British schoolchildren took their fight for global education funding straight to Westminster yesterday, as part of a powerful protest against government cuts to overseas aid.
Backed by TV presenter, Paralympian, and Street Child charity Ambassador Ade Adepitan MBE, students from the Send My Friend to School coalition urged policymakers to reverse the decline in education aid and prioritise investment in learning worldwide.
The demonstration came as the UK Government confirmed a further reduction in the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget, slashing it from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income.
With education already one of the most underfunded areas in global development, campaigners fear the cuts will leave millions more children without access to schooling.
Speaking at the event, Ade Adepitan reflected on the life-changing impact of education. “The only reason I’m where I am today is because of two reasons: luck and education,” he said.
“Lucky enough that my parents were brave enough to leave our home in Nigeria, give up everything for a better life, but also because of education. I was able to access a strong education in London that changed my life.”
Students leading the campaign made an impassioned case for urgent action, warning that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
“Education is not just about learning subjects like maths or science,” said student activist Ewura. “It’s about giving young people the tools to build a better future. When children are educated, they can help change the world.”
Echoing the call, fellow campaigner Davi urged the UK to step up its leadership on the issue: “That’s why campaigns like Send My Friend to School are so important,” he said. “They remind leaders that education should be a top priority. And as young people, we have a voice too.
“We can speak up, raise awareness, and encourage real action.”
The protest highlighted the sharp decline in UK aid for education over the past decade. In 2013, education accounted for 13.5% of bilateral ODA spending, but by 2023, this had plummeted to just 3.5%.
While the UK remains the sixth-largest donor by volume, it now ranks 25th among OECD-DAC countries in prioritisation, falling far behind its international counterparts.
The Send My Friend to School coalition is demanding urgent action from the UK Government, calling for:
• A commitment to protect and reprioritise education aid within ODA spending.
• Full funding for key global education initiatives, including the Global Partnership for Education and Education Cannot Wait.
• Stronger UK support for international tax and debt reforms to help low-income countries sustainably increase their own education budgets.
While aid remains crucial, 87% of education financing in low-income countries comes from domestic sources.
Campaigners argued that the UK has a vital role in ensuring governments have the resources to invest in quality education for all.
The event was part of a wider movement, with Send My Friend to School mobilising 250,000 UK students every year to push for global education rights.
As the UK reassesses its international development priorities, campaigners are urging leaders to reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that education remains central to the country’s foreign aid agenda.
Edinburgh Tradfest is delighted to announce full details of its 2025 programme of traditional music, storytelling, film, workshops, talks, ceilidhs, and special events taking place at various venues across the city, thanks to continued support from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation.
The festival’s music programme kicks off on Friday 2 May at the Queen’s Hall with Scotland’s most sought-after piper and composer Ross Ainslie performing with the Sanctuary Band, and special guest Terra Kin.
Then, over the 11 days of the festival, there will be live music every night at the Traverse Theatre, Folk Film screenings predominately at the Cameo, and storytelling, music and special events taking place at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
Some of the musicians headlining include folk song sensation and multi award-winner Siobhan Miller; Scots singer of the Year 2024 Beth Malcolm; Aberdeenshire’s crowning light, folk singer and Young Musician of the Year 2025 Ellie Beaton; national treasure Kathleen MacInnes; and cutting-edge piper Finlay MacDonald performing with his band which includes award-winning piper Ailis Sutherland (Hecla), guitarist/piper Ali Hutton (Ross & Ali, Old Blind Dogs, Treacherous Orchestra, Tryst), and drummer Paul Jennings (Croft No 5, Treacherous Orchestra). Plus, there will be a special event on Sunday 4 May featuring the music and enduring legacy of piper Martyn Bennett.
Also headlining are virtuoso English folk trio Leveret; leading Scots fiddler Lauren MacColl who will be playing tunes from her most recent album Haar; and Mary Macmaster (The Poozies) who will curate and perform as part of this year’s festival commission For the Love of Trees with some of Scotland’s finest musicians: Amy Macdougall (vocals), Donald Hay (percussion), Mairearad Green (accordion, pipes), Pete Harvey (cello) and Ciarán Ryan (banjo/fiddle).
Other Scottish highlights include Morag Brown and Lewis Powell-Reid who perform pacy traditional tunes from Scotland and as far afield as the Balkans; Divergence (Freya Rae, Siannie Moodie and Tim Lane) so named because of their passion for playing non-traditional instruments in traditionally inspired music; cinematic alt-folk duo Rhona Stevens and Joseph Peach; and the unmissable annual #WorldPlayAStrathspey Day presented by Hands Up for Trad and featuring Rory Matheson (piano), and Anna Robertson, Catriona Price and Adam Sutherland (fiddle) who will take audiences through some of the world’s best known strathspeys, reels and marches.
International musicians headlining at this year’s festival include Pelkkä Poutanen whose music weaves together Scandinavian and Finno-Ugric folk singing with electronic, roots and traditional world folk influences; Canadian singer Catherine MacLellan, and English folk musician Lucy Farrell, also based in Canada, who’ll be presenting a selection of self-penned songs; legendary Kora virtuoso Seckou Keita who has been dubbed the ‘Hendrix of the Kora’; Finnish power-fiddle duo Teho; and the Hartwin Trio from Belgium.
Plus, TheTravelling Janes led by Ali Affleck bring their unique mix of Americana, jazz and blues; and The Hot Seatsfrom Virginia whose combination of old-time, bluegrass and country make them the hot ticket of the festival.
At the Scottish Storytelling Centre there will be stories and music from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland (A Necklace of Stories) with Bea Ferguson and Heather Yule; and tales and tunes from in the North East Bothy Traditionwith ballad singer Allan Taylor, fiddler Karin Paterson and storytellers Phyll McBain and Jackie Ross; storyteller Rachel Pugh and harpist Lucy Nolan present Bog Standard the gripping true story of a tip off which led a rookie journalist to one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century; and MAIK (folksingers Jamie Cook and Kirsty Law) present folks songs in Scots and Cumbrian dialects; whilst cinematic-folk duo Dowally and innovative French drummer Philippe Boudot celebrate the release of their album Ici et Là-Bas.
Plus, TuFlamenco celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Spain with a tribute to poet Garcia Lorca, with Inma Montero (dance & vocals), Danielo Olivera (guitar & vocals), and Inés Álvarez Villa (storyteller); the Sangstream Scots Folk Choir led by renowned musician Corrina Hewat perform a cappella in Let Them Be Heard; and author Stuart McHardy launches his new book Scotland’s Ancient Goddess: Hidden in Plain Sight exploring the mythology of creation and the pre-Christian beliefs of the Scottish people, published by Luath Press.The popular Hearth Fire Sessions return with storytellers Dougie Mackay and Niall Moorjani, Moroccan filmmakers/storytellers Tizintizwa and musician Evie Waddell.
The Folk Film Gathering returns to Edinburgh Tradfest this year with a selection of films from the world’s archives including a screening of Ukranian film The Enchanted Desna (1964) directed by Alexander Dovzhenko’s widow Yuliya Solntseva; Fertile Memory (1981) the first full length film to be shot within the occupied Palestinian West Bank ‘Green Line’ introduced by Scottish-Palestinian poet Nada Shawa; George Nasser’s Ila Ayn (1957) the first ever Lebanese film to screen at Cannes; The Nouba of the Women of Mount Chenoua (1977) which explores the intergenerational experiences and histories of women in Algeria and of speech and silence; and Icelandic film The Juniper Tree (1990) which stars Björk in an early performance of this adaptation of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.
Staying with horror, O’r Ddaear Hen (1981) the first horror film to be made in the Welsh language and set in a council house in Bangor about a mysterious stone head, will be screening; along with the Scottish premiere of the new restoration of cult classic of Irish independent cinema The Outcasts (1982); and a series of short dark Gaelic tales from 1996-1999 introduced by Edinburgh-based Gaelic storyteller Martin McIntyre who is also doing a separate session introducing Gaelic storytelling culture and history at the Storytelling Centre.
Also from Scotland there will be a screening of Paper Portraits (2025) a new documentary from Gerda Stevensoncelebrating the history and working people of Penicuik’s paper mills; and a rare chance to see Emma Davie’s Flight(1997) exploring how Scottish traditions continue to be expressed in Canada by the diaspora.
Finally on Sunday 11 May, to close the Folk Film Festival, in collaboration with the Storytelling Centre, there will be a full day of screenings celebrating independent film in Scotland through the lens of filmmaker Douglas Eadie hosted by poet Jim Mackintosh and author James Robertson who will be joined in conversation by former colleagues of Eadie including Robbie Fraser, Fiona MacDonald and Christeen Winford.
Screenings include Haston-A Life in the MountainsAn Ceasnachadh – An Interrogation of a Highland Lass (with Kathleen MacInnes, Dolina MacLennan and Kenny MacRae) and Down Home (with Aly Bain).
Families, at the Scottish Storytelling Centre can enjoy a morning of face painting and crafting ahead of the traditional May Day Parade down the High Street to the Pleasance; storytelling with the Beltane Fire Society; a traditional street games, rhymes and songs session with Claire McNicol and Fergus McNicol; sensory stories and play with Ailie Finlay; and family ceilidhs.
In addition, the Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin (EYG) returns with a three-day workshop programme supported by the William Grant Foundation for 13-18 year olds and led by some of Scotland’s finest musicians; and Claire Hastings hosts an hour-long relaxed session for babies and upwards, playing songs to join in with, accompanied by Ali Hutton and Adam Sutherland.
Other workshops held during the festival include: a singing workshop with Chandra Mather where participants will learn a selection of traditional songs from around the world picked up by Chandra on musical travels; a strathspey fiddle workshop with Lauren MacColl; tune writing with one of Scotland’s finest composers Adam Sutherland; and a masterclass in Highland piping from master of the pibroch Allan Macdonald. Plus, the Traditional Music Forum will present an interactive and fun workshop for musicians who want to improve their patter and be better storytellers on stage.
Rebellious Truth,this year’s popular talk presented in collaboration with Celtic and Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh, features Joy Dunlop who will give an insight into her Gaelic journey; from learning Gaelic songs phonetically to being the face of multi-platform learning brand SpeakGaelic. Joy is in high demand as a singer, broadcaster and Scottish step-dancer and is a well-known face on BBC Scotland, BBC Alba and host of the BBC Radio Scotland Traditional Musician of the Year. The talk will also include a special performance by musician Fraser Fifield.
ETF Spotlight, this year’s showcase concert presenting some of the most exciting new performers in folk and traditional music today returns with artist and musician Miwa Nagato-Apthorp, Parsisonic led by Iranian duo Aref Ghorbani and Amir Hossein Feyzi, and trad fusion band Dlù.
And, finally Masks: An Exhibition by Lorraine Pritchard (5 April to 12 May)displaying hand-crafted Venetian masks will be on at the Storytelling Centre alongside a series of photographs and a new behind-the-scenes documentary by Franzis Sanchez shot in Edinburgh and during this year’s Venice Carnival. This exhibition is part of the Pomegranates Festival of world trad dance and presented by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland.
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said: “Scotland’s traditions are vividly expressed and deeply felt in our words, our images and our music. As the beating heart of our national identity, they’re filtered through the 2025 Tradfest programme and across Edinburgh’s stages and screens, its walls and its streets.
“Supported by Creative Scotland through National Lottery funds, this important and inspiring event recognises not only the roots of Scotland’s revived folk culture in the city’s past but also the international ambition of our increasingly diverse country’s future.
“Thought-provoking, thrilling and straight-up fun in equal measure, Tradfest is a highlight on our cultural calendar.”
Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers of Edinburgh Tradfest said:
“Each year we give ourselves the challenge of building a festival packed with more superlative music than the preceding year. With more shows booked for 2025 than ever before, we think we have achieved that. It’s a wonderful mix of the exotic and the home grown. Virtuoso visitors from Senegal, Finland, Belgium, Canada, the US and England will grace Edinburgh’s stages joining an extremely strong Scottish contingent. Appearing are some of the best singers that Scotland has ever produced, the finest fiddle-players, harpists, strings-players, pianists, and, of course, pipers. We are also indebted to our partners at TRACS and the Folk Film Gathering who have provided a fabulous array of storytelling, family events and folk cinema that complement the musical offerings perfectly.”
Daniel Abercrombie, Head of Programming, Scottish Storytelling Centre said: “Edinburgh Tradfest is a great time of the year, with lighter nights and a chance for storytellers to celebrate with musicians, dancers and other creatives. We are offering a variety of traditional arts activities for all to enjoy, with several exciting new performances alongside workshops and family events. It is a highlight of our calendar at the Scottish Storytelling Centre and we’re delighted to be involved once again.”
Jamie Chambers, Folk Film Gathering said: “We are really excited to be collaborating with our sister festival Tradfest once again, to present a programme of films screenings, in parallel with their exciting music programming. Our 2025 programme features a number of very rare films from Scotland, alongside films from Algeria, Iceland, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Ukraine and Wales, and provides a chance to once again consider how we look outwards from Scotland towards the rest of the world. We hope to see you there.”
Edinburgh Tradfest 2025 will run from Friday 2 May – Monday 12 May. For tickets and more information visit edinburghtradfest.com
Objects recovered from a mysterious 250-year-old burial on Arnish Moor on the Isle of Lewis, star in a new exhibition, opening today. The exceptionally well-preserved knitted bonnet and personal belongings of a young man, on loan from National Museums Scotland, are displayed for the first time in a generation at Kinloch Historical Society.
In 1964, the body of a young man was discovered on Arnish Moor, south of Stornoway. Forensic analysis at the time revealed that he was around 20 to 25 years old and identified a fracture on the back of his head that indicates he may have been murdered. The young man’s identity remains unknown, but his clothing and personal belongings provide a rare insight into life in the Outer Hebrides in the early 1700s.
The knitted bonnet is now a brownish green colour, but analysis has revealed traces of indigo typical of the traditional blue bonnets worn in the Scottish Highlands and Islands in the 18th century.
It is displayed alongside other personal items that were found with him, including a wooden comb and quills.
These suggest he was educated and was perhaps a scholar or an apprentice clerk. The young man’s clothing, including a stylish but well-worn jacket covered in intricate hand-stitched repairs, is too fragile to be displayed.
Although the young man’s remains were not discovered until the 1960s, stories of a murder on the moor have been passed down through generations, becoming part of the lore and identity of the local community.
Dr Anna Groundwater, Principal Curator of Renaissance and Early Modern History at National Museums Scotland, said: “We don’t know who this person was, but the quality of his clothes and possessions paints a portrait of a learned young man who cared about how he looked, despite being of limited means.
“We do know that his life was cut tragically short. It has been a privilege to work with colleagues at the Kinloch Historical Society and with the local community in Lewis to bring his story to life and learn more about the historical context and oral traditions that surround the mystery of the Arnish Moor Man.”
Anna MacKenzie, Heritage Manager at Kinloch Historical Society, said: “The story of the Arnish Moor Man is one that appears regularly in our local Folk Lore. What happened to this young man is a mystery.
“By hosting this exhibition, we hope members of the public will be inspired to revisit the tales they grew up with and seek the answers of this 18th century murder. The Kinloch Historical society are very proud of the relationship we are building with National Museums Scotland. They have been a great source of support and it is a privilege to be displaying these items, that have never been shown locally before.”
Arnish Moor Man opens today, Thursday 13 March 2025, at the Kinloch Historical Society, Lewis, and runs until March 2026.
This loan is part of National Museums Scotland’s National Strategy, which sees collections and expertise shared through loans, participation in national projects, community engagement, funding for acquisitions and free knowledge and skills development opportunities for museums across Scotland.
Over 2500 objects are currently on loan to Scottish organisations, bringing the National Collection to audiences across the country.
Our AGM is coming up: Wednesday 19th March 5.30-6.30 at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. (room F40, upstairs -there’s an accessible lift).
You’re all invited! As well as some formal business like the presentation of accounts and trustee election, we’ll do a wee review of the past year, and a look ahead to the coming one.
We’ll provide some light refreshments, so if you’re planning to come it’s helpful if you can message us so we know numbers.
If you’re a member you should already have an invite, but please note we’ve had to change the venue as PCHP will now be closed that week for electrical works.
If you’re not a member but would like to sign up, all the relevant info is here:
New era of global instability means Government must go further and faster in delivering missions.
PM to take on ‘cottage industry of checkers and blockers slowing down delivery for working people’.
Digital revolution underpins moves to a more agile, effective and active state – refocused on delivering Plan for Change.
Tech and AI teams will drive improvement and efficiency in public services with 2,000 new TechTrack apprentices.
Taxpayer’s money saved by slashing waste on pricey contractors.
Costs of regulation to be slashed for businesses to boost growth that puts more money in working people’s pockets.
The Prime Minister will today set out how he will “go further and faster in reshaping the state to make it work for working people.”
Reflecting on international events of the last few weeks, he will say that national security is economic security, and therefore “the fundamental task of politics right now is to take the decisions needed on national security, to deliver security for people at home.”
The Prime Minister will set out his belief in the power of “an active government that takes care of the big questions, so people can get on with their lives.”
He will share his diagnosis that the state has become bigger, but weaker and isn’t delivering on its core purpose, before outlining his mission to reshape it. He will say that the new global “era of instability” means that the Government must double down in delivering security for working people and renewing our nation.
The intervention follows the Government’s step change in approach to regulation and regulators, following the abolition of the Payments Systems Regulator as the Prime Minister commits to a government wide target to cut administrative costs of regulation by 25%.
New plans announced to support delivery will include new AI and tech teams sent into public sector departments to drive improvements and efficiency in public services. One in 10 civil servants will work in tech and digital roles within the next five years with 2,000 tech apprenticeships turbo charging the transformation.
The moves come as the Government slashes the costs of red tape by a quarter for businesses.
It is expected the Prime Minister will say: “The great forces buffeting the lives of working people, and an era of instability driving in their lives, the need for greater urgency now could not be any clearer. We must move further and faster on security and renewal.
“Every pound spent, every regulation, every decision must deliver for working people…If we push forward with the digitisation of government services. There are up to £45bn worth of savings and productivity benefits, ready to be realised.
“And that’s before we even consider the golden opportunity of artificial intelligence. An opportunity I am determined to seize.”
Fundamentally reshaping the way the British state delivers and serves working people by becoming more tech-driven, productive, agile and Mission focused will be set out alongside further detail on the digitalisation of public services and the wider British state.
The approach will be underpinned by the mantra that “No person’s substantive time should be spent on a task where digital or AI can do it better, quicker and to the same high quality and standard.”
The digitisation will include the sweeping modernisations, a new apprenticeship scheme, TechTrack, will bring 2,000 apprentices into public sector departments by 2030, making sure the UK Government has the skills needed to overhaul public services using tech – creating new opportunities across the country and delivering on the Plan for Change.
DSIT unveiled this week that initial tests of an AI helper for call centre workers included in the bundle, built in partnership with Citizens’ Advice, showed that it could halve the amount of time it takes call handlers to give responses to complex questions on anything from consumer rights to legal support.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “There is a £45 billion jackpot to secure if we use technology properly across our public sector – but we can’t hope to come close to securing that if we don’t have the right technical talent with us in government.
“Not only will these changes help fix our public services, but it will save taxpayer cash by slashing the need for thousands of expensive contractors and create opportunities across the country across the country as part of our Plan for Change.”
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced new funding to support the world’s largest performing arts festival.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society will receive £300,000 from the Scottish Government in 2025-26 to help grow the significant benefits the Fringe delivers for Scotland’s economy, society and culture sector.
The funding will enable work in two areas agreed between the Scottish Government and the Fringe Society, firstly to develop the capabilities of the Society’s data and digital infrastructure to make it more accessible for artists, audiences and venues.
Secondly, it will fund work to explore how the Scottish Government and the Fringe Society can help Scottish artists and the sector as a whole capitalise on international opportunities, by targeting agreed priority countries and regions.
Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “The Fringe is one of Scotland’s signature events. From humble beginnings in 1947, it has grown to become the world’s largest performing arts festival, making it a significant economic contributor to Edinburgh, and Scotland as a whole.
“This agreement recognises firstly, that the Fringe Society does not neatly fit into the funding streams available to other culture organisations. Secondly, that there is ample opportunity for the Fringe Society to work more closely with all the other organisations who play an important role in making the Fringe the annual success that it is.
“The Scottish Government is committed to working with the Fringe Society and all partners who deliver, it to help safeguard the future of the Edinburgh Fringe as a world leading cultural asset, built on the principle of free access for all.”
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said: “We welcome this new funding and thank the Scottish Government for recognising the unique position that the Fringe Society has.This will undoubtedly contribute greatly to Scotland’s economy, society and culture sector and we hope that this is a first step towards long-term funding for the Fringe Society.
“It is vital that the Fringe Society can continue to provide much needed core services to the thousands of artists who come to the festival every year and who recognise it as a global marketplace and expo. A sustainable Fringe Society can use its convening role to unlock support for the wider Fringe from the imminent visitor Levy.
“We look forward to working with Kate Forbes and the Scottish Government on developing a long-term sustainable funding model, and welcome this investment into both digital infrastructure and international opportunities.”
COUNCILLORS APPROVE RELOCATION TO NEW WATERFRONT SITE
Social Bite, renowned for its ground-breaking efforts to combat homelessness, has welcomed Edinburgh City Council’s approval of the relocation of the charity’s supported accommodation facility to a new site at Granton Waterfront.
Councillors voted in favour of the move, ensuring that support can continue for up to 16 residents at any given time. Each person who finds a home at the Village has experienced homelessness, and the supported accommodation aims to break the cycle by providing round-the-clock support and reintegration into community living.
Despite a recommendation by the Housing and Planning Committee to reject the proposal due to concerns about the site’s alignment with Edinburgh’s greenbelt targets, councillors unanimously overturned this recommendation.
They cited the charity’s excellent use of greenspace for community gardening—with 50% of the site committed to such purposes—noting that the Social Bite Village contributes to the city’s efforts to effectively use greenspace. Other comments of support highlighted the project’s “overriding benefit to the community and public.”
This significant vote to overturn the recommendation means the proposal will now be submitted to Scottish Government Ministers for a final decision.
The new site, which will continue to be managed by fellow homelessness charity Cyrenians, is less than a mile from the current Village in Granton.
It was selected following a resident survey that identified local amenities and greenspace as important factors, enabling residents to carry out daily tasks such as shopping and commuting to work. The proximity to the Granton seaside was also a key consideration.
The relocation will bring a refresh to the Hub, a communal area where residents can cook, gather, and relax. Additionally, the new location will introduce seven redesigned and improved one-bedroom “Nest Houses,” developed in response to resident feedback.
Social Bite and Cyrenians, which has managed the Village since its inception in 2018, have collaborated to ensure a smooth transition for current residents.
The decision to relocate was prompted by the planned end of the current lease on land donated by Edinburgh City Council, which is part of phase one of the Granton Waterfront development plans. The original lease term was five years and later extended by an additional two years.
The pre-fabricated houses were designed for easy relocation, allowing the charity to make use of a “meanwhile site” that would otherwise have been unoccupied. This adaptability is a key part of Social Bite’s innovative approach.
Josh Littlejohn MBE, founder of Social Bite, said: “We’re thrilled that Edinburgh City Council has approved our planning application for the Social Bite Village today.
“We’d like to thank the councillors for visiting the proposed site and for suggesting a hearing to learn more about how this valuable project will contribute to the Granton regeneration programme.
“We look forward to the next stage and to working with Edinburgh City Council to make a real difference for people experiencing homelessness in Scotland today.”
At the end of their stay at the Village, residents receive support transitioning to permanent accommodation and employment. To date, the Edinburgh Village has helped over 120 residents, many of whom have secured jobs and moved into their own homes.
For more information on the Edinburgh Village, visit:
North Edinburgh Parents Action Group held their 3rd meeting with senior housing staff at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre at the end of last month.
The meeting was well attended by local people affected by housing issues but unfortunately there were fewer senior staff in attendance than previous meetings which the group felt was disappointing.
The meeting focused on a number of key issues which have been raised by local people including :
overcrowding and a shortage of larger houses in North Edinburgh,
poor standards of repairs,
issues with Edindex,
lack of support to tenants allocated PSL (Private Sector Leasing) properties, and
inaccurate information contained in progress reports on individual cases.
Local people presented each of these issues to the Director of Housing and his staff and pointed out that most of these issues had already been brought to their attention at the previous two meetings and in their publication ‘SOS – North Edinburgh’s Housing Emergency’ which was published last May.
It was also pointed out that since then the group have raised other issues which are affecting tenants who have been housed in temporary accommodation and nothing has been done to address these issues.
Commitment from Director of Housing
The Director of Housing acknowledged people’s frustrations and reassured the meeting that his team were working on these issues and were developing new ways of working which he hoped would improve the service.
Furthermore, he agreed to take the following action in response to the latest information people had shared about their experiences :
To meet with the Chief Executive of PSL to highlight all the complaints people have raised and to clarify how the system works
To invite a senior member of the new build team to the next meeting to provide information on the numbers of houses available for social rent, particularly larger properties and new properties which can be adapted.
To provide a written response to all the issues raised in the group’s report
To organise regular drop-in sessions locally to enable tenants to access housing staff who are able to provide support and information on a variety of housing-related issues.
Enough is Enough
Although the group welcomed these commitments, there was also a feeling of disappointment and frustration at the lack of progress in tackling the area’s housing problems.
People also felt disheartened that after all these meetings senior housing managers were unable to provide answers to things they should really know about.
Susan Rowand, chairperson of the parents group, said: “We were shocked at the fact that people in this position didn’t seem up to speed or familiar with their own systems.
“We need to have confidence that those at the top understand what is going wrong and have a plan to put it right.”
No more false promises
The meeting was also attended by representatives from Low Income Families Together (LIFT) who reported that they were dealing with the same issues in Muirhouse on a daily basis.
Pauline Bowie, Manager of LIFT said: “As well as changes to the system, there needs to be a commitment by Council Officers, local Councils and MSPs to ensure that the changes are enforced. We don’t want any more false promises.
“Many of the properties people are stuck in are uninhabitable and would never make it onto the Edindex housing bidding service. These properties are offered as PSL to reduce the numbers of people in temporary accommodation and to reduce the level of support required by the CEC housing support services. This needs to change now.”
Junior school Children at @george_heriots_school once again chose ESUB to benefit from their Non-Uniform Day fundraiser which went ahead on Friday 7th February.
They raised an incredible £656.50 which will go a long way to support our work around Edinburgh.
Thank you all so much for your continued support