Council funding: for some, the wait goes on

Reprieve for some but others still await funding decision

The city council has heralded a new way of distributing grants but some highly-regarded local voluntary sector projects still await the decisions that will determine their future. And with just six weeks before the start of the new financial year, management committees and voluntary boards across the city are faced with unpalatable choices: issue redundancy notices and risk losing staff or hope that all will be well with next year’s funding? Continue reading Council funding: for some, the wait goes on

Stick figures run riot in St Andrew Square!

St Andrew Square invaded by stick people

One of Edinburgh’s iconic gardens has been invaded by nocturnal stick-figures as part of an art installation commissioned by the City of Edinburgh Council.

KEYFRAMES is a highlight of the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design and has been delivered by producers Curated Place with French artists Groupe LAPS.

The playful stick-figure light sculptures will be exhibited until 28 March 2016 in St Andrew Square. Each sculpture has been designed to create an illusion of stop-motion movement as they shine in sequence to a series of sound effects every evening.

“Rather than offering one point of view, visitors who walk through the Square will discover the figures undertaking different activities, be it climbing a tree, throwing a Frisbee or having a snooze. Sound will envelop the whole area and entice visitors to get closer to the installation.”

Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Events Champion, said: “Public art by day, lightshow by night, KEYFRAMES is something completely different for Edinburgh. It’s fantastic to bring international cultural events to the city. This project has been tailored by the French artists to suit the Square and celebrate elements of Scottish culture, from the sound of the bagpipes to our national love of football. I’m sure it will drive footfall as it brightens up the city centre with its playful stick-figure sculptures. You can’t miss it.”

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is now underway and we have an exciting array of events planned to showcase Scotland’s spirit of invention and creativity. KEYFRAMES is a fantastic example of what will be on offer during the year. The installation will bring a busy part of our nation’s capital to life and, as a free event, gives everyone the opportunity to participate and experience the architecture and environment of St Andrew Square in a new and different light.”

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh, added: “We are delighted to support a project in St Andrew Square that is such a stunning addition to the city centre. KEYFRAMES is something that will draw and delight local people and visitors alike, and add to the ambience of the city centre well into spring.”

This is the first time KEYFRAMES will be exhibited in Scotland following a UK debut in Durham at the 2013 Lumiere Festival. It has delighted thousands of people across the world from Singapore to Jerusalem, France, Spain and the Netherlands.

The exhibition, which is free to view, is being funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and EventScotland with the support of Marketing Edinburgh and Essential Edinburgh.

Follow #EdinLights on social media to find out more

Pictures: CEC

Video: Lloyd Smith

Homing in: partnership pledge to build 16,000 homes

Anything you can do: Housing Associations will match council home for home

Edinburgh is set for a major housing boost after the Council’s ambitious plan to build thousands of new homes was matched by partner housing associations.

Six Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) have pledged to match the City of Edinburgh Council’s plan to build 8,000 homes, which will bring 16,000 affordable and low cost homes to the city over the next decade. Representatives joined senior Council officials at the City Chambers today to officially back their commitment to the partnership.

The housing associations, which are not-for-profit, are Castle Rock Edinvar, Dunedin Canmore, Hillcrest, Home Group, the Link Group, and Port of Leith. They met Council Leader Councillor Andrew Burns, Depute Leader Sandy Howat, Chief Executive Andrew Kerr, Health, Social Care and Housing Convener Councillor Ricky Henderson and Housing Leader, Councillor Cammy Day.

Alister Steele, from Castle Rock Edinvar, said: “Housing associations operating in Edinburgh are pleased to match the Council’s pledge and commit to delivering 8,000 much needed affordable homes in Edinburgh. As part of Places for People, Castle Rock Edinvar is already committed to developing 1,000 New Homes for Edinburgh. Extending our contribution in collaboration with fellow housing associations and the City of Edinburgh Council allows us all to make a significant contribution to the housing supply, wellbeing and economic growth in the city.”

Ewan Fraser, Chief Executive of Dunedin Canmore, which is part of Scotland’s largest housing care and property management organisation, Wheatley Group, said: “We are absolutely determined to play our part, working with the City Council and other housing associations, in tackling the acute shortage of affordable housing in Edinburgh.

“The plans unveiled today represent an outstanding example of partnership working and we are delighted to announce that, as part of our commitment to maintaining and improving communities across the city, we will build at least 1,000 good-quality, energy-efficient homes in the capital over the next decade.”

Councillor Day said: “We all know about the acute shortage of affordable homes in the capital; a shortage that’s pushing house prices out of the reach of those on low to middle incomes, increasing rents in the private sector and creating a cost of living crisis that’s putting real pressure on people across Edinburgh. This fantastic joint commitment will see the Council and its partners build on their current successes and accelerate house building to provide the increase in affordable homes that Edinburgh so desperately needs.

“This joint commitment won’t just deliver 16,000 homes – we expect it to generate benefits to the local and national economy of around £4bn, create over 3,000 jobs and bring in additional council tax revenue to help fund the delivery of essential services for the people of Edinburgh. Reducing the cost of living for tenants and building more affordable homes are key priorities for the Council.”

Almost 150 households bid for every Council and housing association home available to let in Edinburgh, and the city’s population is set to grow by up to 30% over the next twenty years.

The Council was already committed to delivering 3,000 affordable and low cost homes on 22 sites in the city, including investing over £100 million on lending to nine Limited Liability Partnerships set up through the Government’s National Housing Trust (NHT) initiative.

Stick figures to light up St Andrew Square

City ‘sticks’ with Spring art events

An invasion of stop-motion stick-figures will create a spectacle of light when a major art installation makes its first appearance in Scotland next month.

KEYFRAMES, delivered by Curated Place with French artists collective Groupe LAPS, has been named a key event in the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design. It will be exhibited within Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square from 4 February to 28 March.

The 80 light sculptures will shine in sequence to an original musical composition to create the illusion of movement. The installation, which has been conceived to create an immersive experience, will invite people to wander through St Andrew Square to experience the space from different angles and in a new light.

The exhibition, which is free, is being funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and EventScotland with the support of Marketing Edinburgh and Essential Edinburgh.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Festivals and Events Champion, said: “When KEYFRAMES opens next month, the experience of wandering through St Andrew Square will be like entering an enchanting stop-motion animation.

“This is public art which can be enjoyed by all ages and the impressive display will illuminate the night sky. It will bring the city centre to life during the transition from winter into spring and, going by the success of 2014’s Field of Light and last year’s Light Fantastic project, I’m sure it will draw an impressive footfall and support our city’s evening economy.”

Groupe LAPS is best known for animating public spaces, marrying art with technology by pooling light, sound, and multimedia to create public art.

Speaking about the opportunity to present the artwork within Edinburgh, Thomas Veyssiere from Groupe LAPS said: “The most exciting thing about installing KEYFRAMES in St Andrew Square is that it will be a long and immersive form. Our lighting puppets will inhabit the square for two months. Rather than offering one point of view, visitors who walk through the Square will naturally discover different actions and see and hear funny things. Sound will envelop the whole area and entice visitors to get closer to the installation.”

“KEYFRAMES is a fantastic example of what will be on offer during the year. The installation will bring a busy part of our nation’s capital to life and, as a free event, gives everyone the opportunity to participate and experience the architecture and environment of St Andrew Square in a new and different light.”

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh, added: “We are delighted to support a project in St Andrew Square that promises to be a stunning addition to the city centre. KEYFRAMES is something that will draw and delight local people and visitors alike, and add to the ambience of the city centre well into the New Year.”

This will be the third consecutive year the city council has lit St Andrew Square in spring. Bruce Munro’s Field of Light saw the gardens transformed into a field of swaying, colourful spheres in 2014.

Then, in 2015 – after six weeks and over a thousand tweets to change the colour of the Melville Monument -, Edinburgh’s interactive Light Fantastic installation in St Andrew Square glared red on its final night in support of Nepal.

Council budget: time for a ‘grown-up debate’

Edinburgh Greens propose small council tax rise to improve council services and combat cuts

Green councillors in Edinburgh are proposing a small council tax rise to raise £10m to invest in services. They believe that combatting cuts in schools, social care and vulnerable children services should be the capital’s priority.

Green councillors in Edinburgh are proposing a 4.3% council tax rise for next year: equivalent to an extra 97p a week for the average Band D property.

The council tax rise, which is backed by 63% of respondents to the council’s budget consultation, would still leave the council having to make significant efficiencies and savings, but, according to the Greens, it would head off the worst cuts.

The £10m package includes

– Retaining a properly-funded school music service
– Blocking cuts to special schools and disadvantaged children
– Keeping budgets for social care for frail older people
– Supporting community centres, libraries and leisure centres.

The additional money would also allow the Council to recruit and keep more care workers to bridge a gap of 5,000 unmet care hours a week. And it would see a substantial investment in long term repair and maintenance of schools.

The proposals are outlined in a blog published today by Green Finance spokesperson Councillor Gavin Corbett, ahead of the council budget meeting this Thursday (21 January).

Cllr Corbett said: “This year’s budget round is by far the toughest since devolution in 1999, with the city council looking down the barrel of £85m worth of cuts. That includes cuts to schools, libraries, swimming pools, social care and community centres.

“That is why almost two-thirds of people responding to the council’s budget consultation backed a council tax rise. I agree with them and I am proposing 97p extra a week to reverse all of the worst cuts and also help tackle to mounting crisis in social care.

“So I believe the city council owes to it to the people of Edinburgh to have a proper grown-up debate about the right balance between new income and spending. To shrink away from that debate, to meekly accept whatever cuts central governments dole out is to infantilise the capital city, to impoverish vital services and to simply store up yet greater problems for the future.

“Let’s have that grown-up debate.”

Edinburgh currently has five Green councillors on a council that is dominated by Labour (21) and the SNP (17) so it would be a major surprise (i.e. there’s next to no chance) if the Green proposals were to be adopted.

When city councillors set Edinburgh’s budget on Thursday it’s expected that the Labour-SNP Capital Coalition will vote through budget cuts of £85 million. Up to 2000 jobs will be lost in what public services trade union Unison describes as ‘the worst cuts in living memory’.

You can find the Edinburgh Greens blog on the budget at
http://www.edinburghgreens.org.uk/site/councillors/budget-2016/

Cllr Frank Ross: Living Wage key to to tackling poverty

‘Poverty cannot be acceptable, at all’ – Councillor Frank Ross

The City of Edinburgh Council’s Economy Convener, Councillor Frank Ross, makes the case for a Living Wage: Continue reading Cllr Frank Ross: Living Wage key to to tackling poverty

Festive waste collection & Christmas Tree recycling arrangements

For the majority of Edinburgh households there will be no change to collection dates for green wheelie bins, food waste bins and red and blue boxes over the festive period.

However, there will be no collections on CHRISTMAS DAY (Friday 25 December) or NEW YEAR’S DAY (Friday 1 January).

Collections for households whose bins or recycling boxes were due to be picked up on these dates have been rescheduled for Saturday 26 December and Saturday 2 January respectively.

Residents are reminded that bins and boxes must be on the kerbside by 6am ready for collection.

There will be no special uplifts between Tuesday 24 December and Tuesday 5 January. Normal service will resume on Wednesday 6 January.

All information about festive collections has been added to the Council’s website where residents can check collection dates for bins and Christmas trees, and report missed bins.

Christmas Tree recycling

Residents will once again be able to recycle their real Christmas trees at the kerbside this year, no matter where they live.

Those with a brown bin should chop up their Christmas tree and place it inside their bin on the kerbside by 6am on their next garden waste collection day (collection days can be checked on the city council website).

Residents in communal areas that use on street shared bins can put their tree on the pavement outside their property on designated collection dates during January – check the website to see when collectiions are taking place in your area. Trees over 6ft tall should be cut in half first.

To enable trees to be recycled, residents are reminded:

– To remove all decorations from the Christmas tree
– To remove stands from trees
– To please cut the tree if is 6ft tall or more
– Not to place trees in plastic bags, as this means they cannot be recycled

You can also take Christmas trees to any of the Community Recycling Centres. The sites will be closed 25, 26 December and 1, 2 January.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Environment Convener, said: “I’m delighted that thanks to all staff working together to deliver the service that, with the exception of Christmas Day and New Years Day, we are able to run all our waste and recycling collections as normal during the festive period.

“It’s important not to forget about recycling at this time of year, especially as we produce so much waste. You would be amazed at how much stuff we use at this time of year that is recyclable, like cardboard and wrapping paper, so please take advantage of our recycling facilities as much as you can.

“Whether they put their tree out with their brown bin, leave it out for collection in communal bin areas on designated days or take it to a Community Recycling Centre, people can make sure that their real Christmas tree is recycled once the festive season is over.

” It’s never been easier to check information or report things online so I would remind you to check our website over the festive period for any possible changes to collections if the weather is bad or for information on recycling.”

Waste and recycling collections may be subject to change in the event of severe weather. For more information on what to do if services are disrupted due to bad weather, visit the city council’s severe weather pages.

Calendars online for 2016 collections

There are no changes to the 2016 collections. The new bin calendar is on the city council’s bin collection day page now.

World follows Edinburgh’s lead!

City leaders sign up to ambitious green charter

The signing of the climate agreement by 190 countries over the weekend has been hailed as a breakthrough for the planet. True, there’s some scepticism over the optional elements of the deal and some believe the Paris agreement just doesn’t go far enough, but there’s universal acceptance that something has to change. Continue reading World follows Edinburgh’s lead!

Taking care of business during bridge closure

The city council is taking steps to ensure business disruption is kept to a minimum during the closure of the Forth Road Bridge. Continue reading Taking care of business during bridge closure

EVOC looks for answers on third sector grants

Anger and anxiety over funding debacle

Third sector umbrella organisation EVOC is to seek answers to funding queries following the uncertainty caused by Tuesday’s Education, Children and Families committee meeting.

The meeting was expected to recommend that organisations that had received funding in 2015/16 would be given the same amount as last year, while successful new applicants would receive 50% of their bid. However the key report was withdrawn on the eve of the meeting, leaving scores of community organisations in the dark over their futures.

Following the decision to withdraw the grant recommendations paper before Tuesday’s meeting, EVOC approached the Executive Director of Communities and Families for clarification and she has agreed to respond to questions collected by EVOC on behalf of organisations affected.

EVOC’s Children, Young People and Families Network development worker Sarah Wade said: “If you wish to raise a question please email me at sarah.wade@evoc.org.uk by 10am on Monday 14 December.

“This will enable us to collate questions from the Sector and submit them to Gillian Tee as soon as possible. Please include the name of the organisation you represent when you contact me – this will not be included with your question. For those organisations who have already been in touch with me, I will include the questions you have already raised.”

Email sarah.wade@evoc.org.uk or call 555 9133 for further info

Continue reading EVOC looks for answers on third sector grants