Hatching tomorrow: Spring Chickens at Royston Wardieburn!

New activities programme for adults at Royston Wardieburn

RWCC (2)

A reminder that the Spring Chickens starts tomorrow (Wednesday) @ 12pm Lunch Provided. We have the Living Memory Association coming along to the first session … Continue reading Hatching tomorrow: Spring Chickens at Royston Wardieburn!

Schools latest: Solution for Craigroyston

CRAIGIE goes to CRAIGIE: Craigroyston Primary pupils will temporarily relocate to Craigroyston Community High School Continue reading Schools latest: Solution for Craigroyston

To me it’s Home: reflections on a community

Premiere – Wednesday 20 April at 7pm

North Edinburgh Arts

To Me It's Home

I hope you will be able to join us here at North Edinburgh Arts on the evening of Wednesday 20 April at 7pm to enjoy the premiere of ‘To Me it’s Home; Reflections on a Community’.

Made by Angelica Kroeger, this short film features many members of our community.

Funded by Urban Union, as part of the Arts Strategy led by NEA, the film is one of the first artworks created by this ongoing programme. It endeavours to capture a lyrical snapshot our community in a time of change. The film lasts just over ten minutes and we will be serving refreshments in the café afterwards.

Kate Wimpress

Director, North Edinburgh Arts

Holyrood Elections: are you registered?

Scottish Parliament Elections Thursday 5 May

scot parliament

Voters are being encouraged to check they are on the electoral roll with less than  four weeks until the Scottish Parliament Election.

You must be registered if you want to vote on 5 May.

This is the first time 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in an election, other than the Scottish Independence Referendum, following the passing of the Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Bill last year.

Members of the public, including students and people who have moved home since the last time they registered, should check they are on the electoral roll ahead of the registration deadline on 18 April – that’s next Monday.

MAKE SURE YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SAY ON 5th MAY!

Closed schools: contingency plans swing into action

Back to school – at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre?

Royal High senior pupils to return on Wednesday

RHS

The City of Edinburgh Council has drawn up contingency plans to ensure all primary and special school pupils will be back in schools by Tuesday of next week (Monday, ironically, is a school Spring holiday). Continue reading Closed schools: contingency plans swing into action

PPP: chickens coming home to roost?

Edinburgh schools closures: now it’s the blame game

CraigroystonPS

 

News of the extended closure of 17 Edinburgh buildings built under the controversial Public Private Partnership arrangements has reopened the debate on using private finance schemes to fund public projects. And, with an election looming, the PPP issue is a heaven-sent for political parties: an unmissable opportunity to play the blame game, finger-pointing and point scoring.

The strictly non-partisan Cockburn Association, Edinburgh’s civic trust, has previously expressed disquiet over the quality and design of PPP schools. The Cockburn Association wrote to councillors regarding school provision and building quality back in January 2012:

“… we would encourage the Planning Department to work with their colleagues in Education to realize a better outcome both for the quality of teaching space and design of the buildings following a proper appraisal of the capacity for the physical expansion of existing primary schools.

“Perhaps a new primary school built in the north of Edinburgh on the proposed budget of £2200 per sq m would be a far more wise option? The City has a fine history of school building by the Edinburgh School Board from 1870 and their quality is a standard we should return to in the 21st century.”

Teachers’ trade union the EIS is calling for an urgent review of all PPP/PFI deals in light of the schools closures.

General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The EIS welcomes that the safety of pupils and staff is being treated as a priority, while recognising that these short-notice closures will be highly inconvenient for pupils and parents.

“However, we must also question how such significant defaults could escape normal building control scrutiny and we believe it is now necessary for an urgent review of all PPP/PFI contracts, including the terms of the private maintenance contracts which are often both expensive and extremely restrictive.”

With the 5 May Holyrood elections just around the corner, opponents of both Conservatives (who introduced PPP) and Labour (who adopted it) have wasted little time in apportioning blame for the ‘fiasco’. Who would have thought that the PPP debate would raise it’s head again and become an election battleground?

Over the weekend both the Greens and RISE damned their political opponents and today it’s the turn of the SNP to fire a broadside – and the Lib Dems are in their sights, too.

The SNP candidate in Edinburgh Western Tony Giugliano said: ” “This is a critical time for many pupils, as they enter exam period, and everything must be done to minimise disruption and find alternative safe studying environments. I would also encourage Edinburgh Council to do more to support parents with childcare arrangements.

“It’s clear that we need an immediate inquiry into the construction and safety of these schools. We know that the previous Lib Dem – Labour government at Holyrood bullied councils into rolling out PFI – and the result is exactly what we all feared: unsafe, substandard schools.

“PFI has been a disaster for the city of Edinburgh, with taxpayers contributing £40 million each year in repayments for buildings that are crumbling after only 10 years. Not to mention the debt legacy that the construction of PFI hospitals has had on the NHS. It’s utterly unacceptable and parents and pupils deserve better.

“Edinburgh taxpayers can no longer afford to keep paying for substandard buildings and the City Council should re-consider the future of these contracts.”

Meanwhile, efforts by council officials to resolve the problems go on. City council chief exective Andrew Kerr assured anxious parents: ““Officers are continuing to work on contingency arrangements and we will provide regular updates to parents and carers as and when further information becomes available.”

Parents, however, are growing increasingly angry. Thousands of familes are affected by the school closures and they want answers – now.

We’ll keep you posted.

Bright outlook: STV’s Sean to visit local fundraisers

Sean’s stepping out for STV Children’s Appeal

Sean Batty_STV Children's Appeal 2

STV’s popular weather man Sean Batty is to pull on his walking boots for a major fundraising challenge in aid of the STV Children’s Appeal – and is asking people in Edinburgh to join in.  Continue reading Bright outlook: STV’s Sean to visit local fundraisers