Dozens of lights along Easwald Bank, Milliken Place and Milliken Drive, in Kilbarchan failed, leaving residents in the dark for more than a week.

A spokeswoman for Scottish Power said their engineers had visited the site and adjusted the time clock of the street lights.

More on this story and interviews at the Paisley Express

Councillor Brian Lawson, chair of the steering group, said: “Everyone in Renfrewshire should be really proud of this anniversary. Supporting Fairtrade gives Third World farmers and producers a fairer deal and Renfrewshire over the past two years has proven to be one of the leading areas in Scotland backing Fairtrade.

“A huge amount of time and effort has gone into the campaign to achieve Fairtrade status, mainly by people volunteering their own time and skills to raise awareness, host and staff events. That hard work has continued over the past year to progress the campaign further by encouraging new Fairtrade groups to set, for example in Erskine. We’ve also had great achievements in the past 12 months such as Houston Primary and Nursery becoming Renfrewshire’s first Fairtrade primary and nursery school.

“I’d like to congratulate all of the people in Renfrewshire who have supported Fairtrade, whether it’s by running or attending events, or choosing Fairtrade products as part of their weekly shop.”

The Renfrewshire Fairtrade Steering Group are now finalising plans for the lead up to and during Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 (20 February – 7 March). Highlights of this year’s programme will include:

• a Fairtrade Tea Dance in Paisley Town Hall on Wednesday 17 February
• a Fairtrade Tea Party in Paisley Town Hall on Saturday 27 February
• a tour of Renfrewshire schools by Fairtrade walnut producers, and
• coffee mornings in Lochwinnoch at The Junction on Wednesday 24 February (9am–12noon) and at the RSPB Reserve on Thursday 25 February (11am–1pm).

Councillor Lawson added: “Having Fairtrade status doesn’t mean the campaign is over. We will continue to work as a group to raise awareness and keep up the momentum. This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight we have a packed programme and we are confident it will be our biggest and best yet.”

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Closed and boarded-up shops, a rash of ‘To Let’ signs and the growing number of discount stores all make for depressing viewing on what was once the jewel in Renfrewshire’s retail crown.

Locals have been demanding action to put things right. And, yesterday, planning chiefs at Renfrewshire Council vowed to heed their calls.

They want to see more people shopping, socialising and opening businesses in Paisley.

And Bob believes the town will enjoy a brighter future if new life can be breathed into three key buildings – the former council headquarters in Cotton Street, the abandoned Arnotts building in Gauze Street and the former Littlewoods site in the High Street.

Read more from the interviews with Renfrewshire Council’s new head of planning Fraser Carlin, planning and economic development director Bob Darracott and Paisley Town Centre project director Jim Dewar at the Paisley Daily Express

Crawford has been the head of planning at Renfrewshire Council for the last 13 years and was a senior official with the local authority for a further seven years prior to that.

And, in those 20 years, he has been involved in some of the major planning decisions made by Renfrewshire Council.

Expensive

The pedestrianisation of Paisley’s High Street, the introduction of an expensive programme of public art in the town centre and the re furbishment of Anchor Mills have all made the headlines over the years – and not all of them have made good reading.

Now 63-year-old Crawford has removed himself from the firing line and is looking forward to enjoying retirement.

Read the remainder of Alison Rennie’s story at the Express

The Scottish Conservative leader, who lives in Bishopton, claims the council’s budget puts ideology before the best interests of pupils.

She said: “This budget shows a council which doesn’t know whether it’s coming or going, fiscally speaking.

“On the one hand, they’re cutting school bus services to save money and on the other, funding free school meals regardless of income.

More at the Paisley Express

Shakti Gindha, who owns the Shop Stop on Barscube Terrace, was fined £2,000 for selling a 15-year-old girl a a packet of 10 Mayfair during an undercover operation mounted by Renfrewshire Council.

Two other retailers caught under the same sting were also fined by Mrs Fogg, making it three-in-a-row for trading standards.

Balbir Padwagga, owner of Padwaggas on Glasgow Road, Paisley, pleaded guilty to selling cigarettes to a 16-year-old on June 10 and was fined £200.

And Eileen Blom, a shop assistant at Sheridans Newsagent on New Street, Kilbarchan, also pleaded guilty to selling cigarettes to a 16-year-old on July 9 and was fined £165.

More from the court case at the Paisley Daily Express

If you want to report a retailer for selling cigarettes to under 18s you can call trading standards on 0141 840 3460 or to email es.ts@renfrewshire.gov.uk

Parents are furious after Renfrewshire Council axed free bus travel for pupils living more than two miles away from the school – saving £274,000.

The new changes will mean 187 pupils at St Benedict’s High School, 166 Gryffe High School children and 118 pupils at Castlehead High School will lose their bus passes.

In addition, nearly 300 St Andrew’s Academy students and 66 Paisley Grammar pupils will also be affected when the plan comes into effect in August.

However, council leader Derek Mackay told the councillors at the annual budget meeting that the free bus service would continue if a safe walking route for the children could not be found.

More of this story at the gazette

But council house tenants will be hit hard as their rent is to rise by 4.5 per cent – more than double the current 1.9 per cent rate of inflation – each year until 2015.

And dozens of teaching staff are to be axed in the education department.

Renfrewshire Council is set to rubber-stamp its spending plans for the next 12 months at a special meeting.

More information at the Paisley Daily Express

Renfrewshire Council issued the warning after a number of people reported receiving suspicious calls, allegedly from the council’s Contact Centre.

The caller tells the person that they are due a refund on their council tax and asks for the person’s bank details so that the money can be paid into their account.

Councillor Allan Noon, Renfrewshire Council’s Finance Spokesperson said, “The council would never phone a customer and ask for their bank details. If a person is due a council tax refund then the money would be taken off their next bill. If the refund was bigger than the bill then we would send the person a cheque.”

“No reputable organisation will ask a customer for their bank details. Any request for this information should always be treated as suspicious.”

Renfrewshire Council press release: Thursday 14 January 2010