Tag: city council

George Street and First New Town project passes crucial milestone

‘We’re on our way to delivering a bold new vision for George Street and our city centre’

A full design for the George Street and First New Town project, has been approved by the Transport and Environment Committee.

The report discusses the completion of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stage 4 Technical Design. The progression of this stage has led to a revised overall cost estimate of £35.07m, representing a saving of over £4.3m on previous estimates.

The wider project was included to proceed under the City Mobility Plan Prioritisation programme in May 2025, following a rigorous assessment of feasibility.

The full design will contain the following features:

  • Plans for natural stone material throughout (including yorkstone slabs on the footway, re-laid traditional setts in the parking areas, whinstone kerbs and setts on the carriageway). 
  • Dwell zones with incorporated raised planters and seating.
  • Eight trees (four at the Charlotte Square end, four at the St Andrew Square end) along with low-level planting within a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDs), linking to the existing drainage system.  
  • Full suite of Hostile Vehicle Measures (HVM) at all junctions and associated utility diversions.

Under the current timeline, construction is due to begin in Autumn 2027 and take approximately two years with a further one-year defect period.   

The appropriate road orders will now be implemented before moving on to final budget confirmation and ultimately to RIBA Stage 4B (Tender) and securing of statutory consents. Final approval will then be sought to proceed to RIBA Stage 5 (Construction).

The full report is available to view on the city council website.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve taken the decision today to move forward with the George Street and First New Town project. The project is rooted in making the area safer, more sustainable and accessible for all.

“This is a unique opportunity to bring one of Edinburgh’s most important streets into the modern world whilst still maintaining its unique history and features.

“The wider potential improvements are vast, from benefits to local residents and businesses to enhancing Edinburgh as a visitor destination, and beyond – we’re on our way to delivering a bold new vision for George Street and our city centre.

“Whilst we’re committed to this important project, we’re also committed to making broader improvements across the city for the benefit of all our residents.”

Lib-Dems win council by-election

Liberal Democrat Kein Joseph McKay have won the Fountainbridge /Craiglockhart by-election – but fewer than ONE in THREE people chose to cast their vote..

The result declaration was made in the early hours of this morning (Friday 27 June) by Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence.

Returning Officer for Edinburgh Paul Lawrence, said: “Thanks to everyone who took part in this by-election. I would like to welcome Kevin as a new councillor, and I look forward to working with him. Kevin will now have a key role in representing his constituents on matters affecting the ward and the wider city.

“My thanks also go to our elections team and other council colleagues who have been working hard to deliver this by-election smoothly and securely.”

The current electorate is 18,945. The turnout for the by-election was 33.1% (6,264).

The by-election was initiated by the sudden death of Labour councillor Val Walker in April. Labour actually came first in the first preference vote, beating the Lib-Dem candidate by just 14 votes, but lost out in subsequent rounds of the transferable vote PR system.

Labour continues to lead the city council, however, despite now having just ten of the city’s 62 councillors.

For further details of the result and the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart by-election, please see the Elections section of the Council website.

Edinburgh Primary School children take to Usher Hall stage for the Edinburgh 900 Big Sing event

On Friday 20 June, over 1,100 children from 22 City of Edinburgh primary schools joined together for the Edinburgh 900 Big Sing event at the Usher Hall.

Taking to the stage was an orchestra of 70 primary school aged musicians, eight singers from Edinburgh Schools Rock Ensemble and a choir of pupils from Castlebrae Community High School and Tynecastle High Schools.

The event showcased collaborative performances from the City of Edinburgh Instrumental Music Service, Youth Music Initiative Music Instructors, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland students and Love Music.

During the event, pupils were invited to join in and sing six songs, taught and led by presenter and choir leader, Stephen Deazley.  The event also featured the world premiere of a song written especially for the event by the award-winning Scottish indie-pop band, Sacred Paws, called ‘Better Side Of Town’.

Musicians Ray Aggs and Eilidh Rodgers worked with pupils from Castlebrae Community High School and Tynecastle High Schools to write lyrics and musical material for the song alongside Love Music’s Artistic Director, Stephen Deazley.

This event formed part of the celebration of Edinburgh 900, marking 900 years of formal ‘local democracy’ when, in 1124 King David I created the royal burgh of Edinburgh, one of the oldest in Scotland.

This year, a series of events, talks, tours and tales will help to tell the fascinating and diverse stories of Edinburgh’s journey and unique story.

PICTURE: Adam Cooke

Councillor James Dalgleish, Convener Education, Children and Families Committee commented: “It was a real pleasure to hear the musical talents of Edinburgh primary school children on display in the setting of the Usher Hall.

“Music has a unique ability to unite and inspire, and it was fantastic to see the way that pupils from across our schools joined together to in a fun and inclusive way.

“I want to thank our Instrumental Music Service teachers and school staff who made this event possible, and congratulate our young musicians on a brilliantperformance.

Stephen Deazley, Love Music Artistic Director said: “Creating space and opportunity for joyful communal singing is so important for our young people and school communities.

“Nothing lifts your spirit like it, which is why we were delighted to be invited to work alongside amazing musicians from Edinburgh’s instrumental Music Service to bring this ambitious project to the Usher Hall.”

Remember, remember …

FIREWORK CONTROL ZONES

Is your community being considered for a Firework Control Zone in November?

Streets in Balerno, Calton Hill, Corstorphine, Gracemount, Longstone, Moredun, Niddrie, Seafield and Sighthill have been nominated.

We’d like to hear your views at http://edinburgh.gov.uk/firework-control-zones…

Family Support: Parenting Courses

SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES – PARENTING COURSES

Would you like to encourage more positive behaviour and strengthen the relationship you have with your child?

Are you looking to support your child to become more independent and confident?

Do you sometimes find it difficult to set boundaries with your teenager?

Is it tricky sometimes for everyone to stay calm?

Why not try one of our free Parenting Courses?

Visit the Parenting courses and Support page on the Support for Families webpages:

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/support…/parenting-support

Check out the other Support for Families webpages for lots of other supports and activities provided by different organisations throughout the year:

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/supportforfamilies

For supporting children and young people with Mental Health and wellbeing, visit the Wellbeing webpages.

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/wellbeing

If you need any help finding support for you or your child, please email:

supportingparentsandcarers@edinburgh.gov.uk

#SupportForFamilies

#Parentingcourses2025

Community-based charities invited to apply to £275,000 fund

Small Edinburgh charities struggling with rising costs and loss of income are being encouraged to apply to the council for emergency support.

Brought forward by councillors as part of an urgent package of support for the city’s third sector, the £275,000 funding pot aims to support local organisations working to prevent and tackle poverty across Edinburgh. 

Small and medium-sized charities based in the city will be able to apply for Phase two of the council’s Third Sector Resilience Fund until applications close at 1pm on Friday 4 July. Grants of up to £10,000 will be made available to support charities between September and March.

Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “With funding becoming ever scarcer and more people struggling with the cost of living, we can see that many local charities are in a difficult position. We need to find a better way forward for this sector that brings so much good, and our latest funding package is part of the urgent support we’re putting in place.

“Many of the city’s small, local charities are helping those with the greatest need and I urge them to apply quickly.

“Meanwhile, we’ve asked the Edinburgh Partnership to conduct a review of how it supports and works with third sector organisations across the city, to ultimately to find long-term solutions for funding for the sector in future years.”

An information event for interested charities will be held by EVOC at 1pm on 24 June on how to apply for the fund.

An online consultation is also available to take part in, seeking ideas for making collaboration between Edinburgh’s public and third sectors simpler and more stable. 

Please share your views on our Consultation Hub. 

Resilence Fund support for city’s small third sector organisations

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: FRIDAY 4 JULY 1pm

Phase 2 of the City of Edinburgh Council Resilience Fund aims to provide short-term support to small and medium third sector organisations in Edinburgh that work to end poverty.

Grants: Up to £10,000

Deadline: Fri 4 Jul, 1pm

Phase 2 aims to provide short-term support to small and medium third sector organisations in Edinburgh that work to end poverty. The fund helps organisations facing financial difficulties maintain their services and financial stability during 2025/26.

Eligibility criteria 

To be eligible for this funding organisations must

  • deliver activities which address or prevent poverty and which align with the city’s End Poverty in Edinburgh framework (further details about this can be found in the fund specification)
  • be headquartered in Edinburgh
  • have registered charitable status or be a non-profit distributing organisation
  • have a gross annual income of less than £500k
  • be experiencing financial challenges, for example
    • an unexpected drop in grant funding or other income
    • an unexpected increase in running or delivery costs, or
    • an unexpected increase in service demand
  • not be in receipt of funding from the Council through Phase 1 of the Third Sector Resilience Fund or the Income Maximisation Grant Programme.

Organisations can apply for up to £10,000 from this phase of funding. Funding can be used to support core costs or to maintain service delivery where this is at risk from the loss of expected grant funding, increased costs or unexpected increases in demand.

You will find detailed information in the Third Sector Resilience Fund Specification and a summary in our Frequently Asked Questions.

How to apply

To apply, please complete our online form.

Before submitting your application, you will need to confirm that you have read

Please attach a copy of your most recent years Annual Accounts via email to policyandinsight@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Applications close at 1pm on the 4th of July 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact policyandinsight@edinburgh.gov.uk

Ratho nursery pupils enjoy Julia Donaldson adventure

Ratho primary and nursery pupils were treated to a special reading from Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated Axel Scheffler at Ratho Library on Wednesday (11 June).

The children were also each gifted a copy of the classic story, which has inspired a special artwork inside the new Ratho Library. This was unveiled when the library opened its doors in March.

A quote from the book was chosen by the local community in 2023, when a public vote was held to select words for the artwork from a range of beloved children’s books. The winning quote is now displayed above the children’s library section, alongside illustrations of Rowena frog and other characters from the book.

Each child who attends the early years centre adjacent to the new library was given a copy of Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book by publishers Macmillan Children’s Books to celebrate its opening.

Culture and Communities Convener Councillor Margaret Graham said: “It’s wonderful to see some of our youngest library-goers enjoying the new space at Ratho, and even better, their very own copies of Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book!

“I recently visited the library and was really impressed with all that’s on offer, including this striking artwork, which clearly has the community at its heart. Their involvement, along with our dedicated team at the library and Macmillan Children’s Books, has helped to create a design which will inspire young minds for years to come.

“Thanks to Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler and Macmillan for their support throughout this process, including the gift of these books to our local nursery pupils, which I know will be well-loved.”

Julia Donaldson said: “I have long campaigned on the valuable role that public libraries play in communities and in developing a love of books, and I am very pleased that there is now this new library in Ratho.

“I want to thank everyone who voted to see ‘Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book’ featured on the walls in the children’s area and I hope this joyful space introduces a new generation of readers to stories they will treasure for life.”

Axel Scheffler said: “It is an honour to know that ‘Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book’ was chosen by the local community in Ratho to feature in their new library.

“I would like to thank them all and also the librarian team who have worked so hard to make this happen. I am so pleased that Rowena frog and Charlie will welcome young readers into the children’s area and I hope they will inspire families to discover great new books together.”

On Wednesday, pupil librarians from Ratho Primary School helped publishers Macmillan Children’s Books to gift a copy of the book to a small group of nursery children to then take back to share with the other children at the nursery.

Ratho Library offers a broad range of services to customers, including access to a wide variety of digital and printed books, free public access to computers, free public Wi-Fi, collection of NHS hearing Aid batteries, support with National Entitlement Cards alongside an exciting programme of events and activities for children and adults.

The library will host Tech Donation Boxes later in the year where everyday tech devices can be upcycled.

City Council: Taking big steps towards solving housing emergency

Councillor Mandy Watt, Depute Leader and Finance and Resources Convener, writes:

As Edinburgh continues to grow, one of the most pressing issues we face is the shortage of affordable housing.

We’ve seen demand for homes increase year after year, but at the same time housing costs keep rising. The city’s supply of social housing and the grant funding we receive from the Scottish Government to build new homes just hasn’t kept pace with demand.

We’re working to tackle this housing emergency by both building homes and buying them. With around 5,500 households in temporary accommodation every night because of homelessness, we’ve set a target to significantly improve housing and to source homes quickly, within the means that we have.

Edinburgh continues to be the lowest funded local authority in Scotland per head of population, and currently has fewer council-owned homes, so we need to do things differently from other councils.

In the same way that homebuyers need a mortgage, borrowing has become a vital and standard part of our financial planning when we buy or build homes. It’s the most straightforward way to overcome the shortfall in our grant funding.

At the same time, we’re also continuing to make considerable investment in net zero energy improvements to existing council homes and retrofitting buildings because we need them to be more sustainable and in good condition. This too is supported by capital borrowing.

While our debt levels remain prudent, and in line with our income and spend, our financial planning in this area is enabling us to fund the regeneration the city needs. We’re using this approach to build and extend schools for the next generation, restore important structures like the North Bridge and create new communities, like the Granton Waterfront.

We’ve also taken a big step this week towards finding a solution for the existing community on Dreghorn Estate, and it’s an excellent example of the power of well-managed borrowing.

At a special meeting of our Finance and Resources Committee on Monday, we agreed in principle to purchase 38 homes from the Ministry of Defence for £6.65 million, using a mix of funding from the Scottish Government housing grant together with long-term loans. Rental income, over the life of the properties, will cover the borrowing costs.

If agreed at Full Council, this purchase will secure the futures of families already living on the estate, and it will also provide us with an already thriving community for other council tenants to move into.

This is a huge step towards a positive outcome – a fantastic example of doing things differently to make sure we address our housing emergency – and I know residents are very grateful that this proposal has had so much support from councillors.

This article first appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News on 11 June 2025

Sir Geoff Palmer OBE KT

With a heavy heart, we share the sad news of the passing of our dear honorary patron and ELREC’s longest serving member, Professor Sir Geoff Palmer, OBE KT.

A man of immense wisdom, dignity, and unwavering integrity, Sir Geoff’s life was a powerful testament to resilience, courage and a commitment to justice.

His contributions to science, education, and the ongoing fight for racial equality have left an indelible mark on the world.

Beyond his remarkable achievements, Sir Geoff will be remembered for his humility, kindness, and the way he inspired generations to think critically and act compassionately. His voice was one of clarity in challenging times, and his legacy will continue to guide and uplift us.

Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched. May he rest in peace, and may we honor his memory by continuing the work he so passionately championed.

Gone, but will never be forgotten ❤️

ELREC (Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council)

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said: “I was deeply saddened to learn of Sir Geoff Palmer’s passing. A tireless advocate for equality and a pioneering academic, Sir Geoff was a true inspiration and will leave a lasting impression on Edinburgh.

“In 2022 I was honoured to present Sir Geoff with the Edinburgh Award in recognition of his academic achievements and his passionate defence of human rights and justice in the city and beyond.

His handprints remain immortalised alongside those of other Edinburgh Award recipients and will give passers-by pause to reflect on the huge impact he had here.

“In chairing the Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Sir Geoff made a vital contribution to recognising and profiling the Capital’s links with Slavery and Colonialism in the public realm.

“I know Sir Geoff’s legacy in academia and activism will live on for years to come, inspiring future generations. He will be dearly missed – my thoughts are with his friends, family and all those who knew him.”