‘We desperately need housing but the local planning authority isn’t addressing the basics’ – Colin Keir MSP
Colin Keir MSP for Edinburgh Western has called for infrastructure to be put in place to allow sustainable housing development in Edinburgh. Continue reading Keir: Housing situation ‘pressing on being critical’
Central Taxis to sponsor Spartans Connections
Taxi for Spartans! Edinburgh’s Central Taxis are to sponsor local community club Spartans Connections. The Connections squad are delighted with the sponsorship deal and the new partnership is a great result for the Ainslie Park footballers. Continue reading Fare play to Spartans Connections!
Choosing to attend only organised displays is the best way to keep yourself, your family and your community safe. Continue reading Help protect your community from bonfire tragedy
The City of Edinburgh Music School is holding on Open Day at Broughton High School on Saturday 7 November from 11am – 2pm.
Could Cramond hold the secret of Scotland during Dark Ages?
A two-year investigation into the mystery of an Edinburgh crypt has cast important new light on the turbulent history of the Dark Ages.
The mass burial in Cramond, believed to be the oldest occupied village in Scotland, was uncovered in 1975 during an excavation of a Roman Bathhouse found at the site of a car park. Forty years later, a team led by the City of Edinburgh Council has embraced modern science to examine the remains of nine individuals found in the grave with fascinating results.
The evidence has disproved an early theory that the bodies were victims of the bubonic plague, instead dating the individuals back another 800 years to the 6th Century AD. Thanks to state-of-the-art computer programming, researchers were able to create lifelike facial representations for the 1,500 year old skeletons.
By using forensic, isotopic and DNA techniques, the study reveals that the burials belonged to more than one generation of a single family with two of the bodies thought to be warriors due to their multiple healed wounds.
Furthermore, at least one and possibly three family members suffered a violent, murderous end. One female suffered shattering blows to the head and two males bear severe wounds which they survived.
Due to the unique nature of the burial and positioning of bodies, it is thought the victims could be members of a noble family, raising the question of whether Cramond in Edinburgh could be the site of a Royal stronghold.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Culture Convener, said: “In 1975, work was under-way to construct a new car park when builders came across a mass burial at what would become one of Scotland’s best preserved Roman buildings, the Bathhouse for Cramond Fort. For decades, the circumstances surrounding the burial were unanswered.
“Thanks to developments in modern science, the Council has been able to revisit the remains and carry out an extensive investigation. The findings have revealed a story even more mysterious than the one we started out with. With theories of ancient warriors, murdered nobles and a lost Royal stronghold – you could be forgiven for mistaking the resulting story for a plot from the Game of Thrones.”
John Lawson, the City of Edinburgh Council archaeologist who led the investigation, added: “Many mysteries remain but thanks to CSI techniques, we’ve managed to make great strides in our understanding of Scotland’s Cramond burials.
“The study has provided important evidence of life during this time of political turmoil and has helped us answer questions about the Dark Ages, but it has also opened up a whole new world of questions. Why did these people migrate to Cramond? What was so special about this area during the dark ages? Why were some of them murdered but given a special burial?
“If this grave was indeed the burial crypt of a noble or Royal family, it suggests Cramond just might be a Royal stronghold of the Gododdin. If this is the case, these findings have a significant impact on what is known about the history of Scotland and Northern Britain during the Dark Ages.”
A free exhibition exploring the discovery will open at the City of Edinburgh Council’s Museum of Edinburgh tomorrow in time for the October school break and Halloween. ‘Dark Goings On In Cramond’, featuring the remains of the Cramond Fort’s warrior and murder victim, will be open until 27 February 2016.
The Museum of Edinburgh is situated on the Royal Mile at 142 Canongate. Please note the Museum will be closed to the public on Tuesday 6 October.
Doesn’t the bloke look a bit like Rhod Gilbert?
Airport to end trial two months early following community pressure
Alison Johnstone has today congratulated local communities on their campaign success after the Edinburgh Airport announced it will close its controversial flight path trial two months earlier than originally planned.
Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian and Scottish Green Party candidate for Edinburgh Central, said: “I’d like to congratulate the community on their success in reducing the length of the reckless flight trial by two months. This is entirely due to sheer determination and their well organised and effective campaign.
“October will still feel like a long month for the community who have had to suffer negative health impacts and disruptive noise caused by the trial, but I am please the airport have recognised the need to listen and act. And end to this stressful situation is now in sight.
“The past few weeks have demonstrated how powerful Scotland’s communities can be, and lessons regarding the need for meaningful consultation have been learned. I look forward to working with constituents and the airport in the months ahead to ensure that the health and well-being of residents is central in all future proposals.”
Over one million passengers travelled through Edinburgh Airport last month, making it the busiest August on record for the airport and its fourth million plus passenger month in a row. A total of 1,158,794 people arrived and departed Edinburgh Airport in August, an increase of 8.7% on August 2014.
Please see below for details of a new survey on Marine Tourism and Recreation and details of how you can take part:
Dear member,
The first results of the marine tourism and recreation survey are in and they look promising. In the first four weeks we have had almost 1000 responses across 20 activities. Most people have listed more than one activity and so that means we could have approaching 4000 records of where people use the coast and what for. Great news for tourism and recreation in the new world of marine planning as they can be more confident that their interests and views will be taken into account in future decision making.
This is great news but there is no time to relax!!
Returns on activities vary, we are looking for more responses from niche interests such as long distance swimming but also from more popular activities such as angling, rowing, visiting historical sites, motor boat cruising and windsurfing.
Although we have done a lot to promote the survey, through social media (there is both a Facebook page and a twitter feed), through partner organisations and thousands of direct emails, postcards and letters, the personal touch is without a doubt the best way to spread the word and that is where I ask you to help make this the best survey of the sector ever.
Please can you send on the survey to anyone you can think of who may have been to the coast or used the sea for recreation? They could be a family friend who you only ever see on facebook building sand castles, it could be your daughter whose friends are mad about dinghy racing, it could be your colleagues who get together to go for a walk from time to time and occasionally go to the coast or it could be your organisations core business! Please make sure that everyone you can think of has had a chance to have a look at the survey.
Of course there is also the business survey. Anyone who runs a business which relies in some way on the marine environment should fill this one in. A one man band, a bed and breakfast in a coastal town, a marina, boat yard or tour operator!
All you have to do is click here – http://www.marinerecreationandtourism.scot/survey/
Thank you.
Sarah Brown
Project Manager, Firth of Clyde Forum
07774 160931
STOP PRESS:
Scotland has just been voted the ‘World’s Best Cruising Ground’ in the prestigious Sailing Today Awards
Young people living in the West and Almond areas of Edinburgh are being given the chance to win funding for their very own projects.
Grants of up to £500 are available to win through the You[th] Decides initiative launched this week by the Western Edinburgh and Almond Neighbourhood Partnerships.
Successful projects should meet the criteria of increasing opportunities for children and young people, and could relate to issues such as sports, arts and media, outdoor education, and community participation.
Any groups with members aged between 11 and 18 and living in Drumbrae/Gyle and Corstorphine/Murrayfield areas and any group with members aged between 12 and 18 and living in Cramond, Davidson’s Mains, Silverknowes, South Queensferry, Dalmeny, Kirkliston, Ratho Station and Newbridge can apply.
Almond Neighbourhood Partnership Convener, Councillor Alastair Shields, said: “This is a great opportunity for local young people to have a say in how funding is allocated. We are looking for imaginative projects which will engage young people and increase opportunities for them in an exciting way.”
Application forms for the You[th] Decides Initiative are available from schools and youth groups, or by contacting Steven Kipanda at Western Edinburgh Neighbourhood Partnership:
email Steven.Kipanda@ea.edin.sch.uk
or audrey.primrose@edinburgh.gov.uk
and Steven Stewart at Almond Neighbourhood Partnership:
email steven.stewart@ea.edin.sch.uk
or jim.conner@edinburgh.gov.uk
Five more city councillors under latest proposals
The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland (LGBC) has announced a 12 week period of consultation with the public on proposed electoral wards as part of the Fifth Review of Electoral Arrangements.
Its proposals contain recommendations for councillor numbers in each of Scotland’s 32 council areas and the number, boundaries and names of wards.
Proposed changes in Edinburgh would see an increase in councillor numbers: the city would have 63 elected members instead of the current 58.
Both Forth and Inverleith would retain four councillors under the latest proposals, but neighbouring wards Almond and City Centre would both gain an additional elected member to ‘address forecast disparities’.
Ronnie Hinds, Chair of the Commission, said: “Consultation is a vital part of our work and having completed our consultation with councils, and amended a number of our proposals in the light of these, we now want to hear from local residents, community groups and organisations.
“We have a statutory obligation to conduct reviews and we are required to ensure that the number of electors per councillor in each ward in a council area is as nearly as may be the same – but subject to that we also need to take account of local ties and the public are best placed to tell us about these.
“We look forward to positive engagement with communities across Scotland over the next 12 weeks and have today launched our consultation portal which will allow people to see our proposals and submit their comments to us online including suggested revisions to the maps setting out ward boundaries. Paper copies of our proposals are available at display points across council areas.”
When reviewing electoral arrangements the Commission is required to take account of the following factors:
the interests of effective and convenient local government;
within each council, each councillor should represent the same number of electors as nearly as may be;
local ties which would be broken by making a particular boundary;
the desirability of fixing boundaries that are easily identifiable; and
special geographical considerations.
The proposals for consultation with the public:
provide for 1,219 councillors in 352 wards: a decrease of 4 councillors and 1 ward relative to existing arrangements.
preserve 120 existing wards.
contain 95% of wards that are forecast to be within 10% of parity (only 83% of existing wards are within 10% of parity). contain only 3 wards that are forecast to be 15% or more from parity (19 existing wards are forecast to be 15% or more from parity).
mean that councillors will, on average, represent electorates that are forecast to be 4.6% larger or smaller than the council average – under the existing arrangements councillors would represent electorates that are forecast to be on average 6.0% larger or smaller than the council average.
Proposals for Edinburgh
LGBCS’ proposals for wards in City of Edinburgh council area present an electoral arrangement for 63 councillors representing five 3-member wards and twelve 4-member wards, increasing councillor numbers in the area by 5. The proposals:
A summary of ward boundary proposals is available in this Guidance Booklet part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 and part 6.
You can respond to this consultation by using the Consultation portal, or by email or post (details on this webpage). The consultation period ends on 22 October 2015.
The Guidance Booklet for this review contains a summary of the whole process.
LGBC has made material on the proposals available at Display Points agreed with the council across the city. They are:
LGBC expect to submit recommendations to Ministers in 2016. The resulting wards will be available for the local government elections in May 2017.
Over 200 people die accidentally each year in British and Irish waters – and more than half of those who drowned didn’t even plan to get wet …
The RNLI has launched a drowning prevention campaign which aims to reduce deaths by 50%. The ‘Respect the Water’ campaign coincides with the release of figures showing that 24 people died in Scotland’s coastal waters last year.
Over the past five years, an average of 35 people have drowned in Scotland and RNLI aims to halve the number of drownings by 2024.
Most of the deaths – almost a quarter – occurred when people slipped and fell into the water while walking and running. Other causes include people at work (14%), diving (13%), swimming and/or deliberately jumping into the sea (9%) and angling (6%).
RNLI lifeboat crews in Scotland saved 51 lives in 2014, and the charity has highlighted dangers which can be more common in Scotland.
After falling in, people can experience cold water shock or the effects of strong currents under the surface. There are also problems with slippery rocks, sudden waves or unstable ground.
RNLI coastal safety manager for Scotland Michael Avril said: “We want people to enjoy the water but to make sure they respect it.
“Around 35 lives are lost around Scotland’s coast each year but many of these losses could be avoided if people acknowledge the dangers and follow some basic safety advice.”
RNLI’s ‘Respect the Water’ campaign includes two films which will be shown in cinemas throughout the UK.
https://www.rnlivideolibrary.org.uk/getvideo.aspx?vid=QhMxynB6
http://rnli.org/Pages/Video-Details.aspx?VideoItemID=xL1O5RjR
