Councillors have given the green light to the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) to take forward the restoration of the much-loved Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile.
Thursday’s decision by the Finance and Resources Committee has secured the long-term future management and maintenance of this historic building and gives it a new and meaningful lease of life for residents and visitors to enjoy for generations to come.
Working in partnership with the Council, SHBT will develop a feasibility study to set out a future vision for the Tron Kirk and, when fully funded, the charity will sign a 125-year lease for the building. In the short term the charity will fulfil a management role for the Tron Kirk liaising with all existing and new tenants to make sure that the building is open for business as soon as possible.
Councillor Rob Munn, Finance and Resources Convener, said: “It’s great news that Committee was unanimous today in agreeing such a positive future for this historic landmark building in the heart of our Old Town.
“We’re very much looking forward to taking this project forward now with SHBT, which has an impressive track record as a Building Preservation Trust and Charity.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Finance and Resources Vice Convener, said: “The SHBT have proven to be extremely effective in recent years working in partnership with the Council to provide a secure, viable and sustainable future for other historic buildings at risk, such as Riddle’s Court and Custom House.
“The Tron Kirk’s future is in good hands.”
Chair of Scottish Historic Building Trust Maggie Wright said:“We welcome the committee’s decision to partner with Scottish Historic Buildings Trust to secure the future of Tron Kirk which has had a significant role for the people of Edinburgh since the mid-17th Century.
“It is a huge vote of trust in the expertise of our director and staff. We share the City of Edinburgh Council’s vision to breathe new life into this very special building and use our experience to create a legacy for generations to come.”
Public toilets at six popular hotspots in and around Edinburgh are set to reopen from Monday for the first time since the pandemic began.
Final operational and safety checks are being carried out to bring the toilets at the following locations back into use in the week beginning Monday 31 May subject to approval from group leaders on the Council:
Bath Street, Portobello
Hamilton Place, Stockbridge
Lauriston Castle
Harlaw Visitor Centre
West Princes Street Gardens
Winter Gardens, Saughton Park
At the same time as finalising plans to reopen the above existing toilets, Council officers are hard at work making final arrangements to safely install new temporary toilets in three locations as early as possible next month.
The new facilities will be in place until the end of September and are likely to be sited in premier parks with especially high footfall. Each location will include male and female toilets as well as an accessible toilet. Though temporary in nature, the toilets need to be connected to key services (sewer, water and electricity), so they need to be installed close to existing facilities.
Separately, Pentland Hills Regional Park has applied for external funding via NatureScot’s Better Places Green Recovery Fund to install temporary toilets at Threipmuir, Bonaly and Harlaw.
And it is hoped the Council’s remaining permanent public toilets (namely Colinton, Castle Terrace, Castle Hill, Taylor Gardens, High Street South Queensferry and Nicolson Square) will be reopened in late June or early July, in line with public health guidance.
Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Taken all together there will soon be 12 more places to safely spend a penny when you’re spending time enjoying our beautiful parks, beaches and green spaces across Edinburgh. It’s fantastic that we’ll shortly be able to reopen several permanent public toilets again, as well as bring new temporary facilities to key hotspots.
“We want everyone to be able to relax and make the most of our wonderful outdoor spaces so having these toilets open will be extremely welcome I’m sure. And work’s continuing so that we can get all our permanent toilet facilities operational again as soon as possible over the summer, in line with public health guidance.
Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said:“It’s great to know you don’t need to worry about being caught short when visiting our most popular outdoor destinations thanks to the new temporary toilets and our reopening of six key permanent facilities.
“With summer around the corner, we want to make sure our beautiful ‘great outdoors’ stays as beautiful and accessible as possible, so everyone can benefit.”
On the basis that funding can be identified, the plan is to build new permanent public toilets in popular parks such as Inverleith and to upgrade existing facilities in premier parks to meet modern hygiene standards.
The sky above Edinburgh has been illuminated by the Granton gasholder with creative light shows designed by students from Edinburgh College working in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council.
Granton’s iconic waterfront gasometer is now a beacon of light on the Edinburgh skyline thanks to the partnership project which provided students from the college with an invaluable opportunity to expand their knowledge and develop their skills working on a live creative project.
Students from across the College’s Creative Industries faculty, from Music and Sound Production to Art and Design, worked alongside 21CC Productions to create the lightshows and designs. They will illuminate the sky over Granton Waterfront for a period of up to two years starting in time for the summer festivals in whatever form they take this year.
The tower has long been an iconic fixture on Edinburgh’s Waterfront for more than a century dating back to 1903. The Council acquired the gasholder as part of the purchase of the wider gasworks site in 2018 and made the commitment to retain and restore it as a central feature within the ambitious £1.3bn regeneration of the Waterfront.
Edinburgh College head of faculty for Creative Industries Jakki Jeffery said: “We’re delighted to be involved in this partnership project working alongside the City of Edinburgh Council to illuminate the sky over Edinburgh.
“This project has provided a fantastic opportunity for students across our Creative Industries faculty to gain experience working on a live project and it’s great to see all their creative ideas come to life.”
Cammy Day, Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, and a local Forth ward councillor, said:“It’s great to see this iconic structure illuminated as it sits at the heart of our £1.3bn regeneration project for Granton Waterfront.
“It’s been a tough year for everyone and we’re all still living through very challenging times so I’d like to thank the students at Edinburgh College for being involved in this project to make the gasholder a beacon of light while development is going on in the area.
“It’s also created a hands on, practical learning opportunity for Edinburgh College’s Creative Industries students to participate in while celebrating the rich history and heritage within the community.”
Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener said: “It is fantastic that the Council can contribute to the night time reimagining of a city landmark into one of Scotland’s biggest and most visible artworks.
“The illumination will provide a highly visible and beautiful installation at the heart of the Granton Waterfront regeneration. It has been an exciting project and in working with Edinburgh College, something truly special has been produced.”
Culture and Communities Vice Convener Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan said:“The Granton gasholder is already a well-loved landmark on Edinburgh’s skyline and it will now become a prominent feature in our night-time skyscape as well thanks to this partnership project.
“I’m sure there will be quite a buzz on social media as people capture the newly lit-up structure and look towards Granton and its exciting future.”
Pupils at schools across the City of Edinburgh Council region will be able to enjoy a new lamb based dish from this month as the Scotch red meat makes a welcome return to school canteens.
Owen McLeod, Catering Manager at Trinity Academy, first crafted his Spring Scotch Lamb PGI koftas with a rainbow rice pot for the School Cook of the Year Competition in 2019 and the dish proved so popular it has made its way onto school lunch menus across the capital.
The City of Edinburgh Council already uses Scotch Beef PGI in its red meat dishes and the introduction of Scotch Lamb will for many pupils be the first time they experience the quality and taste of this type of red meat, not least from their school cafeterias.
Campbells Prime Meat at The Heatherfield near Linlithgow is the district’s regular supplier and will be providing the Scotch Lamb which is sourced from trusted Scottish farms that adhere to the highest animal welfare and quality production methods.
Cllr Ian Perry, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We are big believers in education through food and using it as an opportunity for pupils to try new flavours and styles of dishes that take expression from different cultures, so we thank Owen for inspiring our new Scotch Lamb dish for schools.
“We hope this will be the first of many and we look forward to continuing to provide high quality school meals to pupils throughout Edinburgh.”
Iain Brown, Director at Campbells Prime Meat, said:“We enjoy a fantastic working relationship with the catering teams across the City of Edinburgh Council region and are delighted to be expanding our partnership with them so they can offer Scotch Lamb in schools again.
“We take huge pride in only sourcing top quality red meat from local Scottish farms so it’s great to work with a schoolboard that values giving their pupils the best produce available.”
Lesley Cameron, Director of Marketing and Communications at Quality Meat Scotland, the industry body that promotes Scotch Beef PGI and Scotch Lamb PGI, added: “It’s vitally important for children and young people to gain exposure to top quality, locally sourced ingredients at every stage of their development.
“Not only can it teach them the importance of supporting Scotland’s butchers and farmers, the way they are used can educate them about different cultures and tastes, as well as the nutritional value of meat in the diet.
“We are thrilled to see these two partners working hard to show Edinburgh school pupils the quality, provenance and depth of flavour found in Scotch Beef PGI and Scotch Lamb PGI.”
Capital’s employability commitment hits 10 year milestone
Edinburgh’s youth employability commitment, the Edinburgh Guarantee, marks a decade while expanding its support to help people of all ages and backgrounds:
Celebrating its 10th year, the Edinburgh Guarantee, originally the Capital’s youth employability commitment, is expanding to help people of all ages access fair work, training and employment opportunities with a new look website launched today by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Recognising the impact the pandemic has had on businesses and training providers, and the ripple effect this has on people’s prospects, there will also be a particular focus on those facing additional barriers to employment with the overall aim to give equal access to job and education opportunities.
The website will be a one stop shop to connect and sign up employers across the city, while offering people a quick and easy access point to job boards, information on training opportunities and additional support routes available.
Through the Edinburgh Guarantee team and network of employability partners, employers are incentivised to get involved by getting access to additional recruitment support, information on possible funding available and ongoing assistance for their business and new hires where required. All of this makes it easy and rewarding for employers to pledge their support.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “The Edinburgh Guarantee is rooted in the principal that everyone should have the opportunity to work, and access to training and skills development, and that everyone who is able to can be part of our city’s recovery. And that by working together, we can create those opportunities and a better future for everyone.
“Now in its 10th year, the Edinburgh Guarantee has been a great success helping so many young people move into fair work or gain the education and training that they deserve. We’re now widening this commitment to include people of all ages and backgrounds which clearly shows our intention to make sure no one is left behind as a result of this pandemic.
“It’s been great to hear how so many organisations across all sizes and sectors are able to play their part. Longstanding lead employers such as Standard Life Aberdeen, NHS Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council, have paved the way for us to get to where we are today.
“And it is exciting to see that network grow to welcome new and smaller organisations and businesses like Basketball Scotland, JAD Joinery and The Wee Book Company – a small business that recently added to its workforce with a new recruit, made possible through Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentive, which is a funding package for private SMEs and third sector organisations to help fill vacancies and create new and additional jobs.
Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener, said: “On this 10 year anniversary of the Edinburgh Guarantee I’d like to thank those employers that have been with us since the start and led the way for other businesses and organisations by demonstrating the benefits of getting involved over the last decade.
“We’ve recognised that the end of the furlough scheme will have serious implications and most likely further increase the levels of unemployment across Scotland, so we’re working hard to support and incentivise employers to play a part in the city’s recovery – such as helping smaller supporters access funding to help them to get involved.
“Over the past year we’ve spoken to business owners and employers from across all sectors, gaining valuable insight into the key implications of the pandemic on their industry. This has given us an overview of those who are currently able to offer opportunities as well as those who we may be able to support as we begin to move into the recovery period.”
Gavin Keddie, Publishing Assistant at The Wee Book Company was recruited thanks to the Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentive
The Wee Book Company, a new publishing business in the city, became aware of Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentives and as part of the Edinburgh Guarantee offer, employers who recruit someone with barriers to employment can secure up to £6,000 to help with the costs.
With the funding available to them they have been able to create a Publishing Assistant post for Gavin Keddie which he started in March 2021.
Andrew McAllister, Head of Sales at The Wee Book Company, said: “As a small business, the Edinburgh Guarantee has literally made the difference in us being able to give Gavin an opportunity, who has been a revelation. In a matter of only a few weeks he has been really helpful to the development of our publishing business.
“Gavin has come in and we have been really impressed with his commitment, effort and excellent knowledge of modern technology. As a result of being made aware of Gavin’s Aspergers condition, we were able to recognise that he had great talent, but during the interview was a little shy and reserved and was definitely very modest about his previous achievements including the fact that he has been successfully published and written at least five books to date.”
Young business people are discussing together a new startup project. A glowing light bulb as a new idea.
Established in 2011 to address the needs of school leavers who were unable to move into a positive destination following the last economic downturn, the Edinburgh Guarantee has since worked with over 550 employers to get over 3,500 young people into apprenticeships or training opportunities.
Many partners have come together to support this initiative’s continued success including colleges, voluntary sector organisations and national programmes, while also making it easy and rewarding for private sector businesses and organisations to play their part in helping people across the city.
PLANS for a prime development on land made available from the completion of the Queensferry Crossing will be determined today (Wednesday 19 May).
Recommended for approval by planners, the 176-home South Queensferry development by CALA Homes (East) includes 44 affordable homes, 39 of which will be delivered by locally-based Manor Estates Housing Association.
The remaining five will be ‘golden share, a form of discounted price available to purchase by those on the housing waiting list’. Most of the affordable homes will be constructed early into the build process.
Approval of the Springfield site at the upcoming City of Edinburgh development management sub-committee will confirm more than £2.2million in Section 75 funding. This includes £2.15m towards education, £29,500 to improving transport infrastructure and around £37,000 towards the expansion of the local healthcare centre.
Following extensive engagement with the local community, the plans also include a range of traffic calming measures at the adjoining Bo’ness Road, as well as improved crossings, footpath connections to Society Road and Bo’ness road and a dedicated cycleway.
Keith Giblett, Chair of Queensferry and District Community Council, said: “We’ve welcomed the extent to which CALA has been willing to listen to the community. Pleasingly, it has resulted in material changes to the proposed development and the area around it, including vital works to Bo’ness road in the vicinity of the primary school.
“Go-ahead will provide a major and timely contribution towards facilities in and around South Queensferry – and we’d look forward to getting an understanding from the council on how that money will be spent.”
The development will benefit from exceptional views out to the Forth and its bridges and a broad mix of homes put forward by CALA includes 57 apartments, alongside three, four and five bedroom properties, boosting supply for a wide segment of the market.
The 44 affordable homes will feature a mix of one to three bedroom homes. CALA hopes to be able to begin work at the development as early as autumn 2021.
Derek Lawson, Strategic Land Director at CALA Homes, said: “This development has been years in the making and we must thank the local community for engaging throughout. In particular, the area around the development will be much more pedestrian and cyclist friendly – with extensive footpath connectivity.
“This process has resulted in final proposals that will boost the local area considerably, as well as providing a wide range of family homes to meet the needs of a strong local market.”
Originally identified for housing almost 30 years ago, the site, which extends to 7.5 hectares, forms part of a wider area of land originally owned by CALA, following the grant of residential planning permission dating back to 1991.
The land was then acquired by the Scottish Office in 1994 for the new forth crossing – Queensferry Crossing. With the bridge now complete, the Scottish Ministers have been in the process of disposing of surplus land. The regulations relating to disposal require that surplus land is initially offered to previous landowners, which in this case is CALA Homes.
CALA has a strong history working in the South Queensferry area, recently completing its development at nearby Dalmeny Park, where it delivered 156 private homes on a brownfield site formerly owned by Agilent. This also included the delivery of 112 affordable homes.
Cllr Gordon Munro has had the Labour group whip removed following his abstention on the Council budget vote.
The Leith councillor believes the SNP, Labour’s partners in the sc-called Capital Coalition, is not standing up for Edinburgh.
Gordon Munro said: “I stand by my decision to abstain in the budget vote. Edinburgh needs full and fair funding. It needs to prosecute its case forcefully which it commits to do in the coalition agreement.
“I accept the decision taken by Edinburgh Labour.’’
Labour Group leader Cllr Cammy Day said: “As part of our Labour Party rules, and by not supporting the budget proposals, an internal disciplinary process from Edinburgh Labour has agreed that the Labour Whip will be removed from Cllr Gordon Munro until return of Summer recess 2021.
“Gordon is a long standing, hard working councillor and a valued member of the Labour Group.”
Despite losing the Labour whip Councillor Munro, who also abstained in last year’s Budget vote, will still be expected to support the Capital Coalition in any forthcoming votes.
An update to the budget framework is under way at the Council after the publication of a report outlining a range of proposals for investing approximately £20m of one-off additional revenue funding.
The report will be considered by the Council’s Finance & Resources Committee at their meeting on Thursday before being referred to Full Council on Thursday 27 May, when political groups are expected to submit motions setting out their proposals for investment.
Following confirmation by the Scottish Government of additional funding for local authorities and, after making provision for the anticipated on-going financial impacts of the pandemic over the next two years, Council officers have now identified up to £20.15m which could be made available to address budget pressures, anticipated shortfalls in savings delivery and other member priorities in 2021/22 and 2022/23.
Finance and Resources Convener Councillor Rob Munn said: “We were very pleased to have been able to set a balanced budget back in February despite the ongoing challenges and pressures brought about by the Covid19 pandemic.
“It’s welcome, therefore, to now have this opportunity to invest further in this financial year and the next and I’m looking forward to a thorough and, I hope, constructive debate among elected members over the next couple of weeks on the best ways to direct this funding.
“Ultimately, we want to ensure we’re targeting the extra investment in line with our core priorities and the services most valued by the people of Edinburgh.
Finance and Resources Vice Convener Councillor Joan Griffiths said: “I’m sure this opportunity to collectively agree priorities for investing this funding will be unanimously welcomed across the chamber.
“Committee will have its say on 20 May first of all and thereafter it’s over to the full complement of Councillors to arrive at a set of agreed spending options which support our priorities – tackling poverty and inequality, boosting sustainability and enhancing wellbeing in the city.
“I’m confident we’ll be able to approve a revised budget framework that takes Edinburgh forward positively.”
Following a competitive procurement process, it is recommended that the £1.1million contract for the pre-development services for the brownfield site be awarded to award-winning housebuilder Cruden Homes (East) Limited ahead of the full development starting in early 2022.
During the pre-development, work will be carried out to prepare for construction, including finalising designs and selecting a net zero carbon energy solution for the entire site, contributing to the Council’s ambitious target to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.
The masterplan for the site was approved in 2016 following an extensive programme of community consultation and regular engagement on proposals for the site has continued with the Fountainbridge Sounding Board, a forum bringing together the area’s key stakeholders.
The masterplan will enable the transformation of the site into a mix of uses including; new homes, offices, shops, social enterprise and community spaces knitted together by high quality public realm.
The development will complement both the new Boroughmuir High School to the west and Vastint Hospitality’s “New Fountainbridge” development to the east.
The housing element of the development will see a total of 436 new homes built. This will comprise 113 homes for social rent, with over 10% wheelchair accessible, 64 homes for mid-market and market rent and 259 homes for private sale or rent.
Commercial, social enterprise, retail and community spaces will feature within both the affordable and private housing phases, along with a 100,000 square foot office building which will provide space for early-stage tech companies to “scale up”.
A cohesive, high quality public realm will create attractive new spaces to socialise on the banks of the Union Canal while a wide range of community benefits and fair work proposals will also be delivered.
These will include a £100,000 community fund for projects to enhance the canal towpath, creating park, commissioning local arts projects, work experience placements and apprenticeship opportunities for Boroughmuir High School pupils and the long-term unemployed, and summer internships paying the Real Living Wage.
Councillor Rob Munn, Finance and Resource Convener, said: “An extensive process and strong scrutiny has gone into this procurement process to get us to this point. We’ll look to discuss this at committee next week and hope to agree that we have a pre-development partner in place that shares our vision while also offering us best value.
“Since the purchase of this underused brownfield site, and the development of the new Boroughmuir High School, we now want to deliver more social and affordable housing and space for businesses, particularly creating space for the data driven and digital sectors that are so important to Edinburgh’s economic recovery.
“It’s important that we build affordable homes across the city and in the areas that people want to live so it’s great that these homes are located so close to the city centre.
“The development will provide homes that are both cost effective to heat and wheelchair accessible and will be a mix of council housing and mid-market homes, which will be managed by the council’s Edinburgh Living.”
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Vice Convener, said:“Seeing our masterplan getting closer to becoming a reality is very exciting and I look forward to seeing the site start to take shape and realise our ambitions for Fountainbridge.
“This development will bring a great regenerative feel to this area of the city and through the community benefits programme we have agreed as part of this development contract we also hope to bring new jobs and training opportunities for local people, offer opportunities for local artists while also enhancing existing public spaces in and around Fountainbridge.”
The Council and its agreed development partner, alongside the local community will work together to finalise the plans for the area over the coming months. Thereafter construction on the site will commence subject to final agreement amongst the parties.
At the end of the pre-development period, should both parties wish to proceed, further Committee approvals will be sought to proceed to the construction phase.
Edinburgh residents are being asked for their views on Community Payback Orders (CPO) which are given out by the Court to people to pay for their crimes as an alternative to a prison sentence.
In particular, the city council would like to know what you think about the unpaid work part of a CPO which replaced community service in 2011. This is when an individual who has committed an offence does unpaid work in the community.
Examples of unpaid work include:
repairing and reinstating headstones in local cemeteries
developing and maintaining children’s play areas
recycling projects including bicycles and outdoor furniture
The council is seeking your views on the effectiveness of community payback as a way to reduce re-offending and wants to know:
Do you have any experience of people doing unpaid work in your community?
Do you think unpaid work gives people the opportunity to repay the community for the crimes they have committed?
Do you have any ideas about residents, community projects or organisations who could benefit from unpaid work support?
As well as using the questionnaire to comment on community payback you can also recommend groups, residents, organisations or projects that may benefit from unpaid work through the online suggestion form.
Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Vice Convener of Culture and Communities, said: “We want to hear from the people of Edinburgh about their views on Community Payback Orders, and the work carried out by the people subject to them.
“Through our consultation we also hope to identify more opportunities in the Capital for unpaid community work to be carried out. This work could include community clear ups, repainting community centres or recycling projects including bicycles and outdoor furniture.
“They are an excellent way for organisations such as charities to get practical help, and they give people who commit offences the chance to pay back to communities and develop new skills.
The information we collect will help us to improve how we work with communities and help to increase understanding of CPOs and their importance in helping people reintegrate into society and reduce the likelihood of them reoffending.”
