Please see the response attached to Mark Ruskell's queries about the Keir Roundabout.

Lord Provost Rosemary Fraser was among those to welcome The Prince and
Princess of Wales to Stirling yesterday (21 Jan) for a visit that
celebrated the area's sport, creativity and community spirit.

The Prince and Princess, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in
Scotland, started their tour at the National Curling Academy at the Peak
Sports Centre, where they were also greeted by Stirling Council Chief
Executive, Brian Roberts.

After meeting the Team GB and Paralympics GB Curling teams, who are
preparing for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in MilanoCortina
in February and March, they also tried their hand at the sport that has
its roots in 16th-century Scotland and has become one of the country's
most successful winter sports.

Lord Provost Rosemary Fraser said: "It was wonderful to welcome Their
Royal Highnesses to Stirling and our inspiring communities and to be
part of this event."We are proud of our superb sporting facilities at the National Curling
Academy, managed and maintained by Active Stirling, which gives our
athletes the best opportunity to secure further success in this sport.

It also inspires more people across Stirling to take up curling and
other sports so they can enjoy the benefits of an active, healthy
lifestyle."I would like to take this opportunity to wish our curling teams and all
the Stirling-based athletes well at the Winter Olympic and Paralympic
Games in Italy."

Matt Bunnell, Active Stirling Chief Executive said: 'From an Active
Stirling perspective we felt extremely honoured to welcome the Prince
and Princess of Wales to The PEAK on their visit to the National Curling
Academy. It was wonderful to see them connecting with the community and
I am sure their visit would have further inspired the curling athletes
prior to their departure to the Winter Olympics next month."

The Prince and Princess then visited Radical Weavers, a working
handweaving studio and independent charity in Stirling city centre.Established in 2019, the charity aims to help to tackle social isolation
and support people affected by trauma and loss by offering the
opportunity to learn traditional Scottish tartan-weaving skills in a
safe and welcoming environment.After learning about the design and weaving process and tartan, Their
Royal Highnesses took up the opportunity to weave themselves, including
a small piece of an ambitious project by the Radical Weavers to create
the longest tartan scarf.

Their final engagement saw them stop by at the 'The Gothenburg', a
community-run pub in Fallin. Founded in 1910, 'The Goth' is one of the
few remaining pubs in Scotland still run under the Gothenburg system,
which aims to funnel profits from pubs back to the community.Their Royal Highnesses met 'The Goth's publican Rob Donaldson and
learned how 95% of the pub's profits are donated to community causes,
from families in need and food banks, to local charities and hospices.The Lord Provost added: "It was fantastic that the Prince and Princess
got an insight into the incredible people and organisations across
Stirling who make a real difference in our communities."The visit also highlighted how Stirling's remarkable culture and
creativity changes lives, inspires innovation and supports economic
growth."

Residents are being urged to have their say on proposals to help address Stirling Council’s estimated £12.25 million budget shortfall next year (2026-27).

A new survey has been launched that sets out potential ways for the council to raise more income, make savings and deliver services differently.The consultation continues the council’s Big Conversation with its communities about how it negotiates the ongoing and unprecedented financial challenge impacting local government in Scotland.The main reason for this is that the council’s funding and income is not meeting the rising costs needed to deliver its vital every-day services, from educating children and young people, to maintaining a vast road network, or collecting and recycling household waste.

Despite bridging a similar shortfall last year through an 8.8% increase in council tax and a range of savings totalling £7.7 million (mainly  fficiencies), the council and other local authorities across Scotland must make further difficult decisions this year to balance their budgets.Residents can help inform this process by taking part in the survey on the Engage Stirling website [1], with paper copies available in libraries shortly.

The closing date is Sunday 1 February.

To see the full list of the proposed savings and take part in the online survey, visit:https://engage.stirling.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/big-conversation-26-27 

For more information, please visit www.stirling.gov.uk/bigconversation

The Gwen Mayor Trust, a charity established in memory of Dunblane Primary School teacher Gwen Mayor, has announced the nursery and primary school arts, sports, culture and community projects it is providing funding support for this year.

The charity was established by, and is administered by, the EIS and has supported hundreds of nursery and primary school projects benefitting thousands of children since it first awarded grants in 1998.

The aim of the Gwen Mayor Trust is to provide financial support for the type of projects which were important to Gwen Mayor and her pupils at Dunblane Primary School.

Since its inception, supported by the Mayor family and made possible by generous donations from individuals and organisations across the country, the Gwen Mayor Trust has supported a diverse range of arts, cultural, community and sports based projects in nursery and primary schools across Scotland.

Commenting on the work of the Trust, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “Gwen Mayor was a passionate and dedicated educator, who was truly committed to providing the very best for the pupils with whom she worked.

"It was this spirit which led to the establishment of a charitable trust in honour of the memory of Gwen Mayor and her pupils at Dunblane Primary School.”

Ms Bradley added, “Today, the positive work of the Gwen Mayor Trust continues. All nursery and primary schools across Scotland are eligible to apply for funding from the Trust, and hundreds of projects and thousands of young people have benefitted from the support of the Trust over the past three decades.

"The Trustees recently authorised the funding of eighteen projects in schools across Scotland, and everyone associated with the Gwen Mayor Trust looks forward to hearing and seeing more about the progress of these very worthy projects in the months ahead.”

Read more here