POLICE are appealing for the help of the public to trace a 29-year-old woman reported missing from the Penicuik area.
Toni McNelis was last seen around midnight on Friday, 14 March, in the Edinburgh Road area of the town.
She has been spoken to on the phone by officers, however there are still concerns and we need to trace her.
Toni is described as being around 5ft 4in tall, of slim build, with long blonde hair. It is not known what she was wearing.
She may have travelled to the Glasgow area and also has links to Edinburgh.
Inspector Carlyn Simpson, Dalkeith Police Station, said: “We are concerned for Toni’s welfare and are asking anyone who knows where she might be to come forward.
“Her family and friends are extremely worried and just want to know she is safe and well.
“I would also appeal directly to Toni – if you see this, please get in touch.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1545 of 20 March.
Calling all community activists in Newhaven / Trinity / Granton / West Pilton – can you share your ideas about how decisions should be made on heating system changes coming within 5-15 years?
– How to tackle fuel poverty? Stop energy leaking out of homes!
– After gas … what? Heat pumps or heat networks?
These are big technical options being discussed right now by the Scottish Government and the City Council.
– Do you want a say in the new arrangements the infrastructure needed?
– Share your views on what will happen when gas no longer heats homes / workplaces.
– Could a Local Place Plan / a Local Energy Plan help?
This online workshop is for community organisers and residents interested in the issues. It will inform future funding applications and support for community organisations looking to take control of their journey to a low carbon future.
Scotland’s first Festival of Movement will soon come to Linlithgow! We are delighted to now reveal the full programme for the day.
Join us across Linlithgow, from the West Lothian Cycle Route to The Cross, on Saturday 29 March for a free, fun-filled day of opportunities to get moving, from in-line skating to led cycles, as well as talks, discussions and creative workshops for all ages and abilities.
For Debt Awareness Week, we’re highlighting how debt affects mental health – and the support that is available to help.
Throughout the cost-of-living-crisis many people have had to turn to lenders and may be struggling to keep up with their repayments. The mental health toll can be really challenging, with increased feelings of anxiety keeping you up at night or making it harder to enjoy your relationships. It can make existing mental health problems like depression worse and all together, feel overwhelming.
The mental health effects of debt can make navigating it an even more isolating and lonely experience. It’s important to remember that you are not alone, and that there is support available to you.
Want to know more? Join us for our Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ 26-28 March r/ukpersonalfinance. We’ll be joined by StepChange to answer all your questions on mental health and debt.
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A diverse manufacturing business which is leading the way in sustainable industrialised construction to meet the UK’s housing needs hosted more than 60 secondary school students who presented their ideas on how to tackle society’s key challenges.
Eco Group, led by founder and MD Eddie Black, specialises in Contract Manufacturing, Organic Brand Manufacturing, and Services to Manufacturing in a range of industries across the UK from its base in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway.
Eco’s VASO Build Solutions, construction panels made from mostly recycled glass, is one of a range of world-first decarbonisation technologies and carbon mitigation strategies developed by the pioneering business.
On Monday (March 17), Eddie and Eco Group Opportunity Strategist Gary Robertson, and Eco colleagues, hosted S5 students from Annan Academy as part of the forward-thinking Powering Futures programme involving 1,300 pupils in 86 schools across Scotland.
Powering Futures, which is supported by 47 Scottish businesses and organisations, “prepares the workforce of the future for the jobs of the future”, educating the workforce of the future in over 100 Scottish secondary schools, and training the workforce of the future in large employers across the country.
The SCQF level 6 accredited programme equips learners with critical meta-skills that employers are looking for while gaining an understanding of sustainability knowledge.
The event at Eco on Monday kicked off a programme throughout Scotland over the next two weeks where students will be making their final presentations to businesses in boardrooms, from the Borders to Inverness, to mark the culmination of their 30-week challenge.
Eddie Black, one of the judges at Monday’s event, said: “Investing our time, energy and expertise in the next generation is something I have been passionate about ever since the day we set up our business more than 15 years ago.
“With the way Eco has grown and diversified, we were delighted to host the Annan Academy students at our headquarters and hopefully give them a taste of what a sustainable business environment looks and feels like.
“It was fabulous to see and listen to their challenge presentations. It was a privilege to be in the room with group of young people with such inquiring minds.
“We were genuinely blown away by the thinking and research they had done to come up with their solutions to some of society’s major challenges.
“All the students showed impressive problem-solving skills. We know all too well how much adaptability, collaboration and resilience they will have had to show to get to this presentation stage – we have even named one of our businesses Resilience because we know what an important quality that is in today’s fast-changing society. Congratulations to all the students – you were amazing.
“Big thanks must also go to all the teachers and staff at Annan Academy for giving our young people the support and opportunity to take part, and to the team at Powering Futures for making these experiences happen which will stand the students in such good stead today for embarking on the careers of tomorrow.”
Participants in the Powering Futures Schools Programme engage in hands-on learning as they collaborate to find a solution to real-life sustainability challenges that have been set for this 2024-2025 academic year.
Industry partners are embedded in the delivery of the curriculum programme, which is designed to systematically create a pipeline of talent to businesses involved in delivering the transition to net zero.
Annan Academy is one of only four schools nationally to have enrolled an entire year group in the SCQF level 6 programme, the same level of Higher or modern and foundation apprenticeships.
Annan Academy Headteacher Ewan Murray said: “By integrating the Powering Futures Challenge into the whole year group instead of as an optional course, we ensured that all our students could benefit from learning these essential meta-skills, including teamwork, problem-solving, and organisation.”
Powering Futures Co-Founder David Reid said: “The teams demonstrated the new skills that they have developed over the past 30 weeks around team building, collaboration, problem solving and now presentation skills, all attributes that they need for a great career and a job in the future.
“So much so that Eco, our hosts, have already identified two or three individuals that they would like to speak more to about vacancies that they have, because they were so impressed.
“By fostering essential meta-skills that are highly valued by employers, the Powering Futures Schools Programme not only prepares students for their careers but also empowers them to navigate all aspects of life beyond education.
“They have helped the studentsgain the experience and confidence needed to navigate an evolving job market and contribute meaningfully to their industries.
“As a result, the students are not just preparing for the future – they are actively shaping it.
“Thank you also to all the team at Annan Academy for their support. We’re excited to continue collaborating with the academy to guide young people toward a brighter, more prosperous future.”
New analysis from the Institute for Public Policy Research Scotland (IPPR Scotland) warns that without urgent investment, more than 210,000 Scottish children – 22 per cent – will be trapped in poverty by 2030. That’s enough children to fill Murrayfield Stadium more than three times over, and more than twice the legal target of fewer than one in ten children in poverty by 2030.
The first minister has described eradicating child poverty as “the single most important objective” of the Scottish government and the Scottish Child Payment is helping lift children out of poverty.
If delivered within the promised timescale, the commitment to mitigate the 2-child limit will also have a positive impact on child poverty. Without these policies the think tank says Scotland’s current rate of child poverty would be even higher at 27 per cent.
However, amid mounting pressures on public finances and the imminent release of data showing if Scotland has met or missed its interim child poverty targets, new analysis by researchers at IPPR Scotland shows that a “business as usual” approach to social security would leave 22 per cent of Scotland’s children in poverty by 2030 – locking them out of the conditions they need to thrive.
The outlook looks worse in the rest of the UK, where without a change of course 32 per cent of children could be in poverty at the end of the decade. Among the many harms that result from growing up in poverty, the growing attainment gap in Scotland is particularly troubling, as children from deprived areas are less likely to obtain national qualifications than their peers from affluent areas.
Today’s research highlights that raising children requires resources in the form of time, energy and extra living space – yet the economy is not designed to ensure families have what they need.
Parents must often reduce work hours to care for and nurture their children, while adequate living space increases their housing costs. During their analysis, researchers considered a ‘better than best case employment scenario’ in which no parent is paid less than the real living wage, unemployment among parents is halved, and 40,000 economically inactive parents – a full quarter of the total – are supported into work.
This would require a massive expansion of Scottish government funded employment services, helping parents into sustained work at five times the current pace. Even if this were to be delivered, the child poverty target would still be missed, with 60 per cent more children in poverty than required by legislation.
The researchers say the inescapable conclusion of their analysis is that achieving the 2030 target is possible but only with additional spending. The most direct and targeted route for this spending would be to increase social security payments to families in or at risk of poverty.
IPPR Scotland modelled an uplift to the Scottish Child Payment as a way of achieving the target. They found that doubling the real terms value of the payment would add around £500 million to the social security budget in 2030, and would lift 40,000 more children out of poverty, cutting the child poverty rate by an additional 4 percentage points.
Researchers are clear that child poverty is not inevitable. They point to decisions that can be made to increase spending (in addition to the Scottish Child Payment and planned removal of the two-child limit) that could be taken by either from Scottish government or the UK government, the latter of which is currently developing its own child poverty strategy.
Dave Hawkey, senior research fellow at IPPR Scotland, said:“Scotland is at a crossroads and must decide whether it is willing to take the necessary steps to eradicate child poverty – there is surely only one option.
“The social security system is an important safety net to catch families when hard times hit, but this is not its only role. Even when adults are working, many families need financial support to make ends meet. Child benefit and universal credit have a vital role to play, plugging a gap that the labour market cannot and ensuring that children have what they need to grow up healthy and secure.
“The Scottish government is in the early stages of developing its next child poverty delivery plan to cover the period up to 2030. It needs to set out the actions the Scottish government will take to reduce child poverty and the impact they will have.
“The evidence is clear: to meet Scotland’s legal child poverty target, Scotland must commit additional fiscal resource to our shared priority of giving every child in Scotland a good start in life”.
The NHS Lothian Bereavement Service has been awarded the prestigious Bereavement Charter for Scotland (Workforces).
The service works to improve the experience and support available for patients, families and staff after a bereavement by being a single point of contact for any bereavement related issues.
They are here to compliment the support routinely given by hospital staff, which can be anything from what happens next, enquiries about the policy, providing training or looking to see what emotional support is available.
This accreditation is a testament to our organisation’s unwavering commitment to providing high-quality, human rights-based bereavement care and support. It highlights the team’s dedication to fostering a compassionate and understanding community for those navigating the challenging journey of grief.
The recognition comes in light of the exceptional person-centred care, education, and support that the NHS Lothian Bereavement Service consistently delivers. Effective, equitable, and compassionate bereavement care has always been at the heart of their service provision, and the Charter Mark is a well-deserved acknowledgment of these efforts.
One of the key initiatives that contributed to this achievement was the team’s focus on better support for NHS Lothian staff who have experienced bereavement.
This comprehensive project included conducting a staff survey, collaborating closely with Line Managers, and developing valuable resources and training programs. These efforts will help to ensure that staff members receive the support they need when they return to work and beyond after experiencing the loss of a loved one.
The Charter accreditation holds significant meaning for the team, reflecting their dedication and hard work. Looking ahead, the NHS Lothian Bereavement Service is now focused on the next steps: supporting other teams, wards, and departments within NHS Lothian to work towards achieving the Charter Mark.
This initiative aims to empower the wider workforce to practice excellent bereavement care across Lothian, further enhancing the organisation’s commitment to compassionate care.
Congratulations to NHS Lothian Bereavement Service on this outstanding achievement. Their dedication to providing high-quality bereavement care and support is truly inspiring and sets a benchmark for others to follow.
In a new report, the Committee said that draft legislation in the Scottish Parliament should generally set out a high degree of detail on the face of a bill to allow for proper democratic engagement by both stakeholders and parliamentarians.
The report comes as the Committee concludes an inquiry into how framework legislation and so-called Henry VIII powers are used in Scotland and elsewhere.
There is not a single, precise definition for framework legislation. The Committee described it as legislation which sets out the principles for a policy, but without substantial detail as to how it will be given practical effect. Instead, broad powers are given to ministers or others to fill in this detail at a later stage.
While there was a lot of consensus around what this sort of legislation is in practice, the Committee recognised that, within this description, there will be a spectrum of framework provision, grey areas, and scope for reasonable disagreement.
The Committee recognised the need for framework legislation in appropriate and very limited circumstances, mainly to allow for flexibility. Although each bill needs to be considered on its own merits, flexibility is more likely to be needed in areas which need to be updated frequently, in ways which cannot reasonably be foreseen.
The Committee found that any framework provisions should be as clear and as narrow in scope as possible. Where a bill proposes the delegation of a broad power, the Scottish Government should think about using an appropriate super-affirmative procedure to improve parliamentary scrutiny of how the power is used.
Considering the balance of evidence across jurisdictions, the Committee concluded it is likely the occurrence of framework legislation has increased since 1932 when the Report of the Donoughmore Committee on Ministers’ Powers was published, and that the trend seems to be accelerating.
Framework powers that allow flexibility “just in case” are unlikely to be considered appropriate, the Committee also found, and consultation and “co-design” on a bill’s provisions should take place before it is introduced to enable sufficient policy detail to be provided.
Stuart McMillan MSP, Convener of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, said: “Proper scrutiny is vital to the work of the Scottish Parliament to improve the quality of legislation and ensure that laws are well considered and effective.
“Our Committee agreed that, where possible, parliamentarians and stakeholders should be able to engage with solid proposals to make it easier for them to consider the impact of legislation, set out views or advocate for a particular outcome.
“Where a framework approach is being taken, we see it as essential that a full justification is given at the bill’s introduction as to why the framework provision is appropriate in the circumstances.
“We hope our report is useful, by sharing our views on how to strengthen the scrutiny of primary legislation that delegates framework powers, and the secondary legislation made under them.
“We are keen to hear the Scottish Government’s response to our report.”
As part of its inquiry, the Committee was also interested in hearing views of how Henry VIII powers are used. These powers allow Ministers to amend primary legislation by secondary legislation
The Committee concluded that Henry VIII powers can be a necessary, efficient tool when used suitably but should be appropriately limited in scope.
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.”
Scotland’s first Festival of Movement will soon come to Linlithgow! We are delighted to now reveal the full programme for the day.
