Nearly £500 million of new healthcare facilities, including the new Sick Children’s hospital at Little France and North West Edinburgh’s Partnership Centre in Pennywell, are expected to open to patients in 2017-18. Continue reading Half a billion pounds of NHS facilities set to go live
Dear Editor
The massive salaries, bonuses, expenses and other payments to ‘top people’ running into billions of pounds is seen by the majority of working people as totally obscene. How on Earth can it be justified, let alone accepted by them with a clear conscience, when the people who actually produce the wealth are struggling to survive, or ‘just managing’?
Even the government says things should change, but saying ‘should change’ does not mean ‘will change’.
Those who receive such payments cannot possibily spend it all, raising the temptation of investing it in tax free accounts. This also affects the majority of the working population by depriving the country of tax payments that could help pay for services like the NHS.
There must be a maximum limit set on the total amount any individual can get and there must also be a total ban on tax havens , all income being subjected to the Pay as You Earn tax.
This is the minimum start required to bring about the changes needed in the distribution of the wealth produced by working people.
A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens
Edinburgh residents can present trees for collection and recycling by the City of Edinburgh Council, and should follow guidance on where and when to do this.
Those who use communal rubbish and recycling facilities can put their tree on next to on-street shared bins on designated dates depending on their street. These can be found on the Council website.
Some households in flatted and tenement properties may be on an existing garden waste collection route. Members of the public can check the Council website to see if their street is on a garden waste collection route and can present their Christmas tree at the kerbside by 6am on the next collection day.
Anyone else with a brown bin can either cut the tree up and place it in their garden waste bin or place it on the pavement by 6am on collection day (collection days can be checked online).
Christmas trees can also be recycled at any of the Community Recycling Centres at Sighthill, Seafield and Craigmillar between 8am and 7.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “Thanks to the hard work of our staff over the festive period we have strived to continue our waste and recycling collections as usual. We are making every effort to collect real Christmas trees as efficiently as possible but we also rely on the public to help us do this by presenting their trees on the correct dates.”
To enable trees to be recycled, residents are reminded:
Full festive waste arrangements are available on the Council website.
Grants of £1.65m to help homeless and vulnerable people
Continue reading “Wonderful news”: £1.65 million to support homelessness projects
Police investigating a robbery at a Canonmills restaurant are appealing for witnesses. The robbery took place at Earthy on Canonmills Bridge at around 9.40pm on Thursday evening. Continue reading Appeal for witnesses following Canonmills robbery
The Scottish SPCA is encouraging animal lovers in the capital to take part in the 2017 Edinburgh Marathon Festival to raise vital funds. Continue reading Capital’s animal lovers urged to get active
West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre is currently closed to allow maintenance work to be carried out but will re-open as normal on Tuesday (10th January).
There’s a couple of new activities to look forward to, too …
The national charity which helps missing people reconnect with their loved ones has received Scottish Government funding to increase the help available to missing people in Scotland.
There are more than 30,000 reports of missing people in Scotland each year, with nearly two-thirds of incidents involving a child or young person. Missing People runs a helpline which provides free, confidential advice to missing adults and children, and their families, connecting them with the support that they desperately need.
The charity has received more than £90,000 over two years to connect with more children and young people in Scotland and help them find safety and support. The funding will also help make sure the right support agencies and professionals are linked into the helpline.
At the same time the government is working with partners including Police Scotland, local councils, Shelter, Barnardo’s and Missing People to develop a National Missing Persons Framework, to reduce the harm related to people going missing and raise awareness of the many causes of going missing and the associated dangers.
Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, Annabelle Ewing, said:
“There are many reasons why people go missing and we know they can be particularly vulnerable when missing, potentially finding themselves in situations of real risk. We want to improve access to the support available for those who go missing in Scotland which is why we are supporting Missing People to expand on their vital helpline.
“It is particularly important that our children and young people who go missing or are at risk of going missing know how to find the help they need to ensure safety and address the reasons behind why they went or want to go missing.
“When someone goes missing it is also a terrible experience for their loved ones and Missing People also provides much-needed support to the families of those who are missing.
“As we work with partners to try and prevent people going missing, and reduce the harm when they do, we will not forget the real impact that going missing has on people and their loved ones.”
Susannah Drury, Director of Services and Advocacy at the charity Missing People, said:
“We are delighted that the Scottish Government has renewed its commitment to supporting vulnerable missing children and young people with this funding.
“By building key partnerships with Police Scotland, other charities and local councils, the charity is committed to finding and supporting more missing children and young people across Scotland.
“When a child goes missing it is nearly always a sign that something is very wrong. These funds from the Scottish Government will help ensure that we can be here for free, 24/7 without judgement at the end of the phone when a missing child needs to talk through their options or get help to stay safe.”
Welfare changes ‘damaging’ to low income families
Minister for Social Security Jeane Freeman has expressed strong opposition to the UK Government on its proposal to limit the number of children in families who can qualify for Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit. Continue reading Freeman urges Westminster rethink on latest welfare proposals
Entries from important statutory records have been released today onto ScotlandsPeople – the family history website operated by the National Records of Scotland.
Continue reading Scotland’s People: new records now available
