Granton – Page 58 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Waterfront development: green light for ‘Western villages’

450 affordable homes set for waterfront as construction restarts

The first phase of housing for the latest development of Granton Waterfront was given the go ahead by councillors this week.

Granton Waterfront regeneration is expected to lead the way in sustainable development as part of Edinburgh’s commitment to be net zero carbon by 2030.

A £1.5m contract will now be awarded to CCG (Scotland) Ltd to take forward designs for planning approval for an affordable housing development to include around 450 high quality homes, following agreement by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee yesterday.

Over the coming months the Council will be engaging with the community to develop the designs for the detailed planning application.

As part of this early programme of works for Granton Waterfront, the Council is planning to refurbish the Granton Station building, an Edwardian former railway station, into a modern business space and is exploring the potential to light the area’s former gasholder in a joint project with Edinburgh College, turning the latter into a focal point for the city.

The wider proposals will create one of Europe’ s largest coastal city parks linking Granton Harbour to Cramond and Lauriston Castle, reconnecting the city with its waterfront and providing the opportunity for residents and visitors to enjoy spectacular views across the Forth while experiencing enhanced leisure and outdoor activity.

The plan is also set to deliver on exemplar urban design centred around climate resilience, leading the way in future sustainable development and growing the economy in an inclusive way.

The proposals will bring around 3,500 new homes of which at least 35% will be affordable, a school, medical centre, creative and commercial space, new cycling and walking routes and enhanced sustainable transport connections with the city, making a significant contribution to Edinburgh’s target to become a net zero carbon city by 2030.

With an overall gross development value of around £1.3bn, the Council is committed to investing around £196m to accelerate the regeneration, attracting significant public and private sector funding to deliver the vision.

Council Leader Adam McVey, said: “As we start the recovery from this pandemic this development is a fantastic start to building the homes our residents need.

“Our waterfront development significantly contributes towards our shared goal of a better and more sustainable Edinburgh together so it’s great news that the first phase of this vibrant new neighbourhood for Edinburgh is now going ahead.

“We’re absolutely committed to reaching our target to build 20,000 affordable homes in the city as well as investing £2bn in new Council homes over the next decade. We’re also committed to becoming a net zero carbon city by 2030 and Granton Waterfront will contribute greatly to all of these goals.

Depute Council Leader Cammy Day, said: “The award of these contracts is a welcome message for the north Edinburgh community and the construction industry.

“The first phase of housing will provide hundreds of affordable homes and going forward the regeneration of this area will create hundreds of new jobs linked to growth of new services, business, leisure and creative industries and will strengthen the retail and small businesses that already exist.

“This is only just the start of this exciting development for the city and I look forward to seeing the plans brought forward by CCG for what will become one of Scotland’s leading sustainable communities.

Calum Murray, Director, CCG (Scotland) Ltd, said: “The City of Edinburgh Council is to be congratulated for the support it has afforded the construction sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“By progressing with the Western Villages project they are helping to build essential economic resilience and mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic for key stakeholders and the supply chain.

“In so doing the City is also sustaining the delivery of necessary affordable housing which will deliver on its low-carbon objectives. CCG(Scotland)Ltd is delighted to be in the vanguard of this significant regeneration initiative.”

National Lottery money helps connect Edinburgh communities

An award of £9,500 announced today to Children with Cancer and Leukaemia Advice and Support for Parents SCIO (CCLASP) means that they will be able to provide essential food and household items for families with children suffering from cancer leukaemia.

Scotland Yard Adventure Centre also receives an award of £10,000 to provide a targeted advice service for some of the most vulnerable disabled children and their carers. And an award of £14,000 means that Children 1^st, based in Edinburgh, will be able to increase the capacity of their telephone helpline and digital support service, Parentline, to meet increased demand during the COVID-19 crisis.

The awards to CCLASP, Scotland Yard Adventure Centre and Children 1st are three of 31 Edinburgh based projects sharing in £271,636 of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.

There’s money too for LifeCare’s Cheyne Gang choir to move online, Granton Youth Centre for a mudic video project and support for both Leith Festival and ELREC’s Edinburgh Climate Festival.

Across the country 282 groups, from charities to smaller voluntary led community projects, are receiving funding raised by National Lottery players for a range of activities, many of which will help people to support each other through the COVID-19 crisis.

Gordon Murdie, General Manager, CCLASP, said: “The National Lottery Community Fund award has ensured that the charity can meet its ongoing staff and running costs through the pandemic and be ready to resume its operation in full as soon as the Scottish Government allows.

“This funding has allowed us the financial security to diversify and assist the families we serve in the best way we can during these difficult times. Lockdown is challenging in general but for families with children suffering from cancer and leukaemia it is particularly difficult.

“Since lockdown began, we have delivered over 20,000 items to around 300 children and their families. These deliveries of essentials, small treats and toys to brighten the days have meant so much to so many.”

Ellen Starkey, Fundraising Assistant, Scotland Yard Adventure Centre, said: “Here at The Yard we were delighted to receive a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund for our COVID-19 services.

“It will enable us to provide at-home play ideas, online mental health and wellbeing sessions, online play sessions and much more for disabled children, young people and their families, as well as our small, targeted service at The Yard, Edinburgh.

“We hope this support will offer fun, respite and a much-needed community of support for our families at this time. Thank you!”

Linda Jardine, Director of Children and Family Services, Children 1^st, said: “Right now, more families across Scotland are getting the support they need to cope through the coronavirus crisis, thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund’s support for Parentline.

“Parentline is our digital family support service, offering help by phone, by webchat and online, every day of the week. Families are telling us that as they face the strains of losing loved ones, mounting financial pressures and the stress of juggling the care their children need with work and other demands, the support Parentline offers is quite simply a lifeline.

“Parentline is here for any family in need of support on 08000 28 22 33, or online: www.children1st.org.uk/parentline.”

Announcing today’s funding totalling £3,384,222, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Director, Neil Ritch, said: “These awards, made possible by National Lottery players, are making an amazing contribution to the nation-wide response to combat the impact of COVID-19 on local communities across Scotland. 

“This funding will make a huge difference to the lives of thousands more people and highlights the vital work that’s being done in communities across the country at the moment. It also reminds us all how important a package of tailored support can be to improve well-being and help forge a sense of belonging to a wider community again.”

The National Lottery Community Fund, over the next six months, will focus its National Lottery funding in Scotland on those projects that supporting organisations and communities to respond to the challenge of COVID-19.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk    

Free School Meals: It’s not too late to claim

FREE SCHOOL MEALS

information for parents and carers

from GRANTON INFORMATION CENTRE

Families of children from P4 to S6 who receive Free School Meals, and those in P1 to P3 who are entitled to clothing grants, will receive a fortnightly electronic payment during term time and the Easter Holidays equivalent to the cost of a school meal.

Payments are £22.50 per child every fortnight until further notice from 23 March.

All children in primary 1 to 3 receive free school meals if they are attending school, but not free milk or a clothing grant. In the present circumstances, those families won’t receive the £22.50 fortnightly payment unless they are eligible to get the clothing grant and free milk due to low income.

The criteria is the same as for P4-7s.

IT’s NOT TOO LATE TO CLAIM

Parents may still apply for the current academic year and, if eligible, awards will be backdated to 23 March, the start of school closures.

The eligibility for free school meals and/or substitute payment (including P1-3s) depends on the family’s income and they need to be in receipt of one of the following benefits:

Universal credit (with monthly earnings up to £610)
Income Support and Income Based Job seekers Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance
Child Tax Credits only with gross income up to £16105
Child and Working Tax Credits with gross income up to £6900
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Some families will get an automatic award for 2020-21 but others will have to apply when the time comes (they are not receiving applications yet).

Clothing grants applications closed on 31 March but will reopen for the next academic year later.

For more information and keep up to date with possible changes please visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/schoolgrants

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/food-clothing/free-school-meals-school-clothing-grants/1

Port of Leith’s Covid Response Fund supports local community organisations

Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) £50,000 Covid Response Fund has provided 18 awards of between £500 and £2,500 to local charities and social enterprises that are rising to the challenge of alleviating the effects of the coronavirus epidemic on people living in the community.

Grants to six additional organisations are also being processed.

With a remit to fast track flexible access to grants where they will have the quickest benefits, the Fund has already helped provide emergency food provision for isolated or vulnerable people, purchased vital equipment to allow third sector staff to carry on supporting service users from home and helped a wide range of people (from older adults to school-age children) access vital online services and education during lock down.

PoLHA Group Chief Executive, Heather Kiteley, said: “Organisations across Leith and North Edinburgh seem to have adjusted to the new challenges created by lockdown astonishingly quickly.

“They’ve been able to change both the ways they are working as well as the nature of the services they deliver in a few short weeks or even days.

“We’re thrilled to be able to support the life-changing work of community organisations through our Covid Response Fund which is helping organisations to create and develop crucial new services, from emergency food packages for vulnerable people isolating at home, to helping older adults bridge the digital divide and keep in touch with people.

“We hope to secure more funding to support even more organisations in the weeks ahead.”

Elaine Brown from the Edinburgh Remakery, which received a £2,000 grant from the Fund to provide refurbished laptop computers for vulnerable people in Leith to help them access digital services and keep in touch with loved ones, said: “Thank you so much for supporting the Edinburgh Remakery.

“This grant will not only support us in these challenging times, it will allow us to help vulnerable people within Leith and north Edinburgh to stay connected.”

The Milan Senior Welfare Organisation, which provides a range of services for older people from South Asian communities in Edinburgh and Lothian to meet their social, cultural, recreational, language and care needs, received a grant to buy laptops and phones to help staff work remotely, issue newsletters to keep in touch with service users and also buy bags and containers for hot food deliveries.

Sophia Latif from Milan Senior Welfare Organisation commented: “Funding like this is a lifeline to charities like us, especially when processed in such a timely manner.”

West Pilton-based Fresh Start, which helps people who have been homeless to get set up in their new homes and settle in their community, received funding to support the most vulnerable individuals and families across Edinburgh by providing them with emergency packs of essential food, toiletries and cleaning products.

Freh Start’s Jen McQuistan said: “This funding will make a big difference to the people we are supporting, especially during these challenging times.”

All funds have now been allocated but PoLHA are very hopeful of securing more funding to distribute soon – keep an eye on www.polha.co.uk and on Twitter @PortofLeithHA /Facebook

Public Holidays & Benefits Payments: info from GIC

Benefits and Tax Credits payment dates will vary because of the upcoming public holidays in May – here’s what you can expect:

Universal Credit is a monthly welfare payment that replaces six other benefits and is paid once a month, usually on the same date.

Those applying for Universal Credit must wait five weeks for their first payment, consisting of a one-month assessment period in which their circumstances and income are checked, and then another seven days for the money to reach their account.

If your first payment was received on April 8, you would normally receive subsequent amounts on the 8th of every month after that – but pay dates vary if they would end up falling on a weekend or bank holiday.

So your payments of Universal Credit and other benefits will vary because of the May bank holidays getting in the way of regular dates.

Universal Credit – May Bank Holiday payment dates

Universal credit is paid every four weeks on the same date. It will also vary slightly over the two bank holidays of May.

Your normal pay date is determined by when your first payment arrives – but it will be moved in any month where your pay date happens to fall on a weekend or bank holiday.

Early May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Friday, May 8 (May Day Bank Holiday/Early May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Due: Saturday, May 9
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Due: Sunday, May 10
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Saturday, May 23
Paid: Friday, May 22

Due: Sunday, May 24
Paid: Friday, May 22

Due: Monday, May 25 (Spring Bank Holiday/Late May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Friday, May 22

PIP – May Bank Holiday payment dates

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is usually paid every four weeks.

Your original decision letter tells you the date of your first payment and what day of the week you’ll usually be paid. It would never be arranged to fall on a weekend.

But if your payment date is on a bank holiday, you will usually be paid before the bank holiday. After that you’ll continue to get paid as normal.

Early May Bank Holiday

Due: Friday, May 8

Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Monday, May 25
Paid: Friday, May 22.

Child Benefit – May Bank Holiday payment dates:

Child benefit is usually paid every four weeks on a Monday or Tuesday (you can get it paid weekly if you’re a single parent or if one of you is claiming other benefits) so it would not be paid on a weekend anyway.

Early May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Friday, May 8 (May Day Bank Holiday/Early May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Monday, May 25 (Spring Bank Holiday/Late May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Friday, May 22

Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit – May Bank Holiday payment dates:

Tax credits such as Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit are paid every week or every four weeks. They aren’t arranged to fall on a weekend.

Early May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Friday, May 8 (May Day Bank Holiday/Early May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Monday, May 25 (Spring Bank Holiday/Late May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Friday, May 22

Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) – May Bank Holiday payment dates:

These are both usually paid every two weeks. Dates would never fall on a weekend.

Early May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Friday, May 8 (May Day Bank Holiday/Early May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Monday, May 25 (Spring Bank Holiday/Late May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Friday, May 22

When does the money go in?

Depending on your bank, funds are available sometime after midnight on the day they are due, usually in the early hours.

Some banks deposit money into your account around 11.30pm so you can withdraw it before midnight on benefit payday. Others will release your funds at midnight or just a few minutes after that.

But in some cases you have to wait until 2am to 3am and others will not let you touch your money until at least 6am on payday.

Granton Information Centre’s office is currently closed to the public due to coronavirus restrictions, but the team is still working. If you need support or advice, telephone 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458.

You can also email info@gic.org.uk and a member of staff will get back to you.

North Edinburgh charities unite to deliver over 11,000 free meals during lockdown

Charity and community groups in North Edinburgh have joined forces to deliver over 11,000 free, healthy meals, toiletries and cleaning supplies to vulnerable individuals and families during four weeks of lockdown.

More than a dozen organisations have come together to form the North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group, supporting those in food poverty or experiencing hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite launching only four weeks ago, the group has already coordinated community groups and volunteers to safely deliver a record number of healthy meals to those who need them most. It now aims to deliver over 15,000 meals each week, thanks to support from funders, donors and members of the public.

In just one week, more than 10,000 ready-meals and sandwich packs were delivered to residents in Muirhouse, Salvesen, Pilton, Granton, Drylaw and Telford, as well as more than 1,000 essential food, toiletry and cleaning supply kits.

A phoneline has also been launched to handle requests for assistance. Local residents in Muirhouse, Salvesen, Pilton, Granton, Drylaw and Telford can call 0131 356 0220, with the hotline open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.

Due to high demand, the group is asking funders and members of the public to help them reach more people living in food poverty by funds. All money raised will go towards supporting vulnerable people living in Edinburgh during the pandemic crisis.

To ensure deliveries were made safely, 100 charity and voluntary sector volunteers and keyworkers were trained in Covid-19 safety protocols by Scran Academy to ensure everyone adhered to government guidance on physical distancing.

Willie Black, Chair of West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, said: “This is a truly remarkable effort. It’s a great demonstration of the power of communities pulling together, working in partnership to build a new future for north Edinburgh.

“It’s an extremely difficult time for vulnerable families and individuals across the city. They may have experienced homelessness, be elderly or socially isolated.

“Getting support out to them is our priority and we have been overwhelmed by the generous support of our funders and donors. But there is more to be done. We estimate that to meet the demand we need to deliver a minimum of 15,000 emergency packs per week.

“On the other hand, we are trying to manage our supplies to ensure we have enough to go around while this pandemic continues to affect us all.”

Residents who have already received packages from the Group have described the resource as vital for enabling them to feed their families:

Family from Muirhouse:

“My husband has lost his job, and we were 2093 in the queue to speak to someone at Universal credits, 14 hour wait, no money, no food. My health visitor referred us to Covid-19 Foodshare Group and they just appeared with food and packed lunches for us. I have never cried to see food to feed my kids, but I just have no money. They turn up every day with packed lunches and for the last three weeks a food parcel has appeared at our door.”

Muriel, elderly Drylaw resident. Husband in care facility:

“Many many thanks for your kind and considerate actions. To the staff, you have no idea, how your thoughts for older isolated people impacts on our daily life.

The comfort and solace it gives to us, when you are alone and can’t reach out to touch our loved ones is like winning the lottery, an absolute god send to me!

Thank you from the bottom of my Heart.”

Isolated resident from Pennywell:

“Please let the chef know that the mushroom soup was absolutely amazing and fandabbydozy!”

Family from Pilton:

“Both me and my partner are temporarily out of employment, with 2 kids at home. The first week we survived thanks to the kindness of a neighbour. I really appreciate the food packs and the different foods we are receiving now. It has saved us”.

Single parent from Granton:

“I want to send my appreciation first of all by sending you this message. You guys have helped my own household and my sons during this pandemic. I think we might have really struggled if it wasn’t for all the good work you guys are doing for the community, you are all amazing”.

Latest Info from North Edinburgh’s COVID-19 FoodShare Group

North Edinburgh’s COVID-19 Foodshare Group has updated their information factsheet to include more useful teleohone numbers.

The network of community groups expects hear to about funding to help meet demand in the local area later today. The fund is being administered locally by the city council and EVOC.