Day: May 19, 2025

Edinburgh based housing association secures £13m funding injection

  • £13m refinancing loan from Royal Bank of Scotland enables Manor Estates Housing Association to continue to maintain and improve the quality of its affordable housing while delivering new homes in South Queensferry.
  • Funding injection forms a key part of the bank’s commitment to invest £7.5bn into the UK affordable housing sector between 1 January 2024 and year-end 2026.     

Manor Estates Housing Association Ltd (MEHA), a registered social landlord and charity based in Edinburgh, is celebrating its 30th anniversary as it secures a £13 million funding injection from Royal Bank of Scotland.

The organisation, which has been providing social housing in Edinburgh since 1995, will use the funding to refinance a former housing loan and the balance will be used to fund MEHA’s mission to maintain and improve the quality of its affordable housing.

With around 1,100 homes across the capital, MEHA has a long-standing commitment to delivering excellent housing services, developing new housing, with effective governance and financial management to secure the long-term future of the organisation. As proof of MEHA’s commitment to housing, they have recently completed the first phase of a new development in South Queensferry.

This support from Royal Bank of Scotland is part of the NatWest Group’s broader ambition for the UK affordable housing sector to fund £7.5bn across the UK between 1 January 2024 and year-end 2026. 

Kathryn Miller, Corporate Services Director & Depute CEO of MEHA, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Royal Bank of Scotland and are looking forward to a long and positive working relationship between both organisations.

“Part of the new funds will help fund improvements in our housing stock over the next few years.’’  

Jamie Landa, Real Estate Finance at Royal Bank of Scotland, commented: “Royal Bank of Scotland and the wider NatWest Group continues to be one of the leading lenders to the UK social housing sector.

“Manor Estates Housing Association (MEHA) has a long history in providing quality and affordable social housing in key regions of Edinburgh and the East Coast and we are delighted to be able to facilitate further support for their ongoing projects here in Scotland.

“As the organisation enters its 30th year in operation, it is great to help it prepare for the future and create opportunities for more people to enjoy access to affordable social housing.”

This funding injection comes after Royal Bank of Scotland concluded a lending transaction of £19 million for social housing developer Eildon Housing Association, with the Housing Association planning to deliver nearly 800 new homes in the Scottish Borders.

More information on Royal Bank’s social housing ambitions can be found here.

Enhancing the environment in Murrayfield

MAJOR £3 MILLION PROJECT TO START NEXT MONTH

Work on a major £3million project to protect an iconic Edinburgh watercourse from rags, wet wipes and other sewer related debris gets underway next month.

From Sunday 8 June 2025, Scottish Water will be working on the A8 Corstorphine Road in Murrayfield, upgrading a storm overflow that protects homes and businesses from flooding.

Senior Project Manager Ethan Gillies Denning said: “Sewer related debris in the Water of Leith has been a recurring problem after spells of heavy rain.

“The outfall is designed to divert excess rainwater into the watercourse, but unfortunately it isn’t screened.

“While less than one per cent of the waste water comes from toilets, if people have flushed wipes or plastic items, they can end up in the natural environment which is a real problem.

“This project will help to prevent anything larger than 6mm making it out of the sewer network and into the river.”

The A8 Corstorphine Road will be reduced to one lane under two-way traffic lights between Ormidale Terrace and Murrayfield Gardens for approximately six months.

This is to allow new screens and spill chambers to be installed to the existing outfall which is located under the road surface.

Scottish Water’s Improving Urban Waters programme is a £500million package of additional investment to improve water quality through increased monitoring and reporting, and targeted infrastructure projects to significantly reducing sewer-related debris and spills.

Working closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Scottish Water identified priority storm overflows for improvement or replacement.

Under the banner ‘Draining the Rain, Enhancing the Environment’ over 70 improvements will have been delivered by the end of 2027 benefitting watercourses across Scotland. More are in design for delivery beyond 2027.

The infrastructure programme is being carried out by Scottish Water’s alliance partner Caledonia Water Alliance.

Tiny Plates: Tuesdays at PCHP

How messy can you get? Pretty messy, in our experience! No problem, though. We fully believe in telling our little ones to “play with your food.” How else would they get the chance to explore flavours and textures and then decide what they want to eat?

Everything we prepare for you and your tiny people is colourful, delicious, and ultra-nutritious. We want you to explore food with your child, share ideas of what works for you, or learn new ways to offer new foods to your little ones. Most of all, we want you to have fun in a relaxed atmosphere with other mums and littles.

If you live in Granton, Pilton, Muirhouse, Drylaw, Royston or Wardieburn, and you’re a mum, grannie or auntie who is caring for your under 5, and you’d like to know more about healthy food, weaning or picky eating, then you can sign up here:

https://forms.office.com/e/X81msFBkPA

Tiny plates currently runs on Tuesdays from 1pm until 2.30pm

🍎🍐🌽🥕🥝🍅🫐🫑🥑🍠🍇🍉🍓

Tickets on sale for John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture

Major exhibition to feature over 80 works, including never-before-seen sketchbooks

Tickets are now on sale for John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture, opening on Saturday 31 May.

The exhibition offers the public a rare opportunity to view over 80 works by one of Scotland’s most celebrated artists. Many of these works, including a selection of Bellany’s private sketchbooks, will be displayed publicly for the first time.

Curated by Bellany’s close friends and colleagues, Bill Hare and Sandy Moffat, the exhibition spans five decades of the artist’s prolific career from the 1960s until 2013. Over two floors of the City Art Centre, this captivating exhibition invites visitors into Bellany’s world through the lens of his own self-exploration.

John Bellany was one of the most prolific and fearless self-portraitists in history, obsessively documenting his own image throughout his lifetime. From his early student studies in the 1960s to the epic pictorial narratives of his later years, Bellany’s works reveal the artist’s complex relationship with himself, his identity, and the world around him.

A particularly special element of the show is the inclusion of Bellany’s sketchbooks, personal visual diaries kept throughout his life, now generously loaned by his family. This is the first time they will be on public view.

Culture and Communities Convener Cllr Margaret Graham said: “This exhibition promises to be real highlight of the year.

“It is a great privilege to bring such a collection together and for many of the works to be brought into the public eye for the first time. It will offer visitors a fresh perspective on a much-acclaimed giant in Scottish art who was born in East Lothian.”

Curator Sandy Moffat, said: “The exhibition will feature a number of works which have never been shown before including sketch books, drawings from his student days and his last self portraits, offering a unique opportunity to see these works for the very first time.“

The exhibition is accompanied by a publication featuring a foreword by Helen Bellany and essays by curators Bill Hare and Sandy Moffat.

In addition to the exhibition, a rich programme of events has been developed to offer deeper insights into the artist’s work, his personal life, and his ongoing legacy.

One third of employers think AI will increase productivity

More than a third (35%) of employers think that artificial intelligence (AI) will increase productivity, according to a new survey.

Workplace expert Acas commissioned YouGov to ask employers in Britain what they thought was the most important benefit of AI at work.

The survey also found that:

  • 12% thought AI would give a competitive edge.
  • 11% thought it would increase knowledge.
  • 11% thought more work would be done with fewer staff.
  • 11% thought there would be no benefit.

Acas Chief Executive Niall Mackenzie said: “Our survey shows optimism amongst some employers about the potential for AI to boost their productivity, decrease costs and increase knowledge.

“Used responsibly, AI has the potential to empower workers and support the delivery of different workplace tasks.

“Businesses should be proactive in having early discussions about AI with staff, trade unions, and other worker representatives to understand the potential implications and ensure its adoption is well-informed. A good clear policy will help businesses stay safe, transparent and reassure staff that they are valued.”

Some top tips for employers from Acas on the use of AI at work include:

·       Employers should develop clear policies regarding the use of AI in the workplace and should consult employees and any representatives on its introduction. If there is an expectation that certain roles begin using AI, that could mean a change of terms and conditions.

·       Employers investing in AI should highlight how it can improve employees’ roles and reassure staff that human involvement will still be needed.

·       Organisations should remember that AI is not perfect, so outputs should be checked for accuracy, tone and bias. AI should be cited when used and staff may require training on how to get the best outputs.

·       A company’s data privacy policies will apply for the use of AI, and it is wise to check with your IT team for approved platforms. Employees should be careful entering any information that is business sensitive or personal into public tools. Any information that you do enter could be made public or used by others, so check company policies on the use of AI in the workplace and be aware of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

There is a lot of debate around the introduction of AI at work and a growing recognition of the need for more detailed guidance around its use. Acas stands ready to influence the debate and help inform government policy making.

Acas held a special conference on 15 May 2025 where experts debated the introduction of AI in workplaces. It discussed the type of new roles and opportunities that AI could create and the risks employers should consider when introducing AI.

For more information please visit https://www.acas.org.uk/conference-2025