In pictures, the event that reawakened democracy …
Have your say on parking proposals
Draft Action Plan is now out for consultation
Edinburgh residents’ views are now being sought on a raft of measures aimed to help improve parking in the city.
A public consultation is under way on the draft Parking Action Plan, which is intended to develop a cohesive vision of parking in Edinburgh, encouraging active travel and supporting the city’s economy while safeguarding residents’ spaces.
Proposals for the plan, approved by the Transport and Environment Committee in August, are based on consultation with the public and take into account the priorities of those living in the city.
Amongst actions suggested are the roll-out of shared-use parking for permit holders and pay and display customers, visitor permits and the introduction of parking restrictions in the evenings and on Sundays.
Transport Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “We’ve been evaluating parking in Edinburgh over the last few months, studying the use of city centre parking by residents, shoppers and visitors to see where the most demand for spaces is. We’ve really listened to the public to create the new Parking Action Plan, and have responded to their concerns.
“This is about relieving demand for residents’ parking as well as promoting sustainable travel into the city centre. Our proposals would reduce the negative impact of uncontrolled parking, encouraging parking turnover near local businesses and helping to encourage active travel and use of public transport.
“We want to involve the public in the Parking Action Plan, so I would urge anyone interested to participate in our consultation.”
The draft Parking Action Plan (above), which affects the Controlled Parking Zone, was drawn up following a series of information gathering exercises, including interviews with drivers and pedestrians, vehicle counts on key streets and internal workshops.
Amongst the findings it was shown that, when parking is uncontrolled on a Sunday, people stay for a long time, reducing the turnover of business for shops, making it harder for residents to find spaces and impacting on traffic. It also indicates that parking pressures in the evenings are similar, if not greater than during the controlled hours.
In addition, of 535 drivers interviewed on a Sunday, 43% said they would travel by public transport, walk or cycle if they were making the same journey during the week, while 42% indicated that free parking was not important to their decision to visit the city centre that day.
The draft plan is now out for consultation, engaging the public, stakeholders and other interested parties. Views gathered will influence the finalised Parking Action Plan, expected to be considered by committee in January 2016.
Fight or flight: Johnstone congratulates community campaigns
Airport to end trial two months early following community pressure
Alison Johnstone has today congratulated local communities on their campaign success after the Edinburgh Airport announced it will close its controversial flight path trial two months earlier than originally planned.
Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian and Scottish Green Party candidate for Edinburgh Central, said: “I’d like to congratulate the community on their success in reducing the length of the reckless flight trial by two months. This is entirely due to sheer determination and their well organised and effective campaign.
“October will still feel like a long month for the community who have had to suffer negative health impacts and disruptive noise caused by the trial, but I am please the airport have recognised the need to listen and act. And end to this stressful situation is now in sight.
“The past few weeks have demonstrated how powerful Scotland’s communities can be, and lessons regarding the need for meaningful consultation have been learned. I look forward to working with constituents and the airport in the months ahead to ensure that the health and well-being of residents is central in all future proposals.”
Over one million passengers travelled through Edinburgh Airport last month, making it the busiest August on record for the airport and its fourth million plus passenger month in a row. A total of 1,158,794 people arrived and departed Edinburgh Airport in August, an increase of 8.7% on August 2014.
Getting Together, Making a Difference: focus on asylum seekers
Womens International Group (WIG) are holding the second in a series of ‘Getting Together, Making a Difference’ events next week.
CLD worker Lynn McCabe, who supports the WIG group, said: “The event is taking place next Thursday (24th September) from 10 – 12.30 in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. This event will be addressing important issues such as home, immigration, asylum and human rights. The centre will be a drop-off point that day for anyone wishing to donate basic supplies to support Syrian refugees stranded in Calais.”
See poster (below) for further information or call Lynn on 552 5700
Six days to go: Collection points for EDA Syria Appeal
A final reminder of the local collection points for donations to the Edinburgh Direct Aid Syria appeal (the container leaves in SIX days):
- Community Shop, Pennywell Road
- Pilton Youth & Childrens Project, West Pilton Place
- Spartans Community Football Academy, Ainslie Park
- Edinburgh Direct Aid warehouse, West Harbour Road
WHAT’S NEEDED by EDA:
NO MORE CLOTHES, SHOES or BEDDING!
Thank you, but we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of response – our container is almost bulked out. If you have already collected goods on our list – padded jackets, welly boots, etc., – do bring them in. If we can’t send them now, we’ll send them later – but please don’t organise any new collections at the moment!
BUT DEFINITELY:
(new!) underwear
toothpaste
toothbrushes
soap
detergent
toilet paper
nappies
sanitary towels
wipes
and for schools and vocational training:
notebooks, A4 paper
pens/pencils, boardwriters
sewing materials, wool
EDA WAREHOUSE OPENING TIMES:
Wednesday and Saturdays until SEPTEMBER 23
11:00am to 3pm
Contact Ann at 0781 494 9468
Positively Diverse programme announced
We have now finalised the programme for our learning event Positively Diverse on the 1 October (see below). The event will support organisations to implement positive practices that include BME residents.
Please do BOOK your place by calling us on 0131 551 1671 or emailing admin@pchp.org.uk if you want to attend.
Programme
9.30am Arrive and coffee
10.00am Welcome
10.30am Professor Rebecca Kay, co-convenor of Glasgow refugee, asylum and migration network: ‘Living in Harmony: the benefits and joy of working with a diverse client group’
11.00am Residents tell their stories – followed by Q&A
12.15pm Lunch
1pm A Welcoming North Edinburgh – past and present
1.15pm How to make it happen – best practice from local organisations -followed by Q&A.
2.30pm What can you do next?
3.15pm Summing up
3.30pm Finish
Anita Aggarwal
Community Development Manager, Pilton Community Health Project
Shiver our timbers!
Muirhouse lads on Ocean Youth Trust trip of a lifetime
Two of our young Centre volunteers, Paul Alexander & Chris Barnes (above), embarked on the adventure of a lifetime as they enrolled in a positive learning environment under sail on the Alba Explorer from 31 August to 4 September (writes James McGinty).
Both lads kept a log of their adventure with feedback from their skipper Steve. Reading their log was as difficult as writing it in the ocean swell! With goals to achieve daily and new skills to learn, the skipper’s remarks were favourable.
The values and skills learned fell into many categories:
Meeting new people – and the art of conversation.
Following Instructions – Speaking out in groups
Getting Up Early ( Bet you thought this was not possible!!)
Working in a team -Being on time
Working on daily goals – Keeping Calm.
Many of these qualities can be taken into the lads’ adulthood; so well done, Paul and Chris!
Here are some of the 244 pictures and videos taken by the lads and their crewmates. Click On To our Website to see more: www.muirhousecommunitycentre.co.uk
‘Meltdown’: Union fears 3000 council job losses
UNISON says one on six council jobs could go
Trade Union UNISON fears that over 3,000 jobs – one in every six Edinburgh council staff and three times as many jobs as first thought – will be slashed as the effects of accelerated budget cuts become clear, putting the council’s and the Scottish Government’s no compulsory redundancy pledge at risk.
The union has also re-launched its ‘Our City’s Not For Sale’ campaign as reports drawn up by officials put privatisation back on the agenda three years after councillors rejected mass privatisation plans.
“The effect of cuts on services and staff will be devastating as at least 15% of council employees could face being forced out of their jobs”, warned Amanda Kerr, UNISON Edinburgh City branch secretary. “Losing this amount of staff will decimate the services we provide and the public rely on to the point where they would be unrecognisable.
“It is now time for the politicians to stand up for the pledges they were elected on and support UNISON in the fight to save public services in Edinburgh for future generations.”
Lead Edinburgh UNISON negotiator Tom Connolly warned of the effect on services: “Every job lost is a service lost, a school closed, a care home closed, young and old put at risk. UNISON will defend these services and any compulsory redundancies will trigger our longstanding policy to ballot members on action.”
UNISON is calling for meaningful consultation and will demand that the council honours its no compulsory redundancy pledge and its ‘presumption’ against privatisation.
“If there is the political will to save Edinburgh’s services from these vicious government cuts, then councillors need to make sure that officials fully understand that”, said branch president John Stevenson, calling again on the Scottish Government to step in with emergency money to save services while they look at a fairer funding system.
“There has been a deafening silence on the massive cuts local councils have faced with 40,000 jobs lost in the last few years. The government needs to face up to the crisis and make funding available before services disappear for ever.”
UNISON will lobby the Council’s Finance and Resources Committee next Thursday (24 September).
For further information visit http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/citynotforsale/
Creating a fairer Scotland: local opportunities to have your say!
Pilton Community Health Project to hold discussion events
Pilton Community Health Project is to hold two local sessions to give North Edinburgh residents the opportunity to discuss Scotland’s future – and things we can do to help shape that future.
The events are part of the Scottish Government’s live consultation on creating a fairer Scotland, and the two sessions have been planned to ensure that as many people as possible will be able to participate.
The first discussion will take place on Thursday 15 October from 7 – 9pm in Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre, while the second event will be held during the day – on Thursday 22 October from 10 – 11.30am at Pilton Community Health Project on Boswall Parkway.
PCHP Anita Aggarwal explained: “The Scottish Government want to know what we think would make Scotland Fairer and Healthier. Like many other organisations in the area we want to hear what you have to say so we can pass it on to them. To this end we are organising two discussion sessions.
“The first will take place at Muirhouse Community Centre on Thursday 15th October from 7 till 9 pm. There are free refreshments.
“The second takes place at Pilton Community Health Project on Thursday 22nd October from 10 – 11.30. There is a free creche but your MUST book a place in advance by calling me on 0131 551 1671 – that’s also the number to call if you want more information on the events.”
You will also find facebook events and info on PCHP’s website http://pchp.org.uk/news/2015/fairer-scotland
The Scottish Government is particularly keen that as many people as possible take part in the national discussion, as can be read below:
- What are the issues that matter most to you?
- What do you think needs to be done to create a fairer Scotland?
- How can you and your community play a role in helping to shape our future?
Scotland is a great country to call home. But we can make it an even better place. Achieving this will require a strong competitive economy and a fairer, more equal society. The two go hand in hand.
Right now people across Scotland are working to that end. But we believe that together we can do even more to secure better opportunities for all of us and for future generations.
To get there, more of us need to join the conversation that is already happening about the kind of Scotland we want to see in the future. We hope this leaflet (see below), and the discussion that follows, will help to do that. It describes some of the successes and challenges in Scotland today and a few ideas about what a fairer Scotland could look like. We want you to share your ideas as well, to tell us what matters to you.
By the end of 2015 we want to have created opportunities for the widest possible range of voices to be heard. This will include a series of events in the autumn that brings together people from across the country to discuss what practical steps we need to take to create a fairer Scotland.
The Scottish Government will respond to these ideas, and the wider conversation, setting out what we will do to help create a better Scotland. We hope others will do the same.
So go on, it’s our Scotland: it’s time to have your say on our future!
If you want more information about what the Scottish Government are doing look at these links:
Local Morrisons stores spared the axe
Morrisons names eleven stores to close
Morrisons has revealed the stores it plans to close, a week after announcing ‘disappointing’ sales figures – a 47% drop in half-year pre-tax profit to £126m..
The supermarket giant announced plans for the closures last week as part of an attempt to revitalise the business, but has only now revealed which stores will be close. The retailer said it was also selling 140 loss-making “M” local convenience stores for about £25m.
Local stores at Granton Waterfront and Ferry Road are not affected – the stores to close are all in England. They are: Burnham-on-Sea, Castletown (Sunderland), Clevedon, Little Hulton, Northallerton, Oldbury, Salford, Shildon, Streatham, Tyldesley and West Bromwich.
There was no announcement about the date of the closures, but up to 900 members of staff will lose their jobs.
Chief executive David Potts said he regretted the closure of the stores. “This is a difficult decision, but one which we cannot see any way through to make those stores viable,” he said.