Budget 2024- 25: Council Tax freeze MUST be fully funded, warns COSLA

COSLA Vice President Councillor Steven Heddle has sent a strong warning to the Scottish Government that any Council Tax Freeze must be fully funded.

COSLA’s message is a response to comments made to the media by Deputy First Minister Shona Robison on Sunday.

Councillor Heddle said: “There were a few things in the comments made by the Deputy First Minister yesterday (Sunday) that I am uncomfortable with on behalf of COSLA, our member councils and the communities that we represent.

“Firstly, the Deputy First Minister cannot decide or unilaterally say that the ‘Council Tax freeze to stay’- it’s up to 32 individual council to decide if they have a council tax freeze or not, not her government.

“Secondly, unless it is funded with additional money for each council that allows them to fund their planned Council Tax increases, then it is not fully funded, and it will be our service users who will suffer as a consequence.

“The funding for the freeze needs to be transparently additional and consolidated into our Budgets for future years.”

“The DFM also mentioned the ‘Changing shape of public sector workforce’.  Local Government’s workforce has already changed shape drastically. Between 2006 and 2018, the Local Government workforce reduced by 15% (35,000 FTE) before Scottish Government policies such as Early Learning and Childcare added staff back in from 2019.

“The Scottish Government workforce has nearly doubled since 2006; staffing in non-departmental bodies has also doubled and in Scottish Government agencies, staffing has grown by 15%.  These increases have added more than 7,000 FTE staff in just over 15 years.

“The Verity House Agreement was designed to ensure positive working between Scottish Local Government and The Scottish Government, and a focus on better outcomes and person-centred services.

“The VHA has three priorities – to tackle poverty, particularly child poverty; to transform our economy through a just transition to deliver net zero, recognising climate change as one of the biggest threats to communities across Scotland; and deliver sustainable person-centred public services.  

Local Government will be unable to contribute to these if underfunded.

“COSLA knows that Scottish Government is under pressure financially around this Budget. However, the Council Tax freeze came out of the blue and has serious financial implications.

“And any suggestions that Local Government’s workforce needs cut further will have serious consequences for communities.”

Budget choices must prioritise hardest-up families, say child poverty campaigners

“Scandal of child poverty in a rich country must end” 

Scottish child payment must rise to £30 to protect lower income families who don’t benefit from proposed council tax freeze. 

Campaigners at the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland are calling for tax and spending decisions to do more to prioritise hard up families ahead of tomorrow’s Scottish budget.

With the proposed £300 million council tax freeze set to benefit better off households they say the very least that is needed to protect lower income families is a £58 million investment to raise the Scottish child payment to £30 per week. CPAG were one of over 150 signatories to a letter sent to the First Minister Humza Yousaf last month urging him to deliver the increase. 

The Scottish child payment, which currently provides a vital £25 per week extra support for children in lower income families, must by law be uprated in line with inflation.

However during the SNP leadership campaign the First Minister said he wanted to see it rise to £30 in his first Budget. In a pre-Budget briefing sent to all MSPs the campaigners say this is the “minimum extra investment that is needed to support lower income families and demonstrate the First Minister is genuinely ‘shifting the dial’ on child poverty.”

The group have also joined over sixty other groups today to call on all Scotland’s political leaders to build a fair tax consensus that can provide the social investment needed for ‘a more equitable, resilient, and prosperous Scotland’. They say the Scottish Budget must be a ‘pivotal moment for fundamental change.’ 

Speaking ahead of today’s budget statement John Dickie, Director of Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said; “Struggling families desperately need a budget that will provide immediate support as well as help meet statutory child poverty targets.

“Increasing the Scottish child payment to £30 is a cost-effective investment that would provide much needed financial support to the lower income families who get little if any benefit from the proposed council tax freeze.

“It would make a substantive impact and demonstrate the First Minister is genuine in his desire to ‘shift the dial’ on child poverty.” 

Recognizing the challenging fiscal backdrop Mr Dickie added: “Difficult budget choices will be needed. But the right choice is to prioritise tax and spending decisions that will help end the poverty that still blights the lives of tens of thousands of children across Scotland.

“We are a wealthy country and we need all our political leaders to work together to harness that wealth to end the scandal of child poverty in a rich country once and for all.”

Child Poverty Action Group is calling for a Scottish Budget that:

•    Increases the Scottish child payment at the very least to £30 per week from April 2024, as committed by the First Minister in his leadership campaign. This investment is supported by the Children and Young People’s Commissioner and over 150 trade unions, faith groups, children’s charities and community organisations from across Scotland. 
•    Ensures sufficient resources are harnessed and allocated to fund the wider measures (including on childcare, employment and housing) set out in the statutory child poverty delivery plan – Best Start, Bright Futures.
•    Provides additional cash payments to families impacted by the two-child limit and the under 25 penalty in universal credit.
•    Invests in childcare so not only can the actions in Best Start, Bright Futures be delivered, but every parent can access the childcare they need, when they need it. 
•    Is bold in using tax powers in a progressive way to ensure sufficient resources are available to fully deliver on the actions that are needed to tackle child poverty. 

Choc shock as curious canine chows down on chocolate selection box

As Christmas approaches vet charity PDSA has issued a chocolate warning for all pet owners, after a 13-year-old dog decided Christmas would come early, tucking into an entire gift-wrapped selection box.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Max, was discovered by his stunned owners next to the Christmas tree, with scraps of wrapping paper and the remains of what was a gift-wrapped selection box.

Having had Max since he was a puppy, he had never shown interest in presents under the tree, or tried to get his paws on chocolate, so his family was in total shock to find he’d ripped open a present from under the tree, and eaten not only all six packets of chocolate in the selection box, but some of the box itself and the wrapping paper!

Max’s loving owner, Stacey, said: “Max is the light of our lives, he’s definitely a real character, but after all these years we never imagined he’d open up a gift from under the tree!

“We know chocolate can be really bad for dogs, so I immediately searched online to find out the total grams, to see how bad it was. I then called the vets, who told me I needed to bring Max in straight away.”

Across it’s 48 Pet Hospitals, PDSA sees a 35% increase in a medication used to treat poisonings around Christmas, which is likely linked to the abundance of dangerous food in the home such as chocolates and mince pies.

PDSA Vet Nurse Shauna Walsh said: “The seriousness of chocolate poisoning depends on how much your pet has eaten, how big they are, and the cocoa content of the chocolate – the darker the chocolate the more toxic it is for your pet.”

Thankfully for Max, it didn’t take long for him to perk up again  after being treated with fluids, charcoal and medication to induce vomiting. He was soon able to head home to fully recover, and enjoy the rest of the festive season with his family. 

The most severe cases of chocolate poisoning in pets can lead to heart failure, coma and even death. Although this is rare this is why it’s really important to keep chocolate safely away from any curious pets. Especially during celebrations like Christmas when there’s likely more chocolate than usual in the house.

Symptoms of chocolate poisoning usually appear within two to four hours, but can take up to 12 hours. In severe cases, toxicity can cause:

  • Fast breathing or panting
  • Shaking, trembling and tremors
  • High temperature (fever)
  • Seizures
  • A fast heart rate
  • High blood pressure

It’s also important to be aware of mild symptoms too:

  • Hyperactivity
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Signs of abdominal discomfort/pain

If you think your pet could have ingested some chocolate, don’t wait for chocolate poisoning symptoms to appear, keep the packaging and call your vet immediately.

Thousands of people could suffer a devastating loss because they can’t afford their pets veterinary treatment, together this Christmas we can save pets’ lives. For more information on how you can help PDSA keep people and pets together this visit: 

www.pdsa.org.uk/donate

Rabbies: New for 2024 – Tours of the Emerald Isle 

On brand new tours of Ireland, Rabbie’s takes its guests off the well-worn paths to discover the lively villages, ruined strongholds and unforgettable views that tell the real story of the Emerald Isle. For the first time, tours depart from Killarney, the best point from which to explore the wild and unforgettable southern coast.  

In 2024, the small coach tour company will be offering three brand new tours of Ireland, with departures beginning in May and continuing until October. Tours range in length from one-day trips to weeklong Celtic adventures and are available to book now. 

Rabbie’s brand new tours of Ireland include: 

Portmagee & Skellig Ring one-day tour from Killarney 

The Ring of Kerry is a world class road trip, and its winding roads are a haven for raw, wild scenery and dreamlike landscapes. A Rabbie’s tour of the ring visits the 1,400-year-old Cahergall Stone Fort, the thundering Torc Waterfall, and includes a stop at the beautiful fishing village of Portmagee for a spot of lunch.

The 18km Skellig Ring is a stretch of road often overlooked by travellers and too small for larger coach trips. Rabbie’s tours will enjoy the quiet roads and guests can indulge in the sweet treats at the Skellig Chocolate Factory as well as the views of St Finans Bay.  

From April to October 2024, this one day tour departs several times a week and costs from €70 per adult.  

The Wild Coast of Dingle Peninsula & Slea Head one-day tour from Killarney 

Visit glorious Inch beach, popular with local anglers and surfers, before embarking on a road trip through Irish history. Embark on the Sea Head Drive and call at Ireland’s famous huts of Tóchar Maothaithe, built by prehistoric hermit monks, before visiting Gallarus Oratory, and an ancient church built from rocks by Ireland’s earliest Christians.

A leisurely afternoon is best spent exploring the bustling town of Dingle. Several Irish pubs provide cool drinks and good company, while local distilleries offer visitors the chance to learn the secrets of Irish whiskey. 

Join this one-day tour on any departure between April and October 2024, with prices starting at €70 per adult.  

Ireland’s South−East five-day tour from Dublin  

The full magic of Ireland can only really be experienced on an extended adventure. Rabbie’s guests embark on the ultimate tour of southern Ireland travelling south from Dublin, calling at Viking landing sites at the Rock of Dunamase, the eerie Drombeg Stone Circle, and Blarney Castle for a chance to kiss the fabled Blarney Stone.

At Mizen Head, Ireland’s southernmost point, those brave enough can cross the bridge to view the iconic cliff view and visit the Signal Station. Every bottle of the famous Jameson Whiskey hails from the town of Midleton, and guests will tour the remarkable distillery.

Evenings on this tour are spent in some of Ireland’s most charming fishing villages and seaport towns, all offering hearty meals and bustling pubs, allowing all guests to truly experience a flavour of Ireland.   

Join this five-day tour throughout 2024, with prices starting from €581 per adult.    

In addition to its regular guided tours, this winter Rabbie’s is offering a special offer on Private Tours departing from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, or Aberdeen.

A 16-seat mini-coach can be secured for £560 per day, when quoting ‘Winter Offer’ at time of booking and travelling before 29 February 2024*.       

 For more information about Rabbie’s and to book, visit www.rabbies.com.    

The fall of Secret Santa: 5 tips to keep your gifts secret while shopping online

Online shopping is a timesaver before the holiday season, but it can also betray our plans for Christmas gifts. Even though most households own more than one device used by everyone, there are several ways that family members or colleagues can accidentally find out what presents await them.

“In the past, people would find out about their Christmas gifts by accidentally discovering them hidden in a wardrobe or by checking browsing history on the family computer. Trends are shifting, and now IP addresses and poor digital habits are usually what betray us,” says Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN.

To protect our privacy and retain the secret of gifts, Marijus Briedis advises these preventive measures:  

  • Use a VPN. When we shop online, websites and marketers track our every move to show us an offer we might like. The main issue is that ads based on IP address targeting are shown on all devices connected to the same router. This means that recipients of the gifts can start getting ads based on the searches of one user if they use the same Wi-Fi. One of a VPN’s core features is hiding your IP address, so it’s a tool that helps you stay private and avoid IP-targeted ads. 
  • Use incognito mode. Incognito mode does not exactly equal privacy, but this is precisely what it was made for – setting aside a single browsing session that won’t save cookies and won’t save browsing history. Incognito mode can help keep your online shopping a secret.
  • Get a privacy-oriented browser extension. There are plenty of powerful, free browser extensions that can help shake off trackers and keep holiday shopping searches private. There are lots of options, and they all work differently. NordVPN recommends these browser extensions.
  • Stop engaging with brands on social media (at least before the holidays). Likes and comments on Facebook or other social media show everyone which brands the user engages with. Usually, that’s not much of a problem, but it could give a hint to the intended recipient of what gifts to expect.
  • Mind your screens and windows. Users shouldn’t forget to close windows and lock their screen. This is the privacy hygiene of the digital age. Even advanced cybersecurity precautions cannot protect privacy and secrets if the user keeps their desktop open or screen unlocked.

Fort Kinnaird confirms festive opening hours

Picture – Chris Watt Photography 07887554193 info@chriswatt.com www.chriswatt.com

For those looking to get a last-minute gift, or head to the sales after Christmas, Fort Kinnaird has confirmed its opening times over the festive period.     

The centre will be open from 9am – 9pm in the week leading up to Christmas (Monday 18th – Friday 22nd December), 9am – 6pm on Saturday 23rd December and from 9am until 5pm on Christmas Eve (Sunday 24th December).   

Opening days and times will vary by store, especially on Bank Holidays, so it’s always recommended that visitors check with individual retailers before setting off to avoid disappointment. 

Fort Kinnaird’s full opening times throughout the Christmas week are:  

·         Sunday 24th December (Christmas Eve): 9am – 5pm 

·         Monday 25th December (Christmas Day): Closed 

·         Tuesday 26th December (Boxing Day): 9am – 6pm  

·         Wednesday 27th December: 9am – 9pm 

·         Thursday 28th December: 9am – 9pm  

·         Friday 29th December: 9am – 9pm   

·         Saturday 30th December: 9am – 6pm 

·         Sunday 31st December (New Years Eve): 9am – 5pm  

·         Monday 1st January (New Years Day): Selected stores open from 9am – 6pm  

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We know that Christmas can be a really busy time of year for everyone, so we want to give our visitors plenty of time to get everything they need whilst getting into the festive spirit.  

“We’re open right up until Christmas Eve, and we’re open again from Boxing Day for people looking for a reason to head out in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve.” 

For more information and to plan a festive day out at Fort Kinnaird, please visit https://www.fortkinnaird.com/christmas  

Alleviating poverty in Scotland requires investment in local government, says COSLA

COSLA: COUNCILS ARE KEY

Alleviating Poverty in Scotland requires investment in Local Government COSLA said today (Monday).

Commenting ahead of the Scottish Budget announcement tomorrow, Councillor Tony Buchanan, COSLA’s Children and Young People Spokesperson said: “If Scotland is to make progress towards alleviating and eradicating poverty, this year’s Scottish Budget must focus on tackling the root causes, with a greater prioritisation of local prevention and early-intervention work – and Councils are key to this.

“This means investment in the essential social supports provided everyday by Councils, in schools, in local community hubs, at the right place, at the right time.

“If the core services aimed at supporting and empowering people to reach their full potential are eroded, as they have been over the last few years as a result of cuts to our core Budgets, then tackling poverty in Scotland will continue to be a significant challenge.

“Action to address poverty and deprivation was noted as a key priority for Scotland in the concluding report on children’s services reform research published by CELCIS last week and reinforces the importance of the shared priority within the Verity House Agreement.

“For too long now, the financial settlement for Local Government has meant that Councils have had to cut spend to services which are needed to tackle poverty – whether they are youth work, social work support or breakfast clubs

This year’s Budget presents the opportunity to reverse this trend, to invest in communities and realise our ambitions to tackle poverty in Scotland.

“Without a fair settlement for Councils in tomorrow’s Budget, the poverty gap in Scotland will continue to grow.

“Investing in Local Government is key to a fairer Scotland.”

Man injured on Saughton Road North: Witness Appeal

POLICE in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a man was found with serious injuries. The 63-year-old was found around 1.45am on Saturday, 16 December at Saughton Road North.

He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment.

Enquiries are ongoing to establish how he came to be injured.

Detective Constable Alistair Hutton said: “We would urge anyone who believes they may have information or who perhaps came to the man’s aid to get in touch.

“We would also be keen to speak to anyone who may have dashcam or private CCTV footage from the area.

“Anyone with information can call 101, quoting reference 1222 of 16 December.”

Update on a new Fiscal Framework for Local Government

Details of progress towards a new fiscal framework between the Scottish Government and Local Government have been published.

The Verity House Agreement committed the Scottish Government and COSLA to establish a new framework, which will govern how councils’ funding is negotiated and agreed.

It is intended to give councils greater flexibility over their budgets to deliver our shared priorities and meet local needs.

Publishing the update together with COSLA, Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said: “We have made good progress on the new fiscal framework, which is an important plank of the Verity House Agreement and our commitment to better partnership working with local government.

“Already many of the principles we have agreed together are being put into practice, such as improved engagement ahead of the publication of the Scottish Budget and joint working to consider new local tax powers.

“We will continue to work closely with COSLA to progress the next phase of work and continue the positive discussions we’ve had with them on behalf of local councils across Scotland.”

COSLA Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “I welcome this update on progress towards the new fiscal framework – getting this framework in place is a priority for Local Government.

“The new framework should, when complete, give councils greater flexibility over our budgets and enable us to deliver our shared priorities and meet local needs. It will also see much earlier budget engagement.

“The Verity House Agreement commits both spheres of Government to establish a new framework, and it is positive that we have made progress this year but there is more to do, which Ms Robison and I both acknowledge.”

Progress report on the fiscal framework between the Scottish Government and local government

The Verity House Agreement

Shona Robison will lay out the Scottish Government’s 2024-25 Budget tomorrow

Festive bonus as UK Government progresses on workers’ rights package

Government sets out the next stages for a number of new Workers’ Rights Acts to support UK workers

  • UK Government sets out next steps to improve the lives of workers across the UK
  • Benefits include tips worth £200 million a year in the pockets of hardworking people and more say over working patterns
  • Government ‘also backing British workers’ by introducing the biggest ever increase to the National Living Wage

Millions are set to benefit as the Westminster government sets out the next stages for a number of new Workers’ Rights Acts – giving more money and more say back to UK workers.

Benefits range from £200 million more back in the pockets of hard-working people, to greater flexibility over when, where and how you work.

Business and Trade Minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “As we approach Christmas, it’s more vital than ever that we do what we can to support workers and families across the country.

“I’d like to encourage businesses to be as flexible as possible and give their hard-working employees the tips they deserve.

“I want to thank the MPs who brought forward this legislation to support hard working families and shape the UK’s outstanding workers’ rights record.”

The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, which became law in May this year, requires employers to pass all tips on to workers.

Most employers already pass on tips to the staff who earn them. However, there are still some unacceptable tipping practices by unscrupulous employers, which must be stopped.

Christmas is an incredibly busy season for hospitality workers, and usually a time of year when customers are more generous with their tips. All employees deserve to receive their fair share of tips, so the Government has launched a public consultation on the Tipping Act’s Code of Practice to gain feedback from employers, workers and other stakeholders on the fair and transparent distribution of tips.

Acas Chief Executive Susan Clews said: “The shift in recent years towards increased use of flexible working by organisations has allowed more people to better balance their working lives and enabled employers to attract and retain skilled staff.

“Acas has recently consulted on a new draft Code of Practice which outlines good practice around requests for flexible working and explains the forthcoming changes in the law to employers and employees.”

New rights to protect new parents from redundancy, give carers extra support and help all employees work flexibly are also a step closer as government has laid legislation with plans for the measures to come in next spring.

These measures will improve the lives of hard-working families across Britain, aiding workers who have caring responsibilities or parents at risk of redundancy and ensuring everyone is able work as flexibly as needed into the new year.

An extra 2.6 million workers across the UK will benefit from the removal of the 26 week qualifying period that is currently required before making a flexible working request.

Those with caring responsibilities will also be entitled to a brand new employment right to a week’s leave to care for a dependent.

Redundancy protections are also being extended to cover pregnancy, as well as to new parents.

The UK Government is are also backing British workers by introducing the biggest ever increase to the National Living Wage, worth over £1,800 a year for a full-time worker, fulfilling the pledge to end low pay.

When this increase comes into effect in April, the National Living Wage will be worth nearly £21,000 a year for a full time worker – almost double, in cash terms, the amount which a full time worker on the National Minimum Wage earned in 2010.

For the first time, 21 years olds will be legally entitled to the National Living Wage, which is set to reach two-thirds of average earnings.