Grey skies didn’t deter revellers of all ages going outdoors to join in Muirhouse Centipede Project’s Big Easter Bash last Friday. Everybody had a good time – and not a single case of frostbite was recorded!
Day: April 16, 2013
Botanics CLOSED
The Botanic Gardens are currently closed due to the high winds, although The Gateway remains open and this evening’s Adult Education Open Night goes ahead as planned.
I can vouch for the power of those winds – I’ve just seen my blue recycling box flying past the window and off down the road!
Growing demand produces allotment consultation
![Inverleith7[1]](https://i0.wp.com/nen.press/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/inverleith71.jpg?ssl=1)
Scotland’s Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has launched a consultation to consider the shape of future allotment legislation following the announcement of Government plans to simplify and overhaul Scotland’s allotment rules.
Among the questions being asked are: should councils be required to provide people in their area within a specified timeframe? And should councils have a duty to provide a specific number of allotments in their area per head of population?
Mr Lochhead said: “Growing your own food is continuing to grow in popularity in Scotland and this goes hand in hand with an increasing desire to know where our food comes from. Allotments provide a range of benefits including better health, an opportunity to learn new skills, and an understanding of where food comes from – not forgetting the chance to eat the fruits of your labour.
“We’re committed to helping people to grow their own food and this consultation will consider what changes should be made to the existing legislation to make it simpler and fit for today’s community needs. Many communities have expressed a desire to get back to nature and more involved with growing their own food and that’s exactly what we’re working to make possible.”
The consultation runs until Friday 24 May.
Woman and child rescued from Muirhouse flat fire
A woman and a child were rescued after a fire broke out in the kitchen of a flat in Muirhouse last night.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze started in a second-floor property in Gunnet Court, within Muirhouse View, when a grill pan caught alight just before midnight.
A spokeswoman for the service said a four-year-old girl and a woman, aged 22, were rescued by firefighters.
They were treated at the scene for slight smoke inhalation but did not have to go to hospital.
Anti-‘bedroom tax’ activities – North Edinburgh and beyond
draft flyer local bedroom tax meetings 2
Tuesday 16th April (today!)
DEMONSTRATE
Rally at 9 – 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday 16 April outside the City Chambers. This is when the motion about the Bedroom Tax is going before the Council’s Policy Committee, which starts at 10am.
Show your anger – bring drums and banners, whistles . . .
SPREAD THE WORD
Meet at North Edinburgh Arts Centre (by library at Pennywell) 6.30pm to collect and distribute flyers and posters to publicise the public meeting on 25 April to form the Muirhouse anti bedroom tax group.
Sunday 21st April
EDINBURGH-WIDE ORGANISING MEETING
– to support formation of anti bedroom tax groups city-wide
St Augustine’s Church, George IV Bridge at 2.00 p.m.
All welcome
Thursday 25th April
OPEN MEETING IN MUIRHOUSE
To form the Bin the Bedroom Tax group in Muirhouse
7pm The Millennium Centre, 7 Muirhouse Medway
All welcome
There will also be meetings coming up to form groups in Pilton/ Drylaw and Royston/Wardieburn/ Granton
Draft flyer for distribution to advertise the Muirhouse meeting is attached – it has been updated slightly to reflect opinions voiced at the organising meeting on 11th April – please post any comments or suggestions asap, thanks.
Saturday 4 May
MAY DAY
The May Day march and rally. Assemble 11.00am on Johnston Terrace.
A major theme of this year’s event will be the ConDem cuts to welfare, including the bedroom tax.
North Edinburgh Fights Back
New affordable housing development opens in Leith
The latest affordable housing development in Leith has been officially opened, making a significant impact in the regeneration of the area. Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) welcomed the first of 100 households to a block of new, high-quality properties in Fox Street at a ceremony last Friday.
Speaking at the event to mark the opening of the development, Councillor Cammy Day, Housing Leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “These new modern affordable homes in the heart of Leith represent a significant investment by the Council and Port of Leith Housing Association. It is also a reflection of the shared commitment between the Council and housing associations to tackle the city’s shortage of affordable homes in the city. These new homes will also mean modern family homes and lower energy bills. This is our commitment to helping struggling families deal with the range of financial pressures they face.”
This £13m development comprises 60 social rent and 40 shared ownership homes – where people buy and own a percentage of the property and rent the remainder from the Association. There is a wide range of housing types from one bedroom through to four bedroom main door duplex apartments.
Features include secure underground parking and a central landscaped courtyard. Solar thermal panels located on the roof will provide hot water for a number of properties with condensing gas boilers supplying heating and hot water.
This is the first of a number of affordable housing sites to be completed in Leith and North Edinburgh this year by the Association. Work is currently underway on four other sites and in conjunction with its subsidiary company, Persevere Developments, a further 189 new affordable homes – 101 for social rent and 89 for mid rent – will be completed this calendar year.
Keith Anderson, Chief Executive at PoLHA, said: “Fox Street is a significant development for PoLHA providing access to much-needed, high-quality, affordable housing for local people to buy and rent. This complements our existing affordable housing throughout Leith and North Edinburgh. It is the living embodiment of our commitment to developing vibrant and sustainable communities in homes people want to live.”
PoLHA worked closely with the City of Edinburgh Council which allocated £7 million of grant monies for the development. An additional £6.2 million was funded through private finance raised by the Association and from shared ownership sales receipts.
£61m boost for Scottish colleges
Student support, including funding for childcare, will be increased through additional financial support for the college sector from the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council have set out how the £61 million of additional funding added to college budgets for 2013-15 will be spent.
Focusing on improving attainment, the additional investment over the next academic year (2013-14) includes:
- £1.9 million for additional student support through bursaries and childcare
- £2.1 million targeted for some college regions to meet increased demand
- £6.6 million for an additional learner places, including for women returning to study and part time places
- £4 million to aid the successful integration of newly merging colleges.
Education Secretary Michael Russell (pictured above) said: “Earlier this year the Scottish Government showed its commitment to Scotland’s colleges by adding £61 million to the sector’s budget compared to what was originally announced for the spending review period. Since then, we have been discussing with college representatives and NUS Scotland how to allocate this funding to improve attainment so that more students gain and complete their qualifications, while moving towards a system of large, efficient regional colleges that offers courses responsive to local economic need.
“I am very pleased to be able to map out how we can further support the sector and its students. Increased student bursaries will mean more money in the pockets of our hard pressed students in times of economic difficulty. While full time courses for younger people remain a priority, there will be more learning opportunities for older and part time students, including women returning to study.
“Further funding will also help colleges with increasing demand and help institutions work closely together on a regional basis. This is a substantial investment in a sector with enormous economic importance to Scotland, and I am looking forward to working with the entire sector to ensure colleges continue to deliver for learners.”