Month: August 2011

Botanics left red-faced as plant fails to blossom

STAFF at Edinburgh’s world-famous Royal Botanic Garden have been left red-faced after the horticultural event of the decade fell flat.

The institution has been waiting eight years for its giant “corpse flower” to bloom and confidently predicted the event would happen this summer – the first time ever in Scotland.

So sure were staff, they printed T-shirts and set up a webcam, and even prepared to borrow a thermal imaging camera from the fire brigade to monitor the flower at night.

But all the 154kg monster produced was a giant, spindly leaf.

It is hoped that the plant will flower next time around which will be around March 2013.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

It's stall kicking off in Stockbridge.

A NEW twice-weekly open-air food market could soon be established in Stockbridge, despite fears raised by residents over rodent infestations, noise and the impact on local businesses.
The Stockbridge Market will feature a range of food products, with confirmed producers including Ridley’s Fish and Game, Cheesee Peasee and Au Gourmand Artisanal Bread.

It is also set to sell non-food items, including crafts, vintage clothes, jewellery and CDs.

Proposals for the market, to be held in Jubilee Gardens, have been recommended for approval by city planners, but still have to be approved by councillors next week.

• Do you support the plans for a twice-weekly food market in Stockbridge? Vote here

If granted permission, it will be held every Thursday from 2pm to 8pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 6pm, and will feature a total of 26 stalls.

However, the plans – submitted by the French Food Company – have been met with resistance from some local residents who believe the Jubilee Gardens site, which is bordered by Saunders Street and Kerr Street, is unsuitable for such a market.

Anne Harrison, a resident of Saunders Street, wrote in a letter to the council: “Last year there was a major infestation (of rodents] resulting in the seated area at Jubilee Park being stripped out to eradicate rodents.

“The proximity of the park to the Water of Leith also contributes to this problem.

“I fear that a food market will only exacerbate the rodent problem.

“There are serious health and safety implications here.”

She added: “Stockbridge already has many local businesses providing the types of food the market will offer.

“In the current climate their business might suffer drastically from a regular market event.”

Concerns have also been raised about the loss of the gardens as a public space during the market’s operating hours.

Saunders Street resident Helen Walker added in an objection to the proposal: “The site of the proposed market is one of only a few open landscaped gardens available to the public in this area and the accessibility of this area would be greatly reduced by the operation of the market.

“Jubilee Gardens is closely overlooked by the bedrooms of the first block of residential dwellings in Saunders Street.

“The market is to be opened on a Thursday evening and Sunday morning and will increase the local noise levels and disturb the sleep patterns of local residents, especially those of young children and shift workers.”

A statement on the website for the Stockbridge Market says it plans to start operating “really soon”.

Heritage group The Cockburn Association backed the plans.

Director Marion Williams said: “We support the proposal of an open-air food market in this location and believe it could contribute to the vitality of the Stockbridge neighbourhood shopping streets.”

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

It’s stall kicking off in Stockbridge.

A NEW twice-weekly open-air food market could soon be established in Stockbridge, despite fears raised by residents over rodent infestations, noise and the impact on local businesses.
The Stockbridge Market will feature a range of food products, with confirmed producers including Ridley’s Fish and Game, Cheesee Peasee and Au Gourmand Artisanal Bread.

It is also set to sell non-food items, including crafts, vintage clothes, jewellery and CDs.

Proposals for the market, to be held in Jubilee Gardens, have been recommended for approval by city planners, but still have to be approved by councillors next week.

• Do you support the plans for a twice-weekly food market in Stockbridge? Vote here

If granted permission, it will be held every Thursday from 2pm to 8pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 6pm, and will feature a total of 26 stalls.

However, the plans – submitted by the French Food Company – have been met with resistance from some local residents who believe the Jubilee Gardens site, which is bordered by Saunders Street and Kerr Street, is unsuitable for such a market.

Anne Harrison, a resident of Saunders Street, wrote in a letter to the council: “Last year there was a major infestation (of rodents] resulting in the seated area at Jubilee Park being stripped out to eradicate rodents.

“The proximity of the park to the Water of Leith also contributes to this problem.

“I fear that a food market will only exacerbate the rodent problem.

“There are serious health and safety implications here.”

She added: “Stockbridge already has many local businesses providing the types of food the market will offer.

“In the current climate their business might suffer drastically from a regular market event.”

Concerns have also been raised about the loss of the gardens as a public space during the market’s operating hours.

Saunders Street resident Helen Walker added in an objection to the proposal: “The site of the proposed market is one of only a few open landscaped gardens available to the public in this area and the accessibility of this area would be greatly reduced by the operation of the market.

“Jubilee Gardens is closely overlooked by the bedrooms of the first block of residential dwellings in Saunders Street.

“The market is to be opened on a Thursday evening and Sunday morning and will increase the local noise levels and disturb the sleep patterns of local residents, especially those of young children and shift workers.”

A statement on the website for the Stockbridge Market says it plans to start operating “really soon”.

Heritage group The Cockburn Association backed the plans.

Director Marion Williams said: “We support the proposal of an open-air food market in this location and believe it could contribute to the vitality of the Stockbridge neighbourhood shopping streets.”

Source: Edinburgh Evening News

Local Youth Work Praised

Local youth work in North Edinburgh was today praised as being Outstanding and Sector Leading according to a government report which was published today following the inspection on the Broughton High School Learning Community by HMIe earlier this year.

The report has concluded that the Voluntary Sector and Community Learning & Development (CLD) scored an excellent in the section Impact On Young People. 

HMIe inspectors spent a week visiting local projects and meeting with various activists and community representatives to gather evidence about the services that are being offered in the local community not only on Youth Work but on Adult Work, Capacity Building, Improving Services and Improvements in Performance.

In the other areas of their work the HMIe has graded them as  Very Good. The report has highlighted certain areas of work as good practice and and in particular mention to the wide range of activities and opportunities available to young people as well ensuring that young people are involved in the local decision making process. Local project Stepping Stones was mentioned for the excellent and vital support they offer to young parents. Fet Lor Youth Centre was also highlighted for its excellent work in delivering the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme to local young people who attend their youth clubs and also within the Broughton high School.

The work that Pilton Equalities Project  does with adults with additional support needs and assisting them to mange their money independently was also praised by the Inspectors. Pilton Community Health Project are making life-changing differences to the health, wellbeing and resilience of vulnerable women and their families said the report.

The HMIe have agreed that CLD and the local service providers need to improve the following areas:

Clarify and simplify the roles and functions of strategic and operational partnerships.

Further develop accredited learning opportunities for adults.

Develop use of Experiences and Outcomes within youth work practice.

Overall this was an excellent report for the Learning Community and highlights some of the excellent work that is being carried out in the Broughton Learning Community area.

You can get a copy of the report here: http://tinyurl.com/3kaxujb

Farewell to Ian Stewart and Alison Miller

North Edinburgh lost two long standing community workers last month when Ian Stewart and Alison Miller were both made redundant from their posts at North Edinburgh Trust, the former Pilton Partnerhsip. Both of them have supported many groups and have been influential on various projects and campaigns over the past 10 years.

North Edinburgh News understands that both were made redundant as a result of the North Edinburgh Trust losing its core Council funding.

Ian and Alison hosted a social gathering at the Prentice Centre prior to leaving their posts.

North Edinburgh News wishes both Ian and Alison all the best for the future.

Community project awarded grant for Granton Sur Mer

Local community project Joined Up Master Planning (JUMP) have been awarded a grant from the Awards for All strand of the

Granton Walled Garden is for sale.

Lottery to carry out a detailed community consultation on their plans for the Walled Garden area at the waterfront.

Project manager Ross McEwan said “JUMP have just received an Awards for All National Lottery grant of £10,000 to consult with the people of North Edinburgh about the use of derelict land on the Waterfront for the Granton sur Mer project. The main piece of land in question is the Walled Garden just behind Caroline Park House. This major part is owned by City of Edinburgh Council through it’s “arms” length company Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd. They just want to sell it without any community benefit.”

A council spokesperson said “We are working closely on a number of projects aimed at continuing the regeneration of the waterfront area. A developer working with an established national care home operator has agreed terms for the purchase of the walled garden site and proposals are currently being drawn up.”

Ross continued “The £1m now is all they will get and the local community will see nothing from that. What we would be giving over a ten-year period would be £6m. It is short-term economic madness.

“What impact would a care home have? You would have maybe 30 bed spaces, about 20-30 full-time jobs and nothing back into the local economy.

“The benefits are nil if a private care home operator owns one of the best sites in Edinburgh for only £1m.”

The Granton Sur Mer scheme was to include an outdoor swimming pool created from four sea containers sunk into waste ground and filled with solar-heated sea water. Changing rooms and a snack bar were also to be created.

Mr McEwan claims that his own group’s proposals would generate up to £600,000 a year through rental income from artist studios and revenue from a cafe, as well as proceeds from the garden festival.

He said that positive talks had been held with two grant-awarding bodies, while banks had expressed interest in providing funding. Any grant funding would rely on a land agreement being secured.

He said: “It is the most realistic project on the table for the Waterfront and it would not be spoiling the area with yet more blocks of mundane buildings.”

North Edinburgh Fights Back Public Meeting

North Edinburgh Fights Back a local community group campaigning against the cuts in North Edinburgh have organised a public meeting to take place on Tuesday 30th August 2011 from 6.30pm-8.00pm in the North Edinburgh Arts Centre. The group have organised speakers who will talk about the effects of the cuts to the local area.

If you would like more information on this group please search them on Facebook at North Edinburgh Fights Back where you will ind out more about the groups work and also see minutes from their meetings.

You can also visit the groups website at www.northedinburghfightsback.org.uk 

£26m in cuts made by city council in last year

The city council has made £26 million of cuts in the last year, a new report shows.
The authority’s annual efficiency statement shows that it managed to exceed its two per cent savings target by a series of savings made from operational changes.

Among the savings have been freeing up building space, changes to contracts, improving council tax collection, reducing energy costs, providing services in a different way and improving absence management.

Despite the savings, city leaders warned that more cuts are on the way.

Councillor Phil Wheeler, the city’s finance leader, said: “The fact that we have done so well only means that finding other efficiencies becomes harder.

“There will be difficult choices to make, but with ongoing pressure on public finances we will need to face those.”

City council officials are currently investigating options for sharing services with other authorities and organisations and are looking at the potential to privatise some services.

Since 2006/07, the city council has saved a total of around £117m.

Source: Edinburgh Evening News