“The SNP / Labour run Edinburgh City Council seem to tax hard working people at any chance they get, whether that is for garden waste collection or to go to work.” – Miles Briggs MSP
Continue reading Miles Briggs: Edinburgh Council “out of touch” on SNP Car Park Tax
Unite the union has highlighted a number of shocking stories from cleaners in Edinburgh schools due to council service cutbacks. Unite’s ‘Fight for 5’ campaign to improve cleaning standards has uncovered a number of practices that compromise health and safety due to a lack of school cleaners, and cleaning materials.
In one instance a cleaning supervisor had to visit several other community buildings to ensure a major Edinburgh high school had sufficient materials to begin an afternoon cleaning shift.
Unite has been informed of cleaners being shipped from various schools across Edinburgh city in order to complete afternoon cleaning shifts. Cleaners have also complained to Unite about the lack of health and safety training, and the union has been made aware of cleaners working with machinery and hazardous equipment without any proper structured training.
The union has spoken to cleaners and heard from teachers within Edinburgh schools, who are bringing in wet wipes to clean teaching tables due to the pressure being put on under-resourced and under-staffed cleaners.
Mary Alexander, Unite’s deputy Scottish secretary, said: “Unite has launched our ‘Fight for 5’ campaign to improve cleaning standards and provision in Edinburgh schools.
“Unite has heard numerous stories from cleaners across the city highlighting the lack of cleaning materials, and staff due to council cuts. Cleaners are in some instances being transported around schools to address the lack of provision. The situation is compromising health and safety standards. It is a ridiculous situation where those working in our schools have to bring in cleaning materials to compensate for the lack of cleaning staff, and also a lack of materials. We believe those pupils, parents and the general Edinburgh public deserve better.”
It is estimated that Edinburgh city council has endured £250 million of budget cuts in the last five years. It will face at least £41 million of cuts in the coming financial year and a predicted £106 million in the following three years.
There’s still time to share your views on the City Council’s draft council change strategy and proposals for the 2019/20 budget. Continue reading Edinburgh’s budget: still time to have your say
Work to ensure people get access to the health and social care services they need is progressing well but needs to happen faster, a joint report by the Scottish Government and COSLA has found. Continue reading Integration of health and social care ‘progressing well’, says report
The collapse of building maintenance company McGill has left a number of local people in hot water – or, rather, without it. Continue reading Council picks up the pieces following McGill collapse
Fans heading to watch Scotland kick off their Guinness Six Nations campaign at Murrayfield tomorrow are being reminded to plan travel ahead. Continue reading Travel advice for Six Nations matches
Edinburgh residents who haven’t yet signed up for garden waste collections for the current service year can do so from next week. Continue reading Garden Waste registration window opens this month
Tonight’s Drylaw Telford Community Council meeting has been cancelled as all Inverleith councillors will be attending another meeting – North West Locality Committee is meeting tonight at 6.30pm in the Dean of Guilds Room at the City Chambers.
Two local activists representing Save Our Services North Edinburgh will be speaking about the impact of the Health and Social Care cuts in a deputation to the Localities Committee.
The meeting is open to the public: go along and support local services if you can!
COUNCILLORS have been urged to reject plans to demolish an Art Deco building in a conservation zone on Edinburgh’s Leith Walk when they meet today to decide its fate. Continue reading Save Leith Walk: it’s D Day
