A 42-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with thefts and robberies in Edinburgh.
The incidents happened between Sunday, 2 March, and Tuesday, 10 March, 2026, in the Niddrie, Leith and Portobello areas of the city.
A report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal, and he is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Friday, 13 March, 2026.
Detective Constable Fiona Murray said: “We are aware of the concern these incidents caused to local communities and I would like to thank members of the public for their assistance.”
ONE YEAR EXTENSION TO INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES FUND
The Scottih Government has confirmed that Investing in Communities funding will be continued for a further year.
The announcement comes as a huge relief to community projects facing massive cuts to their funding, with services being slashed and some organisations facing closure.
Scottish Greens raised concerns over the uncertainty faced by many of Edinburgh’s third sector projects at a council meeting last month.
A looming catastrophe has been averted with the announcement of one year’s transition funding while a replacement to the Investing in Communities Fund is developed.
Edinburgh Northern and Leith MP Tracy Gilbert took up the case of local community organisations and yesterday received welcome confirmation that fears have been allayed – at least for now.
She said: “Following budget cuts, I raised concerns with the Scottish Government about the future of the Investing in Communities Fund. Ministers have now confirmed a one-year transition extension for existing projects ending in March.
“This will help in the short term, but it falls short of the long-term certainty our community organisations need. I’ll keep pushing for sustained funding and stability for the services people rely on.”
Local MSP Ben Macpherson has also been on the case. He said: “This morning I visited Dr Bell’s Family Centre to discuss a situation that was of real concern.
“Using my decade of experience – including how to get things done for local organisations – I’d written to The Scottish Government about it on Monday and followed this up today, working actively as their/your local constituency MSP … I was therefore very pleased that shortly after the matter had been resolved.
“I know it’s been a worrying time for the centre and am relieved that immediate worries have been lifted. My team and I will keep working with the centre to explore more funding streams, and support the impactful work they do in our communities.”
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Edinburgh projects who received Investing in Communities funding (2023- 26) are:
About Youth, Calder Youth Action Project (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £105,822
Community Renewal Trust, Our Neighbourhood: A new hyperlocal Community Wealth Building partnership, City of Edinburgh, £300,732
Dr. Bell’s Family Centre, Start Well, Live Well: Wellbeing Support for Families in Leith, City of Edinburgh, £348,067
Edinburgh Food Social Cic, Changing Craigmillar Food Culture, City of Edinburgh, £325,847
Fresh Start, Fresh Connections, City of Edinburgh, £280,201
North Edinburgh Arts, North Edinburgh Arts Link Up, City of Edinburgh, £331,400
Space @ The Broomhouse Hub, Together We Can, City of Edinburgh, £350,000
The Venchie Children And Young People’s Project, Family Support Service, City of Edinburgh, £208,732
Transition Edinburgh South (Scotland) Ltd, Investing in Gracemount, City of Edinburgh, £302,196
Whale, The Arts Agency, Creativity, Place and Enterprise in Wester Hailes (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £332,494.
NEN PUBLISHED OUR FIRST BLOG POST ON THIS DAY IN 2011
The very first NEN blog post was published on this day in 2011. The post read:
Hello, and welcome to the brand new NEN blog.
For those of you not already familiar with the newspaper, we are a local community paper serving the North Edinburgh community. We’ve been here for over thirty years.
This blog, along with our new Facebook page and Twitter stream, represents our first foray into the world of social media. We really want to encourage more participation, more questions and ideas from the North Edinburgh community – both online and offline – and hope that these new tools will help us to do that.
We already have a good website, where you can always find the latest edition of the printed newspaper. The blog won’t be replacing that, but will instead be there to show people the latest news about the area, and also to help us cover the current funding crisis we are facing as an organisation.
Above all, we want to include your input on the blog – be it ideas for stories, comments, pictures and events. So get in touch!
The NEN’s website was sadly deleted when funding ceased but our social media presence continues on both Twitter and Facebook and the blog is still going strong with 10 – 12 posts daily.
2025 was the NEN blog’s busiest ever year with 36,000 visitors. As I write this we’ve published more than 38,000 posts – all of these remain accessible online – and we’re currently on a run of publishing on 2749 consecutive days.
When the NEN office in Crewe Road North closed much of the NEN archive material was lost, but thankfully some of our picture library was salvaged and can now be found at granton:hub (Madelvic House), where the volunteer archive team has also collated all remaining hard copies of the North Edinburgh News newspaper.
Hopefully, between the physical archive and the NEN blog, you can find all you need to know about our community’s rich history – and we’re adding to that history every day!
Project forms part of the Council’s wider Strategic Investment Plan for high-rise buildings and will bring both blocks up to modern standards
Thurday’s meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee recommended the approval of a £21 million contract to Kier Construction to deliver a comprehensive retrofit and upgrade programme at Craigmillar Court and Peffermill Court, two 15 floor blocks in East Edinburgh.
Built in 1968, the two floor blocks currently have no insulation, making homes difficult and expensive to heat. The retrofit will introduce extensive external wall insulation, dramatically improving thermal performance and helping homes retain heat more effectively. These upgrades are expected to create warmer living spaces and reduce heating costs for residents throughout the year.
To further improve indoor air quality and tackle long-standing issues with damp and mould, each flat will be fitted with a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) system. This will provide a continuous supply of fresh air while retaining heat, supporting healthier and more comfortable homes.
Other improvements include:
fire safety enhancements including installation of new fire doors, sprinkler systems in every flat and a dedicated firefighting lift in each block
existing bin chutes will be removed and replaced with a new on-site waste strategy
security will also be strengthened through the installation of a comprehensive CCTV system, covering all stairwells and common lobby landings
almost all mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) services will be replaced where they have reached the end of their life or are difficult to maintain
larger, brighter entrance lobbies, increased natural light and new canopies to provide shelter from the weather. Concierge facilities will be significantly upgraded
new and improved shared spaces will encourage interaction between residents and support activities with the wider community, making better use of previously underutilised areas within the buildings.
The surrounding environment will also be transformed, with:
additional tree planting
relocated and expanded allotments
a renovated and improved play park
realigned parking and improved access between both blocks
new waste and recycling facilities
Craigmillar Court and Peffermill Court each contain 57 two-bedroom homes.
This major investment represents a long-term commitment to improving living conditions, reducing carbon emissions, enhancing safety and creating more welcoming, sustainable communities for current and future residents.
Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Cllr Tim Pogson, said: This £21 million investment represents a major step forward in improving the quality, safety and sustainability of our high-rise homes.
“By upgrading insulation, ventilation, fire safety and communal spaces, this project will deliver warmer, healthier and more affordable homes for residents, while also ensuring these buildings are fit for the future.”
Edinburgh community groups have shared in a more than £25,000 funding boost from Co-op’s Local Community Fund.
The focus of Co-op’s Local Community Fund is on enabling communities to thrive, supporting local groups and causes to make a difference locally through their work to either: provide access to food; improve mental wellbeing; create opportunities for young people; promote community cohesion and, build more sustainable futures.
More than a dozen causes have benefitted – with celebrations events taking place in local Co-op stores in recent weeks – cause include: Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (£3,017); 106A City of Edinburgh Rainbows and Brownies (£1,502); Branch Out Together – prev. Lothian Autistic Society (£2,657); Caledonian Thebans RFC (£1,282); Capella Charity (£1,340) ; Corstorphine Community Centre (£2,165); Empty Kitchens Full Hearts (£2,925); Hays Pantry (£2,052); Teapot Trust (£1,574); The Dove Centre (£2,442) and the 46th Edinburgh and Lothian Girls’ Brigade (£1,188).
Co-op is committed to making a difference in the communities it serves, and its members have a say how the fund is shared between local causes, simply by choosing a community group close to their hearts via Co-op’s Membership App.
Nearly 40,000 unique projects have been supported in communities across the UK since the fund began in 2016.
David Luckin, Head of Social Value & Community Engagement, Co-op, said: “Local causes make a huge difference in communities across the UK. As a co-operative, our members have a say in where and how our profits are shared, and our funding enables local groups to deliver projects that focus on the needs of local communities and, the issues affecting people’s lives.
“We know that things are increasingly challenging for local causes, and we are told that our funding makes a real difference – we are focussed on helping people and communities thrive.”
Around 9.5m people (almost one in seven of the UK population) have benefitted directly from Co-op’s Local Community Fund since the fund started in 2016, with nearly 40,000 unique projects supported UK-wide during the period.
The benefits to community groups also extend beyond the funding support, with more than nine-in-10 causes (94%) saying that they felt more connected with their community as a result of participating in Co-op’s Local Community Fund.
Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer-owned co-operatives, with its history dating back more than 180 years.
The Co-op exists to create value for its membership and communities, and members can view current local causes and choose a community project close to their own heart via the Co-op membership app.
£20 MILLION PRIDE IN COMMUNITIES CASH FOR NIDDRIE, BINGHAM, MAGDALENE & THE CHRISTIANS
Local communities are at the heart of Scottish life – and the UK Government is today announcing the 14 neighbourhoods each receiving up to £20 million to restore pride in their area and open doors to new opportunities.
In September the UK Government confirmed that the Pride in Place Programme will see up to £280 million shared among 14 neighbourhoods in 12 Scottish local authorities over 10 years to precisely target areas which can benefit most from a wide range of regeneration projects.
The local authorities selected have both the highest deprivation levels and weakest social infrastructure. The Scotland Office invited evidence submissions from these local authorities, eligible MPs and constituency MSPs, the Scottish Government and wider community organisations as to which neighbourhoods should be chosen.
We have now worked at pace and on the basis of strong stakeholder evidence have selected the neighbourhoods to receive the funding (see list below).
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “The UK Government is backing 14 of Scotland’s most in need communities with £280 million investment – part of a £2 billion package to uphold pride in communities and create opportunities the length and breadth of the nation.
“Over decades of decline, people have watched as their neighbourhoods have lost services and support, so now we are putting the power into the hands of local people who can decide how the money is spent. We’re investing directly in Scottish communities to build stronger, thriving neighbourhoods.”
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed said: People across Scotland have been shut out from their own futures and felt powerless to make the changes they want to see in their communities. Pride in Place is fixing that and putting power back where it belongs – in the hands of the people who have the knowledge, ambition and vision to make a real difference.
“We’re backing 14 neighbourhoods across Scotland with up to £20 million each, to put local people back in the driving seat to revitalise their communities and shape their futures.”
Neighbourhood Boards, comprising representatives from the local community, will decide exactly what the investment will be spent on. These will now be established, with funding starting from April 2026.
Projects could include revitalising high streets and town centres, preserving local heritage, providing housing, creating jobs, boosting productivity and skills, improving health and well-being, creating new transport links, providing education and opportunity and improving safety and security.
Aberdeen City – North Locality Priority Neighbourhood / Cummings Park, Heathryfold and Middlefield, Northfield, Mastrick
City of Edinburgh – Bingham, Magdalene, The Christians and Niddrie
Falkirk – The Forgotten Villages, Braes Villages and Hallglen
Fife x2 – 1) West Fife Villages / Oakley Comrie and Blairhall, Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn, Kincardine, Saline and Gowkhall; and 2) Methil and Buckhaven
Glasgow x2 – 1) Springburn and Sighthill; and 2) Castlemilk
Highland – North, West and East Sutherland
North Ayrshire – Three Towns (Ardrossan, Saltcoats, and Stevenston)
North Lanarkshire – Forgewood, North Motherwell and town centre
South Ayrshire – Northern Ayr and Town Centre Regeneration Corridor
South Lanarkshire – Hamilton Town Centre
Na h-Eileanan Siar – Stornoway and Lewis
West Lothian – Fauldhouse, Whitburn and Blackburn
In total, the UK Government is investing more than £2 billion over 10 years in dozens of important local and regional projects the length and breadth of Scotland, bringing much-needed economic and community renewal.
These include:
£280m Pride in Place Programme (Phase 2)
£12m Pride in Place Impact Fund
£200m support for ten Scottish towns (Pride in Place Phase 1)
£320m for the Glasgow City Region and North East Scotland Investment Zones
£52m for the Inverness and Cromarty Firth, and Forth Green Freeports
£81m for Community Regeneration Partnerships in Dundee, Scottish Borders, Argyll & Bute, and Na h-Eileanan Siar
£188m to complete Levelling Up Fund projects
£76m in UK Shared Prosperity Fund transition funding for 2025/26
£60m innovation funding for Glasgow City Region (across the Innovation Accelerator 2025/26 and new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund)
£17.3m for Energy Transition Zone
£5m for Community Ownership Fund projects
£2.6m for the V&A in Dundee
£752m to deliver Scotland’s 12 City Region and Growth Deals over 2025/26 – 2034/35.
Council Leader Jane Meagher has welcomed up to £20m of UK Government funding for four communities in East Edinburgh.The Pride in Place Programme funding was announced yesterday.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said:“The government’s £20m investment over the next 10 years in Niddrie, Bingham, Magdalene and The Christians is wonderful news.
“The long-term certainty this brings is incredibly helpful for communities and partners alike. This is a vibrant and active community with a clear passion for shaping their own future, and this sustained funding will not only boost their hard work, it will directly give them a voice in deciding how the money is invested over the next decade. It’s an approach we are keen to learn from.
“The announcement strongly aligns with the council’s commitment to put support at the heart of our communities where people need it most. Our city-wide poverty prevention programme, including our neighbourhood prevention partnership, is focused on tackling inequalities and improving access to help.
“We look forward to working closely with the local community to establish a neighbourhood board, and to work with them over the coming years to ensure every pound is invested in line with the needs, priorities and ambitions of their community.”
New guidance outlines that Neighbourhood Boards will have to prove they have listened to and have the backing of residents and their local community to receive all their funding, ensuring that community voices sit at the heart of the decisions made about the future of their areas.
Any resident with big ideas and a desire to transform their community can get involved, with boards being chaired by an independent member of the community, chosen for their ambition and potential to lead their community.
Local authorities and MPs in Pride in Place neighbourhoods will now begin to work with their communities to pick the right chair to take the reins of their Neighbourhood Board, lead on engagement with the community, and drive forward the changes they want to see.
Alongside the long-term £280 million investment through Pride in Place Programme neighbourhood allocations, we have also made £12 million available through the Pride in Place Impact Fund (PIPIF).
This sees eight local authorities share £12 million to fund the types of changes people have said they want to see. These could include new green spaces, play areas and town centre revitalisation to sports and leisure facilities and the improvement and ownership of key community assets.
That money should be spent fast by local councils so that people see and feel tangible change in their communities at the start of 2026. The local authorities which have each been given £1.5 million allocations to spend over two years, starting 2025/26, are Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, North Ayrshire, Dundee, North Lanarkshire, Inverclyde, East Ayrshire and Falkirk.
This is in addition to the £200 million that has been made available for ten Scottish towns (Arbroath, Elgin, Kirkwall, Peterhead, Dumfries, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Clydebank, Coatbridge and Greenock) as part of Pride in Place Phase One, which the UK Government announced earlier this year.
Local people in the existing 10 Scottish towns are already having their say over how to improve their community:
In Elgin more than 1,000 ideas have already been submitted, including tackling empty shops, revamping the town shopping centre.
In Peterhead people are ramping up CCTV in the town centre to tackle anti-social behaviour and investing in indoor sports and leisure facilities.
A 39-year-old man has been convicted of possessing and discharging a firearm in Edinburgh.
Nicky Robertson pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday (Thursday, 11 December, 2025).
Around 3.05am on Thursday, 20 March, police received a report of a firearm having been discharged at a property on Niddrie Marischal Crescent.
Robertson was arrested and charged in connection with the incident on Thursday, 24 April.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “While this was established as a targeted attack, it was a concerning incident for the local community.
“Through the hard work of the officers involved in Operation Portaledge we were able to recover the firearm involved and ultimately bring the man responsible to justice.
“This conviction highlights Police Scotland’s commitment to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce and its national strategy.”
Operation Portaledge is the ongoing investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country.
Communities across Scotland are to receive new funding to ensure everyone can benefit from the creative arts.
Eleven grassroots projects – including one involving pupils from Craigmillar’s Castlebrae High School – have been selected to receive a share of £320,000 from the Scottish Government’s Creative Communities Scotland fund, which supports organisations delivering activities such as dance, filmmaking, creative writing, music-making and storytelling.
The fund aims to support and empower communities to develop cultural activities that benefit individual and collective wellbeing, with a focus on reaching those who face barriers to taking part in creative activities
The programme will be managed by Inspiring Scotland, which will also provide project support to successful organisations while they plan, deliver and assess the impact of those activities.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Creativity can transform lives and create confidence within communities – so I’m very pleased that so many projects, from Galashiels to Orkney, Aberdeen and Govanhill, have been successful in their applications.
“These grants will enable community-led organisations to develop and deliver projects that harness the power of creativity in supporting people and the communities they serve.
“The Creative Communities Scotland fund forms part of a £34 million increase in support to the culture sector this year to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to take part in and benefit from the creative arts, no matter their background or location.”
Erica Judge, Director of Funds at Inspiring Scotland, said: “The high level of interest in Creative Communities Scotland shows the incredible potential of creative and cultural activities to positively impact people’s lives.
“By supporting 11 organisations working across 9 local authorities, this funding will help communities overcome barriers to cultural participation – creating opportunities to enjoy the arts, reduce loneliness, strengthen communities, develop new creative skills, and experience joy and pride.”
Dave Close, Executive Director of the Hot Chocolate Trust said: “Some young people are bursting with talent but can’t access the resources to make music and learn. Some have been told that they’re ‘not musical’. Some have got things they need to say but they can’t find the words yet.
“With support from Creative Communities, the Beautiful Noise project at Hot Chocolate Trust is about releasing all these new possibilities and making something special together.”
A Place in Childhood – £20,034 Craigmillar, Edinburgh City
Working with 20 S1-S3 pupils from Castlebrae High School in Craigmillar, this participatory project will give young people a professional-grade experience of all aspects of film making: script development, filming, production, post-production, editing and finally a screening of their work.
Camglen Buddies Leisure & Social Club – £11,933 Cambuslang/Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire
Working with a videographer and a theatre professional, adults with additional support needs will have the opportunity to produce their own film, addressing key aspects from storyboarding, creating sets/props, filming and finally, celebrating their production.
Eildon West Youth Hub – £23,572 Galashiels, Scottish Borders
‘Chromonauts: Demolition Art’ is a year-long, youth-led visual arts programme for young people who face multiple barriers to creative participation. The project will work with young people to reclaim ‘overlooked corners’ of Galashiels to create new art-works/civic spaces.
Empower Women for Change – £29,372 Glasgow City
Participants will co-design and co-facilitate a programme of creative arts activities called Freedom in Expression: Joy in Creativity. This will provide safe, culturally relevant spaces where women from ethnic minority backgrounds, particularly refugees and asylum seekers, can express themselves through creative writing, painting, clay, glassmaking, collage, yoga, mindfulness, and storytelling.
ESOL Scotland – £34,293 Glasgow City
This year-long programme of workshops will integrate English language learning with film making and photography, contributing to a community exhibition and screening that ‘celebrates the voices and journeys of our learners’.
Forgan Arts Centre – £33,439 Newport-on-Tay, Fife
Building on a previous pilot, the organisation will run two strands of creative workshops for adult and young carers. Working with professional artists, the workshops will focus on building creative participation, wellbeing, and connection between carers.
Friends of Sanday Kirk – £31,720 Sanday Island, Orkney
Focused around Sanday Kirk and a Craft Hub, the project will create three separate pieces of art using different techniques: community mosaic project, mural project on Craft Hub’s gable wall, and the design and construction of a herring-shaped public bench to celebrate the island’s fishing heritage and its former herring yard, benefiting the whole community.
Gorebridge Community Development Trust – £34,423 Gorebridge, Midlothian
The Create365 arts project aims to improve wellbeing for the community and reduce isolation through four strands of work: 1) weekly rhythm sessions focused on art, music and writing; 2) monthly themed sessions; 3) seasonal sessions; and, 4) a ‘big year’ showcase presenting the output from the three other strands.
Hot Chocolate Trust – £34,413 Dundee City
This project will provide a year-long set of music producing activities aimed at 12-21 year olds. These sessions will offer young people the opportunity to begin their engagement with music all the way through to exploring professional music pathways.
Romano Lav – £32,448 Govanhill, Glasgow City
Co-produced with community members and co-facilitated by Roma staff, this community arts programme will support participants of all ages and genders to take part in a range of art forms including visual/digital arts, storytelling, ceramics, film and photography. It will culminate in a final exhibition as part of the Govanhill International Festival.
Touch of Love Outreach – £34,291 Aberdeen City
The ‘New Young Scots: Fix & Design Lab’ will work with young people to collect, repair and redesign everyday items. Its aim is for the young people involved to gain practical and social skills, reduce isolation and celebrate identity and culture through arts-based upcycling.
POLICE in Edinburgh are appealing for the help of the public after two males were seriously injured in a hit and run by a quad bike.
The incident happened around 3pm yesterday (Saturday, 15 November) in the Niddrie Mains Road area, near to the Jack Kane Community Centre.
The males, aged 15 and 20, were taken to hospital for treatment.
Detective Sergeant Alex Johnston said: “Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.
“I am keen to hear from anyone who was in the Niddrie area on the afternoon of Saturday and saw a quad bike being driven around, or who witnessed the crash, to get in touch with us by contacting 101 and quoting incident 2026 of the 15 November.
“Similarly, anyone with dashcam footage or private CCTV which may have captured what happened should contact us.”
