Dear Editor
I would be grateful if you can print a piece on my sixteen year old daughter Gillian, of whom we are very proud. She got an ‘A’ exam result for Art and Design and now has a full-time place at Telford College.
I enclose a picture she took on her mobile while in South Queensferry then painted it onto canvas.
P White
Easter Drylaw Avenue
Dear Editor
We residents in Granton Crescent sheltered housing are writing to complain about the communal paladin bins not being emptied regularly, and when we phone they say they will put it through as a special uplift – but nothing happens!
Sometimes they are not emptied for at least three weeks and the bin men complain about the rubbish lying around in the bin store which they are having to clean up! The driver said sometimes our pallet bins are not on his list – also we are told that our bins would be emptied by the morning squad and not the afternoon squad.
Furthermore, I have asked for fourteen years for the bin store cupboards to be cleaned, as the stench coming from it is unbearable and is travelling into our kitchens.
M McGhee (and neighbours)
Granton Crescent
Dear Editor
So much has been spoken and written about Care; whether in hospital, at home or care home. In the light of investigations and inquiries and some awful revelations there seems to be an agreement that a huge problem exists, and with an ageing population it is a growing one which must be tackled now. Good caring, in all it’s forms, cannot be done on the cheap.
Inadequate funding and gross under-staffing for the work needed is the reality: the exiting staff with best possible intentions cannot give the time and care,both physically and, in particular, the mental attention needed by an individual.
No-one knows the future health needs of ourselves or our families but we can make sure there is an excellent National Health Service: fully trained, fully staffed and fully funded, giving caring care and dignity to our loved ones in their time of need.
A Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
We’re into the second week of the new refuse collection arrangements, and it’s becoming clear that overflowing bins are not necessarily bad news for all …
How are the bins down your way? Is the new system working? Let us know!
Mark Lazarowicz MP has condemned the betrayal of Edinburgh Remploy workers by Government and calls on all sides to work together to support workers made redundant.
The North and Leith MP was reacting to news that the Edinburgh Remploy factory in South Gyle is to close. Mark Lazarowicz MP for Edinburgh North and Leith has attacked the betrayal by the UK Government of disabled workers at the factory and called on Remploy, the Department of Work and Pensions, Scottish Government and the City Council to work together to help find the workers alternative employment.
Mr Lazarowicz (pictured below) said: “The news makes me wonder whether the Government was genuinely seeking to find bids to keep factories open or whether it was simply offering false hope. One of the stated aims of its welfare changes is to support disabled people into work wherever possible – laudable in principle but it is hard to square that with the way that it has treated Remploy workers. Staff will now find themselves out of work at a time when unemployment in Scotland is almost two and a half million. I call upon Remploy, the Department of Work and Pensions, Scottish Government and the City Council to make a concerted effort to help them find alternative employment.”
The factory was reprieved from closure along with other factories in July as the Remploy Board deemed that there was a potentially viable business plan to secure its future, but those hopes have now been dashed.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that there had been an expression of interest in the factory, but that it had gone no further. She added: “We have followed the advice of disability expert Liz Sayce to use the £320m protected budget for disability employment more effectively, to support more disabled people into mainstream jobs instead of loss-making segregated factories. We have put in place an £8m package of employment support for those affected, including a Personal Case Worker to help individuals with their future choices, as well as access to a personal budget.”
Tomorrow’s full council meeting will be broadcast live in an attempt to ‘open up democracy’. Councillors have agreed that City of Edinburgh Council meetings are to be webcast live as part of a one year pilot programme, and the first meeting which can be viewed via the Council’s website takes place tomorrow (Thursday, 20 September) from 10am.
The council hopes that the project will open up democracy in the capital by helping to create a better understanding among members of the public about how the Council works and makes decisions. Viewers can either watch the meeting live or in the archive later. They can also see the reports and documents for each agenda item. Archived meetings will automatically be indexed by both agenda item and speaker to make it easier for viewers to choose items they are interested in.
Lord Provost, Donald Wilson, said: “The Council makes decisions which affect the lives of every single person in Edinburgh. We are committed to improving how we engage with Edinburgh residents and the pilot will be a great tool to help us to be more open and transparent. More and more people access news and information via the internet. Given that my background is in information technology I am very conscious of the need to take advantage of it and use it to engage with our communities and encourage them to take a greater interest in how the Council works.”
You can join in the debate on Twitter #edinwebcast’
Will you be following tomorrow’s Council meeting? Let us know!
A ceilidh in LifeCare House got Stockfest 2012 off to a fun -if frantic! – start last Saturday evening. More of local photographer Jordan Moffat’s brilliant images of the event can be seen on the Stockfest2012 Facebook site.
Great to see Newhaven’s Peacock restaurant is open again. While it’s under new ownership, aficionados of the larger fish will be delighted to hear that The Whale retains pride of plaice place on the new menu!
The bunting’s up (it also came down, but it’s up again!) and Stockfest 2012 gets under way this weekend. There’s a wealth of things for the whole family to enjoy in Stockbridge over the next seven days – see www.stockfestedinburgh.com to find out what’s on.
A time bank lets people earn time credits for the time they spend helping others in their community. It acknowledges that everyone has something to contribute to their neighbourhood and encourages people to share their skills and experiences with others.
Come along, be entertained, find out more and enjoy some food at
Launch of North Edinburgh Time Bank
Thursday 11 October
6 – 8pm
North Edinburgh Arts Centre
15a Pennywell Court
Everyone welcome – for further information email North Edinburgh Time Bank Broker Julie Smith at north.timebank@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk
