THE DUMBARTON DEMOCRAT

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaving Downing Street. By Lucy Ashton The UK government is “fully committed to learning the lessons at every stage” of the

NOTEBOOK by BILL HEANEY “Would you risk it for a biscuit,” was a question often asked in the days before that word was taken simply

Pictured above: The Critical Care team  at the Institute of Neurosciences alongside Senior Charge Nurse Ruth Wilson (in navy uniform) on International Nurses Day.An NHS

By Lucy Ashton Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie has today warned of a cancer care crisis and demanded urgent action to tackle the backlog

  Visiting Information Local hospitals – Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Gartnavel Royal; Royal Alexandra Hospital and Sick Children’s Hospital and (above) Vale of Leven Hospital.

By Lucy Ashton Argyll and Bute Council has received an additional £2.3 million from the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme Programme to

By Judith Haw Erskine is delighted to have received an incredibly generous grant of £50,000 from The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and its

By Lucy Ashton The Supplier Development Programme has announced its largest, free procurement event in Scotland will take place next month on Tuesday, 8 June.

Thumbs up from Jackie Baillie after Labour’s convincing victory in Dumbarton constituency. By Bill Heaney Jackie Baillie has been re-elected as the MSP for Dumbarton

By Democrat reporter Police officers are again appealing to the public for help as part of ongoing enquiries into the death of a woman in

NOTEBOOK by BILL HEANEY Friday, May 7 at 6pm in Dumbarton I was astonished to see a string of bunting made up of Saltire flags

By Democrat reporter BBC Scotland is reporting that a priest accused of sexual activity with a schoolgirl has been cleared after the allegations were dropped.

Peter Barry, Chief Officer of Housing & Employability, West Dunbartonshire Council. Pictures by Bill Heaney By Lauren Crooks A future housing development site in Bonhill

Members of Unison voted by 88% to reject the offer, while 74% backed taking some form of industrial action By Democrat reporter Council workers have

By Lucy Ashton Asda Dumbarton has marked its 20th anniversary since first opening its doors, helped by an amazing 23 colleagues who have worked at

History was made here at Parliament House in Edinburgh, where Scottish Parliament first sat, and (top of page) history is being made today (May 6)

By Lucy Ashton STV Studios today announces it has been commissioned to produce a new fact-ent format, British As Folk, for UKTV’s award-winning comedy entertainment

By Democrat reporter BBC Scotland’s reporting of the outcome of the Scottish Parliament election will extend over three days to ensure audiences are kept fully

Dumbarton Labour candidate Jackie Baillie and Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader. By the EDITOR Elections are like big sports events. If anything they are worse

By Rory Murphy Two men have been arrested in connection with drugs offences following an intelligence-led operation in West Dunbartonshire yesterday in which a significant

Climate activists set up a blockade at Faslaner base by attaching themselves to plant pots. By Lucy Ashton Members of Extinction Rebellion Scotland staged the

Police officers are appealing for information after a fire was reported in a rubbish chute at a block of flats in the Dalmuir area of

NOTEBOOK SPECIAL by BILL HEANEY Big Jim Morrison stepped out of the shadows today to reveal why he is standing in the Dumbarton Constituency for

Ahead of the Early May Bank Holiday, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the local health board, would like to remind all patients requiring prescriptions written

By Lucy Ashton A staggering 1203 bags of rubbish have been collected within Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park in one month. A coordinated

Mother of God. Dumbarton has been in the spotlight on radio and television this past week, WRITES BILL HEANEY. Even the esteemed Magnus Linklater, former

By Rory Murphy Everyone can now access rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing — even if they have no symptoms. Free lateral flow home test kits will

By Lucy Ashton The River Clyde and its contiguous sea lochs, Gareloch and Long, are set to host elements of a major UK-led multinational exercise

Queen Elizabeth University Hospital – subject of extensive inquiries and reviews. By Bill Heaney The Health Board in charge of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

By Lucy Ashton Turnaround director Tim Hair is earning £790,000 a year to run the SNP’s shambolic ferry project across the river at Ferguson’s shipyard

By Democrat reporter Police are appealing for help to trace the owner of a rucksack which has been found near the summit of Stob A

Keith Brown, who remains SNP deputy leader although devoid of Ministerial duties, is not a good advertisement for Nationalism, as the BBC Question Time audience

The Trident nuclear base has been condemned by the Scottish Government’s green watchdog for its “poor” environmental performance after it polluted the Gareloch and Clyde

Lord Wallace will be the second elder in modern times to serve in the role.   By Helen Silvis The Rt Hon Lord Wallace of

By Lucy Ashton The owners of a popular Glasgow bar and restaurant have said the hospitality industry needs clarity in the guidance issued by the

By Lucy Ashton Today we are delighted to begin to welcome back visitors to our hospitals. However we do need to make sure patients, families

FAO:  West Dunbartonshire Branch of Unison local government members. Please remember to vote in the consultative ballot. If you haven’t received your ballot email you can

By Lucy Ashton The latest vaccine study to open in the UK examining a new COVID-19 vaccine candidate is recruiting up to 200 volunteers in

By Lucy Ashton BRODICK Castle is the backdrop for a spectacular display of artworks to mark the launch of the Arran Arts Heritage Trail. The

By Canon Gerry Conroy People become friends for different reasons; perhaps it is shared interests, or a similar outlook on life. Whatever it can be,

  Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf, LibDem leader Willie Rennie and Chief Constable Ian Livingstone. By Rory Murphy Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today

Integrity is one of the seven principles of public life, alongside selflessness, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. Enunciated by Lord Nolan in 1995, they

Helensburgh seafront at Helensburgh Pier, where the incident took place, and (below) the car park at West Clyde Street at the head of the pier.

By Lucy Ashton We are pleased to let you know in line with restrictions easing and the announcement from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for all

Silent witness. Sturgeon turns up to see the state West Dunbartonshire’s in under SNP… By Bill Heaney Softly, softly. Secret Scotland reared its ugly SNP

By Lucy Ashton Dumbarton constituency candidate Jackie Baillie, pictured right,  is backing the Children’s Hospice’s Across Scotland (CHAS) manifesto, which calls on politicians of all

The magnificent Wards Estate at Gartocharn on Loch Lomondside. Covering elections can be dull and boring most of the time. The quest for a colourful

Jackie Baillie and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar – promises on childcare. By Bill Heaney Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has today (Thursday) launched Scottish

Willie Rennie, Jackie Baillie and Nicola Sturgeon who is in deep trouble over Covid positive patients being transferred into care homes. By Bill Heaney The

Loch Lomond National Park where the facilities don’t meet the demand for them. By Nick Kempe Our two National Parks, the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond

John Stapleton believes blood thinners cost his wife Lynn Faulds Wood (above) her life. By Lucy Ashton John Stapleton, the 75-year-old broadcaster – whose partner

Purchase of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle thanks to Generous Grant By Susan Hamilton and Judith Haw In October 2020, Erskine, Scotland’s largest Veteran’s charity, received a

By Lucy Ashton The mother of one of the men who tragically died in the Cameron House hotel fire has spoken out about her distress

Willie Rennie, Douglas Ross, Anas Sarwar and Patrick Harvie. By Bill Heaney Who can you trust when it comes to the party leaders in the

Ross Priory – Hunter Foundation has permission to build a leadership and wedding venue. By Bill Heaney A millionaire Conservative councillor has expressed dismay at

SEVEN candidates will take part in the election for the Dumbarton constituency seat in the Scottish Parliament election on May 6. They are: Jackie Baillie

Dumbarton from the air. Castlegreen Street area is to the left in this photograph – Picture by Sean Davenport of Myre Media. By Democrat reporter

Cairo, an American Bulldog, was missing for two days. Picture by David Waters By Rory Murphy A nine-week-old puppy stolen from a house in Glasgow

Drivers are urged to be considerate of horses like this one at the Drymen Show. By Lucy Ashton POLICE in West Dunbartonshire and Argyll are

By Dumbarton Democrat reporter Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled her party’s “transformational” manifesto but said she could go further if Scotland was independent. She outlined a £2.5

Relatives unable to visit retirement homes endured a ‘range of negative emotions’, according to researchers Sisters Dorothy and Mary missed their mother, 92-year-old Mary Rose

By Bill Heaney Upgrading the traveller site at Dennystown Forge in Dumbarton was one of the top of the list of urgent projects to be

Labour politicians Lord John McFall and Des McNulty with members of the Clydebank Asbestos Group pictured high above the shipyards and the town itself. Picture

Helensburgh is part of Argyll and Bute for Scottish parliamentary election purposes. By Aileen MacLennan Do you want to have your say in the Scottish

  By Bill Heaney and Rob Edwards at The Ferret The Ferret investigative journalism bureau has revealed that UK Government has secretly boosted the number

Number of coronavirus deaths has fallen for the tenth consecutive week By Democrat reporter West Dunbartonshire was named as one of the worst affected areas

By Democrat reporter A 33-year-old man has appeared in court charged with murdering a teenager by repeatedly striking him with a meat cleaver. Kevin Murray