Detectives are appealing for information following the attempted robbery of a woman in Leith.
The incident happened between 11.30pm and 11.50pm on Tuesday, 10 December, 2024 on Leith Links.
Two men pushed the woman to the ground and attempted to take items. Nothing was stolen from her.
The first man is described as being of slim build and the second is described as being of stocky build. Both are around 6ft tall and were wearing dark clothing.
Detective Constable James Palmer said: “Enquiries are ongoing and we are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed anything to contact us.
“We also ask anyone driving in the area at the time with dashcam footage to come forward.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 0052 of 11 December, 2024. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Don’t let the festive rush catch you out—check your repeat prescriptions and make sure you have enough medication to last through the festive period. Order only what you need, in plenty of time.
Local authorities receive ‘real terms increase’ in funding
Councils will share a record funding settlement of more than £15 billion subject to passing of the 2025-26 Budget, provisional allocations show.
The 2025-26 Local Government Settlement includes a £289 million increase in funding to be used by councils to meet local needs and £120.5 million additional funding for pay deals.
The Budget also includes a one-off payment of £40 million to help councils respond to the climate emergency, and additional funding to support free personal care, teacher numbers and island communities.
Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: “Our Budget is laying the foundations for Scotland’s future success, with investment to help improve the public services that people rely on.
“Local authorities provide some of the most important services to our communities – from schools to social care – which is why we’ve increased their funding by more than £1 billion compared with last year’s Budget.
“The settlement is the result of meaningful budget engagement with COSLA and Councils. While council tax decisions are a matter for individual local authorities, with record funding of over £15 billion there is no reason for big increases in Council Tax next year.
“This is a Budget that will deliver increased funding for schools, social care and other vital council services. But this funding will only reach communities if the Budget passes, so I am asking Parliament to unite behind it.”
12 2024, participants of the Edinburgh International Book Festival Communities Programme came together to celebrate a successful 12 months that has seen 26 authors and artists engage with over 28 community organisations and 1,800+ individuals
The Edinburgh InternationalBook FestivalCommunities Programme 2024 is year-round and brings local people and organisations together with professional writers and artists.
Thanks to the support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the programme engaged communities across Scotland
Authors including Jordan Stephens,Jenni Fagan, Andrew O’Hagan, Amy Liptrot, Joe Coelho, and Sophy Henn visited schools, prisons, hospitals, and local reading centres in 2024
Other activity included events streamed to The Birks cinema in Aberfeldy and a public stories submissions campaign collecting memories linked to the Festivals new home; Words from the Wards
The 2024 Festival itself saw the culmination of a activity that took place throughout the year, with performances from Scotland 2049 and Stories & Scran presented on stage.
Participants of the Edinburgh International Book Festival Communities Programme came together in Edinburgh today, Thursday 12 December, to celebrate a year that saw 26 authors and artists engage with over 28 community organisations, and over 1,800 individuals, over the course of it.
A year-round calendar of events made possible thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the Communities programme connects authors and artists with communities across Scotland who may not otherwise have had access to cultural experiences. In August authors including Andrew O’Hagan, Amy Liptrot, Joe Coelho, and Sophy Henn connected with new audiences for readings and in-person events in eight prisons including HMP Barlinnie and HMP & YOI Polmont, as well as the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.
Jenni Fagan, author and poet, said:“Edinburgh International Book Festival create partnerships whereby writers can visit and host workshops or readings within the Scottish prison system. This is an extraordinarily important programme. It allows those currently trying to rebuild their lives, access to a wide demographic of writers and stories.
“My most recent visit was with Lilias Centre in Glasgow, whose groundbreaking and progressive facility should be upheld as a blueprint for allowing women in prison to live in an environment focused on their journey and how best to facilitate skillsets that will build confidence and independence on their release.
“It is not possible to overstate that this access to workshops with guest writers, should be considered a cornerstone element, it generates conversation from the women in prison, inspiration in sharing stories, listening (writers must open the floor and really listen all attending the workshops / as they listen to each other too). It is vital to host these workshops in a way that puts each individual in a position where they may choose to share their own voice, or their own stories, if they choose to.
“As part of my writing life, I have found taking my work out into communities that maybe cannot attend readings or may have less easy access to a wide library, is some of the most important and rewarding work I do.”
Thanks to the support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the power of words was brought not only to prisons, but schools, hospitals, cinemas and local reading centres across Scotland in 2024, as part of the Communities Programme.
In Edinburgh, the team worked with Simon Community Scotland’s Streetreads Library, which helps to support those experiencing homelessness, on reading events with visiting authors Jordan Stephens and Salena Godden.
Jordan Stephens, British musician, actor, and presenter and author, said: “I had the absolute privilege of being able to chat to people struggling with homelessness and addiction at the [Streetreads] library.
They listened to me read out sections of my book and asked me questions. It was actually a really great experience because I felt super connected to everybody’s journey, people who have been through much harder times than me. Any opportunity to be part of a communities programme means a lot to me.”
Further afield in Aberfeldy, The Birks cinema, for the fourth year in a row, screened a record number of 22 events with a total audience of 254. Organiser Fiona MacEwan said that both The Birks team and the local community were ‘delighted’.
Fiona McEwan, Programme and Community Development Manager at The Birks cinema, went on to say:“Many of our audience love the book festival but are unable to get to Edinburgh anymore to attend in person due to personal circumstances but love feeling that they are still part of the audience…thanks again to the whole team for enabling this possibility – it is so amazing to get this opportunity to participate as it can be really challenging (sometimes impossible) to get to Edinburgh.”
Fiona also highlighted that these events have a positive impact on the wider community and tourism economy, saying: “Some audience members were on holiday and said they would be back again next year at the same time so that they could come again.”
Throughout the year community memories were collected and shared in Words from the Wards, a project celebrating the Festival’s new home at Edinburgh Futures Institute and honouring the building’s incredible legacy as the city’s former Royal Infirmary.
The project collected stories and memories already created in the building – from new births and mourned passings to the careers of the doctors and nurses who worked there – and saw them shared in the former wards alongside new contributions from eight leading writers and artists, including previous and new Edinburgh Makars Hannah Lavery and Michael Pederson, Dr Gavin Francis,, Sara Sheridan, Lisa Williams and Kirstin Innes.
Schools writer-in-residence Ryan van Winkle also invited young people from across Scotland to share their vision for the country’s future with Scotland 2049, a project celebrating the milestone of 25 years of devolution in partnership with the Festival of Politics.
The hugely popular Stories & Scran event returned for a fifth year, with Communities writer-in-residence Eleanor Thom teaming up with local social enterprise Scran Academy to present storytelling created by young people and adults from across Edinburgh and the Lothians, while the Festival’s residency at the Alternative School at Spartans Community Foundation continued with young people from the school alongside writer Chris Barkley sharing their brand-new documentary film, If the World Was Mine, in a fun and fast-paced live event.
500 free tickets for events during the Festival were also given to community groups across Edinburgh, while more than 4,500 school children from 89 schools across Scotland were transported to the Festival (31 groups free of charge), to attend free events and each take home a free book.
Noëlle Cobden, Communities Programme Director at Edinburgh International Book Festival, said:“Year on year we see the impact that our Communities activity, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, has, not only in Edinburgh but in communities across the country.
“We bring the world of books to those who may never come across it otherwise. For many, meeting an author like Jordan Stephens or Amy Liptrot, Jenny Fagan, can be life changing.
“Our programme also boosts local economies by providing the opportunity for other organisations to engage with new and existing audiences, exemplified by The Birks cinema in Aberfeldy.”
Yesterday’s celebration at the Grassmarket Community Project concluded with a moving tribute to much-loved Citizen participant Jane Murray, who sadly passed away last month.
Citizens Advice Bureaux to provide support in six more areas
The Scottish Government has awarded £400,000 to Citizens Advice Scotland to improve access to help for people struggling with Council Tax debt.
Building on successful pilot schemes funded in 2023-4, the additional funding will enable targeted advice on Council Tax debt to be provided in six new areas: West Lothian, East Lothian, Dumfries and Galloway, Highlands, Argyll and Bute and East Renfrewshire.
The pilot bureaux gave targeted advice on Council Tax debt as well as wider holistic support and also worked with councils to support best practice in Council Tax debt collection.
The additional funding was announced by Housing Minister Paul McLennan on a visit to West Lothian Citizen’s Advice Bureau, in Livingston, which will use the funding to provide more adviser hours and appointments and extend help to more people using outreach locations to target the most vulnerable.
Mr McLennan said: “We know how worrying public sector debt can be for people in low-income households. Advice services can provide vital support to those with money worries and debt.
“Good working relationships with local authorities can be key and the Scottish Government is working to support best practice across the whole of local government.
“The Scottish Government has both legislated and acted to ensure that people who are financially vulnerable are protected and that debt collection is handled sensitively and appropriately.
“Ministers continue to encourage public bodies to promote empathy and dignity for people struggling with debt.”
Karen Nailen, CEO of CAB West Lothian said: “Council tax debt is the single biggest debt issue that is brought to our CAB every year. It creates real pressure on people’s lives, and for many it can be a sign of wider financial distress.
“This pilot funding is vital to allow us the time and space to look at ways to tackle some of the underlying issues. Working in collaboration with West Lothian Council will enable preventative measures to be identified alongside better advice outcomes for individuals and families.”
MEANWHILE in Edinburgh the Citizen Advice Bureau is one of three advice organisations – the others are CHAI and Granton Information Centre – facing a combined cut of £1 MILLION as Edinburgh Integration Joint Board struggles to balance it’s books.
The EIJB meets on Tuesday to consinder new recommendations.
St George’s School invited girls from 12 state and private schools across Edinburgh* to an event yesterday (Wednesday 11 December), Women in Computing, aimed to inspire, motivate and empower females from P6 upwards to take their first steps towards a future in computing and technology.
The event was opened and attended by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth MSP.
A collaborative event, business leaders, former St George’s alumnae, and educators were brought together to provide a hands-on learning experience. There were keynote speeches, live panel discussions, Q&A sessions and interactive workshops, with students immersing themselves in cutting-edge technologies across fields like robotics, programming, AI, VR, and cybersecurity.
The mission of the event was to enthuse and empower girls, and highlight the range of careers available in technology, from leading, innovating to coding. The event featured successful women in the field, demonstrating to students that “if you can see it, you can be it.” Surrounded by role models, attendees saw first-hand what is possible.
With an impressive line-up, girls met and interacted with leaders shaping the future of tech, from companies like i-confidential, AND Digital, Storm ID, Smart Data Foundry, Global Logic, MoneyMatiX, Free Agent, Skyscanner and Turing Fest. There were also innovative demos and interactive games from real robots from the Robotics Lab at the University of Edinburgh, the National Robotarium, APRIL Hub and FCLabs. Girls learnt to code with dedicated coding sessions by Rewriting the Code, Amazon and dressCode.
Fields traditionally underrepresented by women, there is an ongoing crisis in computing science education across Scotland, with a recent report by Reform Scotland revealing that 66 secondary schools lack a dedicated teacher and only one in five girls take up higher computing science.
Data from dressCode, a Scottish charitable organisation that aspire to make a dent in the computing science gender gap, underscores the gravity of the situation by revealing that there has been a 25% decline in computing science teachers over the past 15 years, and that 50% of girls would consider studying computing science if they had more role models and encouragement.
It is vital now more than ever to encourage young women into this crucial field.
Rebecca, a P6 pupil from St George’s, said: “There were lots of interesting events today, and I’ve learned new things about robotics and areas of technology that I’ve never thought about before.
“It was also a great opportunity to meet other schools, make friends, and hear about the exciting robots.”
Charlotte, a P7 pupil from Blackhall Primary, said: “The entire audience was girls! It was great to learn more about science today, and the robots were so fun and cool.
“It was inspiring to see female role models and women doing these roles. I learned that in these jobs, not everything works the first time so you have to do lots of trial and error and try new things.”
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth said: “We want all young people to be enthused by the wonder of STEM, and initiatives like Women in Computing help inspire girls and young women to consider the advantages of studying or pursuing a career in tech, which has been traditionally dominated by boys and young men.
“Positive role models can be extremely powerful in helping guide young people in their subject choices, which is why we are funding Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science (STACS) to support teachers in engaging, nurturing and inspiring the next generation of talent in their classroom.
“Women in Computing provides girls and young women from Edinburgh schools with a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience of what computing can offer them, and I was excited to meet pupils, teachers and exhibitors.”
Carol Chandler-Thompson, Head of St George’s School, said: “It was important for us to open up our Women in Computing event to other girls in Edinburgh.
“As well as there being a significant gender gap in computing, there is sadly also a lack of access to computing education in many schools. Over 32,000 students1 in Scottish secondary schools have no access to a qualified Computing Science teacher, and we know the issue is worse in areas with higher levels of deprivation.
“All of us at St George’s want to make a difference and play a role in reversing these trends by creating an environment that fosters girls’ interest in, and access to, technology. We were delighted to welcome brilliant speakers, exhibitors and pupils from across Edinburgh to our school.”
Toni Scullion, Founder of dressCode and Computing Science Scotland, said: “It was an honour for dressCode to be partnering with St George’s on this event, and the Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science group were equally proud to be supporting the day.
“Compared to other traditional STEM subjects, Computing Science has the largest gender gap and faces many challenges, a situation that has persisted for over a decade and unfortunately still does.
“While there has been some progress in overall uptake, including an increase in female participation, the progress is minimal. While this progress should be recognised, it is crucial that we avoid becoming complacent.”
Blessing Adogame, UK Community Development Manager at Rewriting the Code, said: “Rewriting the Code was really excited to support what was an incredible event at St. George’s.
“With girls comprising only one in five entries to Higher Computing Science in Scotland, we are committed to closing the gender gap and are bringing members from our community to provide vital representation and share their journeys to inspire more young women to see themselves in the tech industry.”
Capital investment almost trebled to unlock private sector growth
Record funding of £150 million capital investment from the Scottish Government will support the growth of the offshore wind sector and support thousands of well-paid, green jobs across Scotland over the next decade.
Overall strategic investment of up to £500 million over five years is expected to boost private investment in the sector by up to £1.5 billion and unlock opportunities for growth in a variety of industries in key areas from ports, manufacturing and assembly work to major supply chain opportunities.
The 2025-26 Scottish Budget also sets out a commitment to establish an offshore wind hub in the North-East to provide an additional route for industry to engage with policy teams.
The investment follows the recent publication of the Green Industrial Strategy which highlighted Scotland’s wind economy as one of five priority areas to secure growth and investment.
Acting Net Zero and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Accelerating Scotland’s offshore wind capabilities presents enormous economic opportunities for our country.
“Our vast resources provide us with significant opportunity to create thousands of well-paid, green jobs across Scotland while accelerating our journey to net zero. We must maximise the economic benefits from offshore wind deployment if we are to ensure a just transition that takes our existing skilled workforce and supply chain with us.
“This significant investment will help boost innovation and expertise in the sector, create a highly productive and competitive economy and deliver a sustainable supply chain that will benefit all of Scotland for decades to come.
“We will work with industry and public sector partners to ensure we identify and deliver the best projects at pace.”
Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “The renewable energy industry is pleased that the Scottish Government will increase the next tranche of its funding commitment to the offshore wind supply chain. It is also encouraging to see the revenues from ScotWind directly utilised for clean industrial growth.
“We will work closely with the Scottish Government to help shape how this funding can be used as part of the wider investment landscape in order to secure the flow of significant private capital into the infrastructure that will help Scotland optimise the opportunity brought by offshore wind.”
The Charter of Rights for People Affected by Substance Use has been launched, aiming to improve the experience of anyone needing support.
The Charter, recognised as the first of its kind in the world by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, will help ensure people know their rights and the support they can expect to receive, and that those who use drugs and alcohol, and their families, are treated with dignity.
It contains key human rights – mostly drawn from national and international law – belonging to people affected by substance use, most importantly the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, along with the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to a healthy environment.
The publication was developed by the National Collaborative – a network of people with lived experience and service providers. It was chaired by human rights expert Professor Alan Miller.
Speaking at the launch, the First Minister said: “My condolences go to all those who have lost a loved one. We want every person experiencing harm from alcohol or drug use to be able access the support they need and through our £250 million National Mission on drugs we’re taking a wide range of actions.
“This Charter is a key part of that mission and draws on the experience of communities and families affected by substance use. It significantly strengthens our public health and human rights-based approach to substance use-related harms and, over time, it will contribute to significantly improving and saving lives.
“I welcome the support of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights which recognises the Charter as the first of its kind in the world.
“We will continue work with the National Collaborative, which developed the charter, and key stakeholders towards its implementation.”
National Collaborative Chair Professor Alan Miller said: “The Charter places people and their human dignity, not punishment and stigma, at the centre.
“It has been developed by people with life experience of what hasn’t worked and what will work. Let’s all now make these rights real.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said: “Criminalisation and prohibition have failed to reduce drug use and deter drug-related crimes.
“We need new approaches prioritising health, dignity and inclusion, guided by the International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy.”
CHANGEWORKS SESSION – MONDAY 16 DECEMBER 11am – 12pm
Come along to the free energy advice event with Changeworks at the Heart of Newhaven on Monday 16th December from 11.00 -12.00
Managing your heating and electricity can feel overwhelming. Whether it’s understanding your bill, managing any debt, or accessing funding you’re entitled to – Changeworks can give you free and impartial advice and support to feel confident about your bills.
The Scottish Government should take strong and positive action to address the barriers that disabled people continue to face in realising their rights, according to a new report from the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.
The Committee has been considering a Bill proposed by Jeremy Balfour MSP which calls for the creation of a Disability Commissioner. The Commissioner would be expected to promote and safeguard the rights of disabled people.
Following the Parliament’s recent support for a moratorium on creating any new SPCB supported bodies, the Committee has not made recommendations on the principle of creating a Disability Commissioner. Instead, it invites the Parliament to have a full and focused debate on the findings in its report and calls for the Scottish Government to ensure disabled people can realise their rights.
During evidence sessions, disabled people expressed their frustrations at a system that left them feeling desperate, dehumanised and deprioritised. The report explains that these feelings grew following the Scottish Government’s decisions to delay the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill and Human Rights Bill.
While people who gave evidence were generally supportive of the proposal to establish a Disability Commissioner, there were concerns about duplication and overlap with other commissions and commissioners in what was characterised as ‘an already complicated and fragmented landscape’.
However, witnesses representing disabled people pointed to the challenges they faced as evidence that their rights were not the priority of the existing public bodies.
The Committee’s report also identifies the critical importance of the involvement of disabled people in the development of policies related to the lives of disabled people to gain trust and respect.
Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee said: “We heard upsetting evidence about the challenges experienced by disabled people and their advocates during this inquiry. Their feedback was clear, disabled people too often feel let down and abandoned by public bodies.
“While we have not made a recommendation on the Bill, we do believe that the Scottish Government must take strong and positive action to address the barriers that disabled people continue to face in realising their rights.
“It is crucial that disabled people and disabled people’s organisations, who frustratedly told us that any trust they had in the current system has been lost, are able to play an active role in the development of the policies and approaches that are required to overcome these barriers.”