Dads Rock’s annual fundraiser is on Saturday 20 September from 7.30pm until midnight at Bainfield Bowling Club.
The fundraiser helps to keep Dads Rock’s free weekly music clubs going – locally, you’ll find dads and their kids rocking out at The Prentice Centre on Wednesday and Saturday mornings – so your support would be appreciated.
This year’s bash promises to be the best yet – there’s live music from The Dads Rockers Band and from kids/students of Dads Rock Academy, as well as a disco. Tickets are £5 and can be bought from David or Thomas.
And there’s the return of The Daddy of all Raffles! Tickets are £1 and again can be bought from David or Thomas, see below for the prizes…
For further information visit the Dads Rock Facebook page.
From 1 October, the paper tax disc will no longer need to be displayed on a vehicle windscreen. If you have a tax disc with any months left to run after this date, then it can be removed from the vehicle windscreen and destroyed. This includes customers with a Northern Ireland address, however they will still need to display their MoT disc.
You can apply online to tax or SORN your vehicle using your 16 digit reference number from your vehicle tax renewal reminder (V11) or 11 digit reference number from your log book (V5C)
What this means to you
To drive or keep a vehicle on the road you will still need to get vehicle tax and DVLA will still send you a renewal reminder when your vehicle tax is due to expire. This applies to all types of vehicles including those that are exempt from payment of vehicle tax.
Buying a vehicle
From 1 October, when you buy a vehicle, the vehicle tax will no longer be transferred with the vehicle. You will need to get new vehicle tax before you can use the vehicle.
You can tax the vehicle using the New Keeper Supplement (V5C/2) part of the vehicle registration certificate (V5C) online or by using our automated phone service – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Alternatively, you may wish to visit a Post Office® branch.
Selling a vehicle
If you sell a vehicle after 1 October and you have notified DVLA, you will automatically get a refund for any full calendar months left on the vehicle tax.
Vehicle tax refunds
You will no longer need to make a separate application for a refund of vehicle tax. DVLA will automatically issue a refund when a notification is received from the person named on DVLA vehicle register that the:
vehicle has been sold or transferred
vehicle has been scrapped at an Authorised Treatment Facility
vehicle has been exported
vehicle has been removed from the road and the person on the vehicle register has made a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
person on the vehicle register has changed the tax class on the vehicle to an exempt duty tax class.
Paying vehicle tax by Direct Debit
From 1 October 2014 (5 October if setting up at a Post Office®), Direct Debit will be offered as an additional way to pay for vehicle tax. This will be available for customers who need to tax their vehicle from 1 November 2014:
annually
6 monthly
monthly (12 months tax paid for on a monthly basis)
Provided an MOT remains valid, the payments will continue automatically until you tell DVLA to stop taking them or you cancel the Direct Debit with your bank. Valid insurance should also be in place for vehicles registered in Northern Ireland.
The Direct Debit will be cancelled and payments automatically stopped when you tell DVLA that you no longer have the vehicle, or the vehicle has been taken off the road and a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) has been made.
When the Direct Debit scheme can’t be used
Paying by Direct Debit will not be available to:
first registration vehicles
fleet schemes
HGVs that pay the Road User Levy (all other HGVs can pay by Direct Debit)
Checking the tax status of a vehicle
You can check the tax status of any vehicle online. This can also be used for rental vehicles.
Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and Community Councils are in the process of developing an event focussing on the wider regeneration of the area to take place on Saturday 27 Septemberfrom 10am – 2pm in Edinburgh College Granton Campus.
We are currently working to bring together the community, landowners, the Council and its partners to share information about current and future regeneration plans and any opportunities that this can bring. This will also be an opportunity to learn of where key community aspects such as health, leisure, environment and social benefits are linked into any future developments.
It is intended that the event outcomes will help shape proposals wherever possible and keep people informed with what is happening in the Forth neighbourhood. It should also support the creation of a new vision for the area and potentially establish a wider Forth Regeneration Development Group.
We are awaiting confirmation of key speakers and felt that it was important to gauge interest in the event . I would be grateful therefore if you could use the link below to let me know if you and/or colleagues will be interesting in attending. A light lunch will be available on the day.
Further information is available from Michelle Fraser 529 3150 or myself.
Scott Donkin
Partnership & Information Manager | North Neighbourhood | Services for Communities | The City of Edinburgh Council | 8 West Pilton Gardens EH4 4DP | Tel 0131 529 5001 | scott.donkin@edinburgh.gov.uk
Supermarket chain Tesco has announced that the environmental charities Keep Scotland Beautiful and Keep Wales Tidy will benefit from an estimated £1.8m raised from carrier bag charges.
Compulsory charging for plastic carrier bags is to be introduced in Scotland next month. It is already in force in Wales, where it has raised more than £2.3m to support wildlife charity RSPB’s conservation work since 2011.
More than 27,000 Tesco customers took part in the vote to choose the beneficiaries of the levy, which is expected to be worth about £1m in Scotland and about £800,000 in Wales. Both charities, which were chosen from a list of 120 organisations, are planning to use the money to fund a variety of projects to keep local communities clean, green and tidy. The partnerships will run from 20 October 2014 for at least a year.
Greg Sage, community director for Tesco, said: “Our customers are the ones who will pay the charge, so we really wanted them to choose the charities that will benefit from it. The response was had was absolutely incredible – 27,000 people voted which is a fantastic turnout.
“Since 2011, the carrier bag levy in Wales has raised over £2.3 million for the local RSPB, which has been used for vital conservation work. Keep Scotland Beautiful and Keep Wales Tidy now have a fantastic opportunity to use the money raised from the bag charge to make a real difference to the communities they serve.”
Derek Robertson, chief executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB), said: “This is fantastic news for KSB and a tremendous opportunity for Scotland, a country whose people, organisations and institutions have really wrapped their arms around KSB and shown that they care about their environment by voting for Scotland’s own environmental charity.
“We would like to thank everyone who voted for us. We cannot wait to get started. Lots of local community groups and organisations that work in partnership with us, from all across Scotland, will benefit from this funding.”
Nominations also opened this week for the 2014 Tesco Charity Trust Community Awards Scheme, worth £200,000. The scheme will make one-off donations of between £500 and £2,500 to registered charities and not-for-profit organisations for working on local projects that support health, opportunities for young people and environmental sustainability.
Scotland Decides: ‘the most ambitious live programme STV has ever broadcast’
STV has confirmed an extensive overnight results programme on Thursday 18 September, presented byBernard Ponsonby and Aasmah Mir, with live reports from all 32 declarations across Scotland and complemented by in-depth online coverage on stv.tv throughout the night.
On the day of the crucial vote, Thursday 18 September, STV will bring viewers comprehensive programming starting with a special edition of STV News at Ten at 2200, presented live from Edinburgh by John MacKay, which will mark the end of the referendum campaign and report the story of Scotland’s historic vote, with coverage from across Scotland.
From 2240 until 0600, STV will broadcast an all-night results programme, Scotland Decides. The programme will be hosted by political editor Bernard Ponsonby and TV and radio presenter Aasmah Mir with a panel of leading politicians, commentators and analysts, and STV’s news teams will report live from all 32 declarations across Scotland as they happen through the night. Extensive online coverage will be provided on stv.tv with result updates and analysis throughout the night.
Scotland Decides will be broadcast across the ITV network, and STV News at Ten will be broadcast by ITV Border Scotland.
STV has unveiled its extensive schedule of referendum programming to bring viewers in-depth coverage of all the key issues, news and discussions from both sides of the campaign, along with comprehensive results coverage and analysis in the days following the vote.
The full schedule of STV referendum week programming:
During week beginning Monday 15 September, STV’s news programme STV News at Six will be presented from Holyrood by John MacKay bringing the key referendum news to viewers across the country.
On Friday 19 September at 0600, following its overnight results programme, STV will air Scotland This Morning – How the Nation Voted, hosted by John MacKay and Andrea Brymer. The programme will examine the outcome of the historic vote with reactions from around the country as Scotland wakes up to the result.
Friday’s coverage continues with a special half hour edition of STV News at 1330 followed by an hour long STV News at Six, presented from Holyrood and covering all the latest developments and featuring live reports from across Scotland and Westminster.
Finally, a special edition of Scotland Tonight presented by Rona Dougall will air at 2230 on Friday 19 September, bringing full analysis of the vote and political reaction, and a half hour long STV News Special will air on Saturday 20 September at 1830.
Gordon Macmillan, head of news at STV, said: “The STV News team is preparing to deliver an extensive, in-depth and ambitious schedule of coverage to bring STV viewers all the crucial stories around the vote and its aftermath, including the overnight Scotland Decides programme which will be the most ambitious live programme STV has ever broadcast.
“STV has shown a commitment to be the leading platform for the debate and, as we reach the conclusion of the referendum campaign, this programme schedule demonstrates our ongoing ambition to reflect the voices of Scotland.”
Edinburgh College is holding a Recruitment Day at Granton Campus tomorrow (Wednesday 3 September) when anyone wanting to sign up for a course can apply and have a fast-track interview.
The event will take place at the college’s Granton Campus from 3 – 7.30pm. Recruitment advisors and lecturers will be on hand to provide information about courses beginning this autumn, help with applications, and carry out interviews and auditions.
The college has places available on courses in:
• Business
• Computing
• Construction and Building Crafts
• Creative Industries
• Engineering
• English for speakers of other Languages
• Events
• Retail
• Tourism and Hospitality
• Hair and Beauty
• Health
• Languages.
Courses range from access to degree level, including vocational training and professional accredited qualifications. Successful applicants can begin some courses immediately.
Edinburgh College vice-principal (Education Leadership) Ray McCowan said: “This is a great opportunity to go through the whole application process in one go and get a place on a course that’s going to open up new employment or study opportunities.
“Anyone undecided about what they want to do can talk through course options with our teaching staff, find out what the best course for them is, get support with their application and have an interview on the same day. This will make the journey from applying to confirming their place faster. We’re looking forward to welcoming future students and their families, and helping them make the best choices for their educational journey.”
Anyone who cannot make the Recruitment Day can still apply online at
www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/applynow
or by calling 0131 660 1010
You’ll find Edinburgh College Granton Campus at 350 West Granton Road, EH5 1QE.
Bangholm, Boswall, Craigroyston and Crewe are among the first areas to receive the revised recycling service now being rolled out across the city.
The new recycling service for more than 140,000 homes in Edinburgh began on 1 September, and Households involved in the first phase of the roll-out (click on link below for a full list of streets affected) will have their green waste bins collected for the last time this week before they are used for mixed recycling.
Around 20,000 properties received new grey bins during August, which they will now use for general waste. Blue boxes will still to be used for glass as well as small electrical items, and food and garden recycling will continue as normal. The red box will no longer be needed.
Those who are receiving the new service will have been sent information and collection date calendars through the post. Throughout the week, as collections are made according to householders’ collection calendars, stickers will be placed on empty green bins advising they will now be used for recycling.
To help the public adjust to the changes, recycling advisors will also accompany bin lorries to answer any questions and provide additional information on how the service has been updated.
Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “We are rolling the new recycling service out in phases to ensure we get it right, learning as we go, and will be making every effort to help people to adjust to the changes.
“As part of the roll-out we’ll be ensuring the public are kept well-informed, with recycling advisors visiting homes, providing advice and speaking to residents about how they are adapting to the new collections.
“There is no doubt we need to increase recycling rates in Edinburgh, and I’m confident the public are willing to work with us to help boost levels of recycling while keeping landfill costs down.”
Councillor Adam McVey, Environment Vice Convener, added: “We all need to get recycling if we want Edinburgh to become a sustainable city, and this simplified service is aimed at helping citizens to do that.
“We have seen similar schemes working well for other local authorities and I’m sure we’ll soon see the benefits here too.”
Edinburgh currently recycles almost 40% of its waste but needs to continue to improve if it is to meet a target of 70% by 2025.
Not only does recycling benefit the environment but by upping rates, the Council can save on the millions of pounds of taxpayers money paid each year in landfill costs.
An analysis of general waste in Edinburgh, carried out in 2010, found that more than two thirds of people’s bin contents could be recycled.
Now, by increasing capacity for recycling, simplifying the system and accepting more materials, it is hoped the new kerbside recycling service will encourage more households to recycle and sort their waste, helping to save on landfill costs and paving the way for a greener city.
By rolling the changes out in phases, the Council aims to learn as it progresses, helping residents to adjust to the new service by offering advice and support throughout the process.
Green bin – Tins, cans, paper, cardboard, envelopes, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays
Blue box – Glass, batteries, small electricals and textiles
New Grey wheelie bin – All waste that can’t be recycled
Red box – No longer used
Food waste bin – All food waste
Brown bin – Garden waste
Police are appealing for witnesses following the rape of a young woman as she walked to work in the early hours of Saturday morning. The 20-year-old was attacked at the entrance to Swanfield Industrial Estate off Bonnington Road at around 4.30am.
The attacker is described as in his mid-to-late 20s, 5ft 7ins to 6ft tall with a slim build. He had a gaunt appearance with a pock-marked complexion, short blonde receding hair combed forward and an eastern European accent. He was wearing light-coloured jeans and a black long-sleeved jacket with a hood.
Police have been carrying out door-to-door enquiries in the area and have appealed for information.
Detective Chief Inspector Alwyn Bell, who is leading the investigation, said: “This was a violent sexual assault on a young woman as she was walking to her work. Specially-trained officers are providing help and support to the victim.
“Such an attack is extremely rare and it is essential we catch this man as soon as possible and bring him to justice.
I am appealing to anyone who was in the area in the early hours of Saturday morning and who saw, or heard, anything unusual to contact us as soon as possible on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
“Additional officers will be on patrol in the area to help us in the investigation and to provide added visibility and reassurance to the local community.”
Edinburgh’s annual Volunteer Recruitment Fair takes place later this month. The Recruitment Fair is the biggest event of its kind in Scotland and offers great opportunities for organisations and volunteers …
Volunteering Centre Edinburgh’s Craig Turner explains:
“With over a thousand members of the public expected, this is a great recruitment and networking opportunity.
Now firmly positioned as the capital’s volunteering event of the year, the fair will showcase volunteering opportunities from across the city, helping to put volunteers in touch with volunteer involving organisations and vice-versa.
When? Wednesday 24th September 2014 What time? Open to the public between 11.00am – 7.00pm Where? At St Paul’s and St George’s Church on York Place
How much will it cost? Depending on your organisation’s income between £50 and £170 for a single stall.
Bookings and stalls will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Book now to avoid disappointment! Download the Booking Form
During last year’s hugely successful event, almost 1,000 visitors were introduced to roles as diverse as pond cleaning, working with young people and befriending. An equally wide variety of opportunities is expected to be available in 2014. Will your organisation be part of it?
We always receive lots of positive feedback from both the public and stall holders, here are a few comments from stallholders last year:
“A really lovely day, very worthwhile and enjoyable” “Venue was excellent. Well laid out and plenty of room to walk around” “Had doubts because of the road works, but was still really busy!”
When members of the public were asked to sum-up their experience of the Volunteer Recruitment Fair in ONE word here’s what they said: “Informative, Relaxing, Enlightening, Revealing, Useful, Helpful, Informing, Busy, Good, Overwhelming, Interesting, Inspiring, Varied, Lively, Buzzing, Inspiring, Welcoming, Busy, Organised, Worthwhile, Encouraging, Excellent, Stimulating, Timely, Comprehensive, Opportunity, Enthusiatic, Friendly, Effective, Engaging, Insightful, Energy, Comprehensive, Fantastic, Full, Great, Eye-opening, Kindness, Brilliant, Wonderful, Uplifting, Expansive, Mind-expanding, Determination, Variety”
Hearts were on the brink, there’s deep disquiet about investment at Hibs and the mighty Rangers are in trouble once again. All is far from well in the world of football finance, so can the Scottish Greens score with Fans First?
The Green MSPs have confirmed long-standing plans to bring changes to land reform legislation to give football fans the right to buy their clubs.
The proposals were set out in a consultation response to Holyrood’s Local Government and Regeneration Committee, which is about to start consideration of the Scottish Government’s Community Empowerment Bill.
The submission also sets out plans by Green MSP Alison Johnstone, who is leading the Greens’ “Fans First” campaign, to broaden the 2003 Land Reform Act to include intangible community assets, not just land, in line with the general principles of the Scottish Government’s proposals. This would help communities to take on and run vital services like pubs, local cinemas, and even public transport.
Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, said: “The time has come for the Scottish Parliament to give fans the power to take on their clubs when they come on the market or when they go into administration, or possibly even at any time for a fair price.
“We’ve always argued that fans will tend to be the best custodians of the clubs they love, and that the long-term security and strength of Scottish football requires a move towards the kind of community ownership common elsewhere.
“Scottish Ministers have set up a working group under Stephen Morrow to look at this issue, which we support. However, the group will report after this legislation has been considered, so it’s vital that this legislative opportunity shouldn’t be missed. The changes we’re proposing will still mean fans’ trusts will require Ministerial signoff, just as is already the case with land reform, so the only risk would be if Parliament rejects our proposals, leaving fans with no prospect of progress any time soon.
“So we’re encouraging all the trusts in Scotland to make their views known. Do they want to cross their fingers and rely on the current slow move to fan ownership, or do they want Parliament’s support to put them in the driving seat?”
Dads Rock’s annual fundraiser is on Saturday 20 September from 7.30pm until midnight at Bainfield Bowling Club.
