (primarily tradesmen) that have agreed to abide by a code of practice. Businesses also benefit by being associated with the scheme.

Although the BBP currently operates with a relatively healthy membership, there may be opportunities to increase the number of members, increase the value of

being a member and at the same time increase the pool of available “trusted businesses” for consumers to choose from.

With this in mind a consultation exercise on the proposed development of the scheme is being carried out between Friday 1st - Friday 29th July. To contribute you can visit the Better Business Partnership web page - www.pkc.gov.uk/bbp - and complete an online questionnaire.

Community Safety Convener, Councillor Willie Wilson, said: “The current economic climate means that rogue traders are on the increase and other unscrupulous businesses may be inclined to drop standards below what would be deemed satisfactory. In these instances the vulnerable and

the elderly in society are invariably the worst affected. The BBP scheme aims to protect these groups by increasing community safety and reducing the impact of bogus callers by providing consumers with information about businesses that agree to trade fairly. We hope now to be able to develop and improve the scheme to the benefit of consumers and local businesses alike. I would encourage anyone with an interest to take part in the consultation.”

If you would like additional information about the Better Business Partnership, the consultation exercise or would like some assistance in completing the questionnaire, please contact Perth & Kinross Council on 01738 476476.

THE PERTHSHIRE

Liz Gibb : t: 01698 803 929m: 0771 679 1110e: [email protected]

CIVIC SQUARE PLANNED FOR PERTHrole in hosting a range of events and attractions throughout the year - from outdoor markets to a winter ice-rink.

Information on the civic square proposal will be available on the Council website at www.pkc.gov.uk/citysquare from Monday 27 June. Here you will find background information on the plans, and a link to the planning and listed building applications. The planning process will give members of the public the chance to support or raise objections to the plans.

The decision to move forward with demolition of the City Hall and the creation of a civic square was taken by members of the Council in June 2010, following a major public consultation exercise which considered the following options:1. Do nothing/do minimum and leave City Hall as it is until the economic

climate improves 2. Re-use the City Hall building for another purpose 3. Partially demolish the City Hall building to create a new small public space and keep part of the building 4. Fully demolish the City Hall building and create a civic square/public space 5. Fully demolish City Hall and then create a new building on the site

The option of full demolition and the creation of a large public space was supported by a significant proportion of the public and local businesses, and was also supported by an economic appraisal prepared by expert consultants.

Council Leader, Councillor Ian Miller, said: “This has been a very long road for the Council and the Perth and Kinross public, and I am delighted that we are moving ever closer to the creation of a civic square that can be enjoyed by everyone. These proposals

will significantly enhance the environment, culture and economy of Perth. We listened to local residents and businesses, and reacted to what they told us. These exciting proposals will now move through the planning process.”

Vicki Unite, Chief Executive of Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the submission of the proposals, saying: “We are pleased to see decisive action on this situation. When we carried out a poll to gauge our members’ views they voted in favour of demolition. The creation of a civic space would provide an area for events, markets and entertainments and provide a true focal centre for the city bringing economic benefit to Perth and the wider Perthshire area.”

If the proposals are recommended for approval by the Council they would then be submitted to the Scottish Government for a final decision, given the Council’s interest in the planning application.

continued from page 1

Find Out More About Your Family History On New CourseDo you want to find out more about your family tree? You could discover you are descended from royal blood, or a distant relative of someone famous….

If you are interested in starting some research Perth & Kinross Council’s Cultural & Community Service Adult Learning staff will be delivering a four-week course from Friday 26 August – Friday 16 September 2011, to help you on the road to discovering your family history.

There will also an additional Drop-In session on Friday 23 September where anyone can come along for a bit of help.

The course will help you learn the basic computer skills you need to start research on your family tree, as well as how you can begin to dig into the history of your family.

The sessions will be held at North Inch Community Campus Library, Gowan’s Terrace, Muirton from 9.30am – 11.30am each Friday.

Places are limited, so if you would like to come along please telephone Liz on 01738 477677.

7th - 20th July 2011 3THE PERTHSHIRE

Trading Standards Warning Over Scam ‘Mystery Shopper’ AdvertsPerth & Kinross Council’s

Trading Standards service is warning residents to be wary of responding to adverts offering what may be scam employment opportunities.

The service has been recently alerted to a scam which works through an advert which appears to be offering vacancies for ‘mystery shoppers’, offering the promise of fast money for minimal effort.

The consumer who responds to the advert receives an initial cheque in the post for over 3000 Euros, and is told to await further instructions, usually by email.

The victim then receives instructions to pay the cheque into their bank account and then pose as a customer of a money transfer agency and wire most of the money to a fake ‘associate’ at an address outside the UK. The consumer is told that they are acting as a ‘mystery shopper’, evaluating the service provided by MoneyGram or Western Union, and their payment for this is the balance left when the cheque clears.

However the cheque is counterfeit and the consumer’s money wired abroad, in the belief that they are holding sufficient funds in the form of the cheque, is collected by the scammers. This leaves the victims potentially liable for any funds which they spend while waiting for the cheque to clear - and they could end up losing thousands of pounds.

This type of scam is a variation of the well known ‘Advance Fee’ fraud. Another variation is where the ‘buyer‘ of goods sold , for example, on Ebay, sends the seller a cheque for more than the amount agreed by ‘accident’. The innocent seller is then asked to wire the overpayment back, not realising that the cheque is worthless.

To avoid falling victim to this type of scam:* Never send money to a stranger using a money transfer service * Do not take on face value the validity of a genuine-looking cheque * Do not be pressurised into sending your own money in any ‘mystery shopping’ exercise

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The Portmoak Earth Pilots - from left: Andrew Thornton, Sylvie McKenzie, Aimee Roberts, Thomas Chambers, Ewan Cowe, Ross Hunter and Charlie Pryde

Portmoak Gets the Green FlagBy Aimee Roberts and Charlie Pryde for the Earth Pilots at Portmoak Primary School

A green flag assessor came from Eco Schools Scotland to visit Portmoak Primary School

last Wednesday and it was a very busy day for us. We were all feeling excited and nervous.Before he came we did a litter poster competition with a winner from every class. They were very hard to choose from. We made an eco wall about our day of action and our health week. On the day of action we all made something out of recycled stuff like newspaper, birthday cards and old wellies.

There were many things to show him. Litter is very important. No green flag if there is litter. The pond is a very beautiful place for insects and frogs. In the school grounds we have got a slide, markings on the ground for games and P1-P3 have planted vegetables and some flowers.

The green flag assessor who came was called Tom. Before he arrived we all sat nervously in Mrs Gordon’s office. We showed him the playground first. The Earth Pilots told him about the compost bins and showed him the new litter bins. He saw the wildlife and bird gardens. We all went to the willow sculpture and he asked us what made us want to go into Eco Schools

and how we did it. We went up to the pond with Mr and Mrs Law who helped plan and build the pond. We showed him the activity trail and the hedge Miss Kettle’s class planted. Then we went inside and showed him around the classrooms and told him about the projects we have been doing. While we were showing him round he was asking us lots and lots of questions. Then we asked him questions but he wouldn’t tell us if we had got our green flag! After that he talked to the adults who help with our Eco School.

In the afternoon he phoned the school and told us we had GOT OUR GREEN FLAG!Mrs Gordon says, “The staff and I would like to say a heart-felt thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Law for their commitment to the school pond project, as well as for all the other work they do in support of the school. We would also like to thank Kinnesswood in Bloom for their ongoing support in class as well as for the maintenance of our school grounds. I would also like to thank Miss. Kettles and Ms. Gibbon for their hard work getting us ready for the award and of course the biggest thanks goes to the Earth Pilots over the last few years who have made this possible. Very well done!”

SUMMER FUN IN AUCHTERARDERSummer fun for young

people preparing to go to Community School of AuchterarderThe Lang Toon’s new S1 pupils are being encouraged to come and take part in a week of summer fun during the school holidays, organised by Perth & Kinross Council Youth Services staff.

Five fun-filled days of free activities will be held, aimed at this year’s first year intake,

starting on Monday 25th July 2011.

Sessions will be based at the Auchterarder Parish Church, and will run from 10am-12noon and then from 1-3pm, with an hour’s lunch break in between. Activities will include team games and icebreakers, arts and crafts, drama, a treasure hunt, Karaoke, a talent show and a competition corner. The week will close on Friday 29th July with games and a barbeque in

the local park.All activities are free, however

places are limited. Young people must get a parental consent form completed to take part in the week’s events, and should also bring their own packed lunch.

For further information or to get a consent form, please contact the local Youth Worker, Pam Armstrong, on 01764 657713 or email [email protected]

The energetic campaign for Perth to be awarded

city status in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee civic honours competition has been noted by UK Cabinet Office Minister Mark Harper in a letter to Provost of Perth and Kinross, Councillor John Hulbert.Replying to a letter from the Provost, which he has copied to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Minister wrote: “I do appreciate the strength of feeling expressed by campaigners who feel that Perth lost her status in 1975 under local government regionalisation.“I am also very aware of the pivotal role Perth has played in Scotland’s history and I am certain that the tradition

of referring to Perth as the “Fair City” will continue whatever the outcome of the competition.”

He added: “The logical conclusion from holding one competition (across the UK) is that there may be only one winner. However, as you have noted, in the event of the Millennium competition, the quantity and quality of entries was very high and three worthy entrants were chosen, including Inverness. It therefore remains possible for any UK-wide civic honours competition, including the current one, to result in more than one winner – and of course, for its winner(s) to be from any part of the UK.”

The Provost said: “There now seems some potential for city status to be awarded

to more than one city in the UK. We believe that Perth’s bid is strong enough to be considered alongside any other place in the UK. We have much support from people across Perth and Kinross and the rest of Scotland and we want to build on that support throughout the next six months prior to the winner or winners being announced in early 2012.” “I would now urge everyone to pledge their support and back our bid.”There are two ways to back Perth’s bid for city status:- Go online to www.pkc.gov.uk/citystatussupport to submit your support on line. It takes two clicks to do so. - Pledge your support by adding your name to our list of supporters. Pledge forms are available at:* Breadalbane Community Library, Aberfeldy* Strathearn Community Library, Crieff* North Inch Community Library, Perth* Loch Leven Community Library, Kinross* Pitlochry Library* Birnam Library* Scone Library* Auchterarder Library* Alyth Library* Coupar Angus Library* AK Bell Library* the Council’s three mobile libraries* Council offices at 2 High Street and Pullar House, Kinnoull Street in Perth* Perth Museum & Art Gallery* Fergusson Gallery* Youth Services’ @Scott Street base in Perth

Further details of the campaign and other ways you can get involved are available at www.pkc.gov.uk/citystatus

7th - 20th July 20114THE PERTHSHIRE

SUMMER EVENTS FOR ALL THE FAMILY AT THE BLACK WATCH CASTLE AND MUSEUMThe Black Watch Castle & Museum will

continue its programme of family events this Summer.

The family events are inspired by our wonderful collections and the beautiful grounds at Balhousie Castle and will give families the chance to explore both grounds and castle. Museum Manager, Emma Halford-Forbes said, “These fun new events are perfect for children to learn new skills and a bit about their history

while enjoying themselves with their families”.Following the success of recent events

including a re-enactment group who performed in the Castle Grounds to a large audience The Black Watch Castle and Museum look forward to welcoming an increasing number of families into the museum. Visitors to the re-enactment event said, “It was fun, learnt loads of interesting things about the museum” and, “It was interesting, entertaining and informative”.

Summer Family EventsBalhousie’s Nature – Saturday 13th August 2011 10.30am-12.00It’s Summer! Be inspired by the great outdoors and the beautiful grounds at Balhousie Castle.Learn how to take bark rubbings, Create nature scenes for window decoration, Take part in creating a giant tree mural.

Places are limited for each event. Booking is essential.Prices: Adults go free (one per child) / Children £2.50. Children MUST be accompanied by an adult.

FREE admission to the museum for everyone attending events.For more information on these events and The Black Watch Castle and Museum visit: www.

theblackwatch.co.uk/index/eventsOr contact the Museum: T: 01738 638152E: [email protected]: Balhousie Castle, Hay Street, Perth, PH1 5HR

New Council Houses in Perth ‘Topped Out’

Councillor Peter Barrett and Scott Hadden of Hadden Construction lay the final roof tile.

Housing and Health Convener Councillor Peter Barrett visited one of the Council’s

new housing developments to see how work is progressing.Councillor Barrett helped to ‘top out’ one of the new houses at the Craigie Road development, along with Scott Hadden of Hadden Construction.

Housing and Health Convenor Councillor Peter Barrett placed the final roof tile on one of the houses, which marked the end of construction of the external elements of the houses. Work will continue on the interiors, and is due to be completed by September 2011 - ahead of schedule.

The site forms part of the Council’s second phase of new-build at the former Friarton

Nursery in Perth. The development comprises of 10 two-storey semi-detached houses. There are three 4 bedroom and seven 3 bedroom family houses - helping to address the growing demand for rented family accommodation within Perth and Kinross.

Councillor Barrett said: “It is great to see the progress being made at this site. The Council are tackling the need for affordable housing in Perth and Kinross, to help ensure that local families have roofs over their heads.

“I look forward to coming back to see further progress when the keys are handed over to the Council from Hadden. I would also like to thank our site neighbours for their continued patience during the building works.”

Backing For Perth City Status Bid Urged

23rd June - 6th July 2011 5

Highlights Hair Salon is a newly refurbished salon in Perth situated on 16 Leonard Street just down from the Train and Bus Station which makes it easily accessible. This relaxed and friendly salon welcomes new and existing customers. At Highlights the girls appreciate the loyalty of their customers and offer a loyalty card scheme.

Salon Prices:Gents Cut £8

Dry Cut £8-£12Blow Dry £10

Cut & Blow Dry £22All Prices Below Include Cut & Blow Dry

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Salon Opening TimesTuesday 9-Late EveningWednesday 9-Late EveningThursday 9-Late EveningFriday 9-5Saturday 9-3We are very flexible with our late evenings so always phone to enquire.

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Students from Perth Grammar took part in a

3 week ‘Young Firefighter’ course.

The aim of the course was to provide them with fire safety advice, confidence building, communication and teamwork skills, and learn about the hard work of firefighters duties.

One of the students produced a blog of her time on the course. Danielle Marchi’s Blog:

Week 1: TeambuildingMyself (Danielle Marchi) and

the group from Perth Grammar met Community Engagement Practitioner Emma Mackinnon at Perth Fire Station. We were provided with firefighter uniforms which included fire trousers, fire jacket, gloves, a helmet and wellies. Due to our height, it was really funny trying to find all the right gear that fitted us. Once we were kitted up, Emma took us outside for teambuilding activities which included alot of communication, thought, and trust – especially for the blindfold activity!

Week 2: How to escape from a building in smoke and darknessOur group were introduced to Red Watch firefighters who provided us with masks which we couldn’t see through! This simulated being in a real house fire as you wouldn’t be able to see because of all the smoke. The firefighters showed us how we would find our way out a house if we couldn’t see at all. They showed us techniques to find door handles and how to keep safe when moving around

in darkness.Week 3:

We arrived at the Fire Station and got kitted out for hose running. We did hose running where we had to unwind the hose and roll it back up – which sounds difficult - and it was! We got to work with the hoses (which were powerful) and understand what pressure of water to use for different fires. Afterwards we got a tour of the fire engine, the equipment on it, the opportunity to sit in the machine and also discussed the

dangers of distractions whilst in a moving car or bus.We were provided with certificates which marked our

achievements. Overall, the experience was really enjoyable and we all achieved different goals.

Keep Safe At Home This SummerA roadshow demonstrating

how you can stay Safe At Home is touring Perth and Kinross this summer.

The roadshow, organised by Perth & Kinross Council and Tayside Fire and Rescue, will give advice and information about how to avoid accidents and incidents at home.

There will also be demonstrations of telecare products which can help with early detection or avoidance of problems in the homes of vulnerable people, and general community safety advice will be available.Safe at Home Roadshow dates: Kinross: Loch Leven Community Campus, Thursday 7 July, 10.00am-6.00pm Crieff: Strathearn Community Campus, Thursday 14 July, 10.00am-6.00pmRattray: Rattray Primary School, Tuesday 26 July, 10.00am-4.30pmAberfeldy: Breadalbane Community Campus, Thursday 4 to Friday 5 August, 10.00am-6.00pm each dayPerth: Horsecross Plaza, outside the Concert Hall, Friday 12 August, 10.00am-4.00pm

Ray Willmoth – Social Care Officer, Community Alarms, PKC; Neil KerR - Perth Station Manager, Tayside Fire Brigade; John Newton - Service Manager, Community Safety, PKC.

PERTH GRAMMAR YOUNG FIREFIGHTERS

7th - 20th July 20116THE PERTHSHIRE

Nature’s Own Circus Performers Come To Loch Leven LibraryNature’s very own contortionists, weight lifters, clowns and acrobats will be revealed to

children when the Zoolab Circus comes to Loch Leven Library on Friday 15 July.Kids can see an acrobatic tree frog, a tightrope walking rat, a stilt walking stick insect and many more entertaining but fascinating animals during the educational but fun event.

There will be bags of interesting things to see and time for everyone to get their hands on some of the friendly animals

The event will also include fun games for children (5+) which aim to teach them more about wildlife. Places are limited so book in advance. Tickets cost £3. Places can be booked at the library or by calling 01577 867205.

People with learning disabilities in Perth and Kinross are gave their views and discussing

the issues that affect them regarding housing and their communities at a special conference (Thursday 30th June 2011).

‘Us and the Housing’ has been developed over nine months by a group of local people with learning disabilities working with staff from Perth and Kinross Council and Independent Advocacy, to help them talk about where they live and what they find is good and bad about it.

The conference, held at the North Inch Community Campus in Perth, had been organised to look at the issues they had raised - communication and information, anti-social behaviour and more involvement with the wider community - and where things can be improved.

Hosted by members of the learning disabilities group, the conference was interactive in nature with discussion workshops, presentations, and short drama pieces the group have put together.

Housing and Health Convener, Councillor Peter Barrett said: “The Us and the Housing event has enabled local people with learning disabilities to share what matters to them about where they live with the Council and its partners. The informal and interactive nature of the day meant that there were a variety of ways that people who may find it difficult to express their views were able to get their messages over.

“This will help us to find ways to make changes and improve their quality of life in our communities, based on what we have heard and discussed today.”

HOUSING AND THE COMMUNITY DISCUSSED AT CONFERENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

TACTRAN CHAIR WELCOMES NEW GLASGOW RAIL SERVICESThe Chair of Tayside and Central Scotland

Transport Partnership (Tactran) has welcomed recently announced changes to rail timetables that will give travellers more frequent train services from Dundee and Perth to Glasgow.

Transport Scotland has announced that from December 2011 First Scotrail will provide more direct trains between Glasgow and Perth and Dundee including several services at peak periods.

Three new services will operate from Glasgow to Dundee, with two new services travelling in the opposite direction from Dundee to Glasgow. All of these services will also stop at Perth station. In addition two of the current Glasgow to Perth services will be extended through to Dundee. Perth will also benefit from additional services between Glasgow and Inverness stopping at Perth.

Will Dawson, Chair of Tactran, said: “Tactran welcomes these additional Glasgow services. This

builds upon the early morning Dundee to Glasgow service recently introduced in May. Together these services will significantly improve public transport links between Dundee and Perth to Glasgow.

“Tactran, through its Tay Estuary Rail Study (TERS), has been working in partnership with Transport Scotland, Network Rail and First Scotrail to introduce more frequent rail services between Dundee, Perth and the Central Belt and also for more local services. This is the first traces of that work coming forward and Tactran will continue to press for more local services through its TERS work.”

Taymouth Castle DevelopmentCouncil Leader Councillor Ian Miller

welcomed today’s Development Control Committee decision to approve planning permission for the Taymouth Castle development. He said: “This will be a major, high-profile tourist development that will attract people from all over the world to Highland Perthshire. It is good news for Perth and Kinross and for Scotland as a whole.

“Tourism is a major driver of our local economy, and it also hugely important nationally. The Taymouth Castle development will give the sector a huge boost and Perthshire businesses will benefit from the increased local expenditure it will generate.

“In addition Taymouth Castle will generate 134 jobs directly, and through its economic impact locally we estimate it will indirectly stimulate a further 160 posts.

“The development represents a major investment in the region and proves that international investors have a lot of confidence in Perth and Kinross, and Scotland. The investors

have indicated a long-term commitment to the area, which is to be welcomed. It points towards a very positive future for the Scottish tourism industry.”

STRATHMORE DAY OPPORTUNITIES LAUNCHEDThe official launch of

the Strathmore Day Opportunities service, designed to help older people lead more active and interesting lives in their communities took place on the 29th June.Strathmore Day Opportunities, which began operating in April 2011, has transformed the way day services for older people, including people with dementia, are provided in Blairgowrie and East Perthshire. The new provision forms part of Perth & Kinross Council’s commitment to improve the services it delivers and make them more responsive to people’s needs.

The redesigned service is more closely focussed on community-based support, helping older people to develop their own particular interests and to play a fuller part in their

local community. Small group and one to one activities are provided based on personal interests and wishes, along with outreach work with older people and their carers. Since it started running, service users have enjoyed taking part in a wide range of events and activities, from a visit to a classic car restoration workshop for one person, to exercise classes and visits to museums and the cinema.

Activities have also been arranged at Harriet Court sheltered housing complex for people who require or prefer building-based support, and Strathmore Day Opportunities has also helped people to attend community events.

Those attending the launch today will see a showing of a short film made about the new service and how it is continuing to develop for the benefit of

older people in the local area.Housing & Health Convener,

Councillor Peter Barrett said: “The aims of Strathmore Day Opportunities is to ensure older people and their carers get the support they need, and to help our older residents keep doing the things they enjoy in their own communities so they can keep mentally and physically active. It is clear that since April older people in Blairgowrie and East Perthshire have really benefitted from the new service. Redesigning how day care is delivered has been done through joint working between ourselves, NHS Tayside, the Healthy Communities Collaborative and other local partners, and we will now be building on what has already been achieved to continue improving the service further.”

Cllr Peter BarrettMassive response to incinerator petition

Perth City Centre councillor Peter Barrett has been

deluged with support for the Stop the Shore Road incinerator campaign and petition signatures.

Taking time out from his intensive doorstep campaign to speak to the Hub the Lib Dem councillor said “In the last two weeks with the help of some fantastic volunteers we have delivered 6000 Stop the Incinerator leaflets to households in Perth city centre. We have gone street to street from North Muirton to the South Inch and almost everyone we see wants the fight against the incinerator intensified.”

Commenting of progress of their efforts so far Cllr Barrett said. “I’ve only got 500 leaflets left and we’ll have them out by the weekend. But there is still be plenty to do in the campaign and all offers of support will be gladly received.”

Cllr Barrett commended local people for getting behind his

campaign in growing numbers and dozens of petition responses pouring in each morning, he said. “I don’t think our postie quite knows what has hit him as more and more petition replies pour in day after day. The response from local people has been tremendous I am really grateful for all the support and backing that is coming from the community. Offers to help deliver the leaflets and collect signatures for the petition have flooded in. We have got so much to do and just over two weeks to do it in.”

Cllr Barrett explained the urgency of the situation with the rapidly approaching end to the public consultation period for people to submit their comments and objections “People need to be aware that the deadline is the 22nd July, objections need to be in by then and I want to be able to submit a massive petition which truly demonstrates the weight of public opposition to the incinerator at the same time.”

Cllr Barrett’s contact details are [email protected] or Tel (council) 475090 and (home) 571527

Cllr Barrett welcomed the backing of several city centre businesses who have lined up to back the Stop the Incinerator campaign and who have the petitions on display for their customers. Cllr Barrett said “It is tremendous to have the support of busy city centre businesses with large footfall. Local business people fear the devastating consequences that the incinerator would have for our city’s economic viability and what it will do to drive away visitors and investment in Perth. I am delighted that three business in George Street Nick Hynds optician, Richard Kelly of LIKWID Ice Cream and Campbell Ewan barbers are supporting the campaign and people can sign the petition in their shops, as well as get an eye test, haircut or an ice cream!”


The Art Of Accessorising…It’s easy to ruin an otherwise great outfit by choosing the wrong accessories. On the flip side, it’s just as easy to make an ordinary outfit look great with the right accessories.

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Forexample,changeyourshoes,handbagandjewellery(andmaybeyourtoptoo)togofromworktoaneveningevent

Whenshoppingforaccessories,aswithclothes,youwillfindyourmostflatteringlooksbyunderstandingthecoloursandstylesthatsuityoubest.GreatshopslikePrettyThingsofPerthandStAndrewswillbeabletoadviseyouaboutwhichcoloursandstylessuityoubestwhetheritbedowntobodyshapeorskintone.Remember,apolishedappearanceisachievedthroughbalance,sodon’tgooverboardwithyouraccessoriesandfocalpoints.Toomanycanappearflashy,overdoneorinappropriate.Toofewcanresultinadraboruninterestinglook.Asaruleofthumb3focalpointsarethemaximum,althoughlessmayworkbetterforaparticularoutfitoroccasion.

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Refurbished Play Areas Ready For Young UsersPlay areas around Perth

and Kinross have recently been upgraded and are ready for younger residents to enjoy using them.Thisweekthreeplayfacilities,attheNorthInchandStruanRoadinPerthandRiversideinDunkeldwillbeofficiallyopenedbylocalCouncillors,followingonfromthecompletionofimprovementstoplayareasinKinlochRannochandAberuthven.Theupgradeworkscarried

varybetweenlocationsbutincludeprovidingmodernplayequipmentforyoungerandolderchildren,newplaysurfacesandlandscapingaroundtheequipmenttoallowfornaturalandimaginativeplay.TheNorthInchplayareawas

openedbyCouncillorPeterBarrett,joinedbypupilsfromBalhousiePrimarySchoolwhowillcyclealongtotheInchtotryoutthenewfacilitiesforthemselves.Thursday30thJunesaw

theopeningoftheRiversideplayareainDunkeldwithCouncillorsJohnKellas,BarbaraVaughanandAlasdair

Wylieinattendance,atwhichdeliciousice-creamwillbeprovidedbyStewartTowerDairy.ThethirdopeningthisweekwillbeatLetham’sStruanRoadplayareaonFriday1stJuly,withCouncillors

CallumGillies,JohnFlynnandElspethMaclachlan,andlocalprimaryschoolpupilscuttingtheribbon.Perth&KinrossCouncil

wouldliketothankeveryonewhohasbeeninvolvedinthe

consultationanddevelopmentoftheupgradesfortheirsupportandhelp,andhopeslocalfamilieswillenjoyusingtheimprovedplayareaswhichincorporatemanyoftheirideasandviews.

THIRD NATIONAL SAFETY AWARD FOR PERTH CITY CENTRE INITIATIVEPerth has become the first city centre in Scotland to be given

a prestigious national safety award for the third time.TheSaferCityInitiativehasbeenawardedtheSaferShoppingAwardfromtheScottishBusinessCrimeCentre-thethirdtimerunningtheawardhasbeengrantedtoPerth.Theawardrecognisesexcellenceincrimereductionpractice

andpartnershipworkinginPerthcitycentre.PerthSaferCityInitiativewaslaunchedattheendof2005

andnowhas100localbusinessesasmembers,whoshareinformationoncriminalsbyradiomessageandbysharingphotographs.TheInitiativehasalsobeeninstrumentaltothedevelopmentof

severalotherschemesincludingStreetPastors,Pubwatch,taxi

marshals,theBestBarNoneAwards,theSafeChildInitiativeandsaferparkingareasinthecentreofPerth.PerthandKinrossCommunitySafetyPartnershipConvener,

CouncillorWillieRobertson,said:“ThePerthSaferCityInitiativehasdonesomuchexcellentworksince2005toimprovesafetyforpeoplewhousePerthcitycentre.Thisprestigiousawardisonceagainwell-deservedandIwouldliketocongratulateeveryoneinvolvedintheInitiativeforallthehardworktheyhavedoneoverthepastsixyears.“Asafeandwelcomingcitycentreisvitaltotheeconomicand

socialwell-beingofPerth.ThePerthSaferCityInitiativehashelpedtocreateacitycentreinPerththateveryonecanenjoyinsafety,dayornight.”

We think the HUB newspaper advertising packages are great value for money. We placed an advert in the paper from the first edition and have had a fantastic response. There was no pressure to buy, it is such a cost effective way to advertise that it sells itself.

Caroline & Ashley at Angus Gordon Hairdressing, Perth

7th - 20th July 20118 7th - 20th July 2011 9

01738 4433501 St John’s Place, Perth

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The menu focuses on freshly prepared classic and contemporary Mediterranean dishes featuring an excellent range of seafood and steaks. All our seafood is supplied fresh on a daily basis and we only use the finest 28-day matured Scottish beef.

Situated in the Cafe Quarter of Perth’s vibrant city centre, The Byzantium is the perfect venue for sophisticated casual dining, a quick business lunch or a party for that special occasion. The Byzantium prides itself on blending excellent, friendly service with effortless cool in a stylish, modern space.

[email protected] us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

7th - 20th July 201110

PERTH GIG LISTINGThis issues Gig GuideThursday 07th July Perth college presents various acts @ the Twa TamsFriday 08th July Mad Ferret @ the Twa TamsSaturday 09th July The Rock Gods @ The Twa TamsFriday 15th July The Poor Things single launch @ the Twa TamsSaturday 16th July Tunna @ the Twa Tams

THE PERTHSHIRE

Lil Jimmy Reed pays a visit to Clearwater Studios It’s that wonderful time again when a multitude of talented blues and rock performers descend on Dundee for the hugely successful Blues Bonanza.

One such talent is Alabama Bluesman by the name of Leon

Atkins - aka - LIL' JIMMY Reed. Lil Jimmy Reed has done opening

acts and performed with well known artists such as, (USA) - Bobby Blue Bland, Ike Turner, Little Milton, Marvin Sease, Shirley Murdock, Clarence Carter, Rafel Neal and Family, Lyn White, Tabby Thomas, The Love Doctor, Billy Soul Bonds, Willie Clayton; (UK) - Otis Grand (2006).

Born in the late 1930's, to the parents of mmm Morris and Velma Atkins, Leon Atkins (aka- LiL Jimmy Reed), is a native of Hardwood Louisiana, a small town outside of the City Baton Rouge. He who now resides in Enterprise, AL, with his wife of 35 years (Imogene). Leon is the eldest of five siblings, one sister, and four brothers.

In the year 1957, Leon turned 18 and went to Barber College in Little Rock Ark. He continued to pursue his musical talent as he quickly advanced with simple jobs such as playing in the local juke joints and blues alleys. In these lumber walls and saw dust covered floors, Leon became a favorite of the locals, and others who heard him play. One night in an upper scale blues club, Leon was able to get that

one lucky break. A well known blues artist by the name of "Jimmy Reed" was scheduled to perform. Leon knew Jimmy Reed's music really well, from childhood listening to jukebox music from the nearby nightclub. Leon had always wanted to see the real Jimmy Reed and finally he'd gotten the chance to do just that. Be it unknown to Leon, this night would change his life forever. As Leon recalls, Mr. Reed had obviously gotten drunk, and Leon was asked to take his place. "They snuck him out back, and came and got me" Leon recalls clearly. Mr. Reed was just too drunk to play". The crowd couldn't tell the difference and the show was a hit. Leon gave a show stopping performance. And thus he was born "LIL' JIMMY REED".

The Dundee Blues Bonanza (DBB) is a free blues music festival held over 3 days, which is unique to the City of Dundee. It takes place in over 30 city centre venues, all within easy walking distance of each other. Pioneered and successfully developed over the last 17 years by a voluntary committee, the DBB has been nurtured from modest beginnings to its present level, which includes a very healthy International element.

Along with our own massive UK

complement, many International acts and fans keep coming back to enjoy the friendly and enthusiastic atmosphere around the city during the Bonanza weekend.

Dundee is now called the Blues Capital of Scotland, and some have claimed it is the biggest free music festival in Europe. It has been estimated that approximately 12,000 people descend on the City of Discovery to partake in what the Lord Provost has called “The Bonanza Buzz”

This event does a great deal to enhance Dundee’s reputation and standing around the Globe, and has established it firmly on the International Music Scene. The report from the Daily Telegraph below gives an insight into what the Bonanza is all about.

Last year at the end of the bonanza Lil Jimmy spent 3 days in Clearwater Studios recording some tracks which he declared would be named “ the Clearwater Experience”.

And this year he was back to pay another visit this time for a little bit of rehersal before the bonanza began.

Dundee Blues Bonanza 17 - 1st, 2nd, 3rd July 2011* www.dundeebluesbonanza.co.uk

Formed in the summer of 2009, Red Pine Timber Co. originally set out

as a ‘loose’ collective of musicians led by former Southpaw singer/songwriter and guitarist Gavin Munro.

After a successful stream of Scottish dates during last 12 months, Red Pine has organised itself into more of a fixed line-up, consisting of David Shaw on upright and electric bass (formerly The Revivals), Cale Pontet on drums (The Curtains), Aaron Brake on guitar and pedal steel (formerly Humble Hobos), Katie Burgoyne with vocals, and Felix the SaxCat (too many to mention).

Playing an eclectic mix of Americana and Country influenced originals, Red Pine have developed their unique sound within this genre mostly due to the inclusion of saxophone within the instrumentation (yes...amazingly this mix does work). Coupled with the somewhat contrasting musical backgrounds and talents of each band member, the combination blends tastefully in supporting songwriter Munro.

Poetically they introduce themselves: “Red Pine Timber Co. cut logs and keep there chainsaws clean. At night they

drain the still, sit on the stumps and weave gothic tunes of love and loss. Born from their Scottish roots and the woods that surround them.”

Red Pine Timber Co. are currently writing and recording their forthcoming debut album in Clearwater Studios with Tom Mitchell, aiming to set a release date sometime by the end of 2011. The album will feature a wide variety of instrumentation and influences, with various renditions of old and new songs.

The band have been gelling on the road for the last six months, fine-tuning their songs and finding themselves becoming a more tight-knit unit as they go.

The band shows its versatility by expanding and decreasing in size, depending on the nature of the gig, the band can comfortably become a 9-piece or play acoustically as a 4-piece. This year the band will be travelling far and wide, even venturing the furthest point in the north of Scotland, Dunnet Head, to play in a lighthouse on 400ft cliffs: A very unique venue for any band to play.

The band will also be playing this year’s Southern Fried festival on the 23rd of July at 2pm @ The Twa Tams, Perth, co-headling with The Southern Tenant Folk Union.

Visit www.myspace.com/redpinetimberco for more information.

Red Pine Timber Co.


Summer Fun For Youngsters At North Inch Community LibraryThe North Inch Community

Library is offering fun activities throughout the school holidays for children.Circus Modo will bring colourful circus skills workshops to the Library on Tuesday 19th July 2011, giving youngsters the chance to learn fun tricks such as feather balancing, ball and scarf juggling and plate spinning.

Two sessions, led by experienced leaders, will be held on the day: 10.30-11.30am for children aged five to seven, and 11.30am-12.30pm for eight to 12 year olds. Places are limited on both workshops, so to book please phone North Inch Community Library on 01738 454406. Children should come in comfortable clothing and bring a drink with them.

In addition, free craft

workshops will be held during the summer break on Tuesdays from 11am to 11.45am and Thursdays from 2pm to 2.45pm. Booking is essential for these sessions which are suitable for children aged four to 11 years old:Thursday 7th July - Juggling balls & hula challenge Tuesday 12th July - Be a Ringmaster for the morning Thursday 21st July - Pop-up circus puppets Tuesday 26th July - Design a life-size circus performer Thursday 4th August - Sun catchers & windmills Tuesday 9th August - Clown hats & circus animalsThe popular Bookbug Rhymetime sessions for very young children and their parents/carers on Wednesday mornings between 10.30am and 11.00am will also continue throughout the holidays.

HEARTLAND FM NOMINATED FOR SCOTTISH MUSIC INDUSTRY AWARDSHeartland FM has been nominated for

the title of Best Radio Station in the Scottish Music Industry Awards.The winners of the 27 categories will be announced at a ceremony in Glasgow on September 4th. Heartland FM, the oldest, independent community-owned station covering Highland Perthshire and Perth, is competing against 11 other radio stations for the accolade.

The station was nominated in recognition of the many ways it promotes Scottish music. Presenter Stevie hosts The Pulse, which goes out between 8 and 9pm on Wednesdays. It focuses on unsigned bands, primarily from Scotland, with a mix of music and interviews. Local DJs,Hillbilly Beats produce original house music mixes from Midnight on Fridays. Heartland FM gets through to a younger audience with senior school students Angus Bancroft and Alex Lamond, who feature dance music and guitar based tunes on their shows. Fans of Scottish Traditional music get their fix with Celtic Celebration, then Andrew Gordon showcases Folk and Roots music between 6 and 7pm on Fridays and the daytime output has a high percentage of Scottish music chosen, mainly by the listeners.

This is the first year of The Scottish New Music Awards Industry Awards. Nominations for the best recording studios, agents, engineers and venues have all been put forward to acknowledge their contribution to Scotland’s impressive music profile.

Heartland FM is one of eleven contenders in the Best Radio Station category. Station Manager, Bruce Patterson is delighted. “This is an industry-wide award and it’s great that Heartland’s in there with some heavyweight competition. I’m looking forward to a great night.”

2011 has been a big year for expansion and improvement at Heartland FM. The Pitlochry-based community radio station extended its broadcasting reach to cover Perth at the start of the summer. Live web-streaming as well as pod-casting has hugely diversified its audience.

Success has followed the arrival of several new presenters, Francesca Webster picked up an award for Best Drive Time Show in Northern Scotland for her regular slot, Drive Time with Frankie. Heartland is involved in the promotion of many Perthshire events, including the Perth Festival of the Arts, Doune The

Rabbit Hole, Southern Fried festival and Perthshire Amber. Station Manager, Bruce Patterson, is enthusiastic about Heartland’s desire to promote Scottish events and talent. “In the future, we hope a formalised training programme will help to bring new voices and talent of all ages to air. Heartland’s a vibrant place to be at the moment.” If you want to become involved, contact Bruce Patterson on 01796 474040. You can vote for the Scottish Music Industry Awards until 14th August by going to www.scotmusicawards.co.uk/scottish-music-industry-awards-voting-form.html

When was the last time you covered your body in

corrosive industrial cleaner?The answer is, probably

this morning, and if you have children, what about them? How would you feel about washing their hair in something known to cause cataracts? Again, chances are you already do. These shocking facts are incredible but true. After reading this article, just go to your bathroom and look at the lists of ingredients on the personal care products you and your family use. The higher up the list that an ingredient appears, the greater the proportion of that chemical in the product. This article is about ingredients that you can truly say are a real health hazard.

They are found in many of our commonly-used shampoos, conditioners and bubble baths (and many other personal care products).

When they interact with other ingredients and substances, it is now known that once they get into the body through their intended use they can have a serious effect on our health through gradual poisoning and an increased risk of cancer. For example, most commercial shower gels contain a corrosive industrial cleaner. More about this later.

Let’s talk about some of the experiences we may have had that are chemical reactions: – sneezing after using a scent or spray deodorant, a skin reaction after using a particular cosmetic, lotion, or shampoo. Even more common is the persistent headache after painting the house or having a new carpet laid. Or have you noticed how itchy your scalp can feel if you don’t manage to rinse out your shampoo properly? We are all exposed to these chemical reactions and don’t even realise it.

Which do you think is commonly thought of as the

most dangerous room in the house? The kitchen? If you think of the dangers in terms of health risk, not injury statistics, the bathroom is the most dangerous room in the house.

So what are some of the most harmful ingredients that you should watch out for? Well, the greatest concern of many scientists has centred around an ingredient that’s found in about 90% of all commercial shampoos, shower gels and bubble baths. It’s sodium lauryl sulphate, or SLS for short. It has other names too. There is also sodium laureth sulphate or SLES. But with sodium laureth sulphate, dioxins are created – and they are some of the most potentially dangerous carcinogens in the world. That’s what Agent Orange the chemical foliage spray was composed of. And from which those serving in Vietnam have been getting cancer. Now just check your present shampoo bottle!

The reason SLS is so common is that it is inexpensive, and just a small amount mixed with table salt produces a lot of foam. But, profound health hazards aside, SLS is highly corrosive. In the industrial world it’s used for engine degreasing, garage floor cleaning, in car wash soaps and the like. The manufacturers of SLS, in their material safety data sheets, issue strict guidelines for the safe handling of the material. These include wearing self-contained breathing apparatus, heavy rubber gloves and safety goggles! The guidelines say to avoid inhalation and not to get in the eyes or on skin as it is irritating to mucous membranes and the upper respiratory tract.

This could be a challenge when taking a shower, or having a bubble bath in the stuff! SLS also corrodes hair follicles and impairs their ability to grow hair. One study showed that if you use SLS on your scalp it will cause

hair to fall out! If it is known to corrode hair follicles and stop hair growth and to make it fall out, whyever use it?

There are however other more profound health hazards associated with SLS. Scientists have studied the effects of SLS extensively, and their studies reveal compelling and alarming evidence indicating that it should be avoided. Among the findings is that SLS is rapidly taken up by eye tissue and retained. Its uptake is greater in young children. Again SLS is absorbed through skin contact, not just through the eyes. Our eyes develop most during the first few years of our lives, yet we’re dousing children with SLS. And it’s not just bad for children’s eyes. SLS has been also linked to cataracts in adults. SLS has been documented to enter and maintain residual levels in the brain, liver, heart, and lungs from skin contact such as shampooing. It can damage the immune system and cause severe inflammation of the skin. The damage is accumulative. Once your immune system is damaged it takes long time for it to recover. This can lead to a form of suppression of your body that allows you to become more vulnerable to viruses or bacteria.

What about baby shampoos? A quick glance in the supermarket is all it takes to see that SLS is the main ingredient in baby shampoos. (The higher up the ingredients list SLS occurs, the higher its concentration compared to the other ingredients.) But it’s not only shampoos we have to watch out for. SLS is in a lot of other personal care products as well, including toothpaste, hand and body soaps, facial cleansers, shaving gel. In bubble bath it can cause urinary tract infections.

Another concern with SLS is its tendency to react with other

ingredients as it can form a potent cancer-causing agent.Why have you not heard more about this? Remember that the makers of personal care products are making billions of pounds a year. Just like the tobacco industry was able to do for decades, the makers produce scientific data of their own to cast doubt on findings. After all it took 20 years for the tobacco industry to be forced just to add warnings to their products. The skin is a living and breathing organ of your body. To demonstrate just how much can pass through it, if you spend just 17 minutes in a bubbly bath, analysis of your urine would reveal traces of all the ingredients of that bubble bath product. So, in summary, SLS is a major ingredient in most shampoo, bubble bath and shower gel. It appears there because it is cheap and very effective at producing foam. There is a large amount of evidence to suggest that SLS is a health hazard. The companies that produce most of these products want to produce them as cheaply as possible, and to make them as bubbly as possible. Whilst the evidence against SLS is not widely known, there is no commercial incentive for these companies to use anything else. As consumers, the best way for us to bring about change is to vote with our wallets. If people don’t buy their products because they want to avoid SLS, then these companies will stop using it. Until then, they won’t unless the are forced to by law. But the good news is that you can avoid SLS and SLES if you want to. There are many, many small companies - and some larger ones - producing products without these chemicals. It’s just a case of finding them. Highland Essence is one of them.

7th - 20th July 201112

have your say

What would The Perthshire HUB be without the input of the local people like YOU? to have your say, email us at [email protected] or call us on 01698 803929

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Your Horoscope PredictionsBy Anne Smith

Aries (21 March - 20 April)

Taurus (21 April - 21 May)

Gemini (22 May - 21 June)

Cancer (22 June - 23 July)

Leo (24 July - 23 Aug)

Virgo (24 Aug - 23 Sept)

Libra (24 Sept - 23 Oct)

Scorpio (24 Oct - 22 Nov)

Sagittarius (23 Nov - 21 Dec)

Capricorn (22 Dec - 20 Jan)

Aquarius (21 Jan - 19 Feb)

Pisces (20 Feb - 20 Mar)

The eclipses in Sagittarius (June 15) spell change. Lucky you, you can make just about any shift work in your favor. Travel, both near and far, seems necessary and will likely be taken to further business, so keep your bags handy. The need to leave home will only increase in the coming seven weeks after your ruler, Mars, enters Gemini to stay through August 3. Not only will the eclipses bring opportunities to travel.

Romantically, you are in an ideal position, as Jupiter in your sign is the very best aspect to have if you are to meet your one true love. This only happens once every 12 years for a year, and Jupiter arrived on June 4! On top of that, you have Venus in your sign, and Mars making you one sexy person. Take a little time to improve your appearance, and you’ll be all set!

Your friends and family may not be aware of what is going on within you until Mars reaches Gemini, June 20, and beyond. You may be too busy to share any of the news, or there may be reasons you really do have to keep things confidential. Pay special attention to the dates when Mars reaches 1-3rd of. July when things will begin to show they are moving into a very different place than they were before and you begin to see what massive change is happening around you.

Sometimes we outgrow our goals. We don’t always notice that we are evolving all the time, but at eclipse time we see how far we have come. You may decide you need to have a new and improved look, and consult a hair stylist or barber, or buy different type clothing. You may lose weight suddenly, even if you couldn’t do so before, because you will feel passionate about doing so.

If you are in talks that started last month, things will continue to progress. If you have yet to find the right opportunity, you can begin now, with the aim of concluding talks at the full moon, November 10. It’s not how long the process takes that will matter most, but the final position you uncover that you like. Keep searching until you find the dazzler, accept nothing but the best!

An event related to your home or a family member, in the latter case, most likely a female relative, will be front of mind. An action will be quickly decided and initiated. As you go through this experience, you will feel the passage of time, but you will also have the opportunity to grow, you may need to relocate for your job, or you may need to make another radical lifestyle adjustment. Although something very private and personal to you will reach a final point, afterward you will be given a chance to start anew.

Romantically, Venus will be in Gemini from June 9 to July 3. Mars will be another planet dedicated to boosting your love life, and will be helpful to you from June 20 to August 3. As you see, you’ll have an ideal phase coming up for finding fun and love. If you are dating, you have started to think about making a serious promise and you seem to be moving quickly in that direction. If your partner is not ready to make a commitment to you, you will wait, but not forever.

Single Scorpios are currently benefiting from Neptune in the house of true love, currently in perfect angle to good fortune Jupiter. This month you may meet someone who truly lights your imagination. Go out and see what surprises the universe holds for you,. If you are already wed, you will find your partner does well, and as a result, you both benefit.

It is time to dust off your wish list and re-examine your priorities. Are your goals the same as they were a few years ago, or would you like to delete or change some of them? The full moon will advance the discussion you had then to a new level of sophistication now. Watch to see developments. I am happy to see that Saturn, the planet that rules your second house of earned income, has gone direct since June, this will help you manage your money more effectively and find ways to raise your income.

The solar eclipse of July 1 in your opposite sign of Cancer will be your most difficult one this month, but it will also be your last eclipse in a long series in your sign and Cancer. After the one on July 1, you can sit back and rest. Jupiter, the giver of gifts and luck, will make his monumental move into Taurus for the first time in twelve years. Jupiter will work hard to help you find your one true love. This is a very romantic vibration!

Mars will light your solar fifth house of love, romance, and children from June 20 to August 3, so you really do have a lively social life shaping up. Mars has not been helping your love life for two years, so if life’s been a tad dull, you know why! Now that you have all this support, you will want to carve out for lots of time for socializing. Push back from the computer this month. There is a whole world out there you will want to explore. You have to do your part by being open to new types, for I have not seen help like this for you in ages.

Mars will help out too from June 20 to August 3, by giving you the energy and determination to make your space truly your own. It looks as though this summer will be yours to build your nest. You’ll need to split your attention. You may get some excellent publicity, or at the very least, see the conclusion to an exciting professional offer. You may feel jumpy and a little overworked because of all that will be going on at home, but, there won’t be any way to divert career developments.

ANGEL ANNE Psychic Medium

Food for the soul

Recently featured in “Pick Me Up” MagazineWorks all over the UK Giving Workshops, Talks, Running

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Hi everyone. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it looks as though summer has been and gone. I even tried a computer program to upload some good weather for us, but this is what came up……INSTALLING SUMMER███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 44% DONE. Install delayed....please wait. Installation failed. Please try again. 404 error: Season not found. Season “Summer in Scotland” cannot be located. The season you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please try again. Never mind we still have July and August. Here’s hoping we eventually see some good weather. If not for us then for the thousands of weans who are off school for 7 weeks. At least with dry weather they can get outside to play. In anticipation that we do manage a few fine days I have come up with a few mouth watering Barbie side dishes. The side dishes really do lift plain old bangers, chops and burgers, with not a lot of effort. The peanut sauce adds zing to chicken legs and most meats.

Very Cheesy tomatoes

10 medium sized tomatoes sliced in half100g Gruyere cheese or cheddar/mozzarella mix is fine.Small carton of double creamSalt and pepper to season

Arrange the tomatoes in an oven-proof dish cut side up and season. Sprinkle the cheese evenly and pour over the cream. Bake for about 30 min in a medium 170c oven until golden and bubbly. Allow to sit for 5 minutes as this is best served warm. I love it with a chop and crusty bread .

Peanut sauce

5 tbsp smooth peanut butter5 tbsp hot water1 tbsp dark soy sauce1tsp of honey.

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan until smooth. To pep it up you can add some chopped chilli. You can use it as a dipping sauce or if you prefer brush over chicken legs in the last 5-10 min of cooking.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

1 Red pepper chopped1 medium onion chopped1 courgette chopped3 tomatoes choppedOilCooked pasta (spirals or bows are great)Mayonnaise

Place all the vegetables and oil in a medium size oven dish and roast in a hot oven for 15 min until cooked and golden. Allow to cool in the pan. Add the pasta and mix well. Stir in some mayonnaise to make a creamy alternative to coleslaw.

Bacon and Tomato Rice

2 onions diced finely2 cloves of garlic crushed4 bacon rashers chopped1 can of chopped tomatoes250g rice (long grain is fine)1 pint of boiling water2 chicken stock cubes

Fry the onion garlic and bacon in a little oil until just soft and beginning to colour .Add the rice and mix thoroughly to coat each grain. Add the tomatoes and stock cubes. Stir until cubes have dissolved. Add the boiling water. Cover with a tight lid or tin foil and simmer for 15min and the stock has absorbed. Stir thoroughly, taste for seasoning and serve.

All that’s left for me to say is have a happy and safe summer.Love Susie x

Across1. Utensil (5)3. Path (5)7. Disregarded (7)9. Send out (5)10. Military command (5)11. Mythical beast (7)12. Taste (6)14. Movie house (6)18. Bet (7)20. Deduce (5)22. Awkward (5)23. Roamed (7)24. Finished (5)25. Small boat (5)

Down1. Mariners (7)2. Possessed (5)3. Boredom (6)4. Legal excuse (5)5. Svelte (7)6. Beer mug (5)8. Relating to country life (5)13. Tycoon (7)15. Dialect (5)16. Condense (7)17. Worshipped (6)18. Forgo (5)19. Graded (5)21. Criminal (5)

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (disgusting, toxic tosh. A real health hazard!!)

7th - 20th July 2011 13

1. YARD SUPERVISORDistrict: PerthWage: Negotiable dep on expHours: 42.5 hours per week Mon - FriRef: PER/66950

2. SENIOR CARE ASSISTANTSDistrict: Perth, PerthshireWage: £7.00 per hourHours: 33 Hours per week Ref: PER/66955

3. STORE MANAGERDistrict: Perth, PerthshireWage£17,000 - £19,000 per annumHours: 40 hours per weekRef: PER/66957 4. ASSISTANT MANAGERDistrict: Perth, PerthshireWage: £13,500 - £14,500 per annumHours: 40 hours per weekRef: PER/66959 5. PART TIME BAR PERSONDistrict: PerthWage: Meets nat min wageHours: 15-17 hours per week thu/sat/sunRef: PER/66960 6. PERSONAL SUPPORTERDistrict: Perth, PerthshireWage: £13,936Hours: 12- 20 hours per weekRef: PER/66961

7. DUMP TRUCK DRIVERDistrict: Aberfeldy, PerthshireWage: £11.00 - £12.00 per hour Hours: 45 hours per week 8am – 5pmRef: PER/66963

8. CLEANERDistrict: PerthWage: £6.17 per hourHours: 2 hours per week Saturday 8.30am – 10.30pmRef: PER/66964

9 RETAIL SALES ADVISORDistrict: PerthWage: Meets nat min wageHours 37.5 hours per week. Ref: PER/66948 10 VAN DRIVERDistrict: Perth, PerthshireWage: £14,652 per annumHours: 35 hours per week Ref: PER/66919 11. ASSISTANT MANAGERDistrict: Blairgowrie, Perthshire Wage: £14,000 - £16,000 per annumHours: 37 hours per weekRef: BLI/10151 12 CARE ASSISTANTDistrict : Blairgowrie, PerthshireWage: £6.00Hours 44 hours per week Ref: BLI /10148

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Field Sales Executives /Account ManagerWe are looking for confident and experienced media sales people who are target driven and money motivated, articulate and organised and who have the ambition to succeed and progress in sales. If you have any experience of adver-tising/media sales that would be a distinct advantage but if you could also prove you possess a ‘can do’ attitude that is equally important.The successful candidate will be professional, personable as well as passionate about their work.

For information contact 01698 803 929 or email [email protected] - quote : FSE/Media

Two of my employees are complaining that they haven’t received a pay rise for the past two years and are threatening to leave. With money being tight during the recession it was not feasible to increase outgoings by increasing salaries. I have offered a compromise where I will stagger their pay rise over the year, offering them 50% now and 50% in 12 months time. From a legal perspective how would I go about implementing this?

The ‘annual pay rise event’ is often an expectation of some employees

– they see the prices of fuel, food etc go up and consequently think that their pay slips should also be showing an increase! In the majority of businesses, this need not be the case and there is no right to a salary increase, unless this is stipulated in the contract of employment.

Where business is on a downward turn, employers will know that it is not feasible to exacerbate the difference between incomings and outgoings by paying your employees more and so decide to defer a pay increase. However, this news is unlikely to be welcomed by your staff and clearly, in your case, this feeling has been brought to the fore by your employees.

You have now clearly decided that business has picked up enough for you to offer a pay increase, albeit a staggered one. This may well appease your employees from now on, but employers should be aware that saying no to a pay rise may land you in more trouble than you think.

Most staff are not adverse to having a whinge about their pay, and this might be exactly what your staff are doing – just having a general whinge. However, you do not mention the employees’ contracts of employment. It is important to look at the contracts because if there is a clause in there that gives employees a contractual

right to an annual pay rise, and you do not honour that provision, then you could be putting yourself at risk. Providing a contractual right to something will rightly give employees an expectation that that something will happen. Thus, notwithstanding any decline in business or takings etc, you are bound to providing that salary increase. Failure to provide the increase could entitle the employee to claim breach of contract to at Tribunal.

Due of this, employers who want to motivate employees by making reference to a potential pay increase have to choose their words carefully. Instead of referring to a pay increase, they will include an annual ‘pay review’ in the contract. This binds the employer to looking at the business’ financial situation with a view to converting additional profits into a salary increase, but does not promise that there will, each year, be an uplift.

Employees may still be able to claim breach of contract for non-provision of salary increase even where there is no written clause in the contract entitling them to one. This can happen when a pay increase has become an ‘implied’ term of employment. Where a pay increase is continually provided over a substantial number of years to the point that employees may be regarded as entitled to expect it, it can become an

implied term of employment. Breach of this kind of term may also entitle an employee to make a claim to Tribunal.

However, you seem to have weathered the storm so far because if there is no such written contractual term in existence, and your employees have not complained to the extent that they believe there has been a breach of an implied term of employment, then you can move forward with this staggered increase.

You must be sure that your business will be able to cope with the staggered increase in the time restrictions you have set. For example, if you are offering half of a full increase now, let’s say 1.5%, of a total 3% increase, do you really foresee the business will be able to match that 1.5% again in 12 months?

You will also need to consider how you will deal any movement

of staff to different jobs within your organisation that offer higher or lower salaries than the one they are on at the start of the 12 months. If you offer an employee an increase of 1.5% of current salary and then that employee is promoted to a position with a higher salary, you should consider which salary you will base your calculations on for the second part of the increase. It is wise to set out your policy on this before you introduce the first part of the increase so that employees are aware of what will happen if this

situation arises. Finally, as a general note on

pay increases, you should be able to provide evidence explaining any disparity between employees in the amounts of increase you provide, particularly if the disparity is to be seen between the increases given to men and those given to women.

If you need any more advice regarding this topic please contact Rhonda Brymer on 0779 159 4463 or via email, [email protected]

Business and Money PAY RISES: YOUR RIGHTS!

THE PERTHSHIRE

THE PERTHSHIRE

To Win Two Tickets for the Wednesday Matinee of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, answer this simple question: Niki Evans who stars as Mrs Johnstonin Blood Brothers, in which Saturday Night t.v. Show did she make her name?

Written by Willy Russell, the legendary BLOOD BROTHERS tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences. Starring X Factor's Niki Evans as Mrs Johnstone, the superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It's Not True.

Email your answer to us at [email protected] along with your name, address and telephone number.

Usual competition rules apply and only one entry is allowed per person. All entries must be in before close of business on Monday 11th July 2011, and the winner will be notified by telephone after the competition closes. Our competition rules can be found on our website at www.thehubpaper.com. All decisions are final.

WIN TICKETS

7th - 20th July 201114

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THE PERTHSHIRE

This is becoming a daily problem which is resulting

in a lot of companies being prosecuted under The Data Protection Act 1998 for breaching the security Principle.

Many businesses do not realise that they have to comply with the Act but it has been in place now for over 11 years in its current form and 27 years in total.

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires that businesses that hold personal information (this is defined in the Act as processing) notify the Information Commissioner that they are doing this and also what information they are holding. This is a legal requirement and failure to do this can result in a fine of up to £5000 and the criminal conviction of the Managing Director or Chief Executive.

The Act consists of three main sections, the eight Principles, and two schedules that prescribe how personal information can be processed. The seventh Principle relates to the security of the information and says that “appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data”. This basically means ensuring it is kept and stored securely (this refers to both electronic and paper held information) and that nobody has access to it who is not allowed to.

In 2010 the Information Commissioner was granted new powers to ‘fine’ companies that breach this Principle up to a maximum Corporate Financial Penalty of £500,000. So far he has issued 6 penalties to various companies and public authorities. These are:

Hertfordshire County Council were penalised £100,000 for faxing highly sensitive personal information relating to child abuse and care proceedings to members of the public instead of the correct recipient.

A4e were penalised £60,000 for losing an unencrypted laptop containing the personal information of 24,000 people who had used a community legal service.

Ealing Council were penalised £80,000 for an employee having an unencrypted laptop with over 1,000 sensitive personal details of people stolen from their house. Similarly Hounslow Council were also penalised £70,000 for the same incident as their policies were not

followed in that the laptop had a password control but no encryption.

The former owner of ACS Law was served with a penalty of £1,000 for failing to keep the personal information of 6,000 people secure. This was only a small penalty due to the fact the company had shut down due to the reputational destruction caused by the breach and it was levelled on the former owner who was now filing for bankruptcy.

Surrey County Council were

issued with a £120,000 penalty for emailing the sensitive personal details of 241 vulnerable individuals to the wrong person, who had no right to see the information, on three separate occasions.

These are all extremely disturbing cases but highlight the lengths to which the Information Commissioner will go to in enforcing the Act. There are many other prosecutions taken out by the Commissioner in relation to

businesses not notifying that they are processing personal data. He has also investigated and issued enforcement notices to several hundred companies for losing information or for not processing information securely.

If you have any concerns that you or your company may not be processing personal information in line with the Act, please feel free to contact KPG Professional Services on [email protected] or by calling 07413 943228 for help and guidance.

What happens if I or one of my employees loses personal information? www.kpgprofessionalservices.co.uk

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THE PERTHSHIRE

SCOTLAND DISTRICT 5 FINALS

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THE PERTHSHIRE

This week saw The Bowls Scotland District 5 finals sponsored by Bell's Scotch Whisky were played at

Crieff B.C. Teams from all over the district competed in a tough

tournament with the winners who now going forward to the Bowls Scotland National finals at Ayr.

COMP TEAM Pts TEAM PtsJunior Singles Longforgan 21 Scone Recreation 1Singles Bridge of Earn 21 Glencarse 9Pairs Kinnoull 18 Inchture 14Triples Caledonian 14 Errol 18Rinks Longforgan 19 Auchterarder 17Senior Fours Aberfeldy B 5 Aberfeldy A 16

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

HIGHLAND RAID ENDS IN TIE Huntly 179-5 tied with PSCC 179-8.

On Saturday the Perth Strathearn first team made their longest trip of the campaign to

Huntly, hoping to enjoy the sunniest Saturday of the season to date.

The home team took first use of the wicket and the 'Highlanders' were soon on the back foot, as Das removed opener Tait for a duck. However his opening partner Howard was dropped off the bowling of Hill, after gloving a short ball, something that was to prove costly in terms of the result, as Howard went on to make 84. The home team made steady progress but were stifled in the middle of the innings by tight bowling from Das and in particular Ditchmen who finished with miserly figures of 1 for 11 from his 9 overs. At the end of the 45 overs a score of 179-5 was on the board.

Mearns and Thomson opened the reply and the former was soon back in the pavilion, bowled by Patterson, who soon accounted for Piper in the same fashion. Thomson and Ditchmen then added over 100 as they put together a solid partnership, setting the platform for an exciting finish. Thomson fell for 47, after grafting away in determined

fashion, but Ditchmen kept the innings ticking along before falling to a tired shot on 71, with victory in sight. Nerves then set in as wickets began to fall leaving 11 required off the last over. A wide, a couple of scampered singles, and a boundary through extra cover from Hill, left the equation of 3 off the final two balls. Hill was on strike but was then clean bowled, looking to finish the game with a shot through mid-wicket. Vadada came to the crease and connected well with the final delivery but sent it spiralling into the air, under which the Huntly fielder set himself for a match winning catch. However the ball was fumbled and the batsmen ran two to secure a tie, in a great finish to a close match.

PSCC 173-8 LOST TO STRATHMORE XI 176-9 BY ONE WICKET.

Batting first PSCC posted a decent score with veteran

Gordon McKinnie the backbone of the innings with an excellent 88 not out.

Matt Piper made 19 batting at number three but unfortunately no-one was really able to stay with McKinnie and take the score above the 200 mark.

The hosts made steady

progress to the victory target with McLaren, who was the stand out batsmen when the two teams met back in May, again the tormentor with a fine 60. The game moved towards an exciting finish but the men from Forfar crept home with one wicket to spare. Imran was the pick of the PSCC bowlers with 3-30.

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Former Dundee United defender David

McCracken has finalised his move to St Johnstone in a two-year deal.

After 8 seasons at United, McCracken left Tannadice in 2007 for Wycombe.

He then had spells at MK Dons from June 2009, then a disheartening time at Brentford

The 29-year-old centre-half made only two appearances for the Bees after joining them last summer.

But the Scotland Under-21 international played 10 games for Bristol Rovers on loan last season.

McInnes has lost the experience of centre-half Michael Duberry since the previous campaign but has signed defender Frazer Wright from Kilmarnock and former Dundee United midfielder David Robertson.

After his loan spell from West Brom last season was cut short by a knee injury, Canadian striker Marcus Haber has returned to St Johnstone for pre-season training.

Carl Finnigan is the 6th new player to be signed by St. Johnstone. The former Falkirk striker

Manager Derek McInnes

moved on Friday to secure the player's signature.

Finnigan, 24, joins David Robertson, David McCracken, Frazer Wright, Callum Davidson and Sean Higgins in Perth.

McInnes said: "Our lack of goals last season was a problem and hopefully Carl can help us in that respect."

Finnigan moved from Newcastle, where he failed to break into the first team, to Falkirk in 2007, where he scored 25 goals in 113 Scottish Premier League and Scottish First Division matches.

And the McDiarmid Park boss added: "Goals will have to come from all over the

team but I am confident Carl can weigh in with a few.

"He has SPL experience, which is a help, and we are looking forward to helping develop his career."

SAINTS SUMMER SIGNINGS ONGOING

David McCracken has finalised his move to St Johnstone

David McCracken has finalised his move to St Johnstone

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