Category: North Edinburgh News

Solving the housing crisis: council looks to private sector for ideas

The City of Edinburgh Council has this month invited the private sector to bring forward proposals to deliver affordable housing on sites not owned by the Council.

As agreed at the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee in November, through a Prior Information Notice (PIN), published on the Public Contracts Scotland website, the Council is looking to encourage the private sector, particularly investors, landowners and developers, to consider what ways they could work with the Council to accelerate the ambition to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.

The PIN focusses on three key areas: purchase of development sites, purchase of completed homes and an opportunity to propose innovative solutions such as leasehold proposals and partnerships.

The PIN also sets out a range of outcomes that the market must consider when putting forward proposals and overall gives the market an opportunity to tell the Council what they can do.

It will also help to inform the next steps, including whether there needs to be a procurement exercise and what that should look like. Establishing a structured approach to market engagement will allow the transparency and assessment of best value that the public sector needs but there is also a desire to make the process as accessible as possible and allow the Council to react to opportunities over the coming years.

Released through Public Contracts Scotland it is open for everyone to take a look, consider the options and register interest in this engagement process. The PIN will close on 31 January 2022.

Housing Convener, Councillor Kate Campbell, said: “Edinburgh needs more affordable homes. We’re doing everything we can through the Council’s own housebuilding programme, and working with housing associations, to provide social and mid-market homes. But we need to look at every possible way to create additional affordable housing – so I am really keen to see what ideas come from the private sector.

“I hope this process will create new and innovative ways to provide even more affordable homes that are so needed in our city.

“By going out to the market we’re asking the question of housing developers or landowners about what they could deliver now. But we’re also inviting them to start thinking about what might be possible, and how they can contribute to helping us deal with one of the biggest challenges facing our city.”

Vice Housing Convener, Councillor Mandy Watt, said: “We are looking forward to seeing what comes back in through this process. It’s an opportunity for the private sector to consider what they might be able to contribute to Edinburgh in terms of affordable housing.

“We expect any proposals submitted to fit with our strategy of providing affordable, good quality, sustainable homes that deliver value for money. We are open to both traditional and innovative ideas which achieve the outcomes that our citizens need.

“Some landowners or developers maybe interested in this but are unfamiliar with this process, so we’d encourage them to come forward and speak to our procurement team to find out more.”

If you have any queries on the PIN or accessing Public Contracts Scotland please contact Kelly Faulds Kelly.faulds@edinburgh.gov.uk

Lothian’s Christmas babies

Parents in Lothian are celebrating after they received the best Christmas gift they could have hoped.

They welcomed their very special delivery into the world during the small hours of the morning.

The first baby, a little girl named Sophie Elizabeth Bird, was born at NHS Lothian’s St John’s Hospital. She was born to parents Karen (37) and Craig Bird (39) from Linlithgow at 1.45am.

Sophie was followed closely by baby Skye Rose Irving (top) who was born at 2.18am also at St John’s Hospital weighing 7lb 2oz.  Parents Lisa Playfair (35) and Adam Irving (30) are from Craigshill in Livingston.

The first baby born at NHS Lothian’s Birth Centre, part of the Simpson’s Centre for Reproductive Health at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, was a little boy at 5.10am this morning weighing 8lb 8oz.

He was born to parents Elohu Egwowa (28) and Oghenekome Otame (31) from Edinburgh. Mum and Dad have not fully decided on a name, so at the moment he is known as Baby Otame.

Council’s community benefits support for Prentice Centre

Earlier this year, through our Community Benefits scheme and with help from our wonderful suppliers a brand new kitchen was installed in the Prentice Centre.

It’s been a real asset to the Centre and its members over the last few months and helped to make some festive gatherings easier at the end of what has been a challenging year for the community as we continue to support one another through this pandemic.

Thanks again to our suppliers who supported this projected as part of their community benefits contract with us:

Response Building Services   

Grant Westfield Ltd

T B McKay Energy Services Ltd

Ideal Flooring

Gas Call Services Ltd

Scolmore Group

Mental health support over the festive season

Mental wellbeing support is available over the festive period for anyone who may be struggling during this time.

Those experiencing low mood, stress, anxiety or depression are being urged to seek help and not wait until after the festive season is past.

Mental Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “It is vital we all look after ourselves, and each other, at this time of year. Not everybody finds the festive season full of fun. And not everyone has a family around them, and can find themselves on their own at Christmas and New Year.

“There can be many triggers including existing family tensions, anniversaries of a life-changing event around this time and even the pressure of Christmas for some can be too much.

“All that on top of what we have all been through with the challenging times of the pandemic and the shorter, darker winter days, it can seem really bleak for some.

“But there is help and support available and I want people to know they are not alone. Often the hardest step is making that first call.

“I urge anyone who is feeling low or anxious to reach out to Breathing Space, the Samaritans or NHS 24 Mental Health Hub.

“I am also asking if you know of somebody who will be on their own over the festive period to check in on them. Often that one act can make a huge difference to a person’s mental wellbeing.”

Clear Your Head has more information to help you cope, and advice on how you can support other people who you think might be struggling – visit: www.clearyourhead.scot

If you need to talk to someone, you can call these free services:

  • NHS 24 on 111 if you need urgent support for your mental or emotional health.
  • Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87 -if you’re experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety
  • Samaritans on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org, for confidential emotional support if you’re in distress or despair. Open 24 hours a day.

Pornstar Martini is the UK’s favourite Christmas cocktail

  • Pornstar Martini was the UK’s most popular cocktail with 144,000 Google searches over the past 30 days. 
  • Aperol Spritz and Negroni came in a respective second and third. 
  • There have been 50,000 searches for cocktail recipes alone and 14,800 searches for Christmas cocktails in the past month showing a 223% increase. 
  • EggNog a traditional Christmas cocktail made the number nine spot 

A study by kitchen equipment experts experts Maxima Kitchen Equipment analysed Google data to find the nations favourite cocktails this Christmas. 

The UK’s favourite cocktail this year is a Pornstar Martini with 144,000 searches in the past 30 days alone. The cocktail, which is traditionally made from Vodka, vanilla syrup, lime juice, passion fruit, prosecco and passoa liquer. The popular cocktail was only created in the early 2000’s in LAB London bar and has risen to popularity ever since being a staple drink of choice. 

Aperol Spritz came in second and received 80,000 searches over the past month. The cocktail is made up of Aperol, prosecco, soda water and lime. The cocktail is often described as an Italian sunset originating from northern Italy in the late 1950’s. 

Negroni which is traditionally an Italian cocktail came in third place for the most popular cocktail this Christmas. It’s made up of gin, Vermouth Rossi, Campari and garnished with orange peel. Traditionally, it is stirred not shaken and served on the rocks (over ice). The cocktail received 71,000 searches this month.

Mojito came out globally as the most searched cocktail but only made fourth place in the UK with an impressive 68,000 searches. The classic cocktail has many variations but is traditionally made up of rum, soda water, mint leaves, granulated sugar and lime. The origins of this cocktail can be dated back to 1586 it is believed. 

Cosmopolitan came in fifth place for the favourite cocktail for this Christmas with 68,000 searches in the past 30 days. The cocktail is made up of lemon vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice. 

Margarita came in sixth place with 64,000 searches, it was the top choice of cocktail in the USA and 3rd globally. It is made up of Cointreau, lime juice and tequila.  

Seventh place was a Pina Colada with a search volume of 63,000 just in the past month. The summer themed cocktail originating from Puerto Rico is still a favourite even at Christmas it turns out. The cocktail is made up of white rum, coconut cream and pineapple juice. 

The cocktail Mimosa took eighth place with a total 61,000 searches. The cocktail is traditionally served in a tall champagne flute and made up of champagne and orange juice.  

In ninth place was the traditional Christmas cocktail Eggnog which is made up of eggs, milk, cream, spices such as nutmeg and vanilla, rum and finished off with a whisky or a brandy. It received a total of 59,000 searches. 

Espresso Martini which came in tenth place with a search total of 56,000 in the last month. The cocktail is traditionally made up of vodka, coffee beans, and coffee liquer. As a nation of coffee lovers, it is easily understandably how an alcoholic version of the beverage can rank in our top list. 

A spokesperson from Maxima Kitchen Equipment commented: “The cocktail industry has grown more and more profitable over recent years however, these search numbers are bigger than anticipated, suggesting that cocktails are now a staple of British culture regardless of if they are consumed at home or in bars.”

Cocktail UK search Volume 
1 Pornstar Martini                               144,000.00  
2 Aperol Spritz                                 80,000.00  
3 Negroni                                 71,000.00  
4 Mojito                                 68,000.00  
5 Cosmopolitan                                 68,000.00  
6 Margarita                                 64,000.00  
7 Pina colada                                 63,000.00  
8 Mimosa                                 61,000.00  
9 Eggnog                                 59,000.00  
10 Espresso martini                                 56,000.00  
11 Bucks’ fizz                                 50,000.00  
12 Long island iced tea                                 46,000.00  
13 Mulled wine                                 41,000.00  
14 Bloody mary                                 35,000.00  
15 Poinsettia                                 35,000.00  
16 Daiquiri                                 29,000.00  
17 Bellini                                 23,000.00  
18 Mai Tai                                 22,000.00  
19 Whiskey Sour                                 18,000.00  
20 Manhattan Cocktail                                 16,000.00  
21 Amaretto Sour                                 15,000.00  
22 Tom Collins                                 15,000.00  
23 Black Russian                                 14,000.00  
24 Irish coffee                                 13,000.00  
25 Vodka martini                                 11,000.00  
26 Bramble Cocktail                                 11,000.00  
27 Gimlet                                 11,000.00  
28 Whisky sour                                 11,000.00  
29 French 75                                 10,000.00  
30 Zombie Cocktail                                   9,200.00  
31 Old fashioned cocktail                                   8,800.00  
32 Wassail                                   8,600.00  
33 Brandy Alexander                                   7,900.00  
34 Kir Royale                                   7,300.00  
36 Pisco Sour                                   6,900.00  
37 Snowball Cocktail                                   5,900.00  
38 Gin fizz                                   5,500.00  
39 Godfather Cocktail                                   4,500.00  
40 Sazerac                                   4,400.00  
41 Dry Martini                                   4,100.00  
42 Aviation Cocktail                                   3,800.00  
43 Paloma Cocktail                                   3,000.00  
44 Grasshopper Cocktail                                   3,000.00  
45 Boulevardier                                   2,600.00  
46 Americano Cocktail                                   2,500.00  
47 Negroni Sbagliato                                   2,300.00  
48 Pink lady Cocktail                                   2,000.00  
49 White lady Cocktail                                   1,600.00  
50 Cover club                                   1,300.00  

Police: Keep safe when partying

Everyone should be able to enjoy a night out without worry, but here are a few things you can do to stay safe:

Plan how you’re getting home before you go out.

Arrange a lift from friends or family, or use a licensed taxi hire.

Charge your mobile.

Stick with your friends and look out for one another.

Don’t do drugs, there is no ‘safe’ way to do so. Don’t risk your health and life.

If you see someone acting suspiciously, report them to door stewards, bar staff or police.

Visit our website for more safe night out tips ➡️

http://ow.ly/s1Fw50H9AqY

Healthy Heart Tip: Curb Your Couch Potato

We all spend at least some of our time each day sitting down, whether it’s when we are working or watching the television, but research shows that too much sitting can be bad for our heart.

We should ideally aim to sit down for no more than 8 hours each day, but this can be difficult, especially if we have a desk-based job.

Here are some tips on how to be more active:

Set a Movement Reminder

  • If you are working at a desk, try setting an alarm once every hour to get up and move. This could be as simple as walking to get a glass of water or doing a few star-jumps on the spot!

Vary Your Workspace

  • If you have access to a standing desk, this can be a great way to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting down. If not, there are lots of ways that you can still change your work setup, such as by using a raised surface like a kitchen worktop, or by placing your laptop on a sturdy box.

Take Active Breaks

  • Taking a short walk on a lunch break can be a great way to take your mind off your work, enhance your energy levels and get your heart pumping.

Get Creative

  • Setting cues can help to remind us to move during the day. A fun and creative way to do this is to label each door in your house with an exercise such as squats, star jumps or jogging, and every time you walk through each door, you do the exercise labelled on that door.

For more tips like this, please visit www.heartresearch.org.uk/health-tips

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:
https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

Lothian announces changes to festive bus services

In light of the Scottish Government announcement regarding large scale events and the cancellation of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, Lothian, Lothian Country and East Coast Buses will be making some changes to our planned routes and timetables for the 30, 31 December and 1 January.

On Thursday 30 December, we will be operating a Saturday service. All diversions for the Torchlight procession have now been cancelled and bus services will operate normal routes.

On Friday 31 December, we will operate a Saturday service, finishing earlier than normal with last journeys through the city centre at approximately 2130.

On the morning of 1 January 2022, we will no longer be operating our special Hogmanay Night Service. We understand that some customers may be disappointed, however with the cancellation of the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street party and the latest advice from the Scottish Government, we do not anticipate sufficient demand for these night services.

As we highlighted this week, we are also continuing to be impacted by the pandemic in regards to team resource which is placing considerable pressure on our operations and therefore it is vital we continue to focus on providing critical links across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Customers are reminded to allow extra time for their journeys and to plan before they travel through our website or our app. Updated data can be found from the 29 December on the Traveline Scotland website.

Our updated Christmas and New Year timetable is available here. You can also read more about our festive timetables here.

Thanks to all of our customers for their patience and understanding, and a massive thank you to all of our colleagues who continue to react and adapt to this ever-changing fluid situation.

Wishing you all a great Christmas and New Year.

UK Government accepts JCVI advice on COVID-19 paediatric vaccination programme

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Our independent medicines regulator, the MHRA, has approved Pfizer’s paediatric vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 following a thorough review of the safety and effectiveness.

“I have accepted the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to offer vaccines to at-risk 5-11 year old children and extend the booster programme to at-risk 12-15s and all 16-17s.

“While our current and unrelenting focus is ensuring all eligible adults are offered a COVID-19 booster vaccine by the end of December because two doses do not provide enough protection against the Omicron variant, the NHS will prepare to offer vaccines to at-risk 5-11 year old children.

“We have secured supplies of the Pfizer/BioNTech paediatric vaccine which will start to arrive in the UK from mid-January.

“Vaccines are our best defence against this virus and our booster programme has accelerated rapidly, with almost 30 million doses administered and more than half of adults jabbed, securing vital protection.

“This is a national mission and we urge everybody to play their part by getting their vaccines and booster doses as soon as possible.”