The gentlemen residents at Letham Park and Mathison Care Home are looking sharp for the festive season after a local barber shop paid a special visit to help out the community.
Ryan McCutcheon and Nicky Campbell from Black’s Barbering spent the day at the care homes to give the male elderly residents the chance to get a new trim for Christmas in a bid to give back to their local community.
90-year-old resident John McKenzie (above) said: “My hair is looking great and we had some good banter while it was getting done. Big thanks to the guys for coming in.”
Barber Ryan McCutcheon said: “We just really wanted to do something nice for Christmas and we thought the gentlemen in the care home would enjoy getting a nice haircut.
“It was our gift to these very deserving chaps, and we enjoyed every minute of it. We had a laugh and some of the banter was great!”
Following consultation with residents and interested organisations in and around the west of the city a final framework for development will be considered by the Planning Committee on 19 December.
Development in the west of Edinburgh forms part of the draft City Plan 2030, currently being considered by the Scottish Government. Therefore, if approved by committee, The West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework and Strategic Masterplan (WEPFSM) will be implemented when City Plan 2030 is adopted. The masterplan would then be used as a material consideration as non-statutory guidance for future planning applications.
The framework was informed by previous work on this area and a 12-week consultation from July to October last year for land extending from Eastfield Road in the west to Maybury junction in the east, with Edinburgh Airport and Turnhouse Road to the north.
There are a range of new opportunities for new homes and other uses in this area as set out in City Plan 2030. The aim is to create new 20 minute neighbourhoods to help Edinburgh toward its housing and net zero ambition, with a range of facilities which people will need to live well locally such as schools and medical centres.
Hundreds of people took part in the consultation either online or in person at drop in sessions or focus groups we held. Meetings also took place with key developers and landowners.
A major theme from the consultation was having excellent transport links in the area including active travel routes and public transport. These objectives are all at the core of the proposed WEPFEM and tie in with the wider Broxburn to Maybury Transport Improvements – a major transport improvement project for area.
The project is funded through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. The plan is to have better connected communities with major employment, education, healthcare and leisure opportunities easily accessible. This will also make it easier for more people to make a greater number of journeys by bus or by cycling, walking or wheeling.
An overarching vision on how the west of the city could be developed over the next 30 years – Towards West Edinburgh 2050 – was also published for discussion last year.
Planning Convener Cllr James Dalgleish said: “I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation last year. The feedback was really valuable in helping us to finalise our draft framework for committee to consider next week.
“When City Plan 2030 is adopted developers will be able to use this framework as a guide to help us create new thriving 20 minute neighbourhoods to the north of Gogarburn.
“We’re hoping to see more than 3,500 quality energy efficient affordable homes delivered. This will help us address the city’s housing emergency as well as significantly contributing to Edinburgh achieving net zero. The development will have a mix of uses such as retail, schools, healthcare and office space.
“Like other neighbourhoods in west Edinburgh these new communities will need to be well connected to the rest of the city, the wider region and beyond through improved public transport links.
“To help to reduce car use the high density 20 minute neighbourhoods created will need to be supported with a number of new bus and active travel routes and as well as the existing tram line which runs through the area.”
Police Scotland today (Thursday, 14 December, 2023) announced plans to consult and engage the public on proposals to close a number of properties across the country.
The Service has published details of 29 police stations and other buildings which it says are now surplus to requirements, with officers and staff being moved to other locations. Of these buildings three are already vacant and 14 others have no public access.
The Edinburgh stations listed as ‘surplus to requirements’ are Balerno, Fettes, Leith, Portobello and West End.
In addition, Police Scotland will carry out consultation and engagement on a further 16 properties, which are all already vacant or are plots of land with no buildings. As such there is no public access to these properties.
Plans to close a further 14 properties will be brought forward at a later date.
Properties have been selected for potential disposal under the Service’s estate strategy, which seeks to move toward co-location with partners where possible to ensure services are delivered in the most efficient and effective way.
As part of the review, local Divisional Commanders have been asked to identify where they would want to locate their resources to better meet the demands of 21st century policing and to highlight any buildings in their areas that are underused, surplus to requirements or where there could be opportunities to rationalise buildings or co-locate with partners.
Deputy Chief Constable, Malcolm Graham said: “Our estate needs to be fit for 21st century policing, putting service enhancement, visibility, and engagement at the heart of the communities we serve.
“These are core components of the legitimacy and consent on which policing in Scotland relies.
“Our presence in communities is not defined by buildings but by the officers and staff who work there, and we have already introduced technology that enables our officers to remain in local areas, reducing the need for them to return to police stations to deal with paperwork.
“We are determined to continue to improve our visibility and accessibility, as well as to bring partners together to deliver services in the most efficient and effective way.
“The buildings in which our officers and staff work need to be safe, functional spaces, and they need to be sustainable and adaptable enough to meet changing public expectations and the changing nature of policing.”
He added: “Police Scotland inherited a very large and ageing estate, much of which was not fit for purpose, with high maintenance costs and environmental inefficiencies.
“The locations of many inherited buildings no longer meet the requirements of local communities and in some cases the organisation is currently maintaining multiple buildings in the same geographic area, less than five miles apart.
“Some of the buildings are just a few miles apart, others are used by only a handful of police officers or staff and have no public access, while many are rarely visited by a member of the public.
“For the majority of properties, the proposed moves will be an average of four miles from their current location.
“Local communities will therefore continue to receive the same high level of service from officers, and still from within their local area.
“We now have more than 60 co-locations with partners, providing more sustainable, more modern, and safer workspaces for our people.
“We have great examples of successful partnerships in the North East, Perthshire, Forth Valley, and Ayrshire among others and this will continue to be an important part of ensuring policing in Scotland is prepared for the future.
“We understand and are sensitive to community concerns around changes involving police buildings and as we bring forward proposals we wish to communicate our proposals to the public and our staff and seek their feedback. Please do view our plans and let us know your thoughts.”
The financial savings of these property disposals would be re-invested into providing policing services.
As part of our ongoing transformation work Police Scotland is in the early stages of progressing plans for other sites across the country. As plans are developed and submitted for approval to the Scottish Police Authority they will undertake consultation with local communities, key stakeholders and trade unions, statutory staff associations, and impacted staff.
Police Scotland added: ‘We they continuously review our estate as part of our normal business and this will continue. As part of this work, we may identify other properties that are considered surplus and appropriate engagement and consultation will be undertaken.’
To review the proposals and have your say visit our engagement hub:
The 29 buildings proposed for closure/disposal are:
Station
Local Policing Division
Current Front Counter / Opening hours
Front counter usage
Local Policing Base (Yes or No)
Proposed destination
Castlemilk
Greater Glasgow
Yes – 9am – 5pm Monday -Friday (not Wednesday)
Low
No. Community police drop-in facility only.
Cathcart
Saracen
Greater Glasgow
Yes – 9am – 5pm – Monday to Friday
Low
No
Baird St or Maryhill
Bishopbriggs
Greater Glasgow
Yes – Monday – Sunday 8am – 4pm
Low
Yes. Community policing, community campus, licensing
Kirkintilloch
Milngavie
Greater Glasgow
Yes – Monday – Sunday 8am – 4pm
Low
Yes. Community policing.
Kirkintilloch
Stewart Street
Greater Glasgow
Yes – 24/7 front counter service
High
Yes. Response, community policing, divisional management team and CID
Baird St
Gorbals
Greater Glasgow
Yes – 7am-12am all week
Medium / low
Yes. Response, community policing
Cathcart
Baillieston
Greater Glasgow
Temporarily closed.
N/A
Yes. Response, Community policing
Shettleston
Pacific Quay
Greater Glasgow
No
N/A
No. Base for corporate staff.
Dalmarnock
Paisley
Renfrewshire & Inverclyde
Yes – 24 hours
Medium
Yes. Response, community policing, divisional management team and CID
TBC
Ferguslie Park
Renfrewshire & Inverclyde
No
N/A
Community Policing / Alcohol and Violence Reduction Unit
TBC
Greenock
Renfrewshire & Inverclyde
Yes – 24 hours.
Medium
Yes. Response, community policing, divisional management team and CID
Yes. Response, community policing, divisional management team and CID
TBC
Alexandria
Argyll & West Dunbartonshire
No front counter or public access.
N/A
Yes, Response, Community policing
TBC
Ayr
Ayrshire
No
No
No. Already closed and new facility in Ayr has opened. Old site proposed for demolition.
N/A
Balerno
Edinburgh City
No
N/A
No. Building was used as a base for 10 officers for social distancing purposes during the pandemic but was previously vacant. Officers will be relocated nearby.
TBC
Fettes
Edinburgh City
Yes
Medium – High Most public footfall relates to Lost property /Productions / Firearms licensing enquiries.
Yes
TBC
Leith
Edinburgh City
Yes – 7am hours to midnight – however nine days per month only open 7am – 4pm
High – Public enquiries relate to lost/found property / reporting crime, neighbour disputes, MIT enquiries etc. Station also located on tram line and near to Edinburgh’s most densely populated community.
Yes
TBC
West End
Edinburgh City
Yes – Open Monday -Friday 9am-5pm
Medium –Public enquiries relate to lost/found property / reporting crime etc.
Yes
TBC
Portobello
Edinburgh City
TBC
Oakley
Fife
No
N/A
No. Used by Operational Support Division officers.
TBC
Muir of Ord
Highlands and Islands
No
N/A
No. Used by officer/staff member but not local policing.
Dingwall or Inverness
Mastrick
North East
No
N/A
Yes
TBC
Rosemount
North East
No
N/A
Not presently – no officers currently stationed nor deployed from there but used periodically as stop point.
NA
Seaton
North East
No
N/A
Yes
TBC
Whinhill
North East
No
N/A
Yes
TBC
Torry
North East
No
N/A
Yes
Nigg
Dundee Annexe
Tayside
Yes – no counter staff. Responded to by dept staff /officers.
Low
No
West Bell Street
Ryehill
Tayside
No
N/A
No – limited use of building.
West Bell Street
Hilltown
Tayside
Yes – public counter not staffed. Officers answer the door to members of the public.
Medium
No. Functions as a space for comfort breaks for operational officers.
West Bell Street
The 16 properties which are already vacant or are plots of land with no buildings are:
Station
Local Policing Division
Current Front Counter / Opening hours
Front counter usage
Local Policing Base (Yes or No)
Proposed destination
Anderston
Greater Glasgow
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building has been vacant for more than two years. Officers/staff who worked there now deploy from various police stations around Glasgow. Building is under offer, sale to complete this FY pending planning approval.
N/A
Partick (land)
Greater Glasgow
No – land has been declared Surplus
N/A
No. We are disposing of a pocket of land next to police station only as it is not required. Police station is being retained.
N/A
Maybole
Ayrshire
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building vacant since 2022 when Officers/staff moved to new co-location with South Ayrshire Council in 2022.
N/A
Kilwinning
Ayrshire
No – Building vacant and will be declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building vacant since 2023, officers and staff now deploy from Irvine
N/A
Kirkcudbright
Dumfries and Galloway
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building vacant for more three years, we are now co-located with SFRS in Kirkcudbright.
N/A
Tarbert Office
Argyll & West Dunbartonshire
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building vacant for more 5 years, officers deploy from Lochgilphead.
N/A
Dalmally
Argyll & West Dunbartonshire
No – Building vacant and will be declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building vacant, and local consultation is ongoing. Building is a small police house/station (1 police officer), the previous officer has moved out and this area will be resourced from Oban Police Station.
N/A
Port Glasgow
Renfrewshire & Inverclyde
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building vacant for more than five years, officers/staff now deploy from Greenock.
N/A
Burntisland
Fife
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building has been vacant for more than three years, officers who worked there now deploy from Kirkcaldy.Building under offer to complete this year.
N/A
Alloa
Forth Valley
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
N/A
No. This building is still in partial use by specialist officers although we expect to be vacated this month. Local officers vacated in 2021 to move into a co-location with Clackmannanshire Council.
N/A
Linlithgow
Lothians and Scottish Borders
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building has been vacant for more 6 years. Officer/staff deploy from other nearby police stations.Remarketing of the building is under way.
N/A
Coldstream
Lothians and Scottish Borders
No – Building vacant and will be declared Surplus
N/A
No. Building has been vacant for more than 4 years. Officer/staff deploy from other nearby police stations.
Whalsay
Highlands and Islands
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
Building is a small property on an island off Shetland that has been vacant for more than a year. Officer/staff located on mainland Shetland.Sale negotiations are ongoing.
N/A
Lairg
Highlands and Islands
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
No. Building has been vacant for more than three years. Officer/staff now deploy from other stations within the division. Re-marketing or auction to be progressed.
N/A
Peterhead
North East
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
No. Building has been vacant for more than 18 months, officers/staff deploying out of Buchan House where we co-locate with Aberdeenshire Council. Re-marketing or auction of building to be progressed.
N/A
Portlethen
North East
No – Building vacant and has been declared Surplus
No. Building has been vacant since this year, officers/staff now deploying from Stonehaven. Marketing under way.
Royal Bank of Scotland is joining forces with Social Bite to host a Christmas dinner for people who’ve experienced homelessness. The bank will be opening the boardroom at St Andrew’s Square in Edinburgh and welcoming those Social Bite and the bank have supported this year.
It is part of the bank’s long-term support for the work Social Bite is doing to end homelessness. Since 2016, Royal Bank has supported Social Bite through donations, gifts-in-kind, and strategic help totalling over £1million.
Royal Bank employees have raised more than £100,000 through sponsored sleepouts, abseils and Christmas appeals.
Taking place on 19 December 2023, those attending include residents and staff from Social Bite’s Village in Edinburgh, run in partnership with Cyrenians to provide a supported community which helps people affected by homelessness to lead an independent life. Social Bite plans to open two new Villages in South Lanarkshire and Dundee over the next two years.
This Christmas, the bank is also supporting Social Bite’s Festival of Kindness which will provide meals, gifts and essentials for people who are homeless at Christmas and throughout the winter, alongside homes and jobs.
Josh Littlejohn MBE, Co-Founder of Social Bite, said: “We are so grateful for Royal Bank’s support.
“They have played a key part in a number of transformational projects helping people break the cycle of homelessness, and it is really special that they have created this Christmas experience for the residents of the Village.”
Judith Cruickshank, Chair of the Royal Bank of Scotland Board, said: “Building on our long-term support for Social Bite we are helping to make Christmas a little more enjoyable for some of the most vulnerable.”
Over 400 hospitality businesses and workers have signed an open letter to the First Minister Humza Yousaf urging the First Minister to save Scottish hospitality.
The letter to the First Minister warns that Scottish hospitality faces a crisis and without new support at the Scottish Budget, many Scottish hospitality businesses will struggle to survive.
The letter comes a week before the Scottish Budget, with the Scottish Government under pressure from the hospitality sector to match support provided by the UK Government for hospitality businesses in England.
More than 400 hospitality businesses and workers have signed an open letter to the First Minister Humza Yousaf, urging him to save Scottish hospitality. Those signing the letter include some of Scotland’s best-loved and most recognisable bars, pubs, restaurants and hotels.
The letter comes a week before the Scottish Budget, with the Scottish Government under pressure from the hospitality industry to match support provided by the UK Government for hospitality businesses in England. At the Autumn Statement, the UK Government announced 75% business rates relief for hospitality businesses in England for the next year.
The Scottish Hospitality Group’s Save Scottish Hospitality campaign has warned that without new support, many Scottish hospitality businesses will struggle to survive.
The open letter to the First Minister has attracted support from the owners and employees of pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels across Scotland. The letter warns: “without support from the Scottish Government at the Scottish Budget, we will see our much-loved local hospitality venues disappear forever.” It makes an urgent plea to the First Minister to intervene and deliver fresh support for the hospitality sector at next week’s Scottish Budget.
The Save Scottish Hospitality campaign calls on the Scottish Government to use the Scottish Budget to provide emergency support for the hospitality industry to survive, and a new long-term deal to support the sector to thrive.
The campaign calls for:
an emergency 75% business rates relief to match the support that hospitality businesses in England & Wales have received over the last year;
creation of a new hospitality category for business rates, which would recognise the unique challenges faced by hospitality and ensure that rates don’t cripple hospitality businesses;
a new partnership between the hospitality industry and government to develop a plan to grow Scotland’s much-loved hospitality industry and address the challenges it faces.
Stephen Montgomery, Director of the Scottish Hospitality Group, said: “This letter is an urgent plea from hospitality owners and workers from the length and breadth of Scotland.
“The First Minister must listen to those on the frontline of our hospitality sector and deliver support to save our hospitality sector before many of the venues we love disappear forever.
“We need to back our hospitality industry to survive and thrive, and a fairer deal on business rates would be one step the Government can take in the Budget to give our hospitality industry a fighting chance. If it can be done for hospitality businesses in England, then it can be done for Scottish hospitality too”.
“The Scottish Government claims it wants a new relationship with the business community. It’s time to put their money where their mouth is.”
The Scottish Hospitality Group represents many of Scotland’s best-loved, family and independently-owned hospitality businesses – from bars, pubs, and cafes to restaurants and hotels.
The Group was recently relaunched with an expanded membership, in every area of Scotland and collectively employing more than 6,000 people.
Former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has thrown his weight behind Sarah Boyack’s campaign for a full replacement of the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion.
In a recently published video, Gordon Brown highlighted the urgent need for a new Edinburgh Eye Pavilion, citing his own experience with the service.
In his endorsement, Brown labelled the idea that the Eye Pavilion may be lost from Edinburgh ‘a tragedy’.
Having lost sight in one eye while a teenager, Gordon Brown draws on 50 years of experience being a patient at the current Princess Alexandria Eye Hospital, to highlight the critical need for new facilities.
Gordon Brown is the latest political figure to back this campaign, after a cross-party group of MSPs wrote to Michael Matheson to demand the funding for a new Eye Pavilion.
Commenting on Gordon Brown’s intervention, Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “There is no one I would rather have than Gordon Brown, to join the campaign for a new Eye Pavilion.
“Gordon knows first-hand how critical this project is to patients across the Lothians, and beyond.
“Cabinet Secretary Michael Matheson must listen to the breadth of support that a new Eye Pavilion has.
“This is not about party politics; this is about coming together to ensure the Scottish Government delivers a project that is vital for patients in Edinburgh.
“It’s vital that the Scottish Government provides the funding urgently needed for a new eye hospital in Edinburgh. Patients deserve nothing less than a modern hospital that is fit for purpose.”
Recognition of climate crisis is historic, he reckons – but environmental campaigning groups disagree
Commenting on the conclusion of the COP28 summit in Dubai, Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “I welcome the news that an agreement has been reached at COP28, notably, the $700 million committed to address loss and damage and the pledge to transition away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly and equitable manner.
“This recognition that the climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis is historic. It is disappointing that there was not a stronger resolution committing to the phase-out of all unabated fossil fuels, however we must all now work together to turn these words into action and to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees.
“The agreement on loss and damage represents a significant step forward in the fight for global climate justice. We must, however, recognise that this sum is only a fraction of what will be needed to address the irreversible economic and non-economic losses which are being suffered by developing countries every year.
“We are at a pivotal moment in the fight to tackle the climate emergency and address the devastating effects of climate change – and Scotland will continue to play our part.
“It is absolutely crucial that we have political consensus on climate change – both at home and abroad – and that we work together to make a constructive contribution to addressing this monumental challenge.”
COP28: Weak climate deal slammed
Self-interest, weak leadership and a lack of urgency
Responding to the conclusion of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, Friends of the Earth’s international climate campaigner, Rachel Kennerley – who has been attending the talks – said: “Self-interest, weak leadership and a lack of urgency by wealthy countries like the UK, Japan and US and the EU bloc, has resulted in a desperately inadequate COP28 resolution that leaves the world on a collision course with the worst of climate breakdown.
“These talks will never achieve the breakthrough we need until the rich countries that have contributed most to the climate crisis, including the UK, face up to their responsibilities by phasing out the use of fossil fuels fairly and fast and by providing adequate funding for poorer nations.
“Rishi Sunak may like to claim that the UK is showing global leadership on this issue, but under his premiership key climate policies have been watered down, his international promise to cut UK emissions by a third has veered dangerously off course and he has declared an ambition to ‘max out’ North Sea gas and oil.
“We urgently need our leaders to seize the huge opportunities growing a green economy would bring, from new, long-term jobs and lower energy bills, to improving our health and wellbeing, as well as protecting the planet for future generations.”
Greenpeace: COP28 sends the signal the fossil fuel industry has been afraid of
The final outcome of the COP28 climate summit in Dubai is not the historical deal the world needs, but it does send the signal the fossil fuel industry has been afraid of: the fossil fuel era is ending.
In response to the final COP28 outcome, Kaisa Kosonen, Senior Political Advisor at Greenpeace International said:“The signal that the fossil industry has been afraid of is there: ending the fossil fuel era, along with a call to massively scale up renewables and efficiency this decade, but it’s buried under many dangerous distractions and without sufficient means to achieve it in a fair and fast manner.
“You won’t find the words ‘phase out’ in the text, but that’s what the equitable transition away from fossil fuels in line with 1.5°C and science will necessitate, when implemented sustainably. And that’s what we’re determined to make happen, now more than ever.
“The outcome leaves poorer countries well short of the resources they will need for renewable energy transition and other needs. For the many goals of the agreement to be realised, rich countries will need to significantly step up financial support and make fossil fuel polluters pay. Only last year the fossil fuel industry made $4 trillion in profits, and they need to start paying for the harm and destruction they have caused.
“This is not the historical deal that the world needed: It has many loopholes and shortcomings. But history will be made if all those nearly 130 countries, businesses, local leaders and civil society voices, who came together to form an unprecedented force for change, now take this determination and make the fossil fuel phase out happen. Most urgently that means stopping all those expansion plans that are pushing us over the 1.5°C limit right now.”
Ghiwa Nakat, Executive Director, Greenpeace Middle East & North Africa, said:“COP28 has sent an unprecedented signal to the world that the starting gun has been fired for the end of the fossil fuel era.
“We commend the efforts of the COP presidency to conclude with a final acknowledgement of the need to transition away from fossil fuels and to mobilise climate finance with more than $700million pledged to the operationalised Loss and Damage Fund.
“But communities on the frontline of the climate catastrophe need more than this. They need to see an unwavering and resolute commitment to a rapid, equitable, and well-funded phaseout of all fossil fuels – together with a comprehensive finance package for developing countries to transition to renewables and cope with escalating climate impacts.
“We leave Dubai knowing that hope is still alive but our mission is far from over!”
Mike Robinson, chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said:“It is hard to feel any excitement about this outcome, and given these talks were hosted by the head of an oil company, many people will be completely unsurprised that the final outcome fails to give any sense of urgency and ignores what the science has been telling us for decades – ‘cop-ping out’ of delivering a long overdue agreement to urgently phase out from the coal, oil and gas that is fuelling the crisis.
“This failure means the world remains on track for catastrophic levels of heating and the debt owed to countries who did least to cause the crisis to help them to cope and recover from extreme climate impacts will only increase.
“The onus is now on individual countries to do what is so urgently needed, and channel their efforts into delivering progress, rather than impeding the necessary change. The UK Government must cancel the new oil and gas licensing round. At the same time, the Scottish Government must clearly and strongly oppose new oil development, and say no to new gas at Peterhead, while swiftly delivering a robust new climate plan that gets us on track to meeting and exceeding our climate targets through a just transition that is fairly funded by making the biggest polluters pay for their damage.”
“This failure means the world remains on track for catastrophic levels of heating and the debt owed to countries who did least to cause the crisis to help them to cope and recover from extreme climate impacts will only increase.
“The onus is now on individual countries to do what is so urgently needed, and channel their efforts into delivering progress, rather than impeding the necessary change. The UK Government must cancel the new oil and gas licensing round. At the same time, the Scottish Government must clearly and strongly oppose new oil development, and say no to new gas at Peterhead, while swiftly delivering a robust new climate plan that gets us on track to meeting and exceeding our climate targets through a just transition that is fairly funded by making the biggest polluters pay for their damage.”
Fr Leonard Chiti, Jesuit Provincial for Southern Africa and part of the SCIAF delegation at COP28 said:“COP28 has sent a clear signal that the fossil fuel era is coming to an end and that every nation must now redouble their efforts to reduce emissions in line with the 1.5C temperature goal.
“However, it simply has not gone far enough; not urgent enough, not ambitious enough. At the start of COP28, Pope Francis and many others called for the elimination of fossil fuels. This final text does not secure that, and we must now re-double our efforts towards a fossil fuel free future.”
Scottish shopworkers speak out about violence, threats and abuse
Retail trade union Usdaw is asking customers to ‘keep your cool’ as the busy pre- Christmas shopping gets underway, which will culminate in what the retail industry has already dubbed ‘Super Saturday’, with 23 December being the last full shopping day before Christmas.
Shocking statistics from Usdaw’s annual survey of shopworkers shows there are still far too many incidents of violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers. Interim results from over 3,000 retail staff responses show that in the last twelve months:
· 65% have experienced verbal abuse.
· 42% were threatened by a customer.
· 5% were assaulted.
· 71% of verbal abuse was caused by customer frustration.
Scottish voices from the frontline:
These are some of the comments Scottish shopworkers shared when responding to Usdaw’s survey:
Central Scotland: “Customer wasn’t happy about something and took it out on me with shouting.” – “Most abuse when asking for ID for age identification.” – “Customer wasn’t sold alcohol and became verbally aggressive, they left but I felt shaken.”
Glasgow: “Shouting at me, getting in my face, calling me names, saying I’m useless, swearing, using derogatory female terms.” – “Pregnant member of staff got assaulted with a solar light.” – “Attacked in the car park finishing shift.”
Highlands and Islands: “Have been pushed and punched.” – “Called horrible name and barged past by a customer who I asked to leave because he is barred for shoplifting.”
Lothian: “Threats to stab us, wait for us to finish etc.” – “Customers who are drunk issuing vague threats, personal insults.” – “Touched by a male customer, he got angry, called me a rat and a lesbian because I didn’t want to be touched.”
Mid-Scotland and Fife: “Verbal abuse daily, at Christmas get threats.” – “Threatened to get punched and verbal abuse.” – “Challenging shoplifters on a daily basis and dealing with anti-social behaviour.” – “Grabbed me from behind.”
North East Scotland: “Customer said they liked my hair then pulled it.” – “Intentionally swung his basket at me after being told the alcohol aisle was closed.” – “Swearing directed towards me when asking shoplifter to leave the store.”
South Scotland: “Abuse from youths on a daily basis – threats and violence from shoplifters under the influence of drink and drugs.” – “Customer spit in my face after assaulting security.” – “Hit with packs of cakes and called a fat lazy cow.”
West Scotland: “Hit in the face by a drunk man with a basket.” – “Someone tried to hit me with a bottle.” – “Shouted at about queues, items not in stock or wanting a refund on an item that has been used and no receipt.”
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says:“It is heart-breaking to hear these testimonies from Scottish shopworkers who deserve far more respect than they receive. Our latest survey results clearly show the scale of the appalling violence, threats and abuse faced by retail staff.
“It is shocking that two-thirds of our members working in retail stores are suffering abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. Seven in ten of these incidents were triggered by customers being frustrated with stock shortages, lack of staff or problems with self-service checkouts.
“All of these problems are largely outside the control of retail staff, but they are the people who bear the brunt of shoppers’ anger. Our members tell us that incidents of verbal abuse are much worse in the run up to Christmas, when shops are busy, customers are stressed and things can boil over.
“That is why we are asking customers to ‘keep your cool’ and respect shopworkers, to make the Christmas shopping experience better for everyone.”
£50,000 FOR NEW COMMUNITY GROWING PROJECT IN WESTER HAILES
A forest on Islay is set to pass into community ownership, following a grant from the Scottish Land Fund.
Islay Development Initiative has received £619,122 with which to buy Sgiba Forest near Port Charlotte, which it plans to develop into a community woodland with a pathway network, community events and learning space.
The grant is one of 11 totalling £2,381,927 that has been given to communities across the country in the latest round of awards by the Scottish Land Fund.
The Scottish Land Fund reopened to applications in April 2021. The programme is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by the National Lottery Community Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, both of which have extensive experience of helping communities to acquire and develop their assets for over a decade.
Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary, Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, said: “The Scottish Land Fund is a valuable tool, allowing local groups to develop projects that will provide lasting benefits to their communities, in both urban and rural areas.
“It is especially welcome to see projects that will positively impact not just people but local wildlife and biodiversity too. This aligns with our wider goal to ensure that communities can reap the benefits during our transition to a green future for Scotland.
“I’d like to congratulate all of the successful groups. It is their expertise and limitless passion that are the real drivers of change in our communities across the nation.”
Thomasina Glover, CEO, Islay Development Initiative, said: “Islay Development Initiative is delighted that we have been successful in our Stage 2 application to the Scottish Land Fund to purchase Sgiba Forest on behalf of the Islay Community.
“As Islay is part of the Carbon Neutral Islands project, this forest will not only be a great asset in helping us achieve our Net Zero ambitions, but also address several other community issues such as rural depopulation and peatland restoration. IDI is looking forward to delivering significant community benefit in developing this project.”
Cara Gillespie, Scottish Land Fund Committee Chair said: “This current round of funding demonstrates the importance of the Scottish Land Fund in helping both urban and rural areas to achieve their goals.
“SLF grants will enable these groups to unlock other funding and take positive actions to help their communities to thrive.”
And Sandra Holmes, head of community assets at HIE, said: “The groups receiving funding have all identified opportunities to help their local area to thrive. The projects are all great examples of people taking control of local resources for the long-term benefit of their communities.
“Ownership will give them greater control over important assets that will reap rewards for people now and for generations to come. We wish every successful organisation the very best in their new ventures.”
Other groups receiving funding are:
Harris Development Ltd
Award – £147,790
Harris Development Limited will purchase land in Tarbert, Harris in order to build modular accommodation units to alleviate a shortage of housing for key workers.
North Yell Development Council
Award – £142,600
North Yell Development Council (NYDC) will acquire the shop at Cullivoe, North Yell, Shetland. NYDC will take over the running of the shop, securing employment, an important
amenity and gathering space for the community.
Strathdearn Community Development
Award – £356,934
Strathdearn Community Developments (SCD) will purchase a woodland in Tomatin, Inverness. SCD will create a more biodiverse and sustainable woodland environment that will be used by the community for recreation and wellbeing.
The Crafthub
Award – £286,788
The Crafthub will purchase Trumland Church (known locally as The Space) on Rousay in Orkney. The group currently use the asset for pop-up events. The Crafthub will use The Space to create a community café and craft shop, offering workshops and community events.
Friends of The Broadway Prestwick
Award-£328,060
Friends of the Broadway Prestwick will purchase the former Broadway Cinema in Prestwick, South Ayrshire. The cinema will be redeveloped into an accessible, modern cinema with community space.
Portree and Braes Community Trust
Award – £53,655
Portree and Braes Community Trust will acquire amenity land known as the King George
V playing fields in Portree, Skye. This will benefit the community by enabling the improvement of land, and changing facilities resulting in increased use for sports clubs and activities
St Ernan’s by the Loch SCIO
Award – £86,446
St Ernan’s by the Loch SCIO will acquire the St Ernan’s Church building, Fionnphort and restore it in order to make it modern, versatile and accessible for local people. Thus, enabling quiet contemplation, small gatherings, ceremonies, exhibitions, a place of cultural learning with focus on Gaelic language as well as health and wellbeing activities.
Wester Hailes Growing Communities
Award – £50,675
Wester Hailes Growing Communities will purchase land in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh. Purchase of the site will pave the way for the construction of a new community centre, providing a multi-purpose space to come together through events, learning, families and food.
Gargunnock Community Shop Ltd
Award – £154,759
Gargunnock Community Shop Ltd will acquire the vacant shop building in the heart of Gargunnock village, Stirlingshire. The shop will be renovated and will reopen as a community shop, supporting local business and enabling crucial local services such as prescription deliveries to recommence.
Shapinsay Development Trust
Award – £155,098
Shapinsay Development Trust will acquire a mid-terraced house in Shapinsay, Orkney, which it will renovate then offer the property for affordable rent.
