Closed schools: contingency plans swing into action

Back to school – at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre?

Royal High senior pupils to return on Wednesday

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The City of Edinburgh Council has drawn up contingency plans to ensure all primary and special school pupils will be back in schools by Tuesday of next week (Monday, ironically, is a school Spring holiday). Continue reading Closed schools: contingency plans swing into action

PPP: chickens coming home to roost?

Edinburgh schools closures: now it’s the blame game

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News of the extended closure of 17 Edinburgh buildings built under the controversial Public Private Partnership arrangements has reopened the debate on using private finance schemes to fund public projects. And, with an election looming, the PPP issue is a heaven-sent for political parties: an unmissable opportunity to play the blame game, finger-pointing and point scoring.

The strictly non-partisan Cockburn Association, Edinburgh’s civic trust, has previously expressed disquiet over the quality and design of PPP schools. The Cockburn Association wrote to councillors regarding school provision and building quality back in January 2012:

“… we would encourage the Planning Department to work with their colleagues in Education to realize a better outcome both for the quality of teaching space and design of the buildings following a proper appraisal of the capacity for the physical expansion of existing primary schools.

“Perhaps a new primary school built in the north of Edinburgh on the proposed budget of £2200 per sq m would be a far more wise option? The City has a fine history of school building by the Edinburgh School Board from 1870 and their quality is a standard we should return to in the 21st century.”

Teachers’ trade union the EIS is calling for an urgent review of all PPP/PFI deals in light of the schools closures.

General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The EIS welcomes that the safety of pupils and staff is being treated as a priority, while recognising that these short-notice closures will be highly inconvenient for pupils and parents.

“However, we must also question how such significant defaults could escape normal building control scrutiny and we believe it is now necessary for an urgent review of all PPP/PFI contracts, including the terms of the private maintenance contracts which are often both expensive and extremely restrictive.”

With the 5 May Holyrood elections just around the corner, opponents of both Conservatives (who introduced PPP) and Labour (who adopted it) have wasted little time in apportioning blame for the ‘fiasco’. Who would have thought that the PPP debate would raise it’s head again and become an election battleground?

Over the weekend both the Greens and RISE damned their political opponents and today it’s the turn of the SNP to fire a broadside – and the Lib Dems are in their sights, too.

The SNP candidate in Edinburgh Western Tony Giugliano said: ” “This is a critical time for many pupils, as they enter exam period, and everything must be done to minimise disruption and find alternative safe studying environments. I would also encourage Edinburgh Council to do more to support parents with childcare arrangements.

“It’s clear that we need an immediate inquiry into the construction and safety of these schools. We know that the previous Lib Dem – Labour government at Holyrood bullied councils into rolling out PFI – and the result is exactly what we all feared: unsafe, substandard schools.

“PFI has been a disaster for the city of Edinburgh, with taxpayers contributing £40 million each year in repayments for buildings that are crumbling after only 10 years. Not to mention the debt legacy that the construction of PFI hospitals has had on the NHS. It’s utterly unacceptable and parents and pupils deserve better.

“Edinburgh taxpayers can no longer afford to keep paying for substandard buildings and the City Council should re-consider the future of these contracts.”

Meanwhile, efforts by council officials to resolve the problems go on. City council chief exective Andrew Kerr assured anxious parents: ““Officers are continuing to work on contingency arrangements and we will provide regular updates to parents and carers as and when further information becomes available.”

Parents, however, are growing increasingly angry. Thousands of familes are affected by the school closures and they want answers – now.

We’ll keep you posted.

Goodbye, Total Craigroyston; hello, Localities

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It’s been part of our community for four years, but on the day Total Craigroyston bows out with a final event: what next for community planning in North Edinburgh?

The city council is introducing a new Localities framework from 1 April. What are Localities? EVOC’s JUNE DICKSON provides at least some of the answers in document below:

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The city council and community planning – see below for an update on the Capital Coalition pledge:

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Edinburgh fights back against mail fraudsters

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A growing team of volunteers is helping to fight the fraudsters who target vulnerable Edinburgh residents through mail scams.

Crooks use scam letters and phone calls to con people to the tune of billions of pounds across the UK – but the capital’s 36 mail marshals are playing a key role in the battle against them.

Scams work by targeting individuals with official-looking documents and promises of lottery wins, psychic messages or health claims, asking for either a small order to be placed or an administration fee to be paid to release the money. Once someone has responded, their details are shared, resulting in them being bombarded with huge amounts of mail.

Mail marshals such as great gran Lynda Simpson, from Broomhall, collect the letters they receive and send it to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Trading Standards (TS) team, who then pass it on to the national TS team for further scrutiny. Around 60% of the UK’s mail marshals are based in Edinburgh.

Whilst it’s extremely difficult to prosecute the perpetrators, the scheme aims to protect victims from further crime by disrupting the system, and providing vital intelligence to help TS officers keep up-to-date with current scams. Those taking part have found that once they stop replying, the letters gradually stop arriving.

Mrs Simpson was referred to Trading Standards via the National Scams Hub, who had become aware that she was being targeted by scammers. The Edinburgh TS team then got in touch to raise their concerns and provide the necessary intervention and support. Lynda is now urging others to be aware of scams and to seek help if concerned.

She said: “I sent money because the person who had written the letter sounded so nice and kind. More and more letters then started to arrive, but alarm bells started ringing when I noticed that they were all asking for the same amount, and were all from the Netherlands.

“I used to get about 10 a day, and that’s down to about one a day since signing up. I’m not stupid but they conned me. It’s happening to people who are more vulnerable than me who don’t have anyone, and that’s really horrible.”

Councillor Cammy Day, Community Safety Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Mail is usually being sent from abroad, so it’s difficult to target its source. It’s a heartless but very lucrative operation, taking advantage of people’s good nature and conning them out of their hard-earned money. These scams can be very clever in their presentation, and can take a variety of forms.

“People should never feel embarrassed that it’s happened to them, but be assured that it can happen to anyone, of any age or circumstance. Mail marshals are hugely valuable in helping to stop this, so please get in touch with us if you’re worried about it happening to yourself or someone you know, and think you may be able to assist.”

Louise Baxter, National Trading Standards Scam Team Manager, said: “For the Mail Marshal project to be a success, it involves all partners working effectively with each other. The work that Edinburgh Trading Standards is doing is crucial to the work of the National Trading Standards Scams Team.

“The project engages scam victims and gathers valuable intelligence for the National Trading Standards Scams Team.  More importantly it provides an alternative support mechanism for victims whilst providing them with choices and the autonomy to manage their own affairs. This leads to consumer empowerment, which is our ultimate aim.”

Contact Edinburgh’s Trading Standards team on 0131 529 3030 for more information. Continue reading Edinburgh fights back against mail fraudsters

Death by a thousand cuts

North Edinburgh activists urge: reject the budget cuts!

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North Edinburgh’s Power to the People adult education group is among the many deputations who will be urging councillors to think again at this morning’s budget meeting. This is what they plan to say: Continue reading Death by a thousand cuts

The unfair Council Tax must end

On the eve of Edinburgh’s crucial budget meeting, JIMMY BURNETT argues that the SNP government must end the Council Tax freeze – NOW

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Local Government is in crisis. And it is a crisis for which councils bear little or no responsibility.

The Scottish Government has made successive cuts in support for local government, culminating in this year’s savage £550 million reduction. This coupled with the continuing imposition of the SNP-enforced nine year long council tax freeze, has forced local councils, like Edinburgh, into implementing cuts on a scale, never before envisaged.

And to make matters worse, the council tax freeze has seen the better off benefit by three times as much as people at the bottom of the scale – and of course the poorest section of society, who receive full or partial council tax relief, save not one penny.

In addition, as pointed out by Unison, councils, in dire need of alternative resources, have partially plugged the gap, by increasing service charges. Charges which of course, hit the lower paid harder, as the recent “ Close the Gap” report highlighted.

Since 2007, 40,000 jobs have gone in local authorities across Scotland.
Vulnerable and older peoples service have been particularly hit. 13,000 fewer people receive a Home Care Service than was the case a mere six years ago. Service charges for vulnerable people have risen by 11.5 million since 2010.

Here in Edinburgh, the Council is being forced to inflict almost £90 million cuts on crucial services. Yet they cannot even consider raising their council tax , without immediately receiving further cuts in resources from the Scottish Government.

Lets have a quick look at the figures. A council tax rise of 3% in Edinburgh would raise 7 million, a relatively small sum, but still enough to make some contribution to saving crucial services. This would cost Band A households 45p per week, Band D householders 67p per week and Band H householders – those in the highest valued houses – £1.35 per week.

Surely not too much to ask, when people are dying in Edinburgh while waiting for care packages to be provided?

But there is a catch. A 3% rise would in reality, unless the Scottish Government chose to lift their penalty system, would raise precisely nothing for services: the Scottish Government would immediately claw back £7 million from the council. So much for local democracy and accountability!

Since 2,007, the Scottish Government, have chosen to earmark a staggering £2.5 billion to finance the council tax freeze. This is public money. Money being spent on services , but only if councils agree to freeze their council tax. As a result councils across Scotland have been denied their democratic right to raise taxes locally and be accountable to the electorate for that rise.

So the council tax freeze is unfair. The better off have had savings three times the level of the less well off.

The council tax freeze has deprived councils of their democratic right to raise much needed resources for local services.

The Scottish Government-imposed council tax freeze is anti democratic, as it removes local accountability.

Even at this late stage, the Scottish Government, AT NO COST TO THEM WHATSOEVER, could choose to end this unfair freeze. And they could, and should, allow councils to raise their tax with no penalty clawback.

But they are unlikely to do so. And have said as much. This is an election year, and therefore, it appears, that because they believe the freeze to be popular, they are prepared to see services sacrificed, jobs lost and people suffer.

And the irony is that they appear to be able to do so, with virtually no criticism, whilst it is councils, who they are forcing to make cuts, who are bearing the brunt of the ire of the general public!

Jimmy Burnett was Housing and Finance Chair of Edinburgh District Council

Andrew Burns: don’t blame us!

City council leader says the Scottish government must act to change ‘broken’ local government funding system

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Edinburgh’s 58 councillors will vote through cuts of £85 million at tomorrow’s budget meeting. Billed as the deepest cuts in living memory, thousands of jobs will be lost and key services will be slashed. Who’s responsible for Edinburgh’s budget crisis? Council leader ANDREW BURNS says local government funding is to blame and he’s urging the Scottish Government to ‘let go’. Continue reading Andrew Burns: don’t blame us!

UNITE to fight ‘silent slaughter’

‘Once again it is the low paid and vulnerable – including children, elderly and disabled people – who will be the worst affected by these cuts’ – Amanda Kerr, UNISONlobby

The Edinburgh branch of public service union UNISON will lobby the City of Edinburgh Council budget meeting tomorrow from 08.45-9.45 against 2,000 job losses and £160 million in cuts to services over four years. Continue reading UNITE to fight ‘silent slaughter’

Home truths on the waterfront

Western Harbour development will ease city’s housing crisis

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The National Housing Trust initiative (NHT) will deliver almost 900 affordable homes for rent in Edinburgh, Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil revealed at Western Harbour yesterday.

The City of Edinburgh Council has already delivered more than 400 NHT homes with hundreds more in the pipeline. The latest 234-home development at the Western Harbour brings the total number of NHT homes approved across Scotland to more than 2,000.

The Scottish Government’s financial innovation is unlocking strategic sites for housing development across the country, delivering more homes for less public investment.

The City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Futures Trust and the Forth Ports Group are spearheading the Waterfront development, which is being built by Hart Builders.

Mr Neil said: “The contribution from innovative financing approaches, such as NHT, using government guarantees, loans, grant recycling and new sources of private funding is substantial and growing.

“Edinburgh has wholeheartedly embraced the NHT, the first guarantee-based model for housing in the UK, as one that can help ease the city’s housing pressures.

“People in the capital will have access to a quality home at an affordable rent, and the NHT model allows them to save for a mortgage whilst staying in the home that they may be able to buy.

“NHT, which is providing affordable homes without the need for grant subsidy, has reached a milestone with over 2,000 homes approved for construction.

“More generally, we have exceeded our target to deliver 30,000 affordable homes in this Parliament including over 20,000 homes for social rent.

“Our new target to deliver 50,000 affordable homes over the next five years is bold, credible and affordable. This is a 67 per cent increase in completed homes over the next five year period.”

Councillor Norman Work, City of Edinburgh Council said: “The City of Edinburgh Council is delighted to work in partnership with Scottish Government, Forth Ports and Scottish Futures Trust in enabling this development, which includes the 2000th National Housing Trust home across Scotland.

“The Council has committed over £100 million for NHT in Edinburgh, and this will deliver almost 900 affordable homes throughout the city. Edinburgh has a shortage of affordable housing and this 234-home development will make a significant contribution towards the regeneration of Western Harbour and creating an integrated sustainable community.

“Edinburgh is a growing city and meeting the need for new, good quality and good value homes is a major part of the Council’s Capital Coalition commitment to ensure that the city’s residents are well housed. The Council will continue to seek innovative funding solutions through collaborative working partnerships to deliver affordable homes”.

Christa Reekie, commercial director at the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), explained: “Today’s announcement clearly illustrates the huge impact SFT’s award-winning National Housing Trust programme is having and further consolidates the partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and SFT even further.”

Colin Macdonald of Hart Builders, part of the Cruden Group said: “We are delighted to be working with Forth Ports, Rettie & Co., the Scottish Government, Scottish Futures Trust and City of Edinburgh Council to deliver this development at Western Harbour.

“It will not only provide a secure and sustainable environment, but will also enable Hart to maintain current employment and training opportunities over the lifetime of the construction period.”

Nick Watson, Director at Rettie & Co. said: “Over the last three years Rettie and Co has enabled and coordinated the delivery of much-needed new rental stock for the City of Edinburgh delivering 296 new units.

“We are delighted to have been working constructively on the Western Harbour development with Forth Ports, Cruden, Hart Builders, the Scottish Government, Scottish Futures Trust and City of Edinburgh Council.”