Last call: register to vote!

Deadline for registration is MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

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Alex Robertson, Director of Communications at the Electoral Commission, said: “If you aren’t registered by 20 April then you simply won’t be able to vote on 7 May so do it now at www.gov.uk/registertovote. It takes just a few minutes and is far easier than the old, paper based process. There’s been a great response so far and we don’t want anyone to miss out on having their say on polling day.”

The Electoral Commission said recent applications included almost 470,000 online applications from 16 to 24-year-olds but added that its research also suggested there may be as many as 7.5 million unregistered voters.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Monday 20 April. Register now at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Other important dates:

The deadline for receiving new postal vote and postal proxy applications is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2015 and the deadline for proxy vote applications is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2015.

www.gov.uk/registertovote.

A cut above: Granton hosts Xposure heat

The winning students and their models.

Edinburgh College hosted the Scottish regional heat of the Wella Xposure competition to find the UK’s top young hair stylists, with 20 students competing for a place in the final.

Students from colleges across Scotland came to Edinburgh College’s Hair and Beauty Academy for the competition, carrying out cut and colours on models using Wella products. Three expert judges from leading hairdressers watched the students work and, after the models took to the catwalk, selected their winners.

The judges were drawn from top Scottish salons – Jamie McDonald, from Cheynes Hairdressing, Khaliegh Sullivan from Patterson SA Hairdressing and Sammy Galloway from McIntyre’s Salons – chose five winners to go forward to the UK final.

The final will take place in Wella’s London studio in June, where a prize of £1,000 of Wella vouchers and a salon toolkit worth £500 will be won.

Winning students - L-R - Hayley Rollo, Laura Bowman, Marisa Tonkur, Zoe Coull, Shannon Devenney

The students chosen to compete in the final (pictured above) were: Marisa Sonkur, Borders College; Laura Bowman, Fife College; Hayley Rollo, Fife College; Zoe Coull, Moray College UHI; Shannon Devenney, South Lanarkshire College.

Judge Jamie McDonald said: “The competition was really good. The standard of work is just awesome. It’s great to see the college supporting these kids and giving them a chance to be exposed to the bigger hairdressing world. Competitions like this let students see where they can actually go out in the world when they finish college.”

Jamie was also impressed by the Hair and Beauty Academy facilities on offer at the college’s Granton Campus, adding: “The college is phenomenal. Last time I was here two years ago I thought it was amazing, and the work the college has done in the salons since is really brilliant. Again, it gives the students the chance to see what it’s really like to work in a salon environment as opposed to the training room through the back and gives them a real experience of hairdressing.”

Debbie Sloey puts the finishing touches to her model's style

Zara Brown works on her cut

Edinburgh College students Debbie Sloey and Zara Brown (above) were among the 20 competitors, with Debbie (top) following up a recent gold medal at the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists’ annual UK-wide competition.

Frances Bain, curriculum manager for hair, beauty and complementary therapies at Edinburgh College, said: “Wella Xposure is a fiercely contested competition and we are very proud of Debbie and Zara getting through to the Scottish heats as this reflects the high standard of work they both produced.”

The college’s Hair & Beauty Academy at Granton is split into a beauty salon, spa and the college’s Wella Centre of Excellence salon, and includes Scotland’s first college ‘eco’ hair and beauty academy. The new academy is the first of its kind to provide a range of environmental features, including a ceramic fuel cell that uses hydrogen to convert gas to electricity and produce hot water as a by-product.

The academies are open to staff, students and the general public and offer a professional quality service for good-value prices.

Edinburgh College offers a wide range of hair, beauty and complementary therapy courses. Applications are currently invited for these courses and more than 900 other courses across the curriculum offered by Edinburgh College and starting in August on its four campuses. See www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk for more information on how to apply.

Latest news from Trinity CC

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Trinity Community Council met on 13 April. Here are the main points – and please note the annual walkabout this Saturday:

CRIME

Police have focussed considerable resource on housebreaking with one particular arrest reckoned to account for a lot of the problems. Other arrests include a youth riding his motor bike at speed through Victoria Park and a housebreaker in Lower Granton Rd.

Nothing beats good security – lock windows/doors, set alarms, light timers and motion lights in gardens. Best of all, get to know your neighbours and keep an eye out for each other’s property. Maybe set up a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme? Savings on house insurance alone will repay the effort!

A high speed chase through Trinity involving an unmarked police car raised concerns about risk to pedestrians. We have received assurances that the police vehicle was driven by a trained and authorised Roads Policing Officer and the pursuit was only undertaken following a careful assessment of risk. The culprit was eventually apprehended and charged.

Is there new LED street lighting where you live? Does it properly illuminate the street? It seems it isn’t fully effective everywhere depending on the distance between lampposts. CEC are trialling adjustments as a possible remedy.

FORTH NEIGHBOURHOOD PARTNERSHIP REPORT

Some highlights from the first of what will be a quarterly report on the performance of local services:

Refuse collection – short of target but trending closer and showing the benefit from a new system to quickly identify missed bins.
Park maintenance – both parks still show high ratings but concern from residents about the impact of staff cutbacks on Victoria Park.
Anti Social Behaviour Complaints resolved – improved sharply in February as newly trained recruits came into service.
Overall Residents’ Satisfaction – Forth overall has a poor showing on this. We have asked for separate figures for Trinity.
We have also asked for information on road repairs. While we are concerned about how often roads are dug up CEC cannot coordinate as utilities can give almost no notice of road works.

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WALKABOUT – SATURDAY 25 APRIL (10-noon)

This year’s walkabout reviewing potential issues and community investments will start outside Wardie Primary School then via Afton Terr, Netherby Rd, Boswall Rd, down Wardie Steps to Wardie Bay and Lower Granton Rd. Then Trinity Rd Lane, back to the walkway via 5-Ways Junction and finishing at Trinity Academy/Victoria Pk. Do join us!

PLANNING APPLICATION – 127 TRINITY ROAD …

… has been withdrawn and will be resubmitted as the Firemaster is requiring improvements to the adjoining lane.

GRANTON HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT

We received an update from Granton and District CC which contained some disturbing messages about the behaviour of the developer and property management company and the patchwork nature of ownership which potentially will lead to piecemeal development and inadequate provision for road and school infrastructure.

Exacerbating everything is a lack of clarity concerning basic facts such as the applicability of planning consents. We have given our support to Cllr Jackson to convene a meeting of all interested parties to clarify matters. We support the principle of development but not at any price.

EAST TRINITY ROAD

City of Edinburgh Council have now written to local residents setting out plans as described in last month’s newsletter – with one important difference. Trialling single yellow lines will NOT now be included in the 6 month monitoring period only their potential use. This appears to meet concerns emailed to us by various residents.

TRINITY ACADEMY STUDENT COUNCIL (TASC)

Trinity CC held a stimulating and productive meeting with TASC when we discussed walkway safety, bike security, litter bin provision/emptying, and renovation of the basketball and tennis courts in Victoria Park. We plan to repeat these meetings every six months with pupils also being encouraged to attend TCC meetings.

HAPPY EASTER AT STARBANK PARK

The Easter Friday event was a great success. Over 200 parents and children enjoyed the morning and a net £350 was raised. In addition, Keep Scotland Beautiful has awarded £250 to establish a fernery. Consideration is now being given to how the two annexes of the current building might be best used. Ideas such as a cafe, gallery or exhibition space (but not toilet) are all being considered.

Do you have an idea for further events in the Park? Let us know and we’ll pass it on.

FOUR TOPS (TRINITY OCCASIONAL PIPERS SOCIETY) …

… have offered their support to other similar worthy causes. Do you have an event planned? Let us know. We’ll put you in touch.

PUBLIC TOILET CLOSURES

CEC are consulting on closure of up to 10 public toilets in order to save around £300,000 pa. Granton Square and Canonmills are included in the list. You can express your view at: https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/public-toilets-survey

NEW FACE. NEW PLACE.

We are grateful to Wardie Parish Church for hosting this and our remaining meetings this year. Welcome, also, to Kevin Taylor, the new representative from Wardie Parent Council.

Next meeting will be held on Monday 11 May then AGM on Monday 8 June. Both starting at 7 pm in Wardie Parish Church, Primrose Bank Road. Open to all. Join us if you have something to say or simply want to listen.

Did you find this useful or informative? If so, why not show it to a neighbour? Anyone in Trinity can subscribe to the bulletin simply by emailing tcc-comms@outlook.com Or drop us a line and tell us what you think could be better.

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Sitting In Silence

Local band’s new release is out today

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Twin City Records are very pleased to announce the release of ‘Sitting In Silence‘ – the brand new single from local five- piece The Indos.

The band continue to raise the bar musically with this new offering as well as growing their fan base not only in Scotland but throughout the UK. The single was recorded, mixed and mastered by Mark Morrow in his newly refurbished Edinburgh studio in February this year.

The follow up to their debut EP ‘Fifty Shades of Blue‘ will be out as a digital download only.

Please listen or download the track using the link:

https://soundcloud.com/twincityrecords/the-indos-sitting-in-silence-radio-edit/s-2P95c

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