First meeting of new Forth Neighbourhood Network tomorrow
New Neighbourhood Networks are being set up across Edinburgh. They will bring together community groups, voluntary sector organisations and local councillors to identify what matters to their neighbourhood. Continue reading Neighbourhood Partnerships, no more: now it’s Neighbourhood Networks
A new partnership to unlock access to the private rented sector for homeless people across the city has been launched with national homelessness charity, Crisis.
Help to Rent Edinburgh will provide a range of services for tenants who the Council have assessed as homeless to widen their rental options beyond social housing, which often has long waiting lists. This will allow people to move on from temporary accommodation more quickly.
Support will include advice in navigating properties available for rent and entitlement to local housing allowance. The service will also provide help with budgeting, leases, inventories, arranging viewings and finding flatmates where necessary.
The scheme will also include a deposit guarantee provision for landlords so that people who would struggle to pay this expense up front are not excluded from renting. Similar to a cash deposit, this gives landlords peace of mind by providing protection against any damage or arrears and is guaranteed to be paid by the scheme if problems arise.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing and Economy Convener, said: “Because of the pressures on social housing in Edinburgh homeless households are having to spend too long in temporary accommodation while waiting for a permanent home. We have to help people find ways out of homelessness that don’t just rely on social housing and that has to include the private sector.
“Crisis have a wealth of experience in housing and homelessness, so it’s good to have them working in partnership with us to deliver what will be a transformative project. This is about the public and third sectors working with private sector landlords who understand that they can play an important role helping us to tackle homelessness.
“And it will also make it easier for many households and families at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, to find a permanent, settled home. If you are a landlord in Edinburgh I would encourage you to find out more about Help to Rent as, if you do, you will absolutely play a part in improving people’s lives in our city.”
Grant Campbell, Skylight Director for Crisis in Edinburgh, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Council to provide this much-needed service.
“So many people across the city are currently struggling to leave homelessness behind, in part because the costs of renting can make finding a stable home hugely challenging. Landlords who agree to let their properties to homeless individuals, couples or families are playing their part in supporting people into settled housing and allowing them to move on with their lives more quickly.
“I would encourage any landlord with a property to think about joining Help to Rent, not only will it genuinely help more people out of homelessness but you will also get the security of a named contact for the duration of the tenancy and support in finding new tenants making the process easier for you to manage.”
Crisis is employing two new staff members to manage the scheme and prospective tenants will come through the Council’s Housing services. The initial aim is to secure 40 tenancies within the first year of the three-year contract.
Young people from across Scotland have set out their vision for how mental health services in Scotland should be accessed and operated. Continue reading Youth Commission calls for action on mental health services
A total of 281 organisations from across the UK, including three from Edinburgh, have received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service this year, it was announced today. Continue reading Winners of the 2019 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service announced
This Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June) the UK’s leading feline welfare charity is celebrating survey results which show its volunteers are full of pride and the feel-good factor. Continue reading Feline Good! Cat charity volunteers have the feelgood factor
Communities will face less disruption with new standards to manage road works and speed up the installation of fibre broadband. A national code of practice will see the standardisation of faster and more modern techniques for trench digging for improving utility services.
The development of more compact cables has seen modern techniques, such as requiring narrower holes and less excavation required, increasing the speed of delivery. The technique also safeguards the roads by reducing the need for return visits to repair failed trenches.
As well as broadband cable installation, this will mean shorter periods of disruption for power, water and gas works who use this technique.
Connectivity Minister Paul Wheelhouse (above) visited a Virgin Media dig to see a new broadband installation taking place and discuss the new code with the installation team. He said: “The Scottish Government has listened to the views of companies who tell us that narrow trenching can help companies deliver fibre broadband faster and with less disruption to communities.
“We understand that utility companies operate in a competitive market. They are therefore constantly looking for ways to improve their efficiency and to reduce their costs in order to keep ahead of their competition. This has led to innovation in how infrastructure, such as broadband, is deployed.
“We have updated the code to enable narrow trenching to take place consistently, and in a manner which protects our pavements and road network, and this has the added benefit that will result in the faster deployment of broadband across Scotland and a reduction in the disruption communities face during the roll out itself.”
Julie Agnew, Regional Director for Scotland at Virgin Media, said: “As Virgin Media continues to invest in bringing ultrafast broadband to more areas of Scotland, this new code gives much needed clarity for networks to be built in a fast, flexible and efficient way with minimal disruption.
“We thank the Scottish Government for working with us and creating an environment that encourages and supports broadband builders like Virgin Media.”
The Code of Practice comes into force immediately.
Enjoy exploring Edinburgh’s Open Streets today from 12 noon to 5pm. This is the second Open Streets event and follows the first phase of the programme, which aims to create a people friendly route around the Old Town and includes the Royal Mile, Victoria Street, Grassmarket and Cockburn Street.
Activities and areas to visit:
| Activity | Time | Location | Further information |
| Just Eat bike hire | 12pm- 5pm | City Chambers, High Street | |
| Hoola hoop extravaganza | 12pm to 2pm | West High Street | This drop-in workshop will have you hoola hooping in seconds. No experience required, hoola hoops provided, everyone welcome. |
| Edinburgh all-ability bike trials | 12pm to 4.30pm | West High Street | A range of adaptive bikes to help people to cycle regardless of age, background or ability. |
| Spokes stall | 12pm to 4pm | West High Street | Promoting safe active travel with a focus on cycling and maps for Edinburgh and the Lothians. |
| Street games | 12pm to 5pm | High Street | Connect 4, chess and badminton. |
| Play on pedals | 12pm to 3pm | Grassmarket | Fun learning for p3 to p5-aged children. |
| Literary walking tours | 12pm to 5pm | John Knox House, Canongate | Explore Edinburgh’s Netherbow area – pick up your self guided tour from the Scottish Storytelling Centre. |
| Arts for all | 12pm to 4pm | Canongate | The Cranny are holding a pot luck picnic, inviting local residents in the Canongate to bring some baking or a dish to chat about the new community centre and ideas for gardening and arts projects. |
| Children’s crafts | 12pm to 4pm | Chessel’s Court | Come and make tissue flowers and chalk a butterfly selfie. |
| Reading havens | 12pm to 5pm | Sandeman House Garden; Chessel’s Court Garden; Old Tolbooth Market; Canongate | Free books on offer in a quiet reading haven. |
| E-bike trials | 12pm to 4.30pm | Victoria Street/Grassmarket | Come and try and e-bike with Hart’s Cyclery. |
| Hip-hop dance performance | 1.15pm to 1.35pm | West High Street | Display by youth company House of Jack followed by a chance to join in and learn some hip hop. |
| Circus skills | 2pm to 4pm | Canongate | Free circus skills for all ages, including spinning, twirling and juggling. |
| Tai Chi Display and Taster Sessions | 3pm and 4pm | Parliament Square, High Street | Free to join in – bring something comfortable to wear. |
| Royal Mile walking tours | 2.30pm and 3.30pm | City Chambers, High Street | Meet at the City Chambers in the quadrangle for the free tours, approx. 50 minutes. |
| Yoga sessions | 2.30pm to 3.30pm | Canongate | Come and have a go – free sessions. Bring something comfortable to wear – 4 x 15 minutes. |
| Swing dancing | 3.30pm to 4.30pm | West high Street | Get inspired and join in. |
Streets closed on 2 June
The following streets will be closed to cars and other vehicles from 12pm to 5pm, except for blue badge holders and bicycles.
There will be barriers in place for everyone’s safety. Events staff will manage access to the area for emergency vehicles and blue badge holders.
Additional bike parking will be available across the area.
For more information, email the Open Streets team on openstreets@edinburgh.gov.uk.
