Last year, Turriff won the ‘Scotland’s Towns’ award for most beautiful high street in Scotland.
It was a highly-competitive category but the award was well-deserved.
My home town also did fantastically well to get to the final six in the Scottish section of the UK-wide “Great British High Street” competition last year and I was delighted to join Robert Stephen and Ruth Logan at the award ceremony at Lancaster House in London
Both of these plaudits have been a great boost for the area and putting Turriff, it’s high street (and Main Street!), businesses and community firmly on the map.
Scotland’s Towns have announced entries are open for 2019 in the categories of horticultural achievement, environmental responsibility and community participation.
Towns can enter by submitting a short written statement by email to ewan@scotlandstowns.org by the end of September.
I am looking forward to the summer programme of shows in the area, including the one at New Deer on July 20 and 21, and the Turriff Show on August 4 and 5
Turriff Show in particular is well known as being the largest two-day agricultural show in Scotland, and attracts visitors from around the UK and indeed the world.
I’m particularly looking forward to this year’s substantially larger food hall and of course my personal favourite part, the vintage vehicle parade.
I look forward to meeting constituents and visitors alike at the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party trade stand at both of these shows.
Our farmers have been waiting too long for help when it comes to the safety of their livestock from dangerous dogs and their irresponsible owners.
The latest attack in Aberdeenshire, where a Balmedie farmer had to drive off a greyhound in a tractor to save his sheep, looks to have been prompted by pet abuse or abandonment.
Scottish Conservative research found only a handful of owners were prosecuted for crimes on farms since 2017, despite hundreds of worrying incidents being reported across Scotland.
In 2007/8, there were 81 offences recorded under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act
1953.
This skyrocketed to 170 in 2017/18.
Dog owners must be aware by now that their animals should be on a lead when they are anywhere near livestock.
The consequences can be heartbreaking and devastating financially for farmers.
It is down to the Scottish Government to bring in legislation which takes a harder line on irresponsible owners, or toughen up existing legislation.
It’s been two years since a consultation was mooted by the SNP but little action has taken place. Each month that passes, more farms suffer and more animals have to be destroyed through distress or injury.
Later in August, I will commence my annual Summer Surgery Tour across Banff and Buchan.
I am currently planning to visit more than 60 locations around the constituency and details of locations and timings can be found on my website at www.davidduguid.com/advice-surgeries.
Appointments are not necessary, but it can be helpful if you contact me in advance to give me an idea of the issue you wish to discuss. Please email David.duguid.mp@parliament.uk or call 01261 818744 to do so or get in touch about any other issue in the constituency.