The Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC) will meet on Thursday 26 May, at 7pm on Zoom.
(See the Zoom link at the foot of this email.)
*** Agenda ***
1. Presentation by Charlie Raeburn on the ‘Observatory for Sport in Scotland’.
This is a community sports initiative — involving central and local government, as well as the private sector — aimed at tacking Scotland’s health and activity crisis. (See https://oss.scot.)
2. Best practice for community council treasurers? Solutions to banking problems for small organizations? Discussion led by Judy Wightman, EACC Treasurer and Chair of Ratho & District Community Council.
3. Removal of litter bins from parks and greenspaces. Issue to be raised by Tim Parker, Trinity Community Council.
A new study has revealed that Edinburgh is one of the top 5 most profitable UK cities for student landlords to invest in.
With the UK housing market continuing to grow and the rental sector booming, there are enticing opportunities in university towns for student landlords. Yet with 164 higher education options across the UK, which cities should landlords be looking to invest in?
We have worked with CIA Landlords to reveal The Best UK Cities for Student landlords. The student population of each city, the number of households and the average rent in student areas have all been analysed to find the most profitable opportunities for landlords.
EDINBURGH:
Edinburgh student landlords are making over £568,428,420 per year
Edinburgh rental prices cost students an average of £1,285 per month, the 5th most expensive in the UK.
Edinburgh has the 10th highest student population which accounts for over 15% of the city’s overall population.
UK general:
London student landlords are making over £2.6 billion a year in revenue.
Belfast was found to be the 2nd best city for student landlords to invest in the UK.
Reading, Derby and Luton were found to be the least profitable cities.
London has the highest rental prices averaging at £2,569 for students.
Oxford and Bristol follow after London for the highest average student rental charges (£1,788 and £1,544 per month respectively).
You can find the full study on the following link:
Firearms and ammunition can be surrendered at police stations across Scotland as part of a UK-wide firearms surrender campaign.
Running from Thursday 12 May until Sunday 29 May, people in possession of firearms and ammunition, for which they do not hold a valid certificate, will be able to surrender these to police.
In addition to being able to hand in firearms and ammunition, the public will be able to hand over replica firearms, air weapons, BB guns, imitation firearms, component parts and other ballistic items.
The public can hand firearms and weapons to any police station, however are asked where possible to attend at designated locations across Scotland.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “The purpose of the firearms surrender campaign is to remove firearms from criminal availability and therefore reduce the risk of harm to the public and our communities.
“People will be able to surrender unlicensed weapons and ammunition to a number of dedicated police stations throughout Scotland and I would encourage people to do so.”
Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans Keith Brown said: “I would encourage anyone in possession of an unneeded or unlicensed firearm or air weapon to safely hand it over to police at one of their designated police stations.
“Firearm offences remain at historically low levels in Scotland, but by removing unwanted weapons this important campaign by Police Scotland will help keep our communities safe and prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.”
The challenge of reaching net zero in Scotland’s communities is to be explored in a series of visits by a Scottish Parliament committee.
Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is looking at the role of local government and its partners in making a real and lasting impact on the environment. Now the Committee want to see this work in action by visiting projects across Scotland.
The Committee will begin the series of visits by going to Stirling, Orkney and Aberdeen where they will explore how the private sector, third sector, social enterprises and local communities are working with local government to meet net zero targets.
Speaking ahead of the visits, Committee Convener, Dean Lockhart MSP, said: “So many of the key areas in helping Scotland reach its net zero targets sit with local government. Issues such as travel, housing, recycling and the circular economy have a huge impact on Scotland’s environment.
“But we know that local government can’t make this change alone. That is why we want to see how councils across Scotland are working with their communities and building relationships with business and the voluntary sector to embed these changes and make a difference to climate change.
“Our visits will allow us to see first-hand the positive work happening across this country as well as finding out what more needs to be done to make the net zero targets a reality.”
The Committee will be visiting Stirling tomorrow (23 May), Aberdeen on 30 May and Orkney on 6 June.
The South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) has developed a range of new and exciting educational materials about the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands for inclusion in this year’s Hanson Box – an initiative by the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation which donates a box full of fun learning material, activities and lesson plans completely free of charge to 8000 schools in the UK and UK Overseas Territories.
Each year’s box contains a different set of specially crafted resources designed to help teachers inspire their students. For the first time, materials about South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands will be included, thanks to SGHT and the Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT).
SGHT paid for the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands contents of 5000 of the 8000 boxes, with FOTBOT contributing the remaining 3000.
Six beautifully shot and incredibly engaging short films have been created by writer and film maker Stewart McPherson to sit alongside a booklet and a map of the island as well as two competitions whose winning entries will be displayed on South Georgia.
There are also links to download lessons about South Georgia for primary school students developed by teacher Dawn Clements, one of which features the journey of a character called Winona the Whale, to help young children understand the challenges of our marine mammals.
The tiny island of South Georgia is an inspirational place hailed as a beacon of hope in international conservation terms, due to the recovery of its ecosystem.
Through the Hanson Box initiative SGHT can tell the island’s remarkable story to engage young people in the wonderful wildlife and conservation work that is taking place there and to encourage them that they can make a difference to environmental outcomes.
The films really bring to life this amazing story and include an overview of these sub-Antarctic islands, their bird life, marine mammals and marine life, their history and heritage, and the conservation of wildlife that is turning back the clock on two centuries of human impact. Working with the Hanson Box initiative, SGHT hopes to inspire a new generation of environmental custodians.
SGHT, the Scottish-based charity that has developed the educational materials for the Hanson Boxes, has been working on the island since 2005, in close partnership with the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.
Its hugely successful Habitat Restoration Project has reversed two centuries of human-induced damage to the island’s wildlife, eradicating the mice and rats that arrived as stowaways on sealing and whaling vessels from the late 18th century onwards that preyed on ground-nesting and burrowing birds.
As a result, millions of birds reclaimed their ancestral home when South Georgia was declared rodent-free in May 2018 – the largest invasive species eradication in the world.
Stewart McPherson,whose generosity and talent created the wonderful booklet, films, printed lesson plans and competitions for the box said: ‘South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are as captivating as they are important in terms of international conservation.
“That is why it has been a pleasure to work on such an exciting project which brings together such a wealth of information, which I hope will inspire young people to a greater understanding and wonder of our natural world and in particular the importance of these tiny islands.’
Alison Neil, Chief Executive of SGHT, said:‘The work of SGHT focuses on the conservation of South Georgia’s heritage and helping to change the habitat there for the better.
“The opportunity to have materials included in the Hanson Box is incredible as we are delighted to share the wonder of this special place and hopefully encourage young people to get inspired about our natural world using the fantastic turnaround in South Georgia’s fortunes in recent years.’
photographed whilst working on the South Georgia Heritage Trust’s Rat Eradication Project in South Gerogia , Antarctica on February 08 2018. Photo: Oliver Prince
Andrew Fox and Simon Leary, Trustees of the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation, said: ‘We are delighted to work together with SGHT to donate high quality, educational resources to 8,000 schools across the UK.
“As hyper-concentrated breeding sites for tens of millions of seabirds and marine mammals which migrate across the Southern Ocean, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are of global importance.
“The South Georgia resource pack included in the latest Hanson Box is intended to inspire the interests of British students in this history, wildlife and landscapes of this fascinating UK Overseas Territory, as well as showcasing the inspiring work undertaken by the SGHT and the GSGSSI to safeguard these islands for the future.’
To find out more about the work of SGHT in relation to the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands visit www.sght.org and to find out more about Hanson Boxes visit www.hansonbox.org
Children’s Minister Clare Haughey is encouraging more people to consider fostering.
Currently, around 500 additional foster families are required to provide stable and nurturing homes for children who cannot be looked after at home.
Ms Haughey said: “Fostering is an amazing experience. I know this because I grew up in a family that fostered and fully appreciate the positive benefits of what a loving fostering environment can do to improve the lives of children and young people.
“All children are different, and we are looking for new foster carers from a variety of backgrounds and with different life experiences, skills and qualities to help meet the needs of our young people.
“I know that deciding to foster is a big step, and I am asking people to consider carefully whether they could provide the love and stability that some of our children and young people need.”
Iain Wilson, who, with wife Anita, has been a foster carer for 22 years, said: “Fostering is part of our lives and our birth children’s lives. It’s not always easy, but there are so many kids out there who need a home and an adult who will be there for them and commit to them.
“Fostering is certainly not a one size fits all, but when you’re sure of your reasons for wanting to foster and have the facilities to be able to, why wouldn’t you? It’s about giving young people the time, space, and ability to blossom into the people they want to become.”
Read foster carer Laura’s story about how little Abbi has thrived in her care:
Today our thoughts are with the people of Manchester. We remember in particular the families who lost loved ones and those who were injured and had their lives shattered because of the Manchester Arena attack on the 22 May 2017. Five years on you are still very much in our thoughts.
We remain committed to playing our part to strengthen public safety. We continue to work with the private security industry, the police, and the Home Office in the pursuit of this goal. We will continue to do so in support of greater public safety for everyone.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragic events at Manchester Arena, at this time.
Heather Baily, Chair, Security Industry Authority
Michelle Russell, Chief Executive, Security Industry Authority
Help reduce carbon emissions – one full double decker bus takes 70 cars off the road
Bus and coach operator, Stagecoach, is celebrating Scottish Bus Week (23 – 29 May) with a range of activities to encourage Scots to ditch their cars and try the bus.
The campaign, run by #LovemyBus, is an opportunity to celebrate bus and the role it can play as a solution to the environment, levelling up, and connecting communities. It is also a chance to show gratitude to those working to provide essential services now and during the pandemic.
The operator has a range of planned activities across the Scottish regions to raise awareness of the crucial role buses play in local communities.
The campaign encourages a shift from car to bus use, but also helps reduce emissions, where the average bus journey emits only half of the Co2 per kilometre than the average car journey.
Community celebrations will include pop-up events in Ayr and Kilmarnock bus stations and a flash mob on an open top bus at Ayr beach. Stagecoach and the Scottish Bus Week team will be handing out freebies, competitions and chatting with communities about the important role bus plays.
The #LovemyBus youth team will also be visiting local primary schools in East and South Ayrshire for some fun activities and games and classes will benefit from a tour of the latest Alexander Dennis electric buses.
In East Scotland, there will be a free shuttle bus from Dunfermline Bus Station (stance 13) to the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum on Sunday 29 May for those who want to mark the occasion and see a selection of the best-preserved vintage buses in Scotland. Entry to the museum costs just £5 for adults, or £3 for children and concessions. Alternatively, a family ticket can be purchased for £12, which includes two adults and two children.
For those who want to join in on the celebrations online, the team at West Scotland are running a Bus Bingo competition every day a new bingo card will be posted on the companies Twitter account @StagecoachWScot, play along while you’re travelling to work or to school and share with friends.
Sam Greer, Stagecoach Regional Director for Scotland said: “The #LovemyBus team do a brilliant job of raising awareness of the benefits of using the countries bus and coach networks, and helping towards a modal shift from cars to public transport.
“The teams across Scotland have planned lots of celebration and activities for our people, customers and communities to get involved and back the bus.
“There has never been a more important time to take action to address the climate emergency and play a part in helping Scotland deliver on its net zero ambitions and by reducing car use and opting to use public transport, we can reduce our carbon footprint to help meet these targets.”
For more information about the activities in your area, visit:
Stagecoach officially opens new customer contact centre in Perth, offering improved customer service to communities across the UK
Demonstration of continued commitment to customers and communities served
New centre has created over 60 full-time roles
Improved seven-day a week service with extended opening hours
Marks key milestone in its customer transformation strategy
Stagecoach opened its new customer contact centre on Thursday, based at its headquarters in Perth.
Stagecoach UK Managing Director Carla Stockton-Jones officially launched the contact centre with local authorities and industry bodies.
Customers from right across the UK can now use the new one-stop phone and digital contact point. The new multi-skilled team of over 60 new customer service advisors and team leaders will operate an improved seven-day a week service and will move to fully extended opening hours on weekdays and weekends within the year to align better with how people travel.
Customers can still contact Stagecoach in the usual way via Twitter, Facebook or email and a dedicated advisor will be on hand to support their enquiry. In addition, from this week, customers can now call 0345 241 8000 and speak to someone in the new customer contact centre.
There will be one easy point of contact that customers can use to speak to a member of the Stagecoach team on any queries they have, including questions about timetables, feedback on services, help with smartcards and lost property.
Major investment is being made in a new customer relationship management system to help provide tailored support, better understand customers’ end-to-end journeys, and quickly address any emerging common issues.
Carla Stockton-Jones, UK Managing Director for Stagecoach, said: “This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to providing the best possible service to customers in our drive to a cleaner, greener country and also marks another major milestone in our customer transformation strategy.
“I am proud of our team who have worked incredibly hard to introduce our new customer contact centre. This is an exciting and major step forward in our plans and from this week, our new customer service team will be serving our customers right across the UK.
“There is a huge opportunity to attract people to more sustainable public transport in the years ahead as national governments look to move to net zero. Delivering the best experience to every single customer is central to helping people make the switch away from cars to public transport.”
David Littlejohn, Head of Planning and Development & Chief Planning Officer for Perth and Kinross Council helped to officially launch the event and said: “Stagecoach’s history in Perth stretched back more than four decades and this is a tremendous vote of confidence in the city and its workforce.
“Sustainable transport is crucial in the fight against climate change and this new customer contact centre will make it easier for people to leave the car at home and travel in a more environmentally-friendly way.”
Pupils in Scotland celebrated national Walk to School Week (16-20 May) with a series of events and a special guest.
Walk to School Week is organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking. Families are encouraged to walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ for the week to see the big differences that come from small steps, from healthier and happier children to fewer cars outside the school gates.
Pupils at schools in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Shetland, Stirling, Moray, Orkney, Renfrewshire, Thurso and Wick were joined by Strider, the Living Streets mascot for a series of events to celebrate Walk to School Week.
Living Streets is working with Scotland schools to deliver WOW – the walk to school challenge in over 120 schools.
WOW is a pupil-led initiative where children self-report how they get to school every day using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker. Pupils who travel actively at least once a week for a month are rewarded with a WOW badge.
Chris Thompson, Schools Manager, Living Streets Scotland said:“Walk to School Week is a fantastic excuse to celebrate the many social, health and environmental benefits that come from walking to school.
“Schools across Scotland are working really hard to get more active on the school run and reduce congestion outside the school gates. We were thrilled to take Strider along to meet some of the pupils swapping the school run for a school walk on what was Strider’s furthest visit north!”
Suzanne Carson Headteacher at Gilcomstoun School, Aberdeen City said: “It is wonderful to be part of a national campaign inspiring children to think about how they get to school while promoting their health, fitness, and mental welling which is a key focus area for our Eco Warriors and our Health and Wellbeing Ambassadors.
“As a city centre school we promote active travel – walk, scoot and if you need to come by bus or car, getting off the bus early or parking further away and striding the last part of your journey to school.
“We hope the enthusiasm for choosing greener ways to travel lasts beyond Walk to School week and that our pupils are encouraged to consider the importance of sustainable travel.”
Mrs Caroline Leask, Road Safety Lead, Sound Primary School, Shetland said:“Sound Primary School are delighted to be selected as Living Streets feature school and are thrilled to welcome Strider to launch the WOW challenge.
“Our pupils are enjoying taking part in the Walk To School challenge each day and earning their badges. The campaign has encouraged pupils to take more active journeys to and from school whilst also being ECO friendly in their travel options.”
Elaine Skinley, Road Safety Officer, Shetland Islands Council, said:“The WOW walk to school resource is great for schools as it increases active travel and encourages pupils to walk to and from school.”
