Councillors have agreed to move forward with an extensive consultation process on Firework Control Zones for this autumn.
Since 3 March, local communities have been invited to apply for their area to be a Firework Control Zone (FCZ). Following a four-week application period, an eight-week consultation will now take place.
The consultation process will include discussions on areas that saw significant disorder in 2024 – Niddrie, Sighthill/Broomhouse, and Gracemount/Moredun, and will also consider any new local FCZ applications submitted before 31 March.
Culture and Communities Convener Val Walker said: “By expanding and refining our Firework Control Zones for 2025, we are taking proactive steps to enhance public safety and ensure that our communities can enjoy Bonfire Night in a safe and responsible way.
“The feedback we received from last year’s zones has been invaluable, and with a thorough consultation process, we are giving residents a voice in shaping these important decisions. We are committed to reducing anti-social behaviour while promoting a safer and more enjoyable experience for all.”
The consultation will run until May, with the final outcome being presented to the Culture and Communities Committee in August.
In 2024, four FCZs were established across Edinburgh, based on assessments from Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and Council data.
These zones—Balerno, Calton Hill, Niddrie, and Seafield—operated from November 1 to 10 and were aimed at tackling firework misuse and anti-social behaviour.
The feedback and results from these zones will also help inform the planning for 2025.
Public sector spending on the third sector in Scotland has frozen
Public sector funding to Scotland’s voluntary sector has dropped by £177million in real terms since 2021, a new report has found.
Research by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) shows the amount of public money provided to third sector organisations froze between 2021 and 2023.
The SCVO ‘Public Sector Funding’ research report found a 5% cut in real-terms funding, meaning organisations across Scotland are being asked to continue providing vital frontline services with a pot of money now worth less.
SCVO has consistently called for public bodies to implement a new Fair Funding model to help charities, voluntary groups, and social enterprises to thrive and provide greater security for our people.
The national membership organisation for the voluntary sector said this must include longer-term funding of three years or more, and sustainable funding that includes inflation-based uplifts, full cost recovery, including core operating costs, and pay uplifts.
Public sector funding – around half of which comes from local authorities, and a third of which comes from the Scottish Government – should also accommodate paying staff at least the Real Living Wage, which organisations in receipt of public money are required to pay their staff.
SCVO also continues to push for funding to include provision for the additional costs that medium and large voluntary sector employers will face as a result of increases to Employer National Insurance Contributions.
The calls for Fair Funding come at a time when voluntary sector organisations are increasingly required to make use of their reserves, with SCVO research showing a decline in cash reserves – particularly in those organisations who deliver public sector contracts.
These pressures, including the real-terms cut in public sector funding, underline the need for the Scottish Government and other public bodies to implement Fair Funding across the country.
SCVO Chief Executive, Anna Fowlie, said: “We know the times are tight for the public sector, and we appreciate that in that context even standstill funding is sometimes seen as a win.
“However, at a time when demand for support from voluntary sector services is rising, including as a result of cuts in public services, it is simply unsustainable to expect the voluntary sector to find the £177million shortfall that these figures tell us our sector is facing.
“Voluntary organisations do not have ready access to other sources of funding: public fundraising and trading income has also been impacted by the cost of living crisis. That leaves many organisations using their reserves to fund this deficit, which may provide a temporary solution, but over the long term is wholly unsustainable.”
SCVO Head of Policy and Research, Kirsten Hogg, added: “In addition to rising demand and rising costs, voluntary sector employers face additional pressures going into the new financial year.
“Medium and large voluntary organisations that employ staff will be hit by changes to employers National Insurance contributions, leaving the sector to find at least an additional £75m annually.
“Against the backdrop of reduced real terms budgets, and a lack of other sources of income, it is little surprise that nearly one in ten of Scotland’s 46,500 voluntary organisations is unsure whether or not they will still be operating in 12 months’ time.”
The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s National Academy, has announced its new cohort of Fellows.Fellows are elected to the RSE for their exceptional achievements and acumen in the world of science, mathematics, business, and the arts.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh has been made a Royal Honorary Fellow of the RSE, joining the Society’s patron His Majesty King Charles III, The Prince of Wales and The Princess Royal.
Professor Sara Brown of the University of Edinburgh was elected for her exceptional work as a clinical academic dermatologist, researching genetic predispositions to inflammatory skin diseases.
She said: “It is a great honour, and I feel very privileged to have been elected. The diverse range of expertise and experience in the Society gives a real opportunity to progress with the aim of ‘Knowledge made useful’ for Scotland and beyond. I look forward to contributing to this work.”
Other University of Edinburgh professors to be made Fellows of the RSE this year include: Professor Kim Graham; Professor Manu Shankar-Hari; Professor Evelyn Telfer; Professor Rustam Al-Shahi Salman; Professor Philip Thornton; Professor Amy Buck; Professor Pleasantine Mill; Professor Richard Ball; Professor Carole Morrison; Professor Michael O’Boyle; Professor Thanasis Tsanas; and Professor Gbenga Ibikunle.
Professor James Scobbie of Queen Margaret University also joins the Society this year. His work on theoretical phonology has contributed to the understanding of speech and language therapy, child speech acquisition and psycholinguistics.
Professor Scobbie said: “I am honoured to join the RSE and thrilled by the opportunities it offers to share my joy of speech science. Human languages are amazingly diverse natural artefacts, with physical, mental and social facets. Every detail of each one is worthy of study and celebration.”
Joining the cohort of new Fellows is David Field, Chief Executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, who run both Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park. He previously served as chief executive of the Zoological Society of East Anglia, zoological director of the Zoological Society of London and curator of Whipsnade Zoo.
He said: “The RSE inspires the world in scientific endeavour so to be recognised and elected as a Fellow is a true privilege. I am excited and challenged to now use my experience in conservation and zoology to further the aims of the RSE and more especially to feel worthy to sit alongside that incredible network of Fellows that embodies the RSE.”
Two Heriot-Watt University professors – Professor Mehul Malik and Professor Minhyong Kim – also join the 2025 cohort, as has Professor Jamie Newbold of the Edinburgh Campus of Scotland’s Rural College.
John Ball, RSE
President of the RSE, Professor Sir John Ball PRSE, said: “It is my sincere pleasure to welcome each of our new Fellows – from the worlds of academia, public service, business, and the arts – to Scotland’s National Academy.
“They represent excellence in their fields and will reinforce our ability to tackle the challenges that Scotland, and indeed the wider world, faces now and in the future.
“Across a range of disciplines, they have each shown an unshakeable commitment to their research, work or craft, and it is exactly this superlative level of accomplishment that makes them belong as Fellows of the RSE.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of our new Fellows, and I hope they will avail themselves of all that our great National Academy has to offer them.”
£1.6 billion investment to tackle scourge of potholes to be delivered to councils from next month as PM tells councils to put cash to use
for the first time every council in England must publish how many potholes they’ve filled or lose road cash
local authorities that comply will receive their full share of the £500 million roads pot – enough to fill the equivalent of 7 million potholes a year, as part of the government’s Plan for Change
UK government also announces £4.8 billion for 25/26 for motorways and major A-roads including economy boosting road schemes on the A47 and M3
The public will now see exactly what’s being done to tackle potholes, as the government demands councils prove their progress or face losing cash.
From mid-April, local authorities in England will start to receive their share of the government’s record £1.6bn highway maintenance funding, including an extra £500m – enough to fill 7 million potholes a year.
But to get the full amount, all councils in England must from today (24 March 2025) publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work. Local authorities who fail to meet these strict conditions will see 25% of the uplift (£125m in total) withheld.
Also today, the Transport Secretary has unveiled £4.8bn funding for 2025/6 for National Highways to deliver critical road schemes and maintain motorways and major A-roads.
This cash will mean getting on with pivotal schemes in construction, such as the A428 Black Cat scheme in Cambridgeshire, and starting vital improvements to the A47 around Norwich and M3 J9 scheme in Hampshire, building thousands of new homes, creating high-paid jobs, connecting ports and airports, to grow the economy and deliver the Plan for Change.
It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of 6 potholes per mile in England and Wales, and pothole damage to cars costs an average £600 to fix. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96% of drivers.
This government is delivering its Plan for Change to rebuild Britain and deliver national renewal through investment in our vital infrastructure which will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets by saving them costs on repairs.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds – if not thousands of pounds – in avoidable vehicle repairs.
“Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.
“Not only are we investing an additional £4.8 billion to deliver vital road schemes and maintain major roads across the country to get Britain moving, next month we start handing councils a record £1.6 billion to repair roads and fill millions of potholes across the country.
“British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us. We’ve done our part by handing councils the cash and certainty they need – now it’s up to them to get on with the job, put that money to use and prove they’re delivering for their communities.”
The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “After years of neglect we’re tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.
“The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25 per cent of their £500m funding boost.
“Our Plan for Change is reversing a decade of decline and mending our pothole-ridden roads which damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe.”
To ensure councils are taking action, they must now publish reports on their websites by 30 June 2025, detailing how much they are spending, how many potholes they have filled, what percentage of their roads are in what condition, and how they are minimising streetworks disruption.
They will also be required to show how they are spending more on long-term preventative maintenance programmes and that they have robust plans for the wetter winters the country is experiencing – making potholes worse.
By the end of October, councils must also show they are ensuring communities have their say on what work they should be doing, and where. The public can also help battle back against pothole ridden roads by reporting them to their local council, via a dedicated online portal.
To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year to support hardworking families and businesses, saving the average car driver £59.
Edmund King, AA president and member of the Pothole Partnership, said: “Getting councils to show value for money before getting full funding is a big step in the right direction, as it will encourage a more concerted attack on the plague of potholes.
“At the same time, local authorities can share best practice, so others can learn what new innovations and planned maintenance techniques have worked for them.”
The £4.8bn for National Highways will protect the country’s strategic road network, which provides critical routes and connections across the country for people, businesses and freight to help drive for growth as part of Plan for Change.
The £4.8bn includes a record £1.3bn investment to keep this vital network in good repair, so the network remains fit for the future, and £1.8bn for National Highways’ daily operations that are critical to ensuring the network runs safely and smoothly for millions of people and businesses that rely on it every day. As well as £1.3bn for essential improvement schemes to unlock growth and housing.
Since entering office, the UK government has approved over £200m for the A47 Thickthorn Junction, and £290m for M3 Junction 9 plus £90m for local road schemes like the A130 Fairglen Interchange, the South-East Aylesbury Link Road, the A350 Chippenham Bypass, the A647 scheme in Leeds. This is a total of over £580m for schemes to get Britain moving.
First Minister John Swinney is set to announce £25 million of funding to local authorities to invest in the renewal of play parks across Scotland.
All councils will receive a share of the funding to improve the standard of existing play parks – helping to ensure children have access to safe environments to play and socialise in.
The funding is supported by the Play Vision Statement and Action Plan for 2025 – 2030, which has been published today.
Speaking ahead of a visit to Woodhead Park in Kirkintilloch, as part of the East Dunbartonshire Travelling Cabinet event, the First Minister said: “Playing is key to a child’s healthy development, and by enabling councils to invest in outdoor play parks, we will ensure families can access a safe, high-quality place to play within their communities.
“This is all part of my driving mission to eradicate child poverty. Other steps we are taking include investing £3 million to develop mitigations for the UK Government’s two-child benefits cap, £37 million to deliver the expansion of the free school meals programme, and putting more money in families’ pockets through the Scottish Child Payment.”
COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People, Councillor Tony Buchanan said: “COSLA welcomes today’s launch of the Play Vision Statement and Action Plan, play is very important not just for the enjoyment it brings, but also for the part it plays in developing children and young people’s social skills, interests, and curiosity.
“It also assists in developing relationships between parents, carers and other children and young people. The Play Vision Statement and Action Plan provides a good roadmap for how play can be encouraged and supported.”
Marguerite Hunter Blair, CEO Play Scotland and Chair of external Play Strategy refresh group said: “We are delighted to be celebrating this clear commitment from the Scottish Government to play opportunities and experiences for all our children and young people.
“It is fantastic that children’s rights and voices are at the heart of this new vision for play alongside an enthusiastic cross-sectoral collaboration.
“The clear message coming from the versions of the plan that children have co- produced is simple – more play and better play is good for everyone.”
The 54th Travelling Cabinet will meet at Kirkintilloch Town Hall today – Monday 24 March – and hear from the local community at a public discussion at 2pm.
POSSIBLE LINK TO THIRD INCIDENT NOW BEING INVESTIGATED
The major investigation into the discharge of firearms and associated criminal incidents in Edinburgh is continuing.
A team of detectives, along with specialist and divisional officers, are working on this inquiry. Significant CCTV footage has also been collected which is being scrutinised and officers continue to gather additional information via door-to-door enquiries.
On Saturday afternoon, officers conducted road and vehicle checks in the Ferry Road, Niddrie and Pennywell areas. These road checks will continue as part of the ongoing investigation.
A report of a suspicious fire in Hay Drive today – Sunday, 23 March – is now also being investigated.
Superintendent Paul Gillespie said: “We understand this will be concerning for local communities, but I want to reassure everyone that we are pursuing those involved and are using every tool and tactic at our disposal.
“We are taking strong action to disrupt this criminal activity and a lot of work, which may not always be visible, is ongoing. Additional officers are currently deployed to specifically target criminals and disrupt their activities.
“Extensive enquiries are ongoing into a number of incidents in Edinburgh. From our investigations so far, we believe these are linked to groups who are actively targeting each other.
“The local division and senior management are being provided with support from our national Specialist Crime Division and Operational Support Division.
“We are carrying out additional high-visibility patrols and I would encourage anyone with any concerns to approach these officers.
“We understand the significant impact this has had on the local community and I would like to thank everyone for their help so far.
“Finding those who carried out these reckless acts is paramount. If you know anything that could help, please do the right thing and speak to police.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 0562 of Friday, 21 March, 2025. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.
Proposals to increase the funding available in Scotland for the Warm Home Discount next winter will help reduce costs in over half a million homes in Scotland – with £150 off energy bills.
This will see an additional 200,000 homes in Scotland become eligible for the support.
The British Dental Association has applauded a video message from Nick Whelan, the student who nearly died of sepsis for want of a dental appointment.
Nick was forced to undergo life-saving surgery after he was admitted to Ninewells Hospital with septicaemia in 2021. Nick, 22, said he had been struggling to get a dentist appointment after his toothache began at the tail-end of the first lockdown in September 2020.
In a video message marking World Oral Health Day, Nick says: “I have a simple message for everyone out there across the UK and beyond.
“To every patient waiting in pain, to every politician and policymaker, and to every dentist worried about what might come through that door next.
Dental health matters. It is not an optional extra. It is a vital part of our lives.
“Dental care is healthcare.
“Nobody should have to go through what I did, but I know until dentistry is taken seriously they will.”
Across the UK the BDA has been pressing for urgent reform to give NHS dentistry a sustainable future.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said:“Nick has offered a message that every Health Minister in every part of the UK needs to hear.
“The tone is very much ‘Horrible Histories’. The real scandal is this is the reality facing patients in a wealthy 21st century nation.”
Aberdeen charity, TechFest, concluded their Masterclass series this weekend, designed to encourage, inspire and engage young people in the art and practice of mathematics.
The eight-part ‘Maths Masterclass’ series, held at the University of Aberdeen, offered S2 pupils across Scotland a chance to explore mathematics beyond the classroom.
The project, sponsored by Serica Energy, wrapped up with the ‘The Million Dollar Equation’ masterclass presented by Oxford Mathematician and Youtuber Dr Tom Crawford at the University of Aberdeen.
Martha Gavan, Deputy Managing Director of TechFest, said: “Mathematics is the heart of STEM, and our mission is to show it’s more than numbers, it unlocks ideas, fuels innovation, and solves real-world problems. But it’s not enough for young people to simply hear about what’s possible, we want them to experience it firsthand, ask the questions that matter, and help them become the next generation of STEM leaders.”
Aberdeen charity, TechFest, concluded their Masterclass series this weekend, aimed at encouraging, inspiring, and engaging young people in the art and practice of mathematics.
The eight-part series aimed at 13–14-year-olds, covered a huge range of mathematical areas and topics, including diverse applications such as art, cryptography, programming, modelling and knot theory.
Taking place on Saturday mornings during term time, all classes featured 2.5-hour interactive sessions led by various STEM lecturers and presenters.
Among the speakers were Youtuber Tom Rocks Maths, Professor Mirela Delibegovic and Professor Ben Martin from the University of Aberdeen and Upstream Business Manager at Enquest, Adrian McBurnie.
The topics highlighted how math shapes the real world, from predicting tennis match outcomes and securing online transactions through cryptography, to advancing life sciences, including drug discovery and diabetes research.
The programme was a partnership between TechFest and Serica Energy, a UK-based independent energy specialist, further continuing TechFest’s mission to host fun initiatives that make STEM education more engaging and inclusive to young people throughout the country.
The Maths Masterclass series saw 14 schools from Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire region take part. All students participating in the initiative had the chance to dive into each topic individually or in small groups, with guidance from the speaker and helpers to ensure accessibility for all.
The final masterclass, The Million Dollar Equation, was held at the University of Aberdeen by Oxford Mathematician and Youtuber Dr Tom Crawford which explores seven unsolved maths problems, each worth $1 million, from quantum mechanics to prime number patterns.
Martha Gavan, Deputy Managing Director of TechFest, said: “Our Maths Masterclasses are all about giving students real, personal connections with people who’ve been in their shoes, industry professionals who share their stories, their challenges, and the exciting paths they’ve taken in STEM.
“These sessions aren’t just university visits, they’re a chance to feel at home in an academic setting, to build the confidence to step into new opportunities, and to see that universities and careers in STEM aren’t just for ‘other people’, they’re for them.
“But more than anything, we want them to leave feeling inspired, capable, and excited about what lies ahead.”
The series encouraged students to take the opportunity to speak with a range of STEM figures and role models, learn about their career journey, challenges and find out the wide range of opportunities that are open to them with a career in STEM.
Students were invited to attend all eight masterclasses and provided with the opportunity to earn their CREST Discovery Day Award while completing the series.
Chris Kay, Chair of Serica’s Education outreach committee said: “We’re delighted to work with TechFest on the Maths Masterclasses, to help inspire young minds and prove that STEM learning can be both fun and engaging.
“The masterclasses offered opportunities for both teamwork and individual challenges, and it was great to see pupils growing in confidence as they worked with peers outside their usual friendship circles.
“This experience will not only help them build ambition but also equip them with valuable skills for their future careers.”
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre’s social history group launched their new publication, ‘Windows To Our Past’, at the Centre on Thursday.
Windows to our Past: A Collection of Stories from North Edinburgh remembers times long gone and also pays tribute to the local people – activists, volunteers, class mates and good friends – lost in recent years.
The group worked with creative writing tutor Jim Aitken to produce Windows To Our Past and members read a selection of their stories to an appreciative audience.
There were lots of laughs – the event opened with a comical This Is Our Lives sketch performed by the group – but there was time for reflection, too.
Some We Remember, a slide show created for the event, brought back a wealth of poignant memories of fondly-remembered activists no longer with us – men and women who each in their own way dedicated much of their lives to making the North Edinburgh community a better place to live.
The perennial challenge of fighting for adequate resources goes on, of course, and the latest round of funding cuts has seen North Edinburgh’s community centres and local projects fearing for their futures once again. In a discussion following the launch, however, it was clear that the appetite to campaign to challenge cuts to local resources remains as strong as ever.
The fight goes on – and, as a previous publication produced by activists urged: NEVER GIVE UP!
