Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

‘Standing firm in friendship’

Council to grant Freedom of the City to leaders of Ukraine

City councillors have reinforced the City’s ongoing solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Councillors came together at yesterday’s full council meeting to unanimously grant the Freedom of the City to the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, and Mayor Vitali Klitschko of Edinburgh’s twin city, Kyiv, in recognition of them standing heroically by their citizens and leading the fight against Russia’s illegal invasion.

The Council Leaders also reaffirmed their support of local humanitarian efforts and help for refugees, confirming that Edinburgh ‘stands ready’ to support victims of the crisis who seek refuge in Edinburgh.

The meeting heard from the Chair of the Ukrainian Association in Edinburgh, Hannah Beaton-Hawryluk, who thanked the city and Council for their ongoing efforts – highlighting many of the horrors being faced by Scottish-Ukrainian residents’ family members and those trying to flee.

In readiness for welcoming refugees to the city, officers are holding daily meetings with the Scottish Government, Edinburgh Airport, third sector partners and other agencies to make sure people are welcomed into safety and receive all the support they need from the moment they land.

This is being coordinated to ensure the best use of resources – whether that be arranging accommodation, transport, interpreters, access to GPs and healthcare, counselling, education, and other vital services.

A helpline has also been set up for Ukrainian arrivals, which will be operated 24 hours a day, and a dedicated page on the council website.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We’re standing firm in friendship with the people of Ukraine, committing to doing whatever we can to help.

“I’m enormously proud we’ve agreed to award the Freedom of Edinburgh to President Zelensky (above) and Mayor Klitschko, recognising all they’ve done and continue to do for their people.

“I hope this decision demonstrates our absolute solidarity and admiration of the people of Kyiv and Ukraine, who have literally taken up arms in defence of their country against this illegal and murderous invasion by Putin’s forces, and I very much hope that, one day, they’ll be able to receive this honour in person.

“I’ve been deeply moved by the footage on all of our TV screens and by the outpouring of support from Edinburgh, as highlighted by the Ukrainian Association’s heartfelt and powerful deputation earlier today. Their members are doing everything they can to support their literal brothers and sisters, who are victims of this war, and to deliver humanitarian aid.

“The money we have pledged will make a huge difference to organisations like this, and we’ll continue to look at further actions in the weeks and months ahead to do everything within our power to help people who are arriving in our city to escape Ukraine. There’s no doubting the enormity of the task to make this happen and I know the Ukrainian community are immensely grateful for the support they’ve had so far.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Today we heard heart-breaking stories of local people whose families are trapped in this war and those who are fleeing. We will do everything we can to welcome those who arrive here with open arms.

“We’ve already witnessed an incredible response from the people of Edinburgh since the invasion began, with tonnes of donations arriving at Ukraine’s borders having been donated, packed and driven by volunteers from Edinburgh. I’m sure we will see this generosity continue as people open their doors to join the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

“As a city, we condemn the actions of Putin’s regime and commend the heroic way in which Ukraine’s political leaders have stood up to lead and defend their nation. The Freedom of the City is a tradition that dates back over 560 years and can only be ‘bestowed upon those who are held in the highest esteem’. It is very rarely conferred in Edinburgh so the unanimous decision at Council speaks volumes about the strength of Edinburgh’s solidarity.”

Following the Council’s decision today, up to £100,000 of Council funding will also be targeted towards local efforts with the Edinburgh Partnership to maximise supplies to Ukraine, support local infrastructure for facilitating donations and transport of supplies to Poland and elsewhere.

Letters will be sent to the Home Office, UK Foreign Office and MOD seeking further clarity and support for refugees and help with temporary accommodation.

In an additional display of solidarity with Ukraine, a ban on Russian cultural events and performances in Council-owned venues has also been set and the Council has ended its relationship with the Russian Consulate, and the Ukrainian flag will continue to fly from the City Chambers.

‘Gangster Capitalism’: outrage over P&O’s 800 illegal sackings

NATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS TO BE HELD TODAY

P&O staff and other trades unionists will join demonstrations in Dover, Liverpool, and Hull today, condemning P&O for sacking 800 staff.

The company, which is funded by the Dubai Royal Family, stunned workers in a pre-recorded Zoom call, when they informed staff that they were being dismissed and would be replaced by cheap agency labour from abroad.

When workers rightly refused to simply accept this despotic decision, private security staff with handcuffs, believed to have been hired by the company, began to drag workers off the ships.



RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “It is vital workers from every industry mobilise for the demonstrations on Friday.

“We need to send a message to ruthless employers and the government alike, that when working people are treated so abysmally, there is a militant response from the trade union movement.

“This example of gangster capitalism which our members in P&O have been subjected, is what lies ahead for other workers up and down the country if we do not all take a stand.”

The demonstration details are as follows: 

Dover:12.00 midday – meet Maritime House Snargate Street, Dover CT17 9BZ

Liverpool: 1.00pm Main Liverpool Port entrance Liverpool L21 1LA

 Hull:  12. 00 midday– King George Dock, Hull HU9 5PR 

Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “This scandalous action is a betrayal of the workers that kept this country stocked throughout the pandemic. Unscrupulous employers cannot be given free rein to sack their workforce in secure jobs and replace with agency staff.

“The Conservative government must not give the green light to this appalling practice and must act to secure the livelihoods of these workers.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “I’m deeply concerned at P&O announcement – due to the importance to Scotland of the Cairnryan/Larne route obviously, but also the impact on 100s of workers.

“Fire & rehire is an appalling practice & offends the basic principle of fair work. @scotgov will be seeking urgent talks”.

While the UK Government has made no official comment, Defence Minister James Heapey told BBC’s Breakfast that P&O Ferries have ‘behaved disgracefully’ but admitted that the company’s ‘despicable’ fire and rehire action is not something the government could have stopped. He said the government will focus on supporting the workers who have lost their jobs .

  • Union body calls on ministers to urgently bring forward an employment bill to end fire and rehire style practices
  • Workers must be reinstated immediately – and P&O Ferries must face serious consequences if they fail to do this, says TUC
  • What happened to P&O workers “can’t ever be allowed to happen again”, says TUC

The TUC has called for the “scandalous” treatment of P&O workers to be a “turning point” for workers’ rights in the UK.

The union body says ministers must bring forward an employment bill now to stop workers from “being treated like disposable labour”.

The call comes after 800 P&O crew were sacked without notice on Thursday and threatened with handcuffs if they refused to leave their ships.

P&O Ferries’ actions appear to be unlawful. But the TUC says these events show that UK employment law urgently needs strengthening to penalise bad employers.

The union body says ministers must use an employment bill to:

  • End fire and rehire style practices and stop companies firing at will: P&O has exploited many of the same weaknesses in the law as companies using the punitive fire and rehire tactics. TUC research published during the pandemic revealed that 1 in 11 (9%) of workers have been forced to re-apply for their jobs on inferior terms and conditions. The law should state that no notices of dismissal can be given until consultation has been completed. Employees should be given protection from unfair dismissal from day one in the job.
  • Increase penalties on companies that break employment law: P&O’s failure to consult staff on their redundancies was unlawful. But companies who flout employment law in this way currently face very low fines and can get away with offering staff measly compensation.
  • Ban other forms of exploitative practices:  More than 1 million workers in the UK are employed on zero-hours contracts and thousands of others are employed in bogus self- employment. The TUC says zero-hours contracts and umbrella companies should be banned.

In addition, the TUC is calling on the government to:

  • Remove DP World (P&O ferries owner) from any government advisory groups: DP World currently sits on the influential UK Government’s Transport Advisory Group.
  • Get around the table with unions representing members in the sector to urgently review government contracts with P&O and ensure livelihoods are protected

Reinstate sacked staff

 All sacked staff must be reinstated immediately without loss of pay, the TUC is demanding – adding that P&O should face serious consequences.

The union body has warned the government that a “slap on the wrist” from ministers would not be good enough.

And the government must put in place measures to ensure that all future procurement comes with a commitment from companies receiving public money to respect workers’ rights. 

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect at work. But bad bosses can still get away with treating staff like disposable labour.

“What happened at P&O is a national scandal – it can’t ever be allowed to happen again. Enough is enough. This must be turning point for workers’ rights in the UK.

“The government must urgently bring forward an employment bill that strengthens workplace protections and that imposes strong penalties on employers who break the law.

“The prime minister vowed to make Britain the best country in the world to work. He has run out of excuses for failing to deliver on that promise.”

On the need for the government to penalise P&O, Frances added: “P&O has acted appallingly. It must be made an example of.

“A slap on the wrist is not going to cut it.

“If the company refuses to reinstate all of its sacked staff it should face serious consequences.”

Police: Catalytic converter theft

Police have seen an increase in catalytic converter thefts recently, they can be attractive items to thieves, due to the precious metals they contain (rhodium, platinum, palladium).

Hybrid vehicles are frequently targeted as they have two power sources, therefore the converter is used less frequently and the metals less corroded.

Vans and SUV’s are particularly at risk, as their high clearance makes access to the exhaust system easier.

To reduce the risk of theft:

 Park in a locked garage where possible, alternatively choose a well-lit, populated area ideally with CCTV.

 Avoid parking half on the pavement and half on the road, this will make it easier for thieves to access the converter.

 In car parks, park alongside other vehicles and face the bonnet towards a wall if possible, to make accessing the cat convertor more difficult.

 Vehicles with low clearance could be used to block access to those with high clearance.

 Welding the bolts securing the cat converter may make removal more difficult.

 Consider using forensic property marking kits (Selectamark / Catloc) which help deter theft and identify stolen cat convertors

 Fit a ‘catloc’ (Secured By Design accredited) to prevent removal of a cat convertor.

 Fit a tilt sensor which will activate the car alarm should the vehicle be jacked up.

For more information, please visit the following websites -Police Scotland: http://scotland.police.uk/…/road…/protecting-your-car/

Secured by Design: securedbydesign.comCatloc: catloc.co.ukSelectamark: selectamark.co.uk/security-marking/

If you see anyone acting suspiciously near to your property or vehicles please contact the police immediately with as detailed a description as possible of any person(s) or vehicle(s) involved.

Please call ‘999’ if an emergency and urgent police assistance is required or 101 to report the matter to the police.

New garden recycling scheme partnership provides solution to plant pot landfill problem

Two industry leading horticultural brands have joined forces to provide gardeners in Edinburgh with a solution to plant pot recycling, preventing further plastic waste ending up in landfill. 

Sustainable plant pot designer, elho, has partnered with nationwide garden centre retailer, Dobbies to provide plastic plant pot recycling bins across 69 of its centres including Edinburgh. This will make it easier than ever to reduce unnecessary plastic waste in the garden and prevent further plastic waste ending up in landfill. 

It has been widely reported that kerbside recycling of plant pots is challenging. Policies vary significantly from council to council, particularly when it comes to black plant pots, which can leave gardeners at a loss with what to do with their disregarded pots. 

Now gardeners can simply take their plastic plant pots and trays to Dobbies Edinburgh store for them to be recycled. The bins provide a simple means of disposing of plant pots in a convenient and environmentally friendly way, rather than having them clutter up garden sheds or adding to landfill. 

This comes as new research from Dobbies Garden Centres reveals that 33% of gardeners in Edinburgh want to recycle more of their garden waste products this spring.  

The survey was based on responses from 2003 UK adults including 147 from Scotland between 4 March and 7 March 2022.  

Both companies are champions of sustainability with industry-leading green initiatives, and the plastic pot recycling bins are the latest innovation in this.

elho places nature at its core and boasts a number of sustainable credentials, including the production of only 100% recyclable plant pots that are made from recycled materials, using 100% renewable wind energy from the company’s very own wind-powered factory in the Netherlands.

Last year alone, the company recycled more than 13 million kilograms of recycled plastic to create its beautifully designed pots. 

Chris Buck, Northern Account Manager at elho, explained: “We’re pleased to be working on this initiative with Dobbies to encourage gardeners to recycle their plant pots, and to make it incredibly easy for them to do so.

“It’s great to be working together to collect plastic garden waste and give it a second lease of life, instead of sending mountains of it to landfill. We wanted to help provide gardeners with a simple, convenient solution to dispose of their plant pots in an environmentally friendly way. When visiting the centre to buy more plants, simply return your old pots – it couldn’t be easier!” 

Dobbies’ goal is for the initiative to provide customers with the knowledge that plant trays and pots they have purchased are recyclable in store. Like elho, Dobbies is committed to delivering environmentally friendly practices, products and sustainable solutions.  

Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies Garden Centres, added: “We are always looking for ways to embed sustainability into our operations, and this is a positive step forward in our #SustainableDobbies journey.  

“Our research shows that gardeners across Edinburgh are passionate about recycling, so while we have encouraged pot recycling for a number of years in-store, this new bin at our Edinburgh store will provide customers with a clear message and opportunity to recycle.”

Only one month left to give renters more rights over pet ownership

Cats Protection is urging the Scottish Government to lead the way in the UK by ensuring responsible renters can keep a cat.

The charity says that the widespread use of blanket ‘no pets’ policies is unfair and outdated, and that an overhaul of how pets are viewed in the rented sector is urgently needed.

With just a few weeks left on a public consultation on the issue, Cats Protection is urging animal lovers to send a message that tenants must be allowed the chance to own a pet.

Cats Protection’s Advocacy & Government Relations Officer for Scotland Alice Palombo said: “The pandemic has really highlighted just how important pets are in our lives – whether it’s providing companionship to people living alone, comfort for those with ongoing health conditions or simply a fun and much-loved part of family life.

“Yet as the law stands, it can be impossible for people who rent their home to own a cat. It cannot be right that pet ownership is largely reserved for those people who own their own home.”

Research from Cats Protection’s Cats and Their Stats Scotland report, published in 2021, shows just how important cats are to people who are able to own them – with 94% of owners in Scotland saying their cat is part of the family and 91% saying their cats bring them joy.

“This consultation is a big step in the right direction and we’re urging the Scottish Government to continue this momentum. Scotland is a nation of animal lovers and it’s only right that everyone should have the chance to own a cat if they wish.”

Joan Todd, 59, an IT support technician from Peebles, was lucky enough to be able to find a private landlady who was happy for her to own a cat. But despite being settled in a long-term let, Joan says she still lives with the worry that she may one day have to give up her much-loved pet cat Hoffen (Hoffy).

She said: “I got Hoffy a couple of months after the first lockdown, and the difference he made to my life has been incredible. Working from home meant I saw very few people, and having him around gave me companionship every day. My landlady is great, and it’s a long-term let, but of course, it does play on my mind that if ever the property is sold I could be faced with a problem finding somewhere that accepts cats.

“My experience has been that it’s very, very hard to find a cat-friendly property – most simply say ‘no pets’. It’s a worry that’s always in the back of my mind, as it would be so heartbreaking to have to rehome Hoffy.

“It just doesn’t seem fair that people who can’t afford to own their own home can’t have a pet, I can’t see how that is right. There definitely needs to be something in place to protect renters like me so we can feel settled and secure in our homes.”

You can support cat owning tenants by using Cats Protection’s simple online form before the consultation closes on April 14 – it takes only a couple of minutes to complete.

Find out more by visiting: www.cats.org.uk/scottish-renters

Covid business support: Missing millions?

A detailed analysis of how Covid-19 business support funding was distributed during the pandemic is not possible due to gaps in data, according to spending watchdog Audit Scotland.

The Scottish Government provided about £4.4 billion of grants and non-domestic rate reliefs between March 2020 and October 2021, mostly paid out to businesses by councils. The government announced a further £375 million of support in December 2021 following the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Steps were taken to improve the management of funding during the pandemic.

But there was not enough focus on gathering detailed data on how money was distributed and how quickly applicants received funding.

This means:

  • The Scottish Government does not have an analysis of the total amounts paid out from the more general schemes to different economic sectors
  • For sector specific funding administered by national organisations such as Scottish Enterprise, around 20 per cent of payments cannot currently be matched to council areas
  • Similarly, information to enable wider analysis of how funding supported specific groups, such as the female owned businesses disproportionately hit by Covid-19, is not available from Scottish Government centrally held data.

 In late 2021, the Scottish Government completed retrospective impact assessments to consider how business support funding addressed inequalities. A retrospective fraud review of funding that councils administered was also carried out.

The government is currently undertaking a large data cleansing exercise to ensure that the datasets for individual funds, including those administered by councils, are complete.

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “These business support schemes were administered at pace in exceptional circumstances. But knowing where the money went matters.

“To get future policy development and delivery right, it will be important for the Scottish Government to fully understand how funding was used to support specific businesses and groups over the last two years of the pandemic.”

William Moyes, Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “Councils’ fraud arrangements are generally robust, but they were heavily relied upon to ensure businesses were eligible for funding during the pandemic.

“Councils will need to continue to work closely with the Scottish Government to ensure a better picture emerges of how money was distributed.”

briefing_220317_supporting_businessesDownload

Responding to the Audit Scotland report, Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “I am pleased that both Audit Scotland and the Accounts Commission have recognised how quickly the Scottish Government was able to establish a wide ranging business support package in order to help safeguard thousands of businesses and jobs.

“This includes providing direct support to over 4,000 businesses and over 5,000 self-employed people who were facing hardship but ineligible for UK Government funding support.

“I am equally pleased this report reflects the unique and challenging context in which new support packages had to be established, and that despite the speed and scale of our response, we were able to work closely with industry, our enterprise agencies and local authorities.

“This helped to ensure the delivery of the business support funding was a shared endeavour and minimised risk and fraud. Without the efforts of our partners, we wouldn’t have been able to deliver this lifeline support at the scale and pace necessary and I thank them for working so closely with us.

“Every decision the Scottish Government has taken has centred around ensuring businesses got the support they needed when they needed it – resulting in over £4.5 billion being allocated to businesses across the country, including around £1.6 billion in rates relief – which is more generous than the other UK administrations so far.

“We will now carefully consider the findings of this report and of course any lessons will be learned, but fundamentally this report shows the decisions we took ensured lifeline support reached key businesses promptly and our economy continued to grow by 7.1% despite the necessary public health restrictions.”

Adoption UK proud to contribute to Jacqueline Wilson’s new novel

Adoption UK has provided expert advice in the end pages of Baby Love, the heart-breaking, compelling, and timely new novel from best-selling author Jacqueline Wilson, out today, 17th March 2022.

Set in 1960, Baby Love is a story for older readers (aged 12+) about teen pregnancy, family trouble and unlikely friendships.

At the end of the novel, Adoption UK provides the reader with context around how both societal attitudes and adoption have changed since the 1960s. It also highlights some of the issues adopted people still experience today – including identity and the complexities of having two families – and signposts anyone affected by any of the topics raised in the novel, to Adoption UK’s helpline.

In Baby Love, Wilson – best known for her much-loved character, Tracy Beaker – recreates the world of suburban 1960, when so many issues were swept under the carpet, and most tragically, when many young mothers were pressured to give up their babies because they were unmarried.

The book follows Laura, whose life changes forever after a French exchange student insists on walking her home one afternoon. 

When her family discover Laura is pregnant, they send her away to a Mother and Baby Home to have her baby given up for adoption.

At the height of the 1960s, more than 16,000 British babies were adopted – many against the will of their birth mothers. The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights is currently holding an inquiry into the forced adoption of babies of unmarried mothers during the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Alison Woodhead, Adoption UK’s Director of Public Affairs and Communications said: “We are so proud to be included in this moving book about teenage pregnancy, motherhood, and adoption in the 1960s, which gives a voice to girls like Laura, who had little choice in how their lives turned out.

“Thankfully, adoption has changed radically since then. Today, a child is only placed for adoption when it is not safe for them to stay with their birth family because of abuse, violence, or neglect. But we owe it to these women and their children to face up to the wrong that was done to them in different times.

“What happened to them is heart-breaking and indefensible which is why we once again call on the Government to do the right thing and apologise to them.”

Learn meningitis signs and look out for your friends

CHARITY MENINGITIS NOW are urging university students across the UK to take a few minutes to learn the signs and symptoms of the disease – as cases rise to pre-Covid pandemic levels.

Every university in the UK could experience at least one case of meningitis amongst its students this term, the charity is warning.

If students fall ill, the temptation might be for them to think they have Covid-19 or a hangover, but it could be something else, including meningitis.

Meningitis is a medical emergency, so it’s vital to recognise the signs and symptoms, act fast and seek medical assistance.

Charity chief executive Dr Tom Nutt said: “We know there are cases happening across the country – we heard of another one at a UK university just last week – and every case is one case too many.

“So today, we’re asking university students to keep meningitis in mind, learn the signs and symptoms and to look out for themselves and their friends.

“The early signs and symptoms of meningitis can be similar to flu and include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and muscle pain.

“More specific signs and symptoms include fever with cold hands and feet, drowsiness, confusion, pale blotchy skin, stiff neck, dislike of bright lights and a rash which doesn’t fade under pressure.

“The rash can be a late sign though and may not appear, so our advice is not to wait for a rash.”

If meningitis is suspected seek urgent medical help by contacting your GP or calling 111. 

During the pandemic, lockdowns used to curb the spread of Covid-19 also led to a decline in other infectious diseases. Meningitis rates were at a historic low until September last year.

Since then, however, there has been an increase in MenB cases among adolescents and young adults in England, ‘particularly in university students’.

Of the Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) cases confirmed among the 15 to 19 and 20 to 24-year-old age groups in September to November 2021, 84.6% (22/26) were students registered at a further or higher education institution. 

Dr Nutt added: “We always feared there might be a rebound against the historically low figures for meningococcal infection we have been seeing during the pandemic, whilst hoping there would not be.

“We are already working hard to spread awareness messages within universities.

“Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself against meningitis. But, with teenagers and young people being far more likely to carry the bacteria that can cause meningococcal disease and as most students will not have been vaccinated against MenB, it is vital they remain extra vigilant, know what to look for and seek urgent medical advice if they or one of their friends becomes ill.”

Meningitis Now has free information for parents and young people and lifesaving Signs and Symptoms cards. Find out more at www.MeningitisNow.org

Anyone affected or with any questions and concerns can contact the Meningitis Now Helpline on 0808 80 10 388 or email helpline@meningitisnow.org.