Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Holyrood committee welcomes Deposit and Return Scheme proposals

Scotland’s proposed deposit return scheme will have a real and lasting impact on tackling climate change, according to a report issued today by the Scottish Parliament’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee.

In its report, the Committee notes that whilst the scheme itself had widespread support, there was disagreement about some aspects of the operation of the system, including what materials should be included, how it will operate and when it will come into effect. Continue reading Holyrood committee welcomes Deposit and Return Scheme proposals

Find Your Feel Good with a free fitness taster event

With a new year always comes new year resolutions and exercise is a great way to boost your mental and physical health.

So start 2020 right and find your feel good with a free fitness and pool taster event at the Royal Commonwealth Pool on Saturday, 4 January 2020 promoting some of its new and established fitness classes. Continue reading Find Your Feel Good with a free fitness taster event

Police Scotland survey

Local policing is central to Police Scotland and we ask that you share your views by completing our survey accessible via

 https://consult.scotland.police.uk/surveys/your-police/

Accessible format available if required:

strategicplanningdevelopment@scotland.pnn.police.uk

On accessing the link, the survey can be completed on-line or via a word version, emailed / posted once complete.   The survey closes on 31 December 2019.     

We would like to know what issues you think we should prioritise, nationally and in your local area, as well as the best methods for communicating with you.

Your views are important to us and we are committed to using this information to shape our policing priorities – both locally in your area and nationally.

We will do this through analysing your feedback and looking at data from a number of other important sources such as local and national crime trends.

What you tell us will also influence how we communicate and engage with you and your community. 

For further information on policing in your local area please visit our website: https://www.scotland.police.uk/your-community/

Your personal information

All personal information will be anonymised and you won’t be identified through the information you provide. At the end of the survey, we ask for personal details, such as age and gender, to ensure to ensure we receive a comprehensive range of viewpoints. We want to listen and understand the views and opinions of diverse communities to ensure our police priorities and focus represent the different people we serve.

By participating you will agree to Police Scotland using your anonymised data for analysis and reporting to contribute to:

  • Your local police plan
  • Police Scotland’s long-term strategy

General Election: IT’S TIME TO HAVE YOUR SAY

On the eve of the most important general election for a generation, the city council’s election staff began setting up for the big day across the city’s 141 polling places.

Elections staff set up a polling place

In Edinburgh 362, 956 people have registered to vote, with 72,664 applying to vote by post. As of yesterday (Wednesday, 11 December) 52,636 postal voters had returned their vote – 72% – though ballots will not be counted until after the polls have closed at 10pm tonight – Thursday, 12 December. Continue reading General Election: IT’S TIME TO HAVE YOUR SAY

A consumer agenda for government

Ahead of the 2019 General Election, Which? has published its agenda for the next government, which sets out the commitments that we want all political parties to make to deliver positive, tangible improvements for individuals across the UK.

The next government should commit to a forward-looking agenda that will make UK consumers’ lives simpler, fairer and safer. It must ensure that consumers can act with confidence, are protected when things go wrong, and have high levels of trust in the institutions and businesses that serve them. We are calling for:

1. Better connectivity – set out an ambitious, joined-up strategy to deliver an improved digital infrastructure that meets the needs of people to be connected at home, at work and on the move.

2. An enforcement system fit for purpose – create a stronger Consumer and Competition Authority to proactively lead on the enforcement of consumer rights and fair trading law, make the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) an independent arm’s length product safety regulator, and reform our alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system.

3. Greater protection from online harms and insecure products – place more responsibility on online platforms and marketplaces to prevent scams, fake reviews and the sale of unsafe products, and ensure that security is built into the design of connected devices.

4. Banking services that work for everyone – guarantee access to cash for as long as it is needed, and ensure all people are protected from Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud.

5. Fair and transparent pensions – enable everyone to understand their entire pensions savings through comprehensive dashboards, address the pensions gender gap, and ensure that all retirement income products are value for money.

6. A future trade policy and food strategy that delivers for consumers – pursue a trade policy underpinned by world-leading consumer standards, consumer rights and enhanced choice, and deliver a national food strategy that maintains the UK’s high food

Read full report here:

Which Election Manifesto 2019 WEB FINAL