Sales of £1 million houses in Scotland fall by one third

The number of houses in Scotland sold for over a million pounds fell by over a third (35%) in the first half of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016, according to research from the Bank of Scotland. A total of 53 homes were sold for at least a million pounds in in the first half of 2017, compared to 81 over the same period a year earlier.  Continue reading Sales of £1 million houses in Scotland fall by one third

Scottish Government launches consultation on pet rescue centres

Plans to introduce a modern system of registration and licensing for animal sanctuaries and rehoming activities have been unveiled. Ministers are now consulting on a commitment, made in the Programme for Government, which is designed to ensure the highest possible standards of welfare for rescued animals.

The consultation considers the need for registration and licensing of premises depending on the number of animals kept, how this may work for larger organisations with multiple premises, and whether to allow independent accreditation of applicants to reduce the burden on local authority inspectors.

It was launched by Roseanna Cunningham, the Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for animal welfare, during a visit to Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. She said: “Scotland’s animal rehoming centres and sanctuaries perform a vitally important job and standards of welfare are generally high. But we know that isolated problems persist and there is legitimate public concern about this important issue .

“It is also vital that those rehoming a pet can be confident they are adopting from a reputable rescue centre. That is why we plan to introduce a straightforward licensing system, which will deal effectively with cases where animal welfare is not being sufficiently protected, while not being overly burdensome for those already doing a good job.

“I would encourage everyone with an interest in animal welfare to respond to this consultation by the end of February and help shape our plans on this important issue.”

The Registration and Licensing of Animal Sanctuaries and Rehoming Activities in Scotland consultation runs for 12 weeks and closes on 4 March 2018.

 

 

Toasting Scottish small businesses as HMS Queen Elizabeth formally commissioned

Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin urged the flotilla of Scottish businesses that helped build the UK’s largest ever warship to toast their achievement as Her Majesty the Queen formally commissioned her namesake HMS Queen Elizabeth, the nation’s future flagship, into the Royal Navy last week. Continue reading Toasting Scottish small businesses as HMS Queen Elizabeth formally commissioned

Edinburgh’s new museums website goes live

Museums & Galleries Edinburgh, the collection of 14 venues owned and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council, has a new website.

New website 1

Highlights and hidden gems of the city’s collections will be brought to life and showcased through engaging, new content with top tips and guides on how best to discover and explore each venue, many of which are free to enter. Continue reading Edinburgh’s new museums website goes live

Renowned disability rights campaigner joins Leonard Cheshire

JUDY HEUMANN JOINS LEONARD CHESHIRE DISABILITY 

 

Judy Heumann, the renowned disability rights campaigner, is to join Leonard Cheshire Disability as a global ambassador. An architect of the disability rights movement and long term campaigner for equality and human rights, Judy will promote and share the values of the organisation internationally.  Continue reading Renowned disability rights campaigner joins Leonard Cheshire