OFCOM to examine BBC role in Holyrood Elections campaign

Salmond says: “The BBC are the broadcasting Bourbons – they have learnt nothing from their blatant bias of 2014”

The BBCs coverage of the Scottish election campaign and what has been described as its “virtual blackout” of ALBA will be the subject of special Ofcom election Committee hearing today (Friday 23rd April).

ALBA leader Alex Salmond said: “The BBC’s record as a public service broadcaster in Scotland is lamentable and there is no better illustration than their conduct during this Scottish election.

“However, they are no longer a law unto themselves and I am grateful to Ofcom for convening an emergency meeting of their Election Committee to consider BBC coverage – or more accurately, lack of coverage – of ALBA. It is much appreciated that Ofcom have responded so quickly in fulfilling their responsibilities to ensure fair and balanced coverage of the Scottish campaign.

“The exclusion of ALBA from the leadership election debates is deplorable but even worse is the blackout from the news on a daily basis.

“On the odd occasion when they deign to interview ALBA representatives, the tone of the interviews has been unremittingly hostile.

“Aggressive questioning is perfectly acceptable if part of a range of coverage. However, inaccurate smearing is quite another when it dominates the few interviews BBC apparatchiks deign to grant ALBA.

“The BBC even allow smearing of ALBA by the other party representatives who are covered every day in every election programming with not even attempts by the interviewers to maintain any semblance of balance.

“Given that the BBC has fine some journalists and producers still working for them, we can only conclude that this is now the official house style to denigrate ALBA and the quest for Scottish independence. Indeed it is obvious that some journalists are asking questions to editorial direction.

“BBC outlets dominate broadcasting coverage and that means they dominate the election campaign during a pandemic. They have ample time and opportunity to show fairness to new parties emerging onto the political scene.

“The fact that they have so blatantly and so arrogantly failed to do so, shows that they are now a de facto state broadcaster rather than a public service one. The day that Greg Dyke was effectively sacked as Director General in 2004 is the day that the rot set in to the BBC and it has been downhill ever since.

“The BBC disgraced themselves in their coverage of the 2014 referendum and like the Bourbons they have learnt nothing.

“Every other broadcaster regulated by Ofcom have at least made some attempt at balance in their coverage and are not the subject of complaint by ALBA.

“STV for example did not (wrongly in ALBA’s view) include ALBA in their leader’s debate but did interview an ALBA MP immediately afterwards. Other radio and television outlets have all included ALBA in their round of leadership interviews and on a reasonably fair basis with the other parties.

“Ironically one of the BBC’s many personal attacks on me is that I co-host a political programme which is broadcast on RT. That programme, produced independently by a Scottish company, is a model of fairness and balance compared with anything the BBC now seem remotely capable of.

“ALBA are now calling time on the BBC exactly in the interests of political fairness and balance.”

Biggest mobile providers outshone by smaller rivals, Which? reveals

The UK’s biggest mobile providers have fallen short on value for money and are being outperformed by smaller rivals who piggyback on their networks, according to Which?’s annual customer satisfaction survey.  

During the pandemic, more people than ever have turned to their phones and technology as a way to keep in touch with family and friends.

The Big Four mobile providers – O2, EE, Vodafone and Three – serve nearly nine in 10 UK customers.

However, in Which?’s annual customer satisfaction survey, smaller providers that use the Big Four’s networks managed to outdo them across the board – including on value for money, customer service and network reliability.

O2 scored the highest of the Big Four providers and earned joint fifth place out of 15 providers, alongside Utility Warehouse.

It received a high rating for ease of contact, but its customers considered it below average for value for money. Only a quarter (23%) rated it as being ‘excellent’ in this area.

However, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Sky Mobile, which all piggyback on O2’s network, triumphed over their larger rival in Which? rankings. GiffGaff came in first place and earned strong ratings in several categories with 91 per cent of customers saying they’d recommend it to a friend.

Tesco Mobile came in joint second place with Sky Mobile and SMARTY. Both Sky Mobile and Tesco Mobile scored higher than O2 on value for money – an area all of the Big Four providers fell short on in our survey.

EE and Vodafone came in the bottom half of the rankings. Both EE and Vodafone performed poorly on value for money. This is perhaps unsurprising given that 7 per cent of their customers received incorrect or unexpectedly high bills – the highest across all the providers.

Three earned the lowest score of the Big Four providers. Value for money and network reliability were key weak points for Three.

Three customers were the most likely to experience network outages lasting more than one whole day (8%) and one in ten (10%) experienced unexpected or unreasonable price hikes.

One Three customer responding to Which?’s survey said that a universal change in tariff had made it more expensive for them to use the provider despite having a substantial balance to use up.

Like O2, Three was beaten by a smaller operator using its network. SMARTY is owned by Three and is a new entrant to Which?’s survey at joint second place.

The highest-scoring mobile providers are eligible for Which? Recommended Provider (WRP) status, which also requires providers to offer reasonably priced contract deals, including Sim-only.

Ofcom now requires all providers to notify customers when their telecoms contracts come to an end. Which? encourages consumers to compare the deals available when their contract comes to end – even if they’re planning to stay with their current provider – to ensure they aren’t overpaying.

Rocio Concha, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Which?, said: “Our research found that the biggest mobile providers are being outshone by their smaller rivals. A provider should not only give you good network reliability but also value for money and customer support when you need it.

“If customers are out of contract but happy with the service they’re receiving, they should try negotiating a new deal but if all else fails it might be time to switch.”

Read more about Which?’s mobile switching service: 

https://mobilephones.which.co.uk/

Edinburgh vet nurse named as a finalist in the 2021 Petplan Veterinary Awards

Local vet nurse Rachel Sibbald of Abercorn Vets has been shortlisted for the esteemed title of Vet Nurse of the Year in the prestigious Petplan Veterinary Awards 2021.

Now celebrating its 22nd year, the awards continue to go from strength to strength, with Petplan receiving well over 31,000 nominations this year.

The awards recognise the nation’s most outstanding veterinary professionals, who have been nominated by their colleagues and pet owners for their continued hard work and dedication to keeping pets healthy, despite facing huge challenges and restrictions this year.

Like last year, the awards will be taking place virtually, with comedian and actor Marcus Brigstocke hosting proceedings.

Commenting on her nomination, Rachel said: “It is a huge surprise to be in the final and I am extremely grateful to whoever nominated and therefore secured my place in this event, especially after the tough last year everyone has had.”

Isabella von Mesterhazy, head of marketing at Petplan, commented: “The judges had a very tough time picking the finalists in each category this year. The quality of entries has been incredibly high and we’re delighted to have received so many nominations from the veterinary community and indeed pet owners themselves.

“The awards recognise outstanding individuals and teams who go the extra mile to care for the nation’s pets. The Petplan Veterinary Awards provide an opportunity to say thank you for the exceptional work carried out by members of the veterinary profession and are particularly special this year given the extra devotion displayed while continuing to care for the nation’s pets during COVID-19.”

Winners will be announced during the virtual awards ceremony on 6th May at 8.30pm on Facebook @PetplanUK. We hope you will join us online for this celebratory event and to thank the nation’s veterinary professionals. 

For further information on the awards and to follow the finalists’ progress visit www.petplanvet.co.uk.

Date nights and holiday flights – Royal Bank survey reveals what Scots are looking forward to most after Covid-19 put life on hold

·    Young people look set to prioritise shared life experiences post-pandemic

·   Royal Bank of Scotland working with award-winning rapper, Nova Scotia the Truth, to encourage more young adults to set a financial plan to help them achieve future goals

As the country takes its first steps towards re-opening next week, research from Royal Bank of Scotland has revealed what 18–34-year-olds in Scotland are looking forward to most once restrictions allow it, indicating young Scots will prioritise shared life experiences over materialistic goals.

The top 12 list in full:

1.       Spending time with friends and family (85%)

2.       Going on holiday (74%)

3.       Date nights (50%)

4.       Attending a live gig (48%)

5.       Going to/ taking part in a sports match (28%)

6.       A return to education (22%)

7.       Getting back to the workplace (21%)

8.       Buying a house (20%)

9.       Graduating (14%)

10.   Taking driving lessons (14%)

11.   Going travelling (14%)

12.   Getting married (10%)

After an extended period in lockdown, social interactions, unsurprisingly, come out top with 85% of young people surveyed wanting to catch up with their loved ones and half of 18-34-year-olds looking forward to date nights (50%).

However, young people also look set to prioritise their longer-term career goals with one in five (22%) looking forward to returning to education and 21% excited to get back to their place of work.

This could correspond with recent data released by the Office for National Statistics (March 23rd 2021) which showed that young people have been disproportionately impacted by job losses in the past year with under-25s making up two-thirds of the 693,000 total redundancies recorded since the start of the pandemic.

Similarly, in line with the surging demand for houses seen over the past year, buying a house ranks 8th on the list with a further one in five (20%) of young people looking forward to taking their first or further steps on the property ladder once the effects of the pandemic allow them to do so.

Closing out the list, milestones such as graduating (15%) and getting married (10%), which have been impacted hugely be postponements throughout 2020, are still exciting prospects for young people, as well as expanding their horizons through taking driving lessons (14%) and travelling the world (14%).

The survey was undertaken by Royal Bank to gather insights into how the pandemic has impacted young people in Scotland, what it has meant for their money and how they are planning for the future. It found that more than a fifth (22%) of 18-34-year-olds surveyed said they feel anxious about money troubles in a post-Covid world compared with less than one in ten (9%) of those aged 55+.

Royal Bank has now committed to improving the nation’s financial capabilities by offering every person a free Financial Health Check, to reduce money anxieties and help them achieve their goals.

To promote the service, the bank is working with Scottish Album of the Year rap artist, Nova Scotia the Truth, who has been encouraging her fans and online followers to consider setting a plan to manage their money post-pandemic.

Malcolm Buchanan, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “Through our conversations with our younger customers, we understand the financial, emotional and psychological impacts of the pandemic have been immense. The resilience shown by so many Scots across all age groups in adapting to such touch conditions has been truly inspiring.

“We recognise that every dream needs a plan, whether that’s buying a first home or saving for a holiday, and we’re committed to supporting customers achieving their own unique financial goals. As economic conditions improve, we aim to play our part in helping to give everyone the skills and expertise they need to build for a brighter future”.

Royal Bank is making financial management easier by providing the following:

·       Financial Health Check – A free 20-minute conversation with a senior advisor who provides guidance to make banking simpler, and tips for everyday spending or achieving future goals. This could include setting savings targets, advice on tracking monthly spending and creating budgets. Customers can choose to chat in a branch or over the phone. personal.rbs.co.uk/personal/financial-health-check.html

·       Royal Bank of Scotland app – Customers using Royal Bank of Scotland’s award-winning app will now be able to easily see where their money is going with the new ‘spending’ tab which will show them how much they’re spending each month, helping them stay in control of their money.

·       MoneySense – MoneySense provides parents and teachers with the tools to give young people the confidence to use money responsibly on their own. MoneySense is fully digital and downloadable, it can be delivered by teachers in schools. It’s the longest-running bank-led financial education programme for young people in the UK.

Thumbs up for city council’s George Street plans

Bold plans for the transformation of Edinburgh’s historic George Street would encourage more people to visit the area, according to a public survey.

More than 650 people responded to the survey on final proposed concept designs for the George Street and First New Town Public Realm Improvements Project, which were unveiled in February.

These include significantly widened pavements, landscaped spaces for play and relaxation and a cycling thoroughfare, where motor traffic is largely removed, to create a people-friendly setting.  
 
Two thirds (66%) of respondents said they would be more likely to return to the street as a result of the improvements, with shopping, window shopping and socialising in bars and restaurants amongst the top reasons for spending time there.
 
When asked about modes of travel, only 13% said they would drive to the New Town in future, with 67% saying they’d walk, 44% would cycle and 58% opting for the bus. Participants also suggested how they would like to see the redesigned street’s open spaces to be animated – preferences included public art, community events and small markets.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “These concept designs for George Street build on years of engagement with local people, businesses and active travel and mobility organisations, so I’m delighted with the positive response we’ve had from these very groups, along with the general public.
 
“Our vision for this street is a relaxed, open and accessible space, where people want to spend time, visit local shops, restaurants and cafes and enjoy the unique historic setting. Feedback so far has demonstrated that our plans will encourage people to do just that, as well as choosing to travel there by foot, bike or public transport.”

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “It was really exciting to see plans for this iconic part of the city brought to life earlier this year, and I know lots of people enjoyed watching the animated videos and imagining how they could enjoy the street in future.

“Now, thanks to feedback gathered over recent months we’ll be able to refine designs before moving forward with the project and delivering the many benefits it will bring.”

Concept designs for George Street result from several years of development and engagement to refine design objectives with the public and stakeholders, including community councils and heritage, business, walking, cycling and accessibility groups. 
 
In February and March further engagement involved key groups, while the public were invited to see the designs for themselves and tell us how they might enjoy a revitalised George Street through the online survey and interactive virtual events.

Feedback from organisations like Living Streets, Edinburgh Access Panel, Spokes, Edinburgh World Heritage and New Town and Broughton Community Council has been broadly supportive of proposals, while the majority of residents and businesses told us they found engagement sessions useful. 
 
Issues raised during the engagement period, which will require further exploration as the project progresses, include the scale of greening/planting on the street, servicing hours for businesses and taxi access in the evenings. 
 
Feedback gathered will inform a final iteration of the design proposal before being brought to Transport and Environment Committee in June. The required statutory processes under which the scheme will be constructed would begin this autumn.
 
A report summarising the results of engagement was considered by Transport and Environment Committee as part of its Business Bulletin yesterday (Thursday, 22 April).

Find out more about the George Street and First New Town Public Realm Improvements Project online.

Fridays confirms reopening of Scottish restaurants

Following the announcement by Nicola Sturgeon earlier this week, Fridays is excited that its fans in Scotland will be able to celebrate the continued easing of lockdown from Monday 26th April, when its eight Scottish restaurants will reopen for indoor dining across the country.

Fridays has already opened reservations for its Aberdeen Beach, Aberdeen Union Square, Braehead, Edinburgh – Castle St, Edinburgh – Fort Kinnaird, Glasgow – Buchanan St, Glasgow Fort and Silverburn locations, and is encouraging fans to pre-book their slot to avoid missing out. 

Favourite Fridays dishes for Scottish fans include Fridays Sesame Chicken Strips tossed in Legendary Glaze, Fridays® Glazed Burger, Full Rack of Ultimate Ribs as well as 28 Day Aged Sirloin Steak*. All of which will be on the menu alongside sharing plates for the whole family as well as an array of appetizers and desserts to choose from.

Robert B. Cook, Fridays CEO, says: “We are beyond delighted to welcome guests back across Scotland to celebrate the easing of lockdown with us. The Fridays team have been counting down the days until they can get back to work and once again welcome guests back through our doors.

“To avoid disappointment we are asking guests to pre-book and to follow the guidelines we have at all restaurants to keep everyone safe and make sure we stay on track for the next stage of lockdown easing.” 

For more details regarding the health and safety measures in place, to pre-book, menus and to find out more about the additional 29 Fridays restaurants already open for outdoor dining, please visit the Fridays website – www.tgifridays.co.uk. 

Scottish Charity Awards 2021

Applications are open!

Before starting to complete your application form, please take a look at our judging panel’s top tips:

Due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, the awards ceremony will take place on Friday 1st October 2021.

We’ll be keeping you up-to-date with any further changes and developments over the coming weeks.

Now in its 15th year, the Scottish Charity Awards highlight the best, most innovative and effective charity organisations and individuals from the past year, and celebrate those who make a difference in our communities.

Categories

There are nine award categories – Charity of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Digital Citizens, Pioneering Project, Trustee of the Year, Employee of the Year, Community Action, Climate Conscious and Campaign of the Year – with the winners to be decided by a panel of judges and announced at a glittering awards ceremony on Friday 1st October 2021.

All finalists will then be entered into the running for the People’s Choice Award, giving members of the public a chance to vote for their favourite finalist to win.

Apply 

RCEM: To prevent another crippling winter, we must use the summer to prepare our hospitals and Emergency Departments

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has launched a new campaign Summer to Recover: Winter-Proofing Urgent and Emergency Care for 2021.

The campaign outlines a series of important actions, recommendations, and guidance that four-nation Governments, NHS bodies, NHS Trusts and Boards, and Emergency Department Leadership Teams can take to ‘winter-proof’ the Urgent and Emergency Care system.

The campaign comes following the intense pressures faced by hospitals and Emergency Departments across the UK as a result of the pandemic and the gruelling winter the health service has just experienced.

Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “This year has been like no other for health care workers and Emergency Medicine staff. We have all had to adapt quickly to face the intense pressures of the pandemic and in many ways, we have changed the way we deliver care.

“Every winter our hospitals near capacity, our Emergency Departments become crowded, and staff are stretched thinly, sometimes having to administer care in corridors.

“This winter, with the severely high-risk of covid, patient safety was at the forefront of our minds. We could not have crowded Emergency Departments and we could not allow for corridor care. Prevention of hospital acquired infection, enforcing strict infection prevention control measures and social distancing were vital tools to keeping our patients and staff safe.

“Winter saw intense pressures in our Emergency Departments: the ambulances waiting to admit patients into hospital were pictured and widely reported; there were long-delays for some patients in Emergency Departments; staff severely struggled to move patients through the system; and there were huge issues with capacity. It was incredibly tough for staff and patients alike and for many, it will be unforgettable.

“Now, we are seeing a return of our community patients and demand for urgent and emergency care services is beginning to increase, as we return to ‘normal’ we cannot allow our old practices to make a comeback. Crowding and corridor care presented a huge challenge to staff and put patient safety at risk.

“We currently have an opportunity to transform the urgent and emergency care pathway. So, we are launching a new campaign, Summer to Recover: Winter-proofing Urgent and Emergency Care for 2021 outlines a series of recommendations the College is making to the four-nation Governments and NHS bodies, to NHS Trusts and Boards, and to ED Leadership Teams.

“We know there is a challenge ahead with tackling the backlog of elective care, but we must use the time we have and use the Summer to Recover and prepare our hospitals and staff for Winter 2021.

“NHS England 2021/22 priorities and operational planning guidance for the year ahead, together with the recommendations outlined in the consultation on the clinical review of standards are welcome and are aligned with the College’s own recommendations in our new campaign.

“The implementation of the metrics proposed in the consultation on the Clinical Review of Standards, particularly measuring 12-hours from arrival, are welcome and will help identify areas of improvement quicker, but without the ability to resolve these issues with adequate capacity, resources, staff or alternative care there will be little we can do in the Emergency Department.

“Expanding capacity, ensuring there is adequate alternative care that patients have access to, and working with local health systems, are all tools that will be crucial to ensuring our Emergency Departments are not crowded again.

“We have said it before; we must not let Emergency Departments become the safety-net of the system. What happens in the Emergency Department ripples throughout the hospital and the health and social care network. We must work together to prevent crowding, to maximise the safety of our patients and to reduce long and high-risk delays.

“Next Winter may seem like a long way off but to prevent another crippling winter, like the one we have just experienced, we must learn, and recognise the shortages and lack of preparation we faced and absolutely guarantee that this winter, we are ready, and we are prepared.”

Youth to face court over bus vandalism incidents

A youth has been arrested and charged in connection to Operation Proust, Edinburgh City Division’s response to increased reports of anti-social behaviour aimed at public transport providers.

A 16 year old male was arrested today after he was identified following enquiries into two incident involving Lothian Buses which happened on 11th April on Princes Street and 13th April on Howden Hall Road.

He has been charged with culpable and reckless conduct, vandalism along with threatening and abusive behaviour.

The male will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.

Sergeant Grant Robertson of Howdenhall Police Station said: “We remain committed to tackling this issue and this arrest should act as a warning to others that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

“We ask parents, guardians and any person who works with young people to speak to them about the dangers and consequences associated with this reckless behaviour.

“Anyone with information regarding antisocial behaviour in their area can contact Police Scotland through 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111”

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