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Crackdown on housebreaking continues

‘All reports of housebreaking are being thoroughly investigated in Edinburgh and we are arresting people every day for these offences’ – Superintendent Alan Porte

A second man has been arrested and charged as part of an ongoing investigation into a housebreaking and theft in Craigcrook Road on 24 March.

A Honda Civic and Volkswagen Passat were stolen during the incident and were later recovered in the West Pilton area. Following continued enquiries an 18-year-old was detained at his home in Granton Mill March and charged with the break-in and theft of the vehicles.

He is scheduled to appear in Edinburgh Sherriff Court.

In a separate development two men have been arrested and a vehicle recovered during further Operation RAC activity in Edinburgh.

Plain-clothes officers attended at Harrison Park in the early hours of Friday morning (22 May) following reports from the public of a group in possession of a motorcycle.

A 21-year-old man was subsequently detained and a Yamaha bike seized. The motorcycle was established as stolen from nearby Harrison Road and the male was charged.

He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow (Monday 25 May). Police are following a positive line of enquiry to trace others believed to have been involved in this offence.

Superintendent Alan Porte said: “Those responsible for breaking into people’s homes and stealing their valued possessions, such as vehicles, may think they are immune to the law. However, we continue to demonstrate through Operation RAC that this is not the case.

“All reports of housebreaking are being thoroughly investigated in Edinburgh and we are arresting people every day for these offences.

“We will continue to actively pursue anyone involved in acquisitive crime and our communities can help us by reporting any suspicious activity they witness, as well as ensuring they keep their homes, outbuildings and businesses appropriately secured at all times.

“If you have information relating to housebreaking in your area, or wish to receive information on crime prevention then please speak with your local policing team or contact Police Scotland on 101.”

More money for mental health

‘Mental health services are an absolute priority of this government’ – Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health

An extra £85 million will be invested in improving mental health services over the next five years, the Scottish Government announced today.

The money is on top of the existing £15 million fund for mental health innovation, announced last year, making a total additional investment of £100 million over the next five years.

The fund will partly be used to further improve child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) services, and bring down waiting times. There has been a significant increase in demand in recent years, with a 35 per cent increase in the number of young people starting treatment over the last two years. This is thought to be mainly because more people are seeking help. It will also be targeted at improving access to services, and in particular psychological therapies.

Further areas of focus will be better responses to mental health in primary care, promoting wellbeing through physical activity, and improving patient rights, which is one of the elements of the forthcoming Mental Health Bill. Third sector service providers will be key to delivering new services, and there will be a focus on innovation and providing services in community settings.

There has already been significant investment in improving mental health services. The Scottish Government has already committed to invest almost £7 million in CAMHS this year. This is in addition to the new £100 million fund.

More than £16 million has been invested specifically in developing the CAMHS workforce since 2009. Staffing levels are at an all-time high and have risen by 45 per cent since 2008.

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, said: “Mental health services are an absolute priority of this government. These are some of the most vulnerable people in our county and it’s vital that the health service is properly equipped to give them the support and treatment they need.

“We have been investing heavily for a number of years, and waiting times have come down significantly, despite an unprecedented rise in the number of people seeking help. Scotland was the first country in the UK to have a mental health waiting times target – a sign of how importantly we view this issue.

“There is still more work to be done. I’m delighted to be able to announce this £100 million investment which will make a real difference to people right across Scotland.”

You’re in for a TReat at Granton Campus

Edinburgh College will open its larder and put on a feast for the city and surrounding communities at its second annual Treat food and drink festival on Thursday (28 May).

Treat is a celebration of the talents of the college’s hospitality students, who will show their skills and give guests the chance to sample their work. The festival also celebrates the fantastic food and drink produced in Edinburgh and the Lothians, with local companies coming to show their produce.

Treat will take place at the college’s Granton Campus on 28 May from 4-7pm, with a £5 entry fee. The festival will showcase the college’s students, curriculum and training restaurant facilities, demonstrating how it is developing the top chefs of tomorrow.

Students and lecturing staff will serve food and carry out live cookery demonstrations to show the range of food preparation skills that are taught at the college.

Students will be serving samples of delicious hot dishes for just £1 each, with one sample included in the entry price. There will also be kebabs and burgers prepared by butchery students, fresh smoothies, and confectionary on sale.

More than fifteen local suppliers will be tempting visitors with a range of delightful delicacies including African-inspired cuisine, olive oil and speciality products from Spain, nut- and gluten-free baking, and urban edible garden growing kits. There will even be gourmet dog treats on sale to keep furry friends’ tastebuds tingling!

The Granton Campus training restaurant, The Apprentice, will host a drinks zone, with free tasters of wine and premium Scottish cider.

The event will also be raising money for the college’s charity of the year, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home (EDCH). Representatives from the charity will be at treat to talk with visitors about their work caring for lost and abandoned dogs and cats. There will be a prize draw on the day to raise much-needed funds for the charity.

This is the second year of the treat festival, after last year’s successful event attracted more than 400 hungry people from around Edinburgh and the Lothians to fill their bellies with top-quality food.

Carol Fyfe, head of the Tourism & Hospitality Academy at Edinburgh College, said: “We are delighted to be bringing back treat, Edinburgh College’s food and drink festival, for a second year. The festival is a fantastic opportunity to focus on our talented cookery and hospitality students providing an insight into their exceptional talent and dedication to their craft.

“Treat also gives visiting food lovers the chance to pick up top tips from our lecturing staff, while giving those who may be considering studying a hospitality and professional cookery course at the college a taste of what to expect. We are also pleased to be supporting the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home.”

Treat takes place at Edinburgh College Granton Campus, 350 West Granton Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1QE on Thursday 28 May at 4-7pm. Tickets £5 and are available on the door.

The festival is focused on celebrating and showcasing the college’s hardworking, skilled students, while promoting the curriculum, the college’s training restaurants and the college itself as a destination for success.

Domestic Violence: let’s talk

WHAT CAN WE DO TO TACKLE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

Stop Domestic Violence meeting

Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership public meeting

Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership

Public Meeting

Monday 25 May 6.30pm

Blackhall Library

Come along to the Inverleith NP meeting on Monday at Blackhall Library!

If crime is an issue for you, please come and hear what’s being done and what you can do to reduce risks!

Hibs v Rangers: Safety advice for football fans

Police have issued an appeal for fans to behave ahead of the crucial Hibs v Rangers SPFL play-off second leg at Easter Road this afternoon.

Over 12,000 spectators are expected to attend at Easter Road Stadium for today’s game, which kicks off at midday, and a significant police presence will be in place to identify anyone in possession of alcohol, fireworks or flares.

Anti-social drinking in the surrounding streets will also not be tolerated and officers will be enforcing the Edinburgh by-law in this regard.

In addition, officers will be assisting stewards to carry out searches outside the ground to prevent illegal or prohibited items being smuggled in, including explosive or combustible materials.

Fans from both sides are urged to ensure their behaviour does not put themselves or others in danger.

Superintendent Phil O’Kane said: “This is a significant fixture in the SPFL Championship play-offs for both clubs and we want all supporters to enjoy the day.

“Police will be patrolling around the stadium with a focus on stopping anti-social street drinking and fans will be subject to searches as a condition of entry to the ground.

“Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe and while the behaviour of the vast majority of Hibs and Rangers fans is exemplary, the reckless conduct of a small minority could place others in danger.

“Anyone found to be in possession of these items, or any other objects that are not permitted within the stadium, will be refused entry and may face further police action.”

Forth Bridge likely to become World Heritage Site

‘To have the bridge inscribed as a World Heritage Site would be a tremendous accolade for the bridge itself, for the local communities it spans and for Scotland as a whole’ – Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs

The Forth Bridge is a step closer to becoming Scotland’s sixth World Heritage Site.

The agenda has been published for the forthcoming annual World Heritage Committee, which will decide whether the iconic bridge is to be awarded World Heritage Status.

The papers for the committee’s 39th session, to be held in Bonn in Germany from 28 June until 8 July, include a draft decision to inscribe the Forth Bridge as a World Heritage Site. It is the strongest signal yet that the Forth Bridge could be in line for a place on UNESCO’s prestigious World Heritage List. This follows a recommendation from official UNESCO advisors at the international conservation body ICOMOS.

Responding to UNESCO’s draft decision, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government is delighted that UNESCO has published its draft decision to inscribe the iconic Forth Bridge as a World Heritage Site, which would be Scotland’s sixth site on the list.

“Together with Network Rail, Transport Scotland and the other partners in the Forth Bridges Forum, Historic Scotland has prepared a compelling nomination which presents a strong case for the Bridge’s Outstanding Universal Value. This is accompanied by a Management Plan which outlines how the Bridge will be maintained in the future, together with ways in which the benefits of World Heritage inscription can be maximised.

“A great deal of work has been carried out by officials and local community representatives to get to this point. The recent recommendation by ICOMOS and the draft decision published this week by UNESCO underlines the strength of the case that has been made.

“To have the bridge inscribed as a World Heritage Site would be a tremendous accolade for the bridge itself, for the local communities it spans and for Scotland as a whole. The bridge was nominated by the UK for inscription last year – in itself that process was a celebration of our country’s incredible engineering pedigree and ingenuity. I look forward to UNESCO’s final decision on the Forth Bridge bid in July.”

Scotland already has five World Heritage Sites. They are:

St Kilda – a group of remote islands and sea stacs 100 miles off the west coast of Scotland;

the heart of Neolithic Orkney– one of the richest surviving Neolithic landscapes in Western Europe;

the Antonine Wall – the most northerly frontier of the Roman Empire running right across central Scotland;

the old and new towns of Edinburgh – one of the world’s most beautiful cityscapes; and

New Lanark – a restored 18th century cotton mill village situated in the narrow gorge of the River Clyde and renowned for the enlightened management of the social pioneer Robert Owen.

Unlucky for some: thirteen BoS branches to close

Bye, bye Blackhall: Bank of Scotland branch to close

Bank of Scotland has announced plans to close thirteen branches across Scotland this year. Among the unlucky thirteen is the Blackhall branch on Hillhouse Road. The branches will close by 18 September.

The announcement follows a strategic review of the business which was announced in October last year.

Edinburgh bears the brunt of the closures and is set to lose SEVEN branches. As well as Blackhall the city will lose Fairmilehead, Holyrood, Marchmont, St James Centre, Murrayfield and Sighthill. Four branches will also close in Glasgow and one in Aberdeen. Another branch in Moray closed earlier this month and was replaced with a mobile branch service.

A Bank of Scotland spokesman said: “Our focus has been on urban areas where there is another Bank of Scotland branch nearby. Branches continue to play an important role for us.”

The nearest local branches for BoS customers will be Deanhaugh Street in Stockbridge, 43 Comely Bank or the Barnton branch on Queensferry Road.

The Bank of Scotland news comes hot on the heels of the Royal Bank’s announcement of several branch closures – including Goldenacre – earlier this week. Clydesdale Bank customers – brace yourselves!

Here for you? RBS Goldenacre branch to close

Goldenacre is one of eight RBS branch closures

The Royal Bank of Scotland’s Goldenacre branch is to close on 13 August.

The bank says the decision to close the branch on the corner of Ferry Road and South Trinity Road ‘has not been taken lightly’ and cites a number of reasons for the branch closure, including a decline in the number of people using Goldenacre and an increasing take-up in mobile and telephone banking.

RBS Stockbridge at North West Circus Place will become the new ‘local’ branch for RBS customers when the Goldenacre branch closes in the summer. RBS say they also plan to invest in their Davidsons Mains branch this year.

In a letter to branch customers, RBS Local CEO Debbie Pows said: “Over the next three months we will be actively engaging, helping and supporting our customers and the local community on how they can continue to bank with us in the local area. If you’d like to talk about the decision or about the services that are available in the area you can come into the brnach, call me on 07826 664071 (Minicom 0800 404 6160) or email me at debbie.pow@rbs.co.uk ”

Edinburgh’s Tollcross is another of the eight RBS branches earmarked for closure across Scotland.

Leith housing sails away with award

Sailmaker Apartments make a splash!

The Sailmaker Apartments affordable housing development, built in Leith by the city council and its partners, has won a top industry award. The development of 145 homes took the title of Best Partnership in Affordable Housing at the prestigious Homes For Scotland Awards.

It was built through the National Housing Trust (NHT) scheme in a partnership between the Council, Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), Hillcrest Housing Association, Cruden and Rettie and Co.

Also commended in the same category was Merchant’s Court in Liberton, a Council-funded development of social rent and mid-market rent (MMR) properties which were delivered by Dunedin Canmore Housing Association. The Greendykes C development in Craigmillar, which features 60 MMR and social rent flats, was also shortlisted.

Focused on the theme of ‘Foundations for the Future’, the 2015 awards showcased a commitment to raising standards across the industry and to overcome barriers that can impede the building of much-needed homes.

The ceremony took place in front of an audience of around 900 senior industry representatives and their guests at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Councillor Cammy Day, Housing Convener, said: “To have one project win an award, with another one being commended, is wonderful news, and I’m delighted that the industry has recognised the effort that we are making.

“We’ve trebled the number of affordable homes by around 1,500 a year, and partnerships with developers to build another 1,000 are under way. Developing mid market rent homes through NHT allows the Council to provide high quality and eco friendly houses, to develop empty sites, and supports the house-building industry and the local economy.”