Plan to tackle discrimination and social exclusion
Improved access to housing, education and health services and tackling discrimination are at the heart of a new Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan agreed between the Scottish Government and COSLA.
The voices of Gypsy/Travellers have helped shape the Plan, which acknowledges improvements in many of these areas, but recognises further progress needs to be made.
The Scottish Government and COSLA will work with stakeholders to take forward measures in the Plan.
Key actions in the plan include:
Supporting Local Authorities to provide more and better accommodation, by taking steps for funding to be accessed under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme from 2026-27, and ensuring planners understand the needs of Gypsy/Traveller communities
Measures to remove barriers to education and improve educational outcomes for Gypsy/Traveller children and young people
Improving Gypsy/Travellers’ access to and experience of healthcare
Working to remove barriers to accessing benefits and build understanding among employers of the inequalities faced by Gypsy/Travellers, with practical tools to support recruitment and retention.
Challenging prejudice and discrimination and helping communities to influence decision-making
Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Improving the lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Traveller communities is a significant human rights commitment and is crucial in helping us deliver the fairer Scotland we want to see.
“The voices of Gypsy/Travellers across Scotland are at the centre of this second national joint action plan, and it is a testimony to the collaborative work of national and local government, third sector organisations, and most of all, the determination of Gypsy/Travellers to ensure better futures for their communities.
“We know current initiatives are having a positive impact on the lives of Gypsy/Traveller communities across Scotland, like the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund and the success of the Community Health Worker project in overcoming barriers to accessing health and other statutory services.
“However, there is still work to do. Through the actions in this plan we will build on the successes we have had to date and make further progress in many areas such as accommodation, health, education and combating discrimination.”
The actions are based on wide engagement with our partner organisations and Councillors, including 14 engagement workshops which helped identify key priorities.
The measures outlined in the Housing Emergency Action Plan are expected to reduce the number of households in Edinburgh without settled accommodation.
They include:
Reviewing the Allocation Policy for Council Homes to ensure it continues to enable fair access to housing, including consideration of protected characteristics, such as gender.
Improve the standard of repairs and repairs response for Council housing.
Ensure all relevant and appropriate partners are included and supported to resolve the housing emergency.
Improve the relationship between housing officer and tenant, ensuring local housing staff are visible in their localities and available to meet tenants where and when this is required.
It comes as the Council agreed to introduce a 7% rent rise for tenants over 10 years at the Full Council meeting on Thursday 22 February. In an effort to tackle the city’s housing crisis, the increase could raise around £2bn.
Around 80% of tenants in Edinburgh receive assistance with their rent in the form of housing benefits or Universal Credit. The council intends to extend its Tenant Hardship Fund to support households who aren’t entitled to this support to access funding if they struggle to afford an increase in rent.
Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Jane Meagher said: “It’s so important that we take drastic action to protect the most vulnerable people in our city before it’s too late. The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has led to a demand for temporary accommodation in Edinburgh which far outstrips supply.
“Having a safe, comfortable home is a basic human right so we’re determined to do everything within our means to put an end to this housing emergency.
“The measures outlined in the Action Plan, along with the 7% rent rise which will allow us to repair, upgrade, and retrofit housing and to build and buy much needed social and affordable housing, go a long way in tackling the crisis. However, the reality is that we can only act within the financial limitations of being the lowest funded local authority in Scotland.
“We need a concerted and co-ordinated response, and my thanks go to our partners who have shown support from the day we declared the housing emergency. It gives me great confidence that we can work together to improve the situation, but we can’t do it alone.
“We need more support from the Scottish Government to end the crisis once and for all. Their decision to slash nearly £200m from the affordable housing budget comes at a time when we need vital funding now more than ever. I won’t stop fighting for fairer funding.”
An initial draft of an action plan has been published by the City of Edinburgh Council as it works towards tackling growing homelessness in the Capital.
After officially declaring a housing emergency earlier this month – in recognition of close to 5,000 households now facing homelessness against a shortage of affordable housing – the beginnings of a 25-point Housing Emergency Action Plan will be considered by the council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on Tuesday (5 December).
The plan proposes the council turns void homes around more quickly and spot purchases ‘off the shelf’ homes, to increase affordable housing supply at pace at a time when construction costs have risen exponentially. If agreed, a more detailed strategy featuring costings and specific targets will be created and brought to a full council meeting in February, with input from industry and voluntary organisations from across the city.
It comes as Glasgow City Council follows suit and formally declared a Housing Emergency yesterday (Thursday 30 November).
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “We’re truly at a point where urgent, united action must be taken to do right by the most vulnerable in our city.
“Thousands of people in Edinburgh are finding themselves with their lives on hold as they live through the hugely stressful reality of losing their home.
“Every night, close to 5,000 households are now sleeping in temporary accommodation in this city, wondering when and indeed if they will receive the security of a permanent place to live.
“Having a home is a basic human right and by highlighting the issue we’re determined to do everything within our means to address it.
“We’ve seen an outpouring of support from the third sector and industry which gives me great confidence that we can work together to improve the situation and clearly Glasgow is in a similar position. We need to address this issue as a city and nationally at all levels of council and government.
“Despite our success with our partners building close to 7,000 new affordable homes since 2017/18 and having almost 2,000 under construction right now, plus very positive work with the third sector in preventing homelessness, the cost of living crisis means that demand for affordable housing is far outstripping supply.
“The added pressure of rising construction costs and reduced budgets mean we need to think differently. I hope this action plan forms the basis of what will become a wider city plan.”
The Homeless Action Plan will be considered by Committee alongside a series of housing reports which draw attention to the scale of Edinburgh’s housing challenges and opportunities to create more housing, if the funding required to achieve significant change is found.
The Strategy for Purchasing Land and Homes to Meet Affordable Housing Need demonstrates the success the Council has had delivering new homes despite challenging market conditions, which includes the delivery of 1,425 new Council homes and a further 508 currently under construction.
This has been possible through creative working, including for example the council purchasing the old Liberton Hospital site directly from NHS Lothian.
The annual Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) reveals a pipeline of over 11,000 new affordable and social homes could be possible through partnership working in Edinburgh over the next five years, but that would require Scottish Government grant funding of almost £900 million (based on current market costs), or almost four times Edinburgh’s current grant funding allocation for affordable housebuilding.
Further work will take place with Registered Social Landlord partners to understand the impact of the housing emergency to them and tenants, to work together to achieve next steps.
The UK Government has brought together retailers and policing to set out measures to tackle the rise in shoplifting, catch more offenders and keep retail workers safe.
Policing Minister Chris Philp chaired a meeting with senior police leaders and 13 of the UK’s biggest retailers yesterday to launch the Retail Crime Action Plan.
Commissioned by the minister and published yesterday, the plan includes a police commitment to prioritise urgently attending the scene of shoplifting instances involving violence against a shop worker, where security guards have detained an offender or where attendance is needed to secure evidence. Police attendance will be assessed based on risk, and prolific or juvenile offenders will be treated with elevated priority.
Police have also reaffirmed their pledge to follow up on any evidence that could reasonably lead to catching a perpetrator. Forces will step up targeted hotspot patrols in badly affected areas.
The plan sets out advice for retailers on how to provide the best possible evidence for police to pursue in any case. They should send CCTV footage of the whole incident, and an image of the shoplifter from the digital evidence management system, as quickly as possible after an offence has been committed.
Where CCTV or other digital images are secured, police will run this through the Police National Database using facial recognition technology to further aid efforts to identify and prosecute offenders – particularly prolific or potentially dangerous individuals.
A specialist new police team is also being created to build a comprehensive intelligence picture of the organised crime gangs that fuel many shoplifting incidents across the country, to help target and dismantle them.
The initiative, called Pegasus, is a business and policing partnership that will radically improve the way retailers are able to share intelligence with policing, to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders. This will include development of a new information sharing platform and training for retailers.
Spearheaded by Katy Bourne, the Business Crime lead for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), Pegasus is the first national partnership of its kind. It is backed by the Home Office, John Lewis, the Co-op, M&S, Boots, Primark and several more, who have collectively pledged to provide over £840,000 to get the initiative off the ground.
Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said: “I want a new zero-tolerance approach to tackling shoplifting. It is a blight on our highstreets and communities and puts the livelihoods of traders at risk. I am determined to drive forward change.
“While it is encouraging to see a 29% increase in charges for shoplifting in the past year, the rise in offending is unacceptable and there is much more to do to stop it happening in the first place.
“That’s why we’re taking action and bringing together government, policing and business to commit to smarter, more joined up working when it comes to retail crime, which will help to drive down criminal behaviour and rebuild public confidence in the police response when it does occur.”
The majority of funding for Pegasus will go towards the creation of a dedicated team of specialist analysts and intelligence officers to work within OPAL, the national policing team that oversees intelligence on serious organised acquisitive crime.
OPAL is run by Detective Chief Superintendent Jim Taylor and overseen by North Wales Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman. Recruitment has already started, and the team will be operational later this month, delivering outcomes across the country by the New Year.
Pegasus will deliver a new digital interface to streamline information sharing between retailers and the police and also provide training for retailers on appropriate information and intelligence to share with policing.
Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Acquisitive Crime, said: “Dealing with retail crime requires a multi-faceted approach and through the launch of Pegasus, plus the Retail Crime Action Plan, we have bolstered the policing response to tackling offenders and supporting retailers in reducing shoplifting and attacks on retail staff.
“We welcome the collaboration between retailers, police and crime commissioners and policing through Project Pegasus which centralises intelligence and enhances our ability to identify and tackle the groups involved.
“We continue to target those prolific and habitual offenders whose behaviour causes misery and takes profit from our communities and retailers. Local police forces assess each report through a threat, harm and risk model to determine their police response and will deploy resources where they can be most effective in catching offenders and keeping people safe.”
Paul Gerrard, Campaigns, Public Affairs and Board Secretariat Director of the Co-op, said: “The Co-op has long called for greater police prioritisation so they tackle the rampant rise in retail crime especially those involving violence or prolific offenders; this is now what happens at present as our colleagues see every day.
“We, therefore, welcome the commitments in the ‘Retail Crime Action Plan’ to attend incidents of violence, incidents where offenders have been detained and ensure all evidence is collected so every reasonable line of enquiry can be followed.
“Alongside Operation Pegasus, which the Co-op is helping to fund, we are hopeful that this will mark the point at which the police will provide the support to protect shopworkers and shops so they can help the communities they serve thrive.
“The Co-op stands ready to work with every police force to ensure our colleagues and the shops they work in can continue to serve their communities.”
Katy Bourne, PCC and APCC National Lead for Business and Retail Crime, said: “Pegasus will be a game changer in the fight against retail crime providing for the first time an accurate national picture of the organised groups from local families to cross border criminals driving organised shop theft.
“Retailers will agree ways to capture information that can be shared and analysed to create intelligence packages for police forces to target and track perpetrators. I am very grateful to all the contributors to Pegasus and to Mitie in particular for helping to get Pegasus airborne.”
Nicki Juniper, Head of Security for the John Lewis Partnership, said: “While there’s no silver bullet for tackling retail crime, we welcome this significant step forward.
“Retail crime is not victimless, it has an impact on Partners, customers and on prices. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with police and others in the sector to keep our Partners and customers safe.
As part of the government’s plan to halve inflation this year, the Chancellor chaired a roundtable with CEOs from the Competition and Market Authority (CMA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Ofcom, Ofgem and Ofwat.
Jeremy Hunt made clear his expectation that regulators work at pace to guarantee markets are working properly. With wholesale energy prices and other input costs now beginning to fall – the Chancellor also wants to ensure consumers benefit from these reduced costs.
During this current period of high inflation and interest rates, this also includes ensuring higher interest rates are passed on to savers.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said: “I am pleased we’ve secured agreement with the regulators to act urgently in areas where consumers need most support to ensure they are treated fairly.
“We are working hard to halve inflation this year and return to the 2 percent target. Businesses must play their part too and I will keep a watchful eye on the progress they make.”
The Chancellor also agreed a new action plan with the regulators to support consumers, particularly the most vulnerable:
FCA have agreed to:
Deliver better deals for savers by driving competition, including reporting by the end of July on how the savings market is supporting savers to benefit from higher interest rates. The Government fully supports the FCA’s review and the new Consumer Duty gives them stronger powers to take action if necessary.
Require the largest banks and building societies as part of this to explain the pace and extent of their pass through of interest rates, and how they are proactively supporting savers to switch to high interest rate products.
CMA have agreed to:
Deliver a better deal for motorists by publishing their review of the road fuel market, which examines profit margins in supermarkets and other fuel retailers, on Monday. This will include the impacts on vulnerable consumers.
Help shoppers pay fair prices by bringing forward their update of competition and unit pricing in the grocery sector to earlier in July and laying out next steps. This will include further scrutinising the food supply chain as well as measures to make it easier for consumers to make the best choices.
Following affordability pressures in the housing market, provide an update on their housebuilding market study and work in the rented accommodation sector in August.
Actively scrutinise markets where cost-of-living pressures are growing and launch work in at least two new areas the CMA considers in need of further investigation. It will also update on key developments in its ongoing crackdown on misleading consumer practices.
Ofcom have agreed to:
Take action to push suppliers who have yet to introduce social tariffs (discount deals for vulnerable customers) to offer them in the broadband and mobile markets, as well as waive fees for any customers who want to switch providers to access a social tariff.
Push suppliers to take immediate steps to raise awareness of existing social tariffs and drive consumer take-up. Ofcom will work with government and other relevant bodies to support industry efforts.
Publish a report on its current review of in-contract prices to ensure consumers are sufficiently aware of what they are signing up to by the end of the year. This will consider whether Ofcom’s rules need to be strengthened. Ofcom will also publish an update on its full range of work to support consumers in July.
Ofwat have agreed to:
Crack down on water companies not going far enough to support customers to pay their bills, access help and repay debts. This will include assessing water company compliance with Ofwat’s Paying Fair Guidelines, and where companies’ approaches are found to be insufficient, setting out clear actions for improvement in July. Next year, Ofwat will also set out clear and binding license conditions for every water company on how to treat their customers, including customers in vulnerable circumstances.
Hold water companies to account over delivering existing social tariffs for those unable to pay water bills, as well as allowing consumers to apply for payment holidays and offering support to those on low-incomes.
Ensure targeted support for vulnerable customers by improving data sharing, such as those struggling with bills (along with Ofgem).
Ofgem have agreed to:
Ensure all suppliers are passing falling prices onto consumers, keeping the price cap formula under review to ensure that it mirrors the costs facing suppliers. The new lower cap from 1 July will reduce a typical annual household energy bill by £426.
Strengthen protections and support for the vulnerable by mandating the Code of Practice on prepayment meters and ensuring that suppliers are able to offer Additional Support Credit (ASC) to PPM customers in need. Both are subject to Ofgem consultations launched today.
Take action against suppliers that have over-charged business customers and publish its review of the non-domestic market this Summer.
Scrutinise supplier finances as the sector begins to move from loss making back into profit. The regulator and government moved quickly to stem losses and protect consumers when prices were rising sharply and expects suppliers to act responsibly and in the interests of their customers as prices fall and profits return. This includes ensuring they deliver good service standards and support the most vulnerable customers. Those who are not yet meeting new capital requirements should retain profits rather than pay out dividends.
Regulators agreed to provide regular updates to the Treasury on their progress and that a follow up meeting would be held later this Summer. The FCA, Ofcom, Ofwat and Ofgem will also publish a joint statement to set shared expectations on treatment of customers in financial difficulties.
As part of wider discussions with the Governor in the context of high food inflation, the Bank of England is reviewing CMA data and meeting with the food sector, with analysis included in the August Monetary Policy Report and/or the minutes of the August meeting.
The meeting with regulators on what more they can do to support people through a period of high inflation comes while the government continues with its plan to halve inflation this year and support the Bank of England in taking difficult decisions to return to the 2 per cent target.
Commitments from regulators to make sure consumers are not being exploited build on one of the largest cost-of-living support packages in Europe which has been rolled out to help the most vulnerable, worth £3,300 per household on average over this year and last.
This includes paying half of a typical household energy, direct cost of living payments to the most vulnerable and increases to benefits, state pensions and the National Living Wage of around 10 per cent.
The CEOs attending were:
Ofcom (telecommunications) – Dame Melanie Dawes
Ofgem (energy) – Jonathan Brearley
Ofwat (water) – David Black
Competition and Market Authority (CMA) (competition/consumer) – Sarah Cardell
UK GOVT’sANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ACTION PLAN LAUNCHED TODAY
Perpetrators of anti-social behaviour will face swift and visible justice, increased fines and enhanced drug testing as part of a new crackdown launched by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today (Monday 27 March).
Delivering on the Prime Minister’s pledge earlier this year to clamp down on these crimes, the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan will make sure this issue is treated with the urgency it deserves, establish a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of anti-social behaviour, and give the police and local authorities the tools they need to tackle the problem.
Under the plan, 16 areas in England and Wales will be funded to support either new ‘hotspot’ police and enforcement patrols in areas with the highest rates of anti-social behaviour, or trial a new ‘Immediate Justice’ scheme to deliver swift and visible punishments. A select few areas will trial both interventions, and following these initial trailblazers, both schemes will be rolled out across England and Wales from 2024.
Hotspot trailblazer areas will see an increase in police presence alongside other uniformed authority figures, such as wardens, in problem areas for anti-social behaviour, including public transport, high streets or parks. The increased presence will help deter anti-social behaviour, step up enforcement action against offenders, make sure crimes are punished more quickly and drive deterrence efforts, helping to stop anti-social behaviour spiralling into more serious criminality.
Under the new Immediate Justice scheme, those found committing anti-social behaviour will be made to repair the damage they inflicted on victims and communities, with an ambition for them to start work as soon as 48 hours after their offence so victims know anti-social behaviour is treated seriously and with urgency.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Anti-social behaviour undermines the basic right of people to feel safe in the place they call home.The public have rightly had enough – which is why I am determined to restore people’s confidence that those responsible will be quickly and visibly punished.
“This action plan maps out how we will tackle this issue with the urgency it deserves and stamp out these crimes once and for all – so that wherever you live, you can feel safe in, and proud of your community.”
Offenders, who will be made to wear high-vis vests or jumpsuits and work under supervision, could be made to pick up litter, remove graffiti and wash police cars as punishment for their actions, and victims of anti-social behaviour from the local community will be given a say in offenders’ punishments to ensure justice is visible and fits the crime. The trailblazers will be launched as soon as possible and follow research that shows anti-social behaviour is the main reason people do not feel safe in their local area.
Under the zero-tolerance approach, Nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” will also be banned to send a clear message to intimidating gangs, that hang around high streets and children’s parks and litter them with empty canisters, they will not get away with this behaviour. The drug is now the third most used among 16 to 24-year-olds in England and both the police and public have repeatedly reported links between use of the drug and nuisance or anti-social behaviour.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “The British public are fed up with crime and nuisance behaviour in their neighbourhoods inflicting misery on people.
“There is no such thing as petty crime – not only does anti-social behaviour leave people feeling unsafe, it can also be a gateway into serious criminality.
“It has always been my priority to give police the powers they need to deliver a common-sense approach to cutting crime, which puts the law-abiding majority first, and that’s what this action plan delivers.”
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove said: “Anti-social behaviour erodes local pride, blights our high streets and parks and is a stain on too many communities across the country.
“We know that it is more likely to flourish in areas that have, for too long, been overlooked and undervalued.
“This government was elected on a mandate to deliver change for those communities, and that is why the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan is critical. So we will intervene directly to prevent high street dereliction. We will deliver tougher, quicker and more visible justice to prevent thuggish behaviour in town centres and we will ensure young people have the opportunities and activities available to them to succeed – all backed by new investment.
“This is about acting on the people’s priorities, delivering safer streets so we can level up across the country.”
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “I want every young person to have the opportunity to access the kinds of life-changing activities which expand their horizons and allow them to develop vital life skills.
“The National Youth Guarantee will provide these opportunities and support young people with access to regular club activities, adventures away from home and volunteering opportunities.
“We are supporting this today with an investment to create or renovate spaces for youth clubs and activities to support opportunities for thousands of young people across the country who would otherwise miss out.”
Police will also be given new powers to crack down on illegal drug use, often a catalyst for other crimes, including expanding powers for drug testing on arrest so more suspected criminals can be tested, and more drugs tested for, including ecstasy and methamphetamine.
Currently, only suspected criminals who have committed certain offences can be tested in police detention without additional requirements, but we will expand the range of trigger offences to include crimes linked to violence against women and girls, serious violence and anti-social behaviour.
A new reporting tool will also be developed over the next twelve months to act as a digital one-stop shop where people can quickly and easily report incidents of anti-social behaviour when these occur. The tool will help address problems people have faced when trying to report these sorts of crimes because of a lack of clarity around how to raise an issue or who to speak to, or a lack of confidence that these crimes will be dealt with seriously.
As well as being able to report any type of anti-social behaviour, people will have access through the tool to advice and guidance on what to do next in their cases and receive updates on what action is being taken by local police and councils following a report being logged. As well as giving the public confidence that action is being taken, the tool will help support local agencies to share information on perpetrators within their local area more effectively, so they can more quickly identify repeat offenders and take the necessary action to prevent future crimes from happening in the first place
Other measures announced today include:
Increasing the punishment for those who graffiti, litter or fly tip with fines of up to £500 and £1,000– council league tables will be published for fly tipping, and we will work with the Office for Local Government to increase transparency and improve accountability on anti-social behaviour outcomes
Giving landlords and housing associations more powers to evict unruly tenants who ruin their neighbours’ lives through persistent noise or by being drunk and disorderly
Reopening empty shops by giving councils new powers to quickly take control and sell off empty buildings
An anti-social behaviour Taskforce jointly led by the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up will bring together national and local partners, with a sole focus of addressing anti-social behaviour and restoring pride in place in communities. This will bring together Police and Crime Commissioners, police and local partners and agencies
An extra one million hours of youth services in areas with the highest rates of anti-social behaviour to put people on the right track and prevent them from offending in the first place
Tackling the awful practice of ‘cuckooing’ or home invasion by engaging with stakeholders on the scope of a potential new criminal offence
Parks and green spaces will also be restored with up to £5 million to make them safer with new CCTV and repairing equipment and playgrounds, and to plant more trees and flowers
Nobody should be criminalised simply for having nowhere to live which is why government committed to repealing the antiquated Vagrancy Act, passed in 1824. This comes alongside last year’s unprecedented £2 billion commitment over three years to accelerate efforts to end rough sleeping for good.
It will be made an offence for criminal gangs to organise begging networks for extra cash, which is often used to facilitate illegal activities. To ensure police and local councils can address activity which is intimidating or causes the public distress, they will have the tools to direct people causing nuisance on the street, including obstructing shop doorways and begging by cash points, towards the support they need, such as accommodation, mental health or substance misuse services. The debris and paraphernalia which causes blight will then be cleared.
The UK Government has also today announced that an additional 43 youth centres are to benefit from the next £90 million investment from the Youth Investment Fund, distributed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
As a result, 45,000 more young people a year will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and regular, out-of-school activities, as part of an overall £300 million to be distributed through 2025.
From Lincolnshire to Liverpool, Peterborough to Portsmouth, the Government’s National Youth Guarantee will support the wellbeing of young people in some of the country’s most underserved areas, giving them opportunities to develop vital skills for life, and empowering them to be active members of their community.
The new cross-government action plan builds on the Government’s focus to deliver common sense policing, backed by an unprecedented recruitment drive of 20,000 additional officers by the end of March, which we are on track to achieve. It works in tandem with our priorities to drive down murder rates, tackle serious violence – including against women and girls – and solve and prevent more burglaries.
Neighbourhood crimes like burglary, robbery and theft have dropped by 24% since December 2019 but government wants this driven down further and to see more burglaries solved, which is why the Home Secretary called for police forces in England and Wales to send an officer to attend every domestic burglary.
The Government has also funded 216 projects via rounds one and two of the Levelling Up Fund, totally £3.8 billion, which is driving the regeneration of town centres and high streets, upgrading local transport and investing cultural and heritage assets.
The 16 pilot Police and Crime Commissioner areas are:
Northumbria (Immediate Justice and Hotspot policing)
Cleveland (Immediate Justice and Hotspot policing)
Derbyshire (Immediate Justice and Hotspot policing)
Durham (Immediate Justice and Hotspot policing)
Nottinghamshire (Immediate Justice)
Merseyside (Immediate Justice)
Sussex (Immediate Justice)
Dorset (Immediate Justice)
Northamptonshire (Immediate Justice)
West Yorkshire (Immediate Justice)
West Midlands (Hotspot policing)
South Yorkshire (Hotspot policing)
Essex (Hotspot policing)
Lancashire (Hotspot policing)
South Wales (Hotspot policing)
Staffordshire (Hotspot policing)
Michael Kill, CEO Night Time Industry Association, said: “We welcome the announcement by the Government today that Nitrous oxide is set to be banned under new government plans to clamp down on anti-social behaviour.
“The industry has faced a long standing battle with the sale and use of this drug, exposing staff and customers to anti social behaviour and petty crime, with the current legislation leaving licensees and authorities powerless to tackle the problem.
“Businesses have been put under immense pressure by Police, local authorities and residents as a result of streets being littered with silver canisters, increased petty crime, anti social behaviour and links to organized crime gangs.
“This intervention by the Government has come at a critical time, as businesses across the UK have seen the challenges around nitrous oxide escalate dramatically in the last 6-12 months.”
John Hayward-Cripps, CEO of Neighbourhood Watch Network, said: “Neighbourhood Watch welcomes the clear, strong focus on tackling antisocial behaviour. We believe everyone should be and feel safe in their communities and not worry about being a victim of harassment or antisocial behaviour.
“Reducing antisocial behaviour requires organisations and community members to work together, and the wide-ranging plan being launched champions that. It enables the public who take pride in their community to be included.
“Neighbourhood Watch volunteers are local residents who work with neighbours and others to make their area a better place to live, and this plan supports them in achieving this.”
Ellen Daniels, CEO of the British Compressed Gases Association, said: “We welcome the government’s new measures around the misuse of Nitrous Oxide. As a trade body, and experts in the sector, we have been campaigning for almost three years for a change in the law that would drive down Nitrous Oxide abuse and protect the public from the dangers of its misuse.
“It’s now the third most commonly used substance among 16 to 24-year-olds and misusing Nitrous Oxide can cause permanent damage to the central nervous system including loss of peripheral feeling, loss of motor control and paralysis. In some cases, it can be fatal.”
We can expect a response from Scotland’s new First Minister – whoever that may be – later this week.
Suzanne Tanner makes FIFTY recommendations for improvement
The findings of an independent review into the whistleblowing and wider organisational culture at the City of Edinburgh Council have been published.
The review was commissioned by councillors in October 2020, with Susanne Tanner QC appointed as independent chair. As with the inquiry into the conduct of the late Sean Bell, published last month, she has been assisted throughout by well-respected law firm, Pinsent Masons.
In her report, which councillors will consider at a meeting next Thursday (16 December), Ms Tanner QC highlights ‘considerable strides’ taken to improve the Council’s whistleblowing and organisational culture since 2014 but also finds that significant work remains to be done, setting out 50 recommendations for further improvements and positive change.
If accepted by councillors next week, Ms Tanner QC’s findings will form the basis of an action plan to be drawn up by the Chief Executive for consideration by councillors in February 2022.
The fifty recommendations are:
Chief Executive Andrew Kerr said: “I want to thank all those who took the time to contribute to the independent review. I know that, for some, this will have been extremely challenging, based on what they have been through, and I want to pay tribute to their courage in coming forward.
“I also want to thank Ms Tanner QC and the team at Pinsent Masons for their forensic approach to their work and the sensitivity and care with which they treated contributors.”
Council Leader Cllr Adam McVey said: “We owe it to our colleagues and to the public to continue to drive improvements and make sure the culture of the Council is the best it possibly can be.
“I’m grateful to the independent review team for outlining points that need further work and for setting out strong and thorough recommendations on how to sustain the positive path the Council is on. The report highlights the significant progress and improvements made to the Council’s whistleblowing culture in recent years and this should give all of us encouragement that further improvement can be achieved.
“It will take a lot of work to implement these independent, robust and constructive recommendations, but I’m confident these will be adopted in full by Councillors and delivered by the Chief Executive and wider management team to make sure the Council is in the very best position it can be to support our colleagues and deliver the best services for the people of Edinburgh.”
Depute Leader Cllr Cammy Day said: “It was crucial that our colleagues – both past and present – and others with a connection to the Council, felt empowered to come forward and share their views and we went to great lengths to ensure they were aware of the process and how to get involved.
“This resulted in a greater than expected response to Ms Tanner’s call for evidence and, ultimately, supported what is a detailed and thorough examination of our culture.
“We will now carefully consider the findings and recommendations and agree an action plan for how best to take these forward.”
1 CEC should set a ‘Vision Zero’ target of no deaths or serious injuries on its roads, within its new Road Safety Plan, with a target of 2030 for realising that vision. (A more ambitious target than the national one is realistic in Edinburgh, where speeds are lower and road safety problems are less diverse.)
2 Excessive speeding is the principal source of the collisions that result in casualties. Realising this vision will require stronger and more comprehensive actions to reduce speeds on the city’s roads. Stronger measures both to enforce speed limits, and to redesign streets are essential.
3 Maximum use should be made of both fixed and mobile speed cameras, and red light cameras for enforcement. Suitable technology should be employed to ensure that the breaking of all speed limits (from 20 to 70 mph) can be enforced. Successful schemes on main roads using average speed cameras, such as that on Dalkeith Rd, should be rolled out across the city. But camera deployments must also be targeted by evidence of highly excessive speeds, not just by whether these have yet resulted in collisions.
4 Enforcement of 20mph limits across the city is never likely to be a priority for the police however, and CEC initiative and support will be essential. Involvement of the public and community groups, through initiatives such as ‘Speedwatch’, is vital for the identification of speeding problems and targeting of enforcement efforts on residential streets.
5 With the necessary legal powers, the council could readily undertake enforcement actions, alongside and co-ordinated with the police, under a system analogous to that for parking offences. Lesser speeding offences should be subject to fines issued by council wardens, with evidence of more serious abuses passed on for action by the police. CEC should seek the necessary devolved powers for such an enforcement system, with the fines set to fully fund the costs of enforcement.
6 A renewed emphasis on street redesign is needed, with the full range of traffic calming measures flexibly used wherever required. More use of soft measures such as speed indicator signs can be helpful, but they are no substitute for the hard engineering measures such as humps, cushions, and speed tables that effectively curb speeds. A single road hump on the approach to a sharp bend for example can eliminate a serious risk. Perceptions of safety are also very important for pedestrians and are an additional benefit on traffic calmed streets.
7 Raised crossings should become the norm on residential streets with 20mph limits. There should be a presumption that all new crossings, whether formal or informal, should be raised, with appropriate tactile paving, making them safer and easier to use for pedestrians. Especially where located at the approaches to junctions the slower speeds would have additional traffic calming benefits.
8 The current CEC safety review of major junctions is very welcome and needs to be made comprehensive. There are also still a multitude of more minor junctions with dangerous wide splay entrances that need to be redesigned. A new targeted review and investment programme is needed to systematically improve them, with tighter radii, build outs and raised entrances, as appropriate.
9 School safety plans are needed that provide for safer routes and for the safer school entrance areas that are needed at many of the city’s schools. Wider pavements should be provided that allow for the concentration of pedestrian activity these areas inevitably attract, with reduced parking and less use of guardrail.
10 Many pavements in the city are sub-standard, and often far too narrow. A comprehensive review and investment programme is needed to widen pavements and meet minimum design standards wherever possible. Where narrower carriageway widths result this will often also help to slow traffic speeds.
Action Points for the Scottish Government
1 ‘Vision Zero’ has strong public support, but to be realistic it requires more resources to support camera enforcement of speed limits at national and local level. Fines should be set at increased levels to ensure that finance will be available to support sufficiently comprehensive enforcement efforts, independent of the more general state of public finances.
2 Fines and license penalties should be graduated by the degree of excessive speeding involved and should be applicable to employers as well as individual drivers, where there is evidence of repeat offending.
3 Powers should be devolved to local authorities to allow them to undertake proportionate enforcement actions through wardens and levy fines for offences including speeding, red light jumping, pavement cycling and illegal use of e-scooters in co-ordination with the police. This will be vital for effective enforcement efforts where 20 mph limits apply across residential areas, with police resources and priorities necessarily being stretched.
4 National driver and employer education campaigns should be undertaken on the consequences of speeding, aimed at making speeding as socially unacceptable as driving with excess alcohol has become.
5 More advice and resources should be made available to local authorities to support the creation of safer streets through redesign and traffic calming. There is still a massive design deficit in terms of safety, but local authority road safety budgets and teams have been severely cut over recent years. Without strong and prioritised central government support, ‘vision zero’ will remain a mirage on many local authority streets.
Edinburgh has today been awarded Living Wage City status as the UK marks Living Wage week (15 – 19th November), an annual celebration of the real Living Wage.
The accreditation has been awarded by Living Wage Scotland in recognition of the Scottish Capital’s ambition to deliver on its new Edinburgh Living Wage City action plan and double the number of Living Wage accredited businesses to over 900 across the city over the next few years.
Around 450 Edinburgh businesses are already committed to voluntarily paying their staff the Living Wage, paying a minimum hourly wage of £9.90 per hour. This new Living Wage rate was announced yesterday (Monday 15 November) as part of Living Wage Week 2021.
Now through the action plan – developed by the Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group, a collaboration of employers, public sector bodies, trade unions, social enterprises, and business organisations, supported by key city anchor institutions including the City of Edinburgh Council and the Edinburgh Partnership – the aim is to see at least 500 new accredited businesses.
It is expected that this will mean up to 40,000 workers in Edinburgh are protected by Living Wage commitments from their employers. Of those, at least 10,000 will be workers who receive a direct pay increase as a result of this commitment.
The commitment to becoming a Living Wage City arises from the calls to action made by the Edinburgh Poverty Commission report. To pay a fair wage is one key aspect of eradicating poverty across the Capital.
Last year, the City of Edinburgh Council became the first UK local authority to commit to ending poverty by a specific date – by 2030. Tackling poverty in Edinburgh remains one of the Council’s key priorities to making sure everyone can take advantage of everything the Capital has to offer and is paid a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Fair Work Convener and Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Living Wage City Action Group, Councillor Kate Campbell, said:“All partners in the Edinburgh Living Wage City Action Group have put so much work into getting to this point.
“We are all incredibly proud that we can call our Capital an official Living Wage City. We now need to continue that work so that we sign up 100 new accredited businesses every year for the next five years. That’s double the current number of businesses signing up.
“Being an accredited living wage employer is about so much more than paying a Living Wage. It’s about embedding a culture of Fair Work and giving staff financial security, showing them that they’re truly valued for the contribution they make. And the benefits for employers include being able to keep and attract skilled staff – something many businesses are struggling with right now.
“So, we’re asking all businesses and organisations across the city to join us. Together, we can make our city fairer and make sure everyone shares in our economic recovery.”
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Fair Work Vice Convener, Councillor Mandy Watt, said:“In-work poverty needs to end – and Edinburgh is taking a welcome step towards that today by becoming a real Living Wage City. Fair pay, fair hours and respect at work should be something that all workers can expect from their job.
“We’re hoping that a huge number of Edinburgh employers share our ambition and will raise wages to the level of the real Living Wage, which was announced yesterday (15 November). Once that’s done, they can move forward to full accreditation and show everybody that they’re helping to end poverty in our city.”
The Scottish Government’s Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work Richard Lochhead said:“I am pleased to see Edinburgh achieve the significant milestone of becoming a Living Wage City.
“There is increasing evidence demonstrating the benefits of Fair Work to both workers and business and by promoting the real Living Wage, the Edinburgh Action Group recognises the importance that fair pay has on the local economy.
“I congratulate the Action Group and all the 2employers in Edinburgh that have played a part in this important achievement.
Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: “We are very proud to part of a business community that recognises the importance of providing the Living Wage to their staff, and what an impact this has on both their income and wellbeing.
“At Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, happy people always means happy animals, and through our commitment to the living wage, we are reducing financial pressures that our staff might otherwise face, ensuring the highest standard of care for our dogs and cats.
Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance (above) said: “Today’s announcement that Edinburgh has been awarded ‘Making Living Wage Places’ recognition sends a strong signal of the determination to end low pay and loosen the grip of in-work poverty for workers and their families in Scotland’s capital city.
“The commitment by this alliance of employers to the people of Edinburgh is very important, and we look forward to working with them on making Edinburgh a Living Wage city. We want to see towns and cities in Scotland come together to tackle in-work poverty, and this is a significant step on that journey.”
Christine McCaig, Projects Coordinator and Living Wage Scotland said:“This Living Wage Week, we are delighted to announce the launch of an ambitious action plan to ‘Make Edinburgh a Living Wage City’. There are now more than 2400 accredited Living Wage employers in Scotland, over 450 of which are based in Edinburgh, who together want to ensure workers have what they need to thrive.
“The impact of the real Living Wage in tackling in-work poverty is strengthened by a collective effort from local employers, anchor institutions, key stakeholders and communities working together. We hope to see many more employers in Edinburgh become accredited to drive the vision of Making Edinburgh a Living Wage City.”
The real Living Wage rate this year has largely been driven by sharply rising fuel and rent costs. The real Living Wage is different to the Government minimum wage for over 23s, called the ‘National Living Wage’ (NLW).
While the real Living Wage is independently calculated based on living costs and is paid by employers voluntarily, the government’s NLW is based on a percentage of median earnings, and all employers are required to pay it.
In Scotland, more than 15% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – around 350,000 jobs.
Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 45,000 people in Scotland and put over £240 million extra into the pockets of low paid Scottish workers.
The Scottish Government has delivered 80 priorities set out by the First Minister in May — but the annoucement was overshadowed by news that Scotland has just recorded more than 5000 daily Covid cases for the first time.
These commitments have been delivered across government and Ministerial portfolios, covering health and care, economy, climate change, communities, children and families, and how we lead Scotland safely through and out of the pandemic.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Recovery from the pandemic is an urgent priority for the government and I am proud of the bold, ambitious and transformative measures we have delivered in just 100 days.
“But this is only the beginning and there is much more we can and will do to build a fairer and more sustainable country as we continue to drive Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic.
“We have introduced co-ordinated and targeted policies which deliver demonstrable positive change for the people, families and communities who need it most – and for our economy, public services and environment.
“Delivering on the commitments that the First Minister made in May demonstrates our progress in taking the steps needed to make lasting and generational change, and to improve the lives of people across Scotland.”
Achievements include:
consulting on the creation of a National Care Service to improve social care for everyone who needs it
funding for 1,000 extra teachers and 500 pupil support assistants
doubling the carers’ allowance supplement this winter through the introduction of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill
publishing a recovery plan for the NHS
£25 million to help small and medium businesses use digital technology and upskill employees
free NHS dental care for all young people under 26 years old.
opening three new rapid cancer diagnostic centres
tackling loneliness and social isolation – particularly among young and disabled people
free school lunches for more than 90,000 children
appointing Environmental Champions to advise government on international best practice
launching the new Green Jobs Work Academy to help people get the skills they need to move into new, greener jobs
The Scottish Government also committed to 14 new mobile phone masts to deliver high-speed connectivity for the first time to homes and businesses in rural communities. 14 new masts have been built, seven of which have been activated. The remaining seven are due to be activated by November.
But while the Scottish Government hails progress made since May’s Holyrood election, there are growing concerns about rising Covid-19 numbers.
The 100 days commitments had six particular areas of focus:
leading Scotland out of the pandemic
supporting our NHS and care services
backing our economy and creating jobs
helping children, families and young people
tacking the climate crisis
backing our communities and building better lives.
Yesterday – the day the Scottish Government made it’s 100 days delivery statement – also saw the highest ever number of Covid-19 cases. 5,021 new cases were reported in Scotland.
The government hails their first hundred days as a positive start, but it will be their actions to address the most ‘urgent priority’ – the rampant Covid virus – that will prove crucial for Scotland over the coming hundred days.
