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.
The report reiterates the need to eliminate the digital exclusion of children and young people for good, and sets out a 10-point action plan to ensure that all have an opportunity to access the benefits of the digital world, both to ensure their right to education and for the sake of their wellbeing.
Closing the Digital Divide for Goodnotes the increased awareness of digital exclusion during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in light of the shift to remote learning, and commends the rapid responses put in place to get more children and young people online.
However, the report also underlines the need for a continued focus on digital inclusion, to ensure that learning from the crisis period is maximised, and that a long-term strategic approach is put in place, given that challenges remain.
The 10 recommended actions include implementing a co-production process to develop a nationally agreed definition for digital inclusion, recognising that a device, suitable connection, skills and a safe online environment are essential components.
The report also calls for regular measurement of the levels of digital inclusion amongst children and young people, and the development of proactive solutions such as working with teachers and education staff to identify gaps in skills and revising teacher training requirements and curricula accordingly.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please feel free to contact Anna Grant (Senior Policy and Development Officer, Carnegie UK Trust) via anna.grant@carnegieuk.org.
Councillor Adam McVey has outlined the action plan being put in place to prevent repeats of recent anti-social behaviour in the Meadows.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Following the appalling scenes at the Meadows last weekend we’ve been working closely with colleagues in Police Scotland to address the issues and put in place an action plan that will drive home the message that this anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.
“It’s not just about preventing a repeat of what we saw last weekend but also tackling the various issues recently reported in the park and neighbouring streets. Everyone should remember that it’s currently illegal under the Coronavirus regulations to drink alcohol in public spaces.
“This weekend and over the coming weeks there will be additional patrols by our Park Rangers and Street and Environment Enforcement Officers who will hand out black bags, give advice on litter management and if necessary issue fines. There will also be increased presence of police officers and the Council’s CCTV resources to ensure the safety of everyone enjoying the park.
“It’s important that everybody takes responsibility for their behaviour in our parks and considers fellow visitors to the park and neighbouring residents. Our parks have been hugely important to residents of the city throughout the last year and continue to be. We’re determined that the actions of a reckless minority will not spoil it for the majority and through our action plan we’ll ensure the Meadows can be enjoyed safely.”
Council actions include:
The Council CCTV van will be deployed over the course of the weekend to provide a visible deterrent to any anti-social behaviour and to assist in gathering evidence if required.
Mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to hotspots for street urination and defecation, with signs in place to warn against this behaviour.
The public toilets will continue to remain open until 8pm over the course of the weekend
Park Rangers and Street and Environment Enforcement Officers will be patrolling the Meadows to hand out black bags and advice on litter management. In addition, enforcement action will be taken (in the form of Fixed Penalty Notices) where littering offences are witnessed.
There will be increased street cleansing teams in the Meadows to carry out more regular litter picking. Regular inspections of the litter bins will take place throughout the day and additional emptying will take place if required.
The First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) has laid out its vision for the future in Scotland’s progress towards gender equality, as it comes to the end of its initial three-year term.
In a next steps report to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP, the NACWG has laid out the rationale for developing a model which sees it move into an accountability and scrutiny role for a further three years to push forward the implementation of the systemic changes required to tackle gender inequality in Scotland.
Since 2017, the NACWG has worked with communities, activists, academics, leaders of public services, and members of the public in Scotland to explore gender inequality and produce a package of recommendations to be taken forward collectively to deliver tangible systemic change.
All recommendations from the first two NACWG reports have been accepted by the First Minister, with feedback yet to be presented on the latest report, published in January 2021.
The NACWG has been clear from inception that it didn’t anticipate continuing with its current model indefinitely and, given the scope of the NACWG’s recommendations to date, it has now advised that the repeated annual submission of further recommendations at this level would be unhelpful, without taking time to take stock and allow them to be implemented and the consequences analysed.
The system needs time to adapt – especially if wholly inclusive intersectional gender mainstreaming is to remain the end goal for Scotland.
In its next phase, the NACWG suggests building on and upscaling existing accountability practices to assess the progress of the implementation of the recommendations and ensure these are taken forward as intended.
Co-chair Louise Macdonald OBE said: “The First Minister asked the NACWG to be bold and to challenge the government and public services, private sector and public where required – and that’s exactly what we’ve done with the ambitious recommendations set out in our annual reports.
“The first iteration of the NACWG has delivered a strong package of recommendations but now, to ensure we continue our work to make Scotland a gender equal society, we believe the subsequent phase should focus on the scrutiny of the development of these recommendations.
“Systemic change requires time for any recommendations to bed in and we are not advocating for the next iteration of the NACWG to become “part of the system”. Instead, our aim would be to have a degree of independent oversight of implementation and assess impact so that at the end of this period there is a clear understanding of the successes, any unintended consequences, and whether further work is required.”
Louise added: “We didn’t recommend quick fixes or tweaks, but systemic change and we thoroughly understand that care needs to be taken and careful attention paid to implementation.
“Every member of the First Minister’s Advisory Council on Women and Girls has considered it a privilege and an honour to be part of this work. We are proud of what we have achieved – but that pride is matched with a certainty there is much more to do to realise the transformational impact our recommendations could deliver, and a belief that through collective will, effective collaboration and shared ambition gender inequality CAN become a historical curiosity in Scotland.”
The decision around the next steps and remit for this work going forward sits with the First Minister.
The Scottish Government, Welsh Government, Northern Ireland Executive, and the UK Government have today jointly published an Action Plan setting out a collective approach to the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Scottish Government has also published additional Scotland-specific guidance on its resilience and response arrangements, which provides further detail on how the response will be delivered and coordinated if there is a sustained epidemic.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The Scottish Government and NHS Scotland are well-prepared to deal with a coronavirus outbreak. As well as the four nations’ Action Plan published today, we have also published tailored guidance for Scotland’s unique landscape.
“The Action Plan and the detail of our additional resilience arrangements for Scotland set out very clearly what we know so far about coronavirus, the different phases of managing an infection of this nature, what each phase means and the actions that have been or could potentially be taken at each stage.
“Much of this planning is based on reasonable worst case scenarios which will be refined as our understanding of the virus develops, but it is vital that we are well equipped to deal with all possibilities as this outbreak grows globally.
“We will continue to work closely with the UK Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive as part of a coordinated response to this virus.”
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Scotland is well equipped to deal with infections of this kind and health boards and social care services plan and prepare for a range of emergencies in order to minimise disruption as far as possible.
“We have a proven track record of dealing with challenging health issues and follow the highest safety standard possible to protect health and social care staff, patients and the public.
“The NHS has been specifically preparing for the possibility of further spread of coronavirus since it was first detected in Wuhan and today’s planning information outlines the processes and protections in place to ensure a coordinated response to this outbreak.”
Scottish Conservative shadow health spokesman Miles Briggs MSP said: “Understandably many people in Lothian are deeply concerned about whether the Scottish NHS will be able to cope with the extreme demands that the Coronavirus will place on it.
“Over the last six years we have seen a significant reduction in hospital beds with the loss of hundreds of acute hospital beds over a six year period.
“The worst case scenario outlined by SNP Ministers and the Chief Medical Officer suggests a high number of vulnerable patients will require hospitalisation. The SNP must therefore consider the worst case scenario and recommission NHS beds across the hospital estate urgently.
“It is the responsibility of all of us regardless of politics to make sure that guidance is followed to help protect individuals and families and to provide advice and assistance especially to the most vulnerable in our society.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the press this morning:
Good morning and thank you for coming along, and I am very glad to be joined this morning by the government’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Advisor.
Today we have published the Coronavirus Action Plan setting out how all four parts of the UK will take all necessary and reasonable steps to tackle this outbreak.
The plan has four strands. Containing the virus, delaying its spread, researching its origins and cure, and finally mitigating the impact should the virus become more widespread. That is, contain, delay, research, mitigate.
And let me be absolutely clear that for the overwhelming majority of people who contract the virus, this will be a mild disease from which they will speedily and fully recover as we’ve already seen.
But I fully understand public concern, your concern, about the global spread of this virus. And it is highly likely that we will see a growing number of UK cases.
And that’s why keeping the country safe is the government’s overriding priority. And our plan means we’re committed to doing everything possible based on the advice of our world leading scientific experts to prepare for all eventualities.
Let’s not forget – we already have a fantastic NHS, fantastic testing systems and fantastic surveillance of the spread of disease.
We will make sure the NHS gets all the support it needs to continue their brilliant response to the virus so far.
The plan does not set out what the government will do, it sets out the steps we could take at the right time along the basis of the scientific advice.
Our country remains extremely well prepared, as it has been since the outbreak began in Wuhan several months ago.
Finally, crucially, we must not forget what we can all do to fight this virus, which is to wash our hands, you knew I was going to say this, but wash our hands with soap and water. And forgive me for repeating this but there will be people who will be tuning into this for the first time: wash your hands with soap and hot water for the length of time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.
It’s simple advice but it’s the single most important thing we can do, as I think our experts would attest.
But at this stage, and with the exception of all of the points I have just mentioned, I want to stress that for the vast majority of the people of this country, we should be going about our business as usual.
Strategic charging zones for electric vehicles could be rolled out across the Capital as part of Edinburgh’s first Electric Vehicle Action Plan. The innovative zonal approach to charging hubs – believed to be the first of their kind in Scotland – are one of five key strategic objectives in the Council’s Action Plan, which will be considered by members of the Transport and Environment Committee today. Continue reading Council to launch Electric Vehicle Action Plan
