The Scottish Government, energy companies and advice organisations met at Bute House yesterday (Tuesday 23rd August) for a summit chaired by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – but it’s the UK Government that will have to act to head off a financial crisis for families across the country.
During the meeting a consensus emerged around next steps that must be taken by the UK Government, and where further work and action will take place between energy companies, advice organisations and the Scottish Government ahead of a follow up meeting next month.
The First Minister said: “Any further increase in energy bills in October will have a profound impact on households, businesses and the public sector already struggling with the cost crisis.
“No single government, company or organisation can solve this crisis alone. It requires a collective response commensurate to the situation and the Scottish Government is now treating this situation as a public emergency.
“There was clear consensus at today’s summit that energy customers simply cannot be expected to carry the burden of further price rises in October, and that the UK Government must now commit to freeze the cap for all households and to support the energy companies to deliver that.
“This meeting was focussed on practical solutions, but without action by the UK Government to address the problem at source, the actions we discussed can only ever mitigate the impact of such dramatic price rises at the edges.
“I am grateful to energy suppliers and our third sector partners for coming to the table today and for committing to work together with the Scottish Government to develop further action and practical steps to help households and businesses through the cost crisis.”
The consensus reached in the meeting was that the UK government should:
Immediately cancel any further energy price increase for domestic consumers, and work with the regulator and energy companies to put in place the funding to support this;
Provide significant additional support to help households and businesses meet current energy bills and the impact of inflation more generally;
Take action to protect small and medium sizes businesses, and other organisations not covered by the price cap, from rising energy costs;
Reform the energy market for the longer term to prevent this situation occurring again in the future.
The following actions to mitigate the current situation were also agreed and will be developed further:
Energy companies will pursue all possible options to provide enhanced support to consumers who are in difficulty, including working with advice agencies and government to improve the support available to consumers, and protect customers from disconnection. It was agreed that the energy companies will work with the Scottish government over the next two weeks to agree a package of measures;
The Scottish Government will provide additional support to advice agencies and consider, as part of its emergency budget review, further support for households and businesses. It will also undertake a public information campaign to promote energy efficiency measures alongside sources of help and support for those in difficulty;
This group will reconvene following the announcement by Ofgem of the new price cap on Friday 26th August and the appointment of a new Prime Minister to determine further specific actions.
The Chancellor is in Edinburgh today to showcase the support the UK Government is providing the people of Scotland through a £37bn package.
It comes after July’s National Insurance Contribution threshold rise for workers across Scotland, putting £330 back into the pockets of a typical employee this year and saving households over £260m.
The Chancellor will also be meeting leaders of Scotland’s green energy industry, emphasising our drive to improve Britain’s energy security.
The Chancellor will today reaffirm the UK Government commitment to help the people of Scotland with rising costs in the coming months, as it continues to deliver its £37bn package of support.
On a visit to Edinburgh, Nadhim Zahawi will also emphasise the UK Government’s commitment to energy security and making sure we have the green supplies of power we need for the future.
He will be meeting some of the figures who have led Scotland to the cutting edge of green power generation technology, as well as apprentices starting out in the industry. His visit will take in one of Scotland’s leading companies in the field of tidal energy as well a windfarm capable of providing power to up to 11,000 homes.
This comes in the same week that Chancellor began a series of meetings with energy generation companies as part of ongoing discussions on what more the industry can do to ensure markets function effectively for consumers.
The visit comes as the UK government is providing 689,000 households in Scotland with the £650 cost of living payment as well as £400 to help people with their energy bills, from October, over the winter months. It has also committed an extra £82 million for the Scottish Government to help vulnerable families at their discretion – in addition to the significant income tax and welfare powers they already have.
The UK Government has also launched the Review of Electricity Markets Arrangement to address higher energy costs, the need to boost energy security and the need to move the UK to a cleaner energy system as well as the Energy Security Bill, the most ambitious piece of legislation in the sector for more than a decade.
Zahawi is also sitting down with the leaders of Scotland’s financial services industry, which employs thousands of people in Scotland. He will listen to their concerns and emphasise the UK Government’s commitment to the sector.
The Chancellor will also meet performers from the world-famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi, said: “I know families across Scotland are feeling anxious about rising costs and the UK Government has stepped in to ease pressures on household budgets.
“We delivered an unprecedented level of support in July with a National Insurance cut that will put £330 back into workers’ pockets this year, while many of Scotland’s most vulnerable households have already received the first instalment of a £650 Cost of Living Payment.
“And there’s more to come. Not only will the second instalment of that payment arrive this autumn, but I’ve been clear that we are absolutely committed to bringing an equivalent to the £400 energy bills discount to Northern Ireland as soon as possible to ease the burden on families.
“We will continue to help support families in Northern Ireland through the global pressures we are all facing.”
The UK Government has provided a record £41 billion annual settlement for the next three years and we will continue to work collaboratively with them.
TALKS to resolve the local government workers strike ended without an agreement being reached yesterday.
Unions had sought clarity over a 5% offer tabled at a meeting with local government organisation Cosla but the employers were unable to give sufficient reassurances to enable unions to call off planned strikes across the country.
This means the ongoing strike in Edinburgh will continue, with other council areas also being hit by industrial action for the first time today.
Edinburgh North and Leith SNP MP Deirdre Brock said the capital’s Labour-run council had failed to put forward a decent pay offer.
Edinburgh council’sLabour leader Cammy Day was criticised last week for offering just 3.5% to council workers while other council leaders were pushing for a 5%pay rise for their workers.
Ms Brock said: “The SNP in government put an extra £140m on the table, on top of the £100m extra given to councils earlier in the year, yet Labour refused to offer that money to refuse workers for over a week, leaving our capital streets an eyesore.
“Residents and tourists alike need to see a plan from Labour to clean up the capital starting today. All we’ve seen so far is ineptitude.”
Her Edinburgh SNP colleague Angus Robertson MSP weighed in:
The Labour administration in Edinburgh is propped up by the Scottish Conservatives and the Lib Dems, but the Tory Local Government spokesperson Miles Briggs MSP had a go at both the Labour-led council and the SNP Holyrood government:
Lamenting the city council’s ‘astounding’ lack of contingency planning – trade unions have made their plans very clear in the run-up to the strike – Lothians list MSP Miles Briggs said: “More could have been done to prepare the city, such as working with private companies or providing additional bins.
“The SNP government must get around the table and fix this before it’s too late. They cannot stand by and watch while a situation that they created by giving councils a poor funding settlement spirals out of control.”
Scotish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole Hamilton lays the blame squarely on the Scottish Government:
“Think of the white elephants the SNP has splurged cash on: independence, the ferries debacle, the embassies so they can play ‘dress-up diplomat’. All of this could have gone to councils to allow them to settle these very reasonable pay expectations.”
Talking of white elephants, our cash-strapped city council chose yesterday to announce £1 BILLION plans for a new North-South tram line … but that’s another story!
Responding to the Edinburgh refuse workers’ industrial action, Labour Lothian list MSP Foysul Choudhury said:“SNP representatives should get off their high horse about the ongoing industrial action when they should have been canvassing their own party in the Scottish Government to agree extra cash with COSLA for councils to pay workers a fair wage, rather than expecting Edinburgh City Council to cut services elsewhere.
“It is up to the Scottish Government and COSLA to agree further funding, and then up to COSLA and the unions to agree the terms of any new pay deal, not Edinburgh City Council. As a former City Councillor, Deidre Brock knows this and yet has pretended otherwise in the media.
“Nobody wants to see the streets of Edinburgh in their current state, but the ongoing industrial action shows what a crucial job refuse and recycling workers do and demonstrates why we should be paying them fairly for their work.
“At the same time it is ridiculous for SNP representatives to lay the strike at the hands of a Labour-led council when it is their party which has repeatedly slashed local government budgets in real terms, forcing councils to cut their services to the bone.
“If the SNP really wanted to avoid these strikes rather than play politics, they should have come to an agreement with COSLA sooner, or better still, avoided imposing successive years of painful austerity for local authorities across Scotland.”
UNITE City of Edinburgh Branch pointed out: “Misinformation on #edinburghbinstrikes today is rife. Strike is a national dispute—one council can’t stop it. 14 more councils tomorrow.
“Local government funding has been slashed for a decade. Idea that 5% definitely would have stopped this is a fantasy. An insulting one at that.”
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer is backing the striking unions. In a tweet yesterday, Ms Foyer said: “Solidarity to all of you. Keep fighting!
“All Scotland’s local government workers deserve a decent pay rise for the vital work you do. Let’s show our support on the picket lines across Scotland tomorrow.”
PLANNED INDUSTRIAL ACTION:
Unison
School and early years workers will strike on 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th September, joining UNISON waste and recycling staff who will have already started their strike action on 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th August and 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th September.
Unite
Strikes will be held between the 18th August – 30th in Edinburgh with a second wave expected in a further 14 local authorities this week.
Aberdeen City, Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Glasgow, Highland, Inverclyde, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian.
In the first wave of action cleansing workers will strike in Aberdeenshire, Clackmannanshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Stirling and South Lanarkshire councils for the first wave of strike action to take place on 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th August and 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th September.
Cleansing workers will strike in Aberdeenshire, Clackmannanshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Stirling and South Lanarkshire councils for the first wave of strike action to take place on 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th August and 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th September.
City of Edinburgh Council: Disruption to Waste Services
We appreciate the impact and inconvenience this will cause you and appreciate your understanding. Please help us to keep the city as clean and safe as possible during the strike by following this guidance:
Regularly check our website and Twitter account for updates on services suspended and when collections will restart in your area. Be aware normal collections may take a while to get back to schedule after the strike ends.
Don’t put any bins, boxes or bags out for collection until the situation changes.
Stock up on strong black bags, and be prepared to fill, seal and store these with extra waste.
When separating your recycling, please try to flatten all cardboard and crush drinks cans and bottles. You can bag these up, separated, to empty into the recycling bin when you can.
Store waste sensibly and safely. If possible, use and share empty garage space with your neighbours or store bags in your garden or driveway.
Don’t store waste in stairwells or landings, where it could become a fire hazard.
Be careful not to block bin chutes or overfill them.
Keep all food waste separate and in an enclosed container, to help prevent smells attracting wildlife.
Talk to your neighbours and share responsibility for keeping spillages to a minimum. Help neighbours who may need support managing their waste. Explain the situation to those who may not have heard.
Please do not leave bags or any bulky items next to full bins. These will not get cleared away and could become a hazard.
Join with neighbours to do local litter picking clean ups, especially around on-street bins and litter bins on your street.
If a bin is full to overflowing, don’t use it, particularly for dog fouling. Please either use a bin that’s not full or take it home and double bag it to reduce smells.
Report a waste emergency
If you need to report an emergency issue where waste is causing injury or hazard call us and listen to select an option carefully. Phone 0131 608 1100, from Monday -Thursday 1000-1600 and Friday 1000-1500. After these hours, phone 0131 200 2000.
You can also email waste@edinburgh.gov.uk with the specific location and details of the issue.
Police Scotland are hosting a range of online recruitment events via Microsoft Teams for those interested in making a difference and giving back to communities as a police officer.
Black Minority Ethnic and White Minority Ethnic online recruitment events are taking place from 6.30pm – 8.30pm on Thursday, 25th August, Thursday, 8 September, Thursday, 15 September and Thursday, 22 September.
There is also a women’s online recruitment event on Tuesday, 13 September from 6.30pm – 8.00pm and a European online recruitment event on Tuesday, 27 September from 6.30pm – 8.30pm.
These events are for groups currently under-represented in Police Scotland. The consent, support and cooperation of our fellow citizens lies at the heart of the identity and legitimacy of policing in Scotland.
To ensure that bond is as strong as possible, we must fully represent and reflect the communities we serve. Inclusion is an operational necessity and morally the right thing to do. We are committed to increasing the number of officers and staff from under-represented groups.
Those who attend will be given an insight into the application and training process, the role of a police officer and the endless opportunities available once you embark on this exciting career path.
The UK has announced £37.65 million in UK humanitarian funding to help people across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin area
£37.65 million of urgent UK humanitarian funding will deliver life-saving assistance across Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Nigeria and Niger.
20 million are projected to be in need of urgent aid across the region by the end of 2022.
The money will help fund two projects for the next year focused on the most vulnerable, including malnourished women and children.
The UK will support around 1 million of the most vulnerable people across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin with food, water and sanitation.
Growing instability and violent extremism across the region and the war on Ukraine have exacerbated existing issues with food insecurity and malnutrition. As things stand, there will be close to 20 million people across the region in need of humanitarian aid by the end of the year.
And the Sahel faces further vulnerabilities due to climate change and extreme weather shocks, putting unimaginable stress on communities, meaning urgent intervention by the international community is now a necessity.
The UK is providing £37.65 million in urgent humanitarian assistance, focused on these areas where conflict, climate change and extreme hunger is causing the most suffering.
Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford said: “Millions of people across the Sahel and West Africa are unimaginably suffering with hunger and malnutrition.
“That’s why the UK will step up with an urgent £38 million of humanitarian funding, reaching those most vulnerable and saving lives across the region.
“The number of people facing starvation are at their worst for a decade. Whilst this UK funding is a necessity, it has to be part of a bigger international effort. We’re calling on international partners to enhance our collective support and scale-up intervention to halt this humanitarian catastrophe.”
£19.9 million will support The Sahel Humanitarian Assistance and Protection Programme (SHAPP), a programme which has been responding to the most acute needs, including those of displaced and malnourished women and children, and enables safer access for humanitarian aid workers to reach them.
The funding ensures delivery partners including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the INGO-run Sahel Regional Fund can continue their heroic, life-saving work in the region. The funding also supports the work of the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) and the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO).
Their work between 2019-2022 under the Sahel Humanitarian Emergency Response Programme (SHERP) supported 2.7 million people with food assistance, provided treatment to nearly 900,000 severely malnourished children and ensured over 1.5 million mothers could detect malnutrition among their children, enabling early intervention.
In addition, £15 million of emergency humanitarian funding has been made available for North-East Nigeria over the next few months, when food is most scarce and humanitarian needs are highest.
Violence, displacement, poverty and climate shocks are just some of the many reasons why 8.4 million people need life-saving humanitarian assistance there. This emergency funding supports the UK’s work alongside the Nigerian government to build security in the face of growing instability in the north of the country.
In North-East Nigeria, the UK is proud to be supporting the work of our delivery partners – the World Food Programme and UNICEF – whose aid workers put themselves at great risk in order to reach those suffering most.
This food assistance funding is part of the UK’s wider commitment to prioritise life-saving humanitarian aid to communities around the world who are most vulnerable due to the ongoing combination of crises.
Edinburgh Community Food are offering a free Eat Well for Oral Health cooking, nutrition and oral health 8 week programme starting at Dr Bell’s Family Centre on Thursday 25th August for families living in the Leith area with a child under 5.
They will also be offering this programme at Pilton Community Health Project from 20th September.
To book your place or to find out more, contact Jo at:
While young people are considering their future beyond their GCSE or Scottish National Certificate results, HMRC is asking parents and carers to make sure they update their Child Benefit records by 31August, or risk seeing their payments end.
HMRC has written to 1.3 million parents and carers of children, who are in the last year of school or education, to remind them to update their Child Benefit records. More than 600,000 families have already notified HMRC, but many have yet to do so.
Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary, said: “Child Benefit provides vital financial support for families and we want to make sure no-one misses out because they haven’t updated their details on time.
“The quickest way to notify HMRC is via your Personal Tax Account online, or search ‘child benefit when your child turns 16’ on GOV.UK for more information or further options for contacting us.”
Child Benefit is paid to eligible parents or carers who are responsible for a child under 16, or under 20 if they are in full-time non-advanced education or approved training.
This includes A-levels/ Scottish Highers, NVQs up to Level 3, or certain traineeships – a list of approved courses and training schemes is available on GOV.UK.
For the first time ever tickets for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo are on sale during the August run of the 2022 Show
Tickets for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s 2023 Show, Stories, are officially on sale today, with the first 50,000 tickets available at 2022 prices.
With just eight performances left in the 2022 run of Voices – the first Show from new Creative Director Michael Braithwaite under the Tattoo’s bold new brand proposition, Performance in a New Light – the team is getting set to lead audiences into the next phase with Stories. The 2023 Show will transport audiences with tales of music, dance, and culture with performers and musicians from around the globe.
Stories will run from 4-26 August 2023, featuring the military at the heart of the showcase with the Royal Air Force confirmed as the lead service.
Audiences can expect the magnificent sounds of the Massed Pipes and Drums filling up the Esplanade alongside performances from the incredibly talented Tattoo Pipes and Drums and Tattoo Dancers.
International acts will also join the 2023 line up bringing new cultures and vibrancy to this sought after spectacle. Further details about Stories will be announced in the coming months.
Jason Barrett, Chief Operating Officer of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said:“The highly anticipated return of the Tattoo this year has been an absolute triumph. Seeing the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade come alive once again with the sounds and colour of the talented Tattoo cast performing on the Esplanade each night is truly unforgettable. It’s so good to be back!
“We can’t wait to do it all again next year so for the first time ever we have tickets on sale for 2023 during our August run. It’s a unique opportunity to make sure you don’t miss out by purchasing tickets now.
“Also, you can take advantage of getting your 2023 ticket at 2022 prices for the first 50,000 tickets. Stories is set to be another awe-inspiring and immersive production that is not to be missed.”
Voices will run until 27 August 2022. Tickets are on sale now for both the 2022 and 2023 performances and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188.
We’re entering the final stretch of Fringe 2022, and there’s still lots to do. Here are six top tips for enjoying week three:
Remember to keep tagging artists on social media (along with #edfringe) and leaving reviews on their edfringe.com listings if you enjoyed their shows – word of mouth is essential at the Fringe, and your recommendation can make all the difference.
The Half Price Hut is open daily at the Fringe Box Office, offering great deals on shows starting the same day or the morning after – check out the listings online before heading into town to buy your tickets.
The Fringe street events continue this week, with BSL interpretation at West Parliament Square on Thursday 25 and Sunday 28 August – check out the daily street events schedule.
Our access tickets service is available to help anyone with an access requirement make the most of the Fringe – please feel free to pass on this information if it could be of use to someone you know.
Our Fringe Shop has gifts and goodies of all shapes and sizes – and, between our t-shirts and rain jackets, we’ve got you covered whatever the weather! Sales of Fringe merchandise help us continue supporting Fringe artists, so browse the Fringe Shop now.
We sent out an email last week outlining some of the great ticket offers available direct from Fringe venues – sign up for further venue offer info if you’d like to receive another batch this week.
Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund has returned for its seventh year and local sports clubs across Edinburgh and The Lothians can now apply for a share of £50,000.
The fund encourages people of all ages and abilities to take part in physical activity within their local communities by offering sports clubs the chance to secure essential funding. There are a range of funding tiers available, with one club in the area guaranteed to secure a £2,500 funding boost.
Since launching in 2016, nearly 500 clubs across Scotland have benefitted from a funding uplift of £290,000 through Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund, helping to improve community access to sports across the country.
From gymnastics to football and volleyball to bowling, Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation that meets the application criteria.
In 2021, Aldi supported a selection of sports clubs across Edinburgh and The Lothians, including Lismore Rugby Football Club and trampolining club, PHD FUNdamentals. The additional funding helped both clubs fund training sessions and purchase new equipment.
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Aldi Scotland, said:“Since launching in 2016, our Scottish Sport Fund has given a wide range of sports clubs the chance to benefit from essential funding to help them invest in much needed equipment and resources.
“Sports clubs across Scotland have had a really challenging time over the last two years, and I am proud that Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund gives these clubs a helping hand to continue the fantastic work they do in their communities.
“Each year, we are blown away by the applications we receive, and I look forward to welcoming more in 2022. I’d encourage any sports clubs across Edinburgh and The Lothians to apply and take advantage of this excellent funding opportunity.”
Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund is part of the retailer’s wider commitment to help local communities in Scotland, which it also does through its Neighbourly partnership and Supermarket Sweep.
Sports clubs located across Edinburgh and The Lothians have from Monday 22 August to Sunday 25 September to apply for funding.
One applicant will be selected to receive £2,500 of funding, two applicants will each receive £1,000 of funding, while several other applicants will each receive £500 of funding towards their sports club.
The Aldi Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland that meets the application criteria. All applications will be considered by the Aldi judging panel and entrants will be notified of the outcome of their funding application within four to six weeks from the region’s deadline. Please see the Aldi Scottish Sport Fund FAQs and Terms & Conditions for more information.
