Edinburgh residents are set to be barred from the city centre in a controversial experiment this summer. City chiefs want to make the world famous old and new towns a tourist-only zone over the festival period. Continue reading Outrage as Edinburgh residents face city centre curfew
Tag: city council
Explore the ‘Past Lives of Leith’ in the Museum of Edinburgh
Visitors to the Museum of Edinburgh can now explore the results of the largest excavation of a medieval graveyard undertaken in Leith.
Continue reading Explore the ‘Past Lives of Leith’ in the Museum of Edinburgh
Funding to support low carbon projects
Two Edinburgh organisations are to receive Scottish Government funding to support low carbon initiatives. There’s over £49,000 for Edinburgh Airport to develop a green energy project, while the city council receives £40,000 for solar powered charging points for electric vehicles at Ingliston and Hermiston Park and Ride sites. Continue reading Funding to support low carbon projects
Thousands of new trees for Edinburgh
As the planting season draws to a close, Parks Leader and Vice Convener of Transport and Environment Councillor Karen Doran has paid a visit to the Council’s Inch Nursery to see how trees are nurtured before being planted in Edinburgh’s streets and parks. Continue reading Thousands of new trees for Edinburgh
Last day to register for vote in Leith Walk by-election
Edinburgh’s Returning Officer has urged people living in the Leith Walk ward to make sure they are registered to vote in the area’s forthcoming by-election. Eligible residents must register by midnight tonight to have their say in the Leith Walk By-Election on 11 April. Continue reading Last day to register for vote in Leith Walk by-election
‘Lukewarm support’ for Tourist Tax?
At Portfolio questions yesterday, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop MSP, was questioned by Lothian MSP Miles Briggs over the plans for a new tourist tax in Edinburgh. Continue reading ‘Lukewarm support’ for Tourist Tax?
Nasty Party?: Council Tories vote to force EU nationals to pay to stay
City Council votes to pay EU nationals’ application appointment fee – despite Tory opposition
Thursday’s city council meeting passed a motion to make application appointments for EU nationals in the Capital free. The city’s application services will now sign up to help EU nationals apply quickly for those finding the online application process challenging.
The Council will now allocate £25,000 to help the Council’s application service keep appointments free.
Council leader Adam McVay said: “By making it easier and free for EU nationals to apply through the Council’s application services we are doing all we can to help people through this appalling process and remind them that Edinburgh is their home and we stand with them as our residents.
He added: “The UK Government’s EU National application programme is a shameful way to treat our citizens, many of whom have been part of our city and community for decades.
“It’s somewhat ironic that the Tories, who can complained about a charge for people’s bin registrations, voted against removing the charge for EU nationals applying to register their lives in the Capital. When Tories believe registering a bin is a more important than applying to register your family to protect your rights, something has went badly wrong with their moral compass.”
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald, said: “The SNP has been clear across the board that we will support EU nationals in every way we can. Yet again, the Tories in Edinburgh have shown themselves as no better than the xenophobic party in Westminster that sent disgusting “go home” vans into our communities.
“I hope that despite the Tory’s treatment of EU nationals, they feel kindness and respect from the rest of us who are proud that they have done us the honour of making Scotland their home.”
City of Edinburgh Council – Full Council Meeting – 14 March 2019
Motion By Councillor McVey – EU Registration
“That Council:
- Notes the UK Government’s appalling decision to force EU nationals to “register” to sustain their rights.
- Notes that Edinburgh’s registration services took part in the Home Office settlement pilot which ended in late autumn 2018 which included an application assistance scheme to help “read” chipped EU passports to smooth the process.
- Notes that the Home Office settlement has now gone live and residents can register for free from March 30th 2019 and fees paid before this time can now be reclaimed.
- Agrees that Edinburgh City Council will use existing resources to publicise the free UK Government based service and existing support services available through citizen’s advice to citizens across the City.
- Agrees that to help further support EU nationals remaining in Edinburgh, Council authorises use of up to £25,000 from the Council’s priorities fund to support Edinburgh’s registration services and avoid any administration fees being applied to any EU nationals registering with the Home Office settlement scheme through Edinburgh’s registration services.
- Agrees that this expenditure will be monitored on a monthly basis and reported through the business bulletin of the Finance and Resources committee and delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader, to limit free registrations to citizens who live in Edinburgh, subject to service demand.
- Agrees that the Leader will write to the Home Office to request this funding is reimbursed in return for providing this service.”
“Next stop, Newhaven”: green light for controversial tramlime extension
After a lengthy debate on the Final Business Case at a meeting of full Council in Edinburgh City Chambers on Thursday, the SNP-Labour administration voted to press ahead with taking trams to Newhaven. Continue reading “Next stop, Newhaven”: green light for controversial tramlime extension
Twenty’s plenty? Roadside education in Inverleith
Continue reading Twenty’s plenty? Roadside education in Inverleith
Capital Coalition set to vote through £207 million tram extension
Edinburgh’s ruling SNP – Labour Capital Coalition is set to give the green light to a controversial £207 million tram line extension today – despite an ongoing inquiry into the capital’s original trams debacle. Continue reading Capital Coalition set to vote through £207 million tram extension