Day: November 23, 2012

Police drop-in sessions at Millennium Centre

Officers from Drylaw’s Safer Neighbourhood Team are to hold regular Police drop-in sessions at Muirhouse Millennium Centre. 

PC Sharon Carr said: “The first two sessions are Wednesday 5th and 19th December from 11am – 2pm, and in the New Year the January dates are Wednesday 9th and 23rd, again from 11am – 2pm. It’s an opportunity for local people to pop in and chat about any policing issues or concerns they may have in an informal setting.”

For further information contact Drylaw Safer Neighbourhood Team on 0131 311 3131.

Doublespeak at Drylaw Telford!

It promises to be a busy evening with not one but two presentations at Drylaw Telford Community Council’s final meeting of 2012, which takes place a Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre off Groathill Road North on Wednesday evening at 7pm.

Scottish Hydro’s Simon Gray will be giving timely advice on energy efficiency, while Selby Richardson of architects Urban Design Features will be giving a presentation of plans for the new skatepark which received the green light last month.

Lots happening at the centre next week – as well as the monthly community council meeting and all other regular activities Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre’s annual general meeting is taking place on Friday 30 November at 6.30pm.

All welcome at both events.

 

 

Award for Gala organisers

West Pilton and Muirhouse Community Gala’s committee have received an award for their achievements. The group, which managed to plan, organise and deliver a very succesful Gala in just a few short weeks (an even arranged some sunshine!), was highly commended at this week’s Children and Families Achievement Awards at the Assembly Rooms.

Committee chair Sean Gardiner said: “We were nominated for the award by Edinburgh Council’s local Community Learning and Development team and, out of 8000 entries, we were selected as finalists. The event was hosted by Grant Stott (pictured below at the Gala) from Forth One who was extremely happy to see an event he had been involved in had gone so far!”

 

Letters: paying the price

Dear Editor

Every week people when shopping find prices are rising quite sharply; there is no hiding this fact.

Government spokespersons express surprise at the inflation rate of nearly 3%, which is based on a lower calculation anyway. Perhaps the world in which they live a rise of 10p or 20p on an item means nothing.

More and more people search for cheaper ‘own brand’ items when shopping – sometimes it works, other times the size or weight has been reduced so the price rise is hidden.

If th Government can put a freeze on wage increases or restrict them to 1% or 2%, then they can restrict price rises to the same level; this can be done in the name of ‘fairness’, to which they constantly refer!

This restriction on gas, electricity and oil suppliers is long overdue – the increases they have announced for starting this winter are amoral and shows their complete indifference to the hardship being caused.

Pressure must be put on officials of all kinds – whether they are MPs, MSPs, councillors, gas and electricity companies or supermarkets – to take very seriously the question of price rise restriction.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

 

Green award for Drylaw gardeners

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre is being celebrated by national environmental volunteering charity, The Conservation Volunteers. As part of the charity’s regional Green Heroes Awards, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre is being recognised for the positive environmental impact it has made in Edinburgh. 

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre was presented with the Community Award and was chosen for their outstanding commitment to volunteering and inspiring positive environmental change in Edinburgh with The Conservation Volunteers.

Elizabeth Graham, Community Engagement Coordinator at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre (picured above, left) said: “Our volunteers put a lot of hard work and enthusiasm into the gardening project so it is great for this to be recognised by TCV. Everyone is welcome to come and help in the garden so we are a diverse group of people and everyone plays their part. Our main focus this year, thanks to funding from Scottish Natural Heritage, has been recording the species we have and building on this to increase the biodiversity of the area.”

Through their involvement in local conservation projects, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre has created a wildflower meadow, planted a wildlife hedge, worked with two local schools to help them grow their own, and planted two community-managed orchards.

The Conservation Volunteers’ Green Heroes Awards recognise winners from six categories: Partnership, Volunteer of the Year, Project Leader, Community, Green Skills and European awards.

Chris Peach, TCV Scotland who nominated Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre said: “We’re delighted to be acknowledging Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre who has given such an enormous amount of time and energy to conservation in Edinburgh. Without Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre providing their unwavering support and commitment we would not be able to enjoy the green spaces in Edinburgh we love and use every day. We hope that by highlighting the work of Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, it will inspire others to get involved in protecting the green spaces in Edinburgh and ensure that they remain here for future generations to enjoy.”

For more information about the Conservation Volunteers’ Green Heroes Awards visit: www.tcv.org.uk

End to illegal charges for private tenants

The law covering what fees letting agents and landlords charge private tenants has been clarified. The Scottish Parliament has voted to approve secondary legislation so that all tenant charges, other than rent and a refundable deposit, will not be permitted.

From November 30, the law will now also allow any charges in relation to the UK Government’s Green Deal that may be attached to a privately rented property. The current legislation, the Rent (Scotland Act) 1984, has not been explicit enough about additional charges such as reference checks, credit checks and inventory fees. The move follows a consultation launched earlier this year on how to deal with unfair and illegal premiums.

It is estimated that there are around 500 letting agent businesses in Scotland involved in around 150,000 private lettings per year.

Minister for Housing and Welfare Margaret Burgess, said: “The vast majority of Scotland’s letting agents and landlords operate in a professional and above-board manner, and play an important role in the Scottish private rented sector. I am pleased that the legality of pre-tenancy charges has been clarified. This Government was determined to end the illegal practice of charges such as holding deposits and reference checks. The law is now clear on this matter and will help remove a barrier that will make the private rented sector more accessible for a wide range of individuals and families.”

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, added: “This is great news for everyone who has been ripped-off by unscrupulous letting agents.  It will finally put an end to this unlawful practice and ensure that tenants are no longer exploited. Shelter Scotland has been campaigning all year for these fees to be outlawed.  Our reclaimyourfees.com web site has proved so popular that already more than a quarter of a million pounds worth of claims against letting agents have been made using our free step-by-step toolkit. Moves like this can only strengthen Scotland’s private rented sector and help make it a fairer and more secure place to live for the 270,000 households that now call the sector home.”