Day: March 13, 2025

Starmer: I will reshape the state to deliver security for working people

  •  New era of global instability means Government must go further and faster in delivering missions.
  • PM to take on ‘cottage industry of checkers and blockers slowing down delivery for working people’.
  • Digital revolution underpins moves to a more agile, effective and active state – refocused on delivering Plan for Change.
  • Tech and AI teams will drive improvement and efficiency in public services with 2,000 new TechTrack apprentices.
  • Taxpayer’s money saved by slashing waste on pricey contractors.
  • Costs of regulation to be slashed for businesses to boost growth that puts more money in working people’s pockets.

The Prime Minister will today set out how he will “go further and faster in reshaping the state to make it work for working people.” 

Reflecting on international events of the last few weeks, he will say that national security is economic security, and therefore “the fundamental task of politics right now is to take the decisions needed on national security, to deliver security for people at home.”

The Prime Minister will set out his belief in the power of “an active government that takes care of the big questions, so people can get on with their lives.”

He will share his diagnosis that the state has become bigger, but weaker and isn’t delivering on its core purpose, before outlining his mission to reshape it. He will say that the new global “era of instability” means that the Government must double down in delivering security for working people and renewing our nation.

The intervention follows the Government’s step change in approach to regulation and regulators, following the abolition of the Payments Systems Regulator as the Prime Minister commits to a government wide target to cut administrative costs of regulation by 25%.

New plans announced to support delivery will include new AI and tech teams sent into public sector departments to drive improvements and efficiency in public services. One in 10 civil servants will work in tech and digital roles within the next five years with 2,000 tech apprenticeships turbo charging the transformation.

The moves come as the Government slashes the costs of red tape by a quarter for businesses.

It is expected the Prime Minister will say: “The great forces buffeting the lives of working people, and an era of instability driving in their lives, the need for greater urgency now could not be any clearer. We must move further and faster on security and renewal.

“Every pound spent, every regulation, every decision must deliver for working people…If we push forward with the digitisation of government services. There are up to £45bn worth of savings and productivity benefits, ready to be realised.

“And that’s before we even consider the golden opportunity of artificial intelligence. An opportunity I am determined to seize.”

Fundamentally reshaping the way the British state delivers and serves working people by becoming more tech-driven, productive, agile and Mission focused will be set out alongside further detail on the digitalisation of public services and the wider British state.

The approach will be underpinned by the mantra that “No person’s substantive time should be spent on a task where digital or AI can do it better, quicker and to the same high quality and standard.”

The digitisation will include the sweeping modernisations, a new apprenticeship scheme, TechTrack, will bring 2,000 apprentices into public sector departments by 2030, making sure the UK Government has the skills needed to overhaul public services using tech – creating new opportunities across the country and delivering on the Plan for Change.

DSIT unveiled this week that initial tests of an AI helper for call centre workers included in the bundle, built in partnership with Citizens’ Advice, showed that it could halve the amount of time it takes call handlers to give responses to complex questions on anything from consumer rights to legal support.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “There is a £45 billion jackpot to secure if we use technology properly across our public sector – but we can’t hope to come close to securing that if we don’t have the right technical talent with us in government.

“Not only will these changes help fix our public services, but it will save taxpayer cash by slashing the need for thousands of expensive contractors and create opportunities across the country across the country as part of our Plan for Change.”

Fringe benefits: £300,000 Scottish Government support for ‘one of Scotland’s signature events’

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced new funding to support the world’s largest performing arts festival.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society will receive £300,000 from the Scottish Government in 2025-26 to help grow the significant benefits the Fringe delivers for Scotland’s economy, society and culture sector.

The funding will enable work in two areas agreed between the Scottish Government and the Fringe Society, firstly to develop the capabilities of the Society’s data and digital infrastructure to make it more accessible for artists, audiences and venues.

Secondly, it will fund work to explore how the Scottish Government and the Fringe Society can help Scottish artists and the sector as a whole capitalise on international opportunities, by targeting agreed priority countries and regions.

Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “The Fringe is one of Scotland’s signature events. From humble beginnings in 1947, it has grown to become the world’s largest performing arts festival, making it a significant economic contributor to Edinburgh, and Scotland as a whole.

“This agreement recognises firstly, that the Fringe Society does not neatly fit into the funding streams available to other culture organisations. Secondly, that there is ample opportunity for the Fringe Society to work more closely with all the other organisations who play an important role in making the Fringe the annual success that it is. 

“The Scottish Government is committed to working with the Fringe Society and all partners who deliver, it to help safeguard the future of the Edinburgh Fringe as a world leading cultural asset, built on the principle of free access for all.”

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said: “We welcome this new funding and thank the Scottish Government for recognising the unique position that the Fringe Society has. This will undoubtedly contribute greatly to Scotland’s economy, society and culture sector and we hope that this is a first step towards long-term funding for the Fringe Society. 

“It is vital that the Fringe Society can continue to provide much needed core services to the thousands of artists who come to the festival every year and who recognise it as a global marketplace and expo. A sustainable Fringe Society can use its convening role to unlock support for the wider Fringe from the imminent visitor Levy.

“We look forward to working with Kate Forbes and the Scottish Government on developing a long-term sustainable funding model, and welcome this investment into both digital infrastructure and international opportunities.”

Social Bite Village on the move?

COUNCILLORS APPROVE RELOCATION TO NEW WATERFRONT SITE

Social Bite, renowned for its ground-breaking efforts to combat homelessness, has welcomed Edinburgh City Council’s approval of the relocation of the charity’s supported accommodation facility to a new site at Granton Waterfront.

Councillors voted in favour of the move, ensuring that support can continue for up to 16 residents at any given time. Each person who finds a home at the Village has experienced homelessness, and the supported accommodation aims to break the cycle by providing round-the-clock support and reintegration into community living.

Despite a recommendation by the Housing and Planning Committee to reject the proposal due to concerns about the site’s alignment with Edinburgh’s greenbelt targets, councillors unanimously overturned this recommendation.

They cited the charity’s excellent use of greenspace for community gardening—with 50% of the site committed to such purposes—noting that the Social Bite Village contributes to the city’s efforts to effectively use greenspace. Other comments of support highlighted the project’s “overriding benefit to the community and public.”

This significant vote to overturn the recommendation means the proposal will now be submitted to Scottish Government Ministers for a final decision.

The new site, which will continue to be managed by fellow homelessness charity Cyrenians, is less than a mile from the current Village in Granton.

It was selected following a resident survey that identified local amenities and greenspace as important factors, enabling residents to carry out daily tasks such as shopping and commuting to work. The proximity to the Granton seaside was also a key consideration.

The relocation will bring a refresh to the Hub, a communal area where residents can cook, gather, and relax. Additionally, the new location will introduce seven redesigned and improved one-bedroom “Nest Houses,” developed in response to resident feedback.

Social Bite and Cyrenians, which has managed the Village since its inception in 2018, have collaborated to ensure a smooth transition for current residents.

The decision to relocate was prompted by the planned end of the current lease on land donated by Edinburgh City Council, which is part of phase one of the Granton Waterfront development plans. The original lease term was five years and later extended by an additional two years.

The pre-fabricated houses were designed for easy relocation, allowing the charity to make use of a “meanwhile site” that would otherwise have been unoccupied. This adaptability is a key part of Social Bite’s innovative approach.

Josh Littlejohn MBE, founder of Social Bite, said: “We’re thrilled that Edinburgh City Council has approved our planning application for the Social Bite Village today.

“We’d like to thank the councillors for visiting the proposed site and for suggesting a hearing to learn more about how this valuable project will contribute to the Granton regeneration programme.

“We look forward to the next stage and to working with Edinburgh City Council to make a real difference for people experiencing homelessness in Scotland today.”

At the end of their stay at the Village, residents receive support transitioning to permanent accommodation and employment. To date, the Edinburgh Village has helped over 120 residents, many of whom have secured jobs and moved into their own homes.

For more information on the Edinburgh Village, visit: 

https://www.social-bite.co.uk/what-we-do/the-edinburgh-social-bite-village/

No more meetings. Time for  action!

UPDATE FROM NORTH EDINBURGH PARENTS ACTION GROUP

North Edinburgh Parents Action Group held their 3rd meeting with senior housing staff at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre at the end of last month.

The meeting was  well attended by local  people affected by housing issues but unfortunately there were fewer senior  staff in attendance than previous meetings which the group felt was disappointing.

The  meeting focused on a number of key issues which have been raised by local people including :  

  • overcrowding and a shortage of larger houses  in North Edinburgh, 
  • poor standards of repairs,
  • issues with  Edindex,
  • lack of support to tenants allocated PSL (Private Sector Leasing) properties, and
  • inaccurate information contained in progress reports on individual cases.  

Local people presented each of these issues to the  Director of Housing  and his staff  and  pointed out that most of these issues  had already been brought to their attention at the previous two meetings and in their publication ‘SOS – North Edinburgh’s Housing Emergency’ which was published last May.  

It was also pointed out that since then the group have raised other issues which are affecting tenants who have been housed in temporary accommodation and nothing has been done to address these issues.

Commitment from Director of Housing

The Director of Housing acknowledged people’s frustrations and reassured the meeting that his team were working  on these issues and  were developing new ways of working which he hoped would improve the service. 

Furthermore, he agreed to take the following action in response to the latest information people had shared about their experiences :

  • To meet with the Chief Executive of PSL to highlight all the complaints people have raised and to clarify how the system works
  • To invite a senior member of the new build team to the next meeting to provide information on the numbers of houses available for social rent, particularly larger properties and new properties which can be adapted.
  • To provide a written response to all the issues raised in the group’s report
  • To organise regular  drop-in sessions locally to enable tenants to access housing staff who are able to provide support and information on a variety of housing-related issues.

Enough is Enough

Although the group welcomed these commitments, there was also a feeling of disappointment  and frustration at the lack of progress in tackling the area’s housing problems. 

People also felt disheartened that after all these meetings senior housing managers were unable to provide  answers to things they should really know about.

Susan Rowand, chairperson of the parents group, said: “We were shocked at the fact that people in this position didn’t seem up to speed or familiar with their own systems. 

“We need to have confidence that those at the top understand  what is  going wrong and have a plan to put it right.”

No more false promises

The meeting was also attended by representatives from Low Income Families Together (LIFT) who reported that they were dealing with the same issues in Muirhouse on a daily basis. 

Pauline Bowie, Manager of LIFT said: “As well as changes to the system, there needs to be a  commitment by Council Officers, local Councils and MSPs to ensure that the changes are enforced.   We don’t want any more  false promises. 

“Many of the properties people are stuck in are uninhabitable and would  never make it onto the Edindex housing bidding service.  These properties  are offered as PSL to reduce the numbers of people  in temporary accommodation and to reduce the level of support required by the CEC housing support services. This needs to change now.”

North Edinburgh Parents Action Group