What should we do with George Street?

Have your say on the future of George Street

george-street

Edinburgh residents are being invited to help shape the future of one of the city’s best-known streets. An open day to be held tomorrow will offer an opportunity to meet the designers working on a long-term vision for George Street.

Participants can give their views on a year-long trial in the street, which has seen the introduction of a dedicated two-way cycle lane and a one-way system for general traffic and buses.

They will also be invited to contribute ideas and opinions on a permanent layout, with the drop-in session featuring four themes for George Street: A Civic Place, A Place for Living, A Place for Enterprise and A Place for Movement.

Transport Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “Throughout this trial we have involved the public to ensure changes take into account the users of the street, and I think that’s reflected in the positive feedback we’ve received along the way.

“Now, as the trial draws to a close, we want to include those who live, work and travel on George Street to help us decide its future, and that’s why it’s so important that people come along to our open day to give their views on a long term plan.

“Making the city centre a great place to be is about striking a balance between work and leisure, practicality and atmosphere – and I think that by working together we can achieve that.”

Throughout the trial, regular ‘stakeholder engagement’ and on-street interviews with passers-by (approximately 100 per month) have gathered feedback from the public.

Amongst the findings were the importance of cycling facilities to the future of the street to respondents, the need for George Street to be accessible to all and the preference for symmetry in any long-term designs.

Ironside Farrar have been appointed until October 2015 to turn the information gathered into design principles, which will be presented with the concluding report on the George Street Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) to Committee in November.

The George Street ETRO finishes on 6 September, when the street’s layout will revert to that of pre-September 2014, when the trial began. This means both sides of carriageway will be open and the cycle lane removed, as will all marquees and decking.  An interim cycle facility will then be introduced, as approved by Transport and Environment Committee on 2 June.

The open day will be held at the Roxburghe Hotel

on Thursday 13 August, from 3pm to 7pm.

 

Beatson is 300th Living Wage employer

Scotland on track to hit Living Wage target

A pay packet

A significant milestone in the push to have 500 Living Wage-accredited employers in Scotland has been reached. Beatson Cancer Charity has been confirmed as the 300th employer to be accredited, meaning that Scotland is well on track to reach its target by March next year.

The charity delivers a range of patient and family support including patient wellbeing and complementary therapy services. These are delivered through their unique and award-winning Wellbeing Centre and throughout the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and related facilities throughout the West of Scotland.

They also provide funding for a range of specialist posts including specialist nursing, radiography, physics and research-based staff as well as providing funding for enhanced medical equipment, innovative service developments, unique research projects and developmental staff training.

Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham said: “The Scottish Government is committed to fairness and supporting those on the lowest incomes. We recognise the real difference the Living Wage can make to working people and are leading by example by becoming the first accredited government in the UK earlier this year.

“We have been working closely with the Poverty Alliance to encourage employers to seek accreditation and today’s landmark demonstrates excellent progress in our aim to have 500 employers signed up by next March.

“The charity and its staff is a key partner of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and of NHS Scotland and they should be commended for their work in supporting the treatment, care and wellbeing of current and former cancer patients and their families. Today’s news ensures that all staff at the charity will be paid the Living Wage, good news for staff and a good example set for the sector in Scotland.

“Research shows that the Living Wage can enhance productivity, reduce absenteeism and improve staff morale, but we need even more organisations to recognise those benefits and sign up for accreditation and help those on the lowest pay.”

David Welch, Chief Executive of Beatson Cancer Charity said: “Beatson Cancer Charity is proud to be the 300th Living Wage-accredited employer and to have contributed to reaching this significant landmark. We are committed to continue to support this initiative and to ensuring that all of our staff are well supported and paid a fair wage for their work.”

Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance said: “Warm congratulations to the Beatson Cancer Charity on becoming the 300th employer in Scotland to receive accreditation as a Living Wage Employer. Over the course of the past year, employers from the public, private and third sectors in Scotland have been standing up to be counted as Living Wage Employers.

”Scotland now has the highest public awareness of the Living Wage, and has the fastest rate in terms of growth of number of accredited Living Wage Employers than any other part of the UK.”

Letter: Time expired

Dear Editor

The system of capitalism under which we live – where resources are mined, extracted, made or grown – are mainly owned by private investors; they even claim ownership of the land itself.

To realise profit on these materials they need the labour of the wage-earning population to turn these resources into items to sell or use. The cheaper this can be done – by keeping wages and conditions of work as low as possible – the more profits are made.

The lives and poverty of the wage-earning population throughout history, including today, shows capitalism is a failed system for the majority, by it’s nature of seeking maximum profit for the few – even to the extent of closing industries if profit is considered not enough, regardless of the devastating effect on workers and their families.

This is why generations of people – men and women – have struggled in their various ways to change the system to one where the wealth of resources and labour power is used for the benefit of all. These generations called the new system Socialism.

The system was, and is, heavily weighed against them in many way. Communication is the only way to start to convince people of the necessity for change, but how to do this when most channels of communication are owned by private companies or individuals? The sheer volume of their support for capitalism blurs the truth and can shape people’s minds. The working population, by contrast, has limited access to alternative socialist communications, they have limited means to promote it – and have limited time to do so.

The working population can make lives better if they seek maximum unity to right glaring wrongs, such as privately-owned essentials for everyday living. These should be publicly owned – electricity, gas, water and sewerage. Rail and bus transport to get to work and/or leisure. These are essential to all, as is the National Health Service.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens 

 

Leith Walk candidates confirmed

ballotbox (4)

The candidates standing in the Leith Walk by-election, which will elect two councillors on Thursday 10 September 2015, have been confirmed.
 
They are:

Marion Donaldson – Scottish Labour Party
Mo Hussain – Scottish Liberal Democrats
Tom Laird – Scottish Libertarian Party
Alan Gordon Melville – UK Independence Party (UKIP)
Gordon Murdie – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
Susan Jane Rae – Scottish Green Party
Natalie Reid – Scottish Socialist Party
John Lewis Ritchie – Scottish National Party (SNP)
John Ferguson Scott – Independent
Bruce William Whitehead – Left Unity

Voters in this ward have until Tuesday 25 August to register to vote or apply for a postal vote for the by-election. To register to vote or apply for a postal vote people should contact theElectoral Registration Office or phone 0131 344 2500.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. Voters should check their polling cards carefully to find out where to vote.

Polling Places:

  • Pilmeny Youth Centre
  • Norton Park Conference Centre
  • London Road Church Hall
  • Holy Cross RC Primary School
  • Ebenezer United Free Church Hall
  • Royal Navy & Royal Marine Association & Club
  • Broughton Nursery
  • Pilrig St Paul’s Church Hall
  • Lorne Primary School
  • McDonald Road Library
  • Leith Walk Primary School

The by-election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system where voters can rank candidates in order of preference using numbers rather than a single cross. Voters can choose to vote for as many or as few candidates as they like. The result of the by-election will be announced once the votes are counted after polls close at 10pm on Thursday 10 September.

Unusually, TWO councillors will be elected in this by-election. Former SNP councillor Deidre Brock stood down after being elected as the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North and Leith in May, and Green councillor Maggie Chapman resigned her Leith Walk seat in June to focus on winning a Green seat in the North East of Scotland in the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections.

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For more information on the Leith Walk by-election, visit the Council website.

Grave Talk at North Edinburgh Arts

Time to talk about the great taboo?

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Death and dying. It’s a subject many of us prefer not to even think about, let alone discuss – but Ruth Green, Minister of St David’s Espisopal Church in Royston Mains, says it’s good to talk about death and has organised an event to do just that. And it might even be fun!

Ruth explained: “It’s called Grave Talk, and it’s a cafe space designed to talk about death, dying and funerals. I was inspired to start this because in my experience as a nurse, and now as a minister, most people don’t know how to talk about death. This event gives a safe environment, and is a way of trying to normalise such conversation. It is free (with donations accepted for the cake) and is non-religious, so it’s suitable for people of all faiths and doubts. At previous events, strangely enough, it is fun, and there’s lots of laughter, as people are freed up to explore their ideas and feelings.”

GRAVE TALK takes place at North Edinburgh Arts on

Wednesday 2 September from 6.30 – 7.45 

there will be tea and cake

there will be talk, there will be questions

the truth is we are all going to die, but nobody wants to say anything

Grave Talk is a chance to talk about death

think about your funeral

ask questions, air your thoughts

for people of all faiths and doubts

Intrigued? Interested? Like to find out more? Like to go along? Call Ruth on 629 2018 or 07941 552 768 or email liverdiet@hotmail.com

Grave Talk poster

Man dies and two more missing following fishing boat capsize

Search resumes for missing fishermen in Firth of Forth

lifeboats

One man has died and two others are missing after a small fishing boat overturned in the Firth of Forth off East Wemyss yesterday.

A full-scale search involving police, coastguard, RNLI and an RAF search and rescue helicopter was launched by UK Coastguard was initiated  after the men were reported missing in worsening weather conditions

Police said a man was recovered from the water around a nautical mile out to sea at about 5pm but he later died in hospital. The search for two other missing men resumed this morning.

 

You need Friends …

Community Council to set up Friends of Easter Drylaw Park group

Easter Drylaw Park

Does Easter Drylaw Park need Friends? Drylaw Telford Community Council certainly thinks so, and is looking for local residents to get involved in setting up a new group to support the area’s green space.

Community councillor Mhairi Curran confirmed: “We are looking to hopefully set up a Friends of Easter Drylaw Park and we are currently seeking people who might be interested in finding out more or becoming part of the group.

“We have invited a guest speaker from The Friends of Parks Group to give a short presentation at our next community council meeting, where we will discuss the benefits of setting up a Friends group here to support our local park. It will be the ideal opportunity to find out more about how Friends groups operate and what’s involved. It would be great to see more local residents coming along – we would like to hear their views on the park.”

The meeting will be held on Wednesday 26 August at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre. All welcome.