27 January 2015

The First Minister regularly holds Cabinet meetings outside of Edinburgh to give people the chance to raise issues directly with her.

Travelling around the country, the FM gains a real insight into the issues affecting the local area. In each place a public discussion is held in the evening, where local people are invited to quiz the Cabinet and give their views.

The first Cabinet for 2015 was held in Dumfries.

The FM started the day by playing some of her favourite songs on WestSound FM. A homecoming of sorts for the FM, as this was the venue for her first Saturday job.

FM @NicolaSturgeon picking songs on @WestSoundFM Breakfast with Tommy Jardine. #DJFM #DGCab pic.twitter.com/pgndwE6j6c

— First Minister (@ScotGovFM) January 26, 2015

After leaving the studio to sounds of Wham! and Ed Sheeran, two of the artists from her playlist, she made a trip across town to Currie’s European Transport, to announce statistics showing Scotland’s international exports reaching a record £27.9 billion in 2013:

The First Minister spoke to Paul, who showed her how the vehicles are tracked across Europe. Paul said:

The First Minister visited a housing estate where 69 new homes had been completed by the National Housing Trust Initiative. The FM heard from new tenants Stuart and Cecilia Bruce, who explained how the houses eased the pressure on the local housing stock.

The NHT initiative will provide 70 new homes for #Dumfries. Tenants Cecilia and Stuart Irvine meet @scotgovfm https://t.co/7aGXNRs64y #DGCab

— Scottish Government (@scotgov) January 26, 2015

A local tenant and participant at the public discussion that evening remarked how “surreal” it was to see the FM walk past his living room window that day!

Cabinet

That afternoon the Cabinet was held in the Town Hall in Dumfries after a meeting with Dumfries and Galloway Council.

The Depute Leader Ted Thompson welcomes the Scottish Cabinet to Gracefield Arts Centre #DGCab pic.twitter.com/jMW2TYG5VH

— D&G Council (@dgcouncil) January 26, 2015

Public discussion

The venue for the public discussion was Easterbrook Hall on Crichton Campus at the University of the West of Scotland and was attended by over 400 people. The First Minister and her team took questions on fracking, windfarms, education and delayed discharges, amongst other local issues.

You can watch the full session here:

The day ended with a queue for selfies!