Letter: Unity

Dear Editor

UNITY

Unity is strength – this truth us demonstrated in the struggle to defend the NHS by both users and those who work in providing the services.

Those who are trying to privatise the NHS have a glint in their eyes of making vast profits – what a disgusting attitude, when every penny is needed to treat people both old and young.

Unity also needs expressing by people in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, London – in fact everywhere, who have the same problems of needing regular work and wages and decent working conditions to be able to make life as it should be.

This unity of needs must be expressed as strongly as the unity in support of our NHS. Private companies aching to take over the NHS and other public services and their Tory and Liberal political supporters can and will be defeated.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

Transport’s the theme for Inverleith community conference

On the Move in Inverleith

Transport is the theme for this year’s Inverleith Community Conference, which will take place on 15 November from 6 – 9pm in Broughton High School.

Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership development officer Elaine Lennon said: “Our fourth annual community conference is coming up and this year’s theme is local transport in all it’s forms. We are formatting it as world café style with table discussions around themes of: public transport, road safety, winter weather, walking and cycling and road maintenance and we hope to have Officers leading on each table who are ‘experts’ in the subject.”

An evening of lively discussion, community cohesion, information sharing and fun is promised, so please tell your friends and neighbours about the event!

Organisers add:

On the theme of local transport, there will be opportunities to discuss issues and ask questions on various aspects of getting around Inverleith in small table discussions –

  • parking,
  • public transport,
  • road repairs,
  • road safety,
  • walking and cycling,
  • winter weather.

We hope that you can join us in person or live on twitter on the night, by following #inverleithconf

A finger buffet and live entertainment will be provided, and transport related stalls and information will be available for browsing.

You can book your place online through the Eventbrite website, but if you prefer to register off-line, or want more information, please contact Anne Brown on 332 6316, anne.brown@ea.edin.sch.uk or Elaine Lennon on 529 5270, elaine.lennon@edinburgh.gov.uk

 

Local groups to take bins fight to Council doorstep

Two local tenants groups are to take their protest over bin collection changes right to the council’s door – literally. Tenants and Residents in Pilton and recently-formed Tenants and Residents in Muirhouse will be dumping black bags at the North Neighbourhood Office in West Pilton Gardens on Monday morning.

A spokesperson for the groups said: “We are taking action against the chaos caused by the Council’s mismanagement of the changes to refuse collection. Many residents don’t have recycling bins yet, and some areas don’t even have enough green wheelie bins. It has led to rubbish piling up in our streets, and we have told the Council that they need to sort this situation out. However, the Council is not listening to residents concerns so we are forced to take further action.”

The groups are inviting local residents to join the protest outside the Local Office at 9.30 on Monday morning – and encourage them to bring a few bags of rubbish of their own to dump outside the office.

There’s no doubt changes introduced to refuse collection – particularly the move to fortnightly bin pickups – has angered many residents, but after initial ‘teething problems’ the new system has settled down and that the sight (and smell) of piles of uncollected refuse is over. Improving? Not so, say the protest group.

TRIP secretary Jon Black, one of the protest organisers, said:  “Every week bins are overflowing, and the situation is getting worse not better. We demand that the council re-introduce weekly collections until people have received their recycling bins, and recycling rates are improved. We want the council to clear up all the rubbish that has been missed in our area.”

Councillor Lesley Hinds is convener of the Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Committee. She said that fortnightly collections were introduced to encourage households to use recycling services available and reduce the amount of rubbish being sent to landfill.

She added: “In Muirhouse and Pilton, recycling advisers have been down twice in the last few months to speak to residents and will continue to do so in the coming months. After discussion with the local community we are looking to put in more recycling points in an effort to encourage more recycling, but people must take responsibility for the amount of waste they produce. I know there have been issues with the implementation of the new service and we need to get that right first, but I hope everyone agrees with what we are trying to achieve.”

What’s your view? Is the system improving or is the council talking rubbish? 

Let us know!

Send us your pictures

 

 

Free movies in Muirhouse

Looking for something to do with the kids on Saturdays?

Well look no further, North Edinburgh Arts and Link Up Muirhouse are to host free family film days. Starting Saturday 3 November from 12.30 you’re welcome to come along and enjoy the film of the day in North Edinburgh Arts Centre’s fantastic cinema!

Films will be shown from 1pm, but children are more than welcome to arrive early and purchase goodies for the film from the tuck-shop. When the film finishes everyone is welcome to head into the library as they staff will be holding a film relevant fun session.

Sat 3rd November – 1pm                               Top Cat

Sat 10th November – 1pm                             The Muppets

Sat 17th November – 1pm                             Shrek 4

Sat 24th November – 1pm                             Brave

These films are totally free and we hope to see many families enjoying them, Parents and carers are more than welcome to come to the Arts centre if they wish and sit in the modern café area whilst younger children watch the film.

So rather than spend time on the streets when it’s cold and miserable why not come to the centre and enjoy the film?

More information please call in to the Arts centre or telephone: 0131 315 2151 or visit www.muirhouseresidents.org.uk/

Robert Pearson