city council – Page 34 – The NEN

HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II HAS DIED

A STATEMENT from BUCKINGHAM PALACE:

The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.

A statement has been issued by the Royal Family on behalf of Charles III, the new King:

“The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.

“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.

“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth and by countless people around the world.

“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held.”

Prime Minister Liz Truss paid the following tribute:

We are all devastated by the news we have just heard from Balmoral. The death of Her Majesty The Queen is a huge shock to the nation and to the world.

Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built.

Our country has grown and flourished under her reign.

Britain is the great country it is today because of her.

She ascended the throne just after the Second World War.

She championed the development of the Commonwealth – from a small group of seven countries to a family of 56 nations spanning every continent of the world.

We are now a modern, thriving, dynamic nation.

Through thick and thin, Queen Elizabeth II provided us with the stability and the strength that we needed.

She was the very spirit of Great Britain – and that spirit will endure.

She has been our longest-ever reigning monarch.

It is an extraordinary achievement to have presided with such dignity and grace for 70 years.

Her life of service stretched beyond most of our living memories.

In return, she was loved and admired by the people in the United Kingdom and all around the world.

She has been a personal inspiration to me and to many Britons. Her devotion to duty is an example to us all.

Earlier this week, at 96, she remained determined to carry out her duties as she appointed me as her 15th Prime Minister.

Throughout her life she has visited more than 100 countries and she has touched the lives of millions around the world.

In the difficult days ahead, we will come together with our friends…

….across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the world…

…to celebrate her extraordinary lifetime of service.

It is a day of great loss, but Queen Elizabeth II leaves a great legacy.

Today the Crown passes – as it is has done for more than a thousand years – to our new monarch, our new head of state: His Majesty King Charles III.

With the King’s family, we mourn the loss of his mother.

And as we mourn, we must come together as a people to support him.

To help him bear the awesome responsibility that he now carries for us all.

We offer him our loyalty and devotion just as his mother devoted so much to so many for so long.

And with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country, – exactly as Her Majesty would have wished – by saying the words … God save the King.

Flags are flying at half-mast on all Scottish Government buildings, and on behalf of the people of Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has sent a message of condolence to the new King and other members of the Royal Family.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Her Majesty The Queen gave decades of her life in service and has died today here in Scotland as our longest-serving monarch.

“Our condolences are with The King, The Queen Consort and the wider Royal Family. Millions around the world will share their grief but only they will feel the loss of a mother and grandmother.

“The Queen was unflinching in her dedication to duty, unwavering in her commitment to public service and unmatched in her devotion to the people of this country and the wider Commonwealth.

“We are all saddened by today’s news and will come together in the days ahead to mourn. But it is right and proper that we celebrate the unparalleled contribution she made in her 70 years as Sovereign.

“The Queen came to the throne following the Second World War, reigned through decades of social change and lived to be the monarch who opened our Scottish Parliament in the age of devolution.

“Largely through her belief in the value of diverse nations coming together to celebrate humanity, The Queen played a leading role in creating the modern Commonwealth – 53 countries across six continents working together.

“Scotland was special to her and she was special to Scotland. Throughout her life, she had a particular fondness for Aberdeenshire and her home there at Balmoral, where she spent her final days.

“But her contribution to Scottish public life extended throughout our country and abroad and was deeply felt by thousands.

“In the coming days there will be ample opportunity for people to pay their respects by attending events across the country.

“Today is a day for reflection and remembrance. It is also a day for giving thanks to The Queen for her devotion to duty and the decades of public service she gave to the people of Scotland.”

The royal household’s representative in Edinburgh, the Lord Lieutenant Robert Aldridge, has led Edinburgh’s tributes to the Queen following the news of her death from Buckingham Palace today.

The Lord Provost said: “Throughout HM the Queen’s extraordinary reign, she showed great appreciation for her ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland. During her countless visits to Edinburgh, she reached out to our charities, veterans, serving personnel, hospitals and children and won a very special place in the hearts of Scottish people.

“Over her seven-decade reign, she has shown unwavering and inspirational dedication to the nation and I pay tribute to her years of service. I’m sure her legacy will be special and longstanding.

“I had the pleasure of meeting her in June at our historic Ceremony of the Keys and it has been my privilege and honour to be her personal representative in Edinburgh. To many she is the nation’s mother and grandmother and it is with great sadness that I convey, on behalf of the Scottish capital, our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to all the members of the royal family at this very sad time.

“Queen Elizabeth II, born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in London on April 21 1926, ascended to the throne in 1952.

“She became the longest-reigning British monarch in history when she opened the Borders Railway line 9 September 2015, where she was greeted and congratulated by (then) Lord Provost, Donald Wilson.

“On that day in an address to the people of Scotland, the Queen said: “Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones; my own is no exception. But I thank you all and the many others at home and overseas, for your touching messages of great kindness.”

LOCAL MSP Alec Cole-Hamilton said: “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has been a bedrock of and grace in the life of our nation. Her constancy and devotion to the people of these islands have carried us through many dark times.

“I share the sentiment of grief and the profound sense of gratitude felt by so many tonight”.

LABOUR Party leader Sir Keor Starmer said: “Today we mourn the passing of a remarkable sovereign. It is a deep private loss for the Royal Family and our first thoughts are with them at this time. The nation shares in their grief.

Queen Elizabeth II created a special, personal relationship with us all. A relationship based on service and devotion to her country. Nobody under the age of 70 has known anything other than Queen Elizabeth II on the throne. For the vast majority of us, the late Queen has been simply the Queen. The only Queen. Above all else, our Queen.

As we mourn her loss, we should also treasure her life. Our longest-serving and greatest ever monarch. Above the clashes of politics, she stood not for what the nation fought over but what it agreed upon. In crisis, she reassured us. Reminding us that we are all part of something that stretches back through time. A symbol of the best of us. I saw it for myself when I led the Crown Prosecution Service.

Every time I had the privilege to meet the late Queen, she would ask the most searching questions because she wanted to understand the lives and struggles of her people. And as Britain changed rapidly around her, this dedication became the still point of our turning world. An example that taught us that whatever the challenges we face, the value of service always endures.

And the obvious love the late Queen displayed for Britain, the British people gave back in return. That is why there is such an outpouring of grief across the nation today. As there is across the Commonwealth to which the late Queen was so devoted.

Around the world, people are united in mourning. And united in celebrating her life. This togetherness is a reminder of what she achieved. A reminder of our shared values. Values which I know will be upheld by her beloved son, Charles, our new King.

So as our great Elizabethan era comes to an end, we will honour the late Queen’s memory by keeping alive the values of public service she embodied.

For seventy years, Elizabeth II stood as the head of our country. But, in spirit, she stood amongst us.

Education Convener: Digital access is ‘vital’ to aiding children’s learning

EDUCATION convener Councillor JOAN GRIFFITHS was joined by council leader Cammy Day on a visit to Craigroyston Community High School this week.

The policians met Head Teacher Shelley McLaren and S3 pupils who were receiving new tablet devices to aid their studies as part of the council’s Empowered Learning programme.

Every school pupil from P6 to S6 in the capital will receive their own digital device as part of an ambitious and inclusive education strategy, Edinburgh Learns for Life.

The 1:1 roll out, being carried out in partnership with the city council’s ICT services provider CGI, started last September thanks to a £17.6m boost to learning and teaching. In addition to the personal distribution additional iPads will be also be issued to P1 to P5 year groups on an agreed ratio.

Councillor Griffiths said: “I am hugely proud that our ambitious Empowered Learning programme will provide every school pupil from P6 to S6 in Scotland’s Capital with their own digital device.

“The 1:1 roll-out, being carried out in partnership with our ICT services provider CGI, started in schools across the city at the start of the year and is due to be completed in December.

“It will result in 41,000 iPads being given to pupils and teaching staff as we look to provide equality of access to digital devices and raise attainment. And it’s not just our P6 to S6 pupils who will benefit.

“In addition to their personal devices we’re providing iPads to P1 to P5 year groups on an agreed ratio and over a 1,000 across our early years settings. There will be devices for all teaching staff and we have 1,150 to cover rising rolls for the school year. So far 17,000 iPads have been delivered and the roll out completed in 76 schools.

“The next major phase of the roll out has now started with devices being distributed to our high schools. Yesterday during my visit to Craigroyston High School I saw first-hand the real impact of the scheme on pupils as they were given their own devices that will accompany them on their learning journey through school.

“The vital need for digital access to learning was never more starkly illustrated than during the pandemic when remote learning and teaching became the norm. Some pupils struggled as they didn’t have their own devices and this highlighted the importance of making sure all our pupils have the digital means to learn on a level playing field.

“The Empowered Learning programme, funded by a £17.6m investment by the Council, demonstrates this commitment and Edinburgh is pioneering the use of technology in education for teachers and pupils alike.

“But it’s not just about handing out new iPads. We have to make sure the infrastructure and training is there to support everyone. As part of the programme there will also be enhanced wi-fi coverage for all our schools and early years settings, improved collaboration and classroom management tools such as Apple Classroom. So far cabling and wireless access point installations have been completed at 106 settings.

“Also the benefits of the programme go far wider than just pupils and teaching staff having their own device. It leads to personalising learning, improving teacher feedback, preparing students for future working, collaborative on and off-line working and, crucially supporting all our efforts to raise attainment.

“I am also delighted that funding for 4 years of this programme has been agreed as part of the Council’s 2021-26 Revenue Budget Settlement.

“I firmly believe this project shows our commitment to providing our children and young people with every opportunity to succeed in their education and provide them with the skills required for their future career paths.”

Key elements of the Empowered Learning programme, which will see a phased roll out of all the devices completed by the end of 2022, include: 27,000 new iPads being issued to pupils/staff, refreshed iPads for up to 12,000 pupils/staff and expanding the wireless connectivity in schools by providing wireless access points and a comprehensive programme of professional learning for teachers.

Benefits for young people include:

Fair and equal access from P6 to S6, ensuring all pupils have personal access to digital learning with their teacher in school or at home
Effective digital workflow to increase engagement, improve teacher feedback and raise attainment
A range of innovative accessibility features to improve access to the curriculum for pupils with additional support needs
Pupils can work online simultaneously in a class or collaboratively outside the classroom
High quality digital applications for productivity and creativity, providing more ways to personalise and choose how they learn
Development of learning, thinking and digital literacy skills vital for success in today’s rapidly evolving, technological society

Sir Geoff Palmer to receive the Edinburgh Award 2022

Sir Geoff Palmer, Professor Emeritus and Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, has been selected to receive the Edinburgh Award 2022.

In recognition of his ground-breaking contributions to academia, and his indefatigable defence of human rights in Edinburgh and beyond, Sir Geoff Palmer will be presented with an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost and have his handprints set in stone at the City Chambers later this year.

Sir Geoff has a long association with the city of Edinburgh, he first arrived in the Capital in 1964 to pursue a PhD in Grain Science and Technology jointly with the then Heriot-Watt College and the University of Edinburgh. Upon completion of his doctorate in 1967 he began working at the Brewing Research Foundation where he developed the industrial process of Barley Abrasion and pioneered the use of the Scanning Electron Microscope to study cereal grains.

In 1977, he returned to Heriot-Watt University as a staff member and gained a DSc degree for his research work in 1985. In 1989 he became the first black professor in Scotland and remained in Edinburgh until his retirement in 2005. In 2021 he was appointed Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University.

Sir Geoff was knighted in the 2014 New Year’s Honours for services to human rights, science, and charity. In 2018, he was appointed Jamaica’s first Honorary Consul in Scotland and is the 2020 recipient of the Jamaican national honour, the Order of Distinction (Commander Class).

Between December 2020 and June 2022, Sir Geoff chaired the independent Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group whose work has been vital in profiling the Capital’s historic links with Slavery and Colonialism in the public realm. The findings and recommendations of the Group were endorsed unanimously by councillors on 30 August and the actions they suggest will form the basis of the Council’s continued response to these key issues.

Sir Geoff will become the 16th recipient of the coveted Edinburgh Award and will join the esteemed company of previous recipients who have all contributed in their own unique way to the Capital.

The Lord Provost, Councillor Robert Aldridge, said: “It is my absolute pleasure to announce Sir Geoff Palmer as the recipient of the Edinburgh Award 2022. In a career spanning over fifty years, he has made an indelible mark on the life sciences and is a shining example to the world of Edinburgh’s academic prowess, force, and rigour.

“Alongside his academic achievements Sir Geoff has been instrumental in examining Edinburgh’s past and helping us collectively move forward as a city. As chair of the Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group he has conducted himself with absolute distinction and provided a firm foundation for Edinburgh’s future as a modern, conscious, and considerate capital city.

“The Edinburgh Award, nominated by the public, identifies individuals that have made an extraordinary impact on our capital city. Sir Geoff has contributed substantially to the betterment of this great city, and I am confident that his legacy both in academia and activism will live on for many years to come.”

Sir Geoff Palmer, Professor Emeritus and Chancellor of Heriot Watt University, said: “This award is more than a great honour; it is a recognition of all the people whose goodness has contributed to my life and work.

“I arrived in Edinburgh as a research student in 1964 and I thank the City of Edinburgh Council for all it has done for the community.”

Holyrood: Rent freeze is focus of Programme for Government

Ministers act to protect Scots facing cost of living crisis

A combined rent freeze and moratorium on evictions to help people through the cost crisis has been announced as the centrepiece of the 2022-23 Programme for Government (PfG).

The programme outlines emergency legislation which will be introduced to put in place a rent freeze until at least 31 March 2023 and a moratorium on evictions, as well as a new tenants’ rights campaign. In addition a ‘one-stop-shop’ website will be introduced to provide people with information on the range of benefits and support available to help them through the current cost of living crisis.

With £3 billion allocated to the end of March for a range of support that will help mitigate the impact of the cost crisis on households, the PfG also confirms the Scottish Child Payment will increase to £25 per week per eligible child from 14 November when it also opens to all under 16s.

In addition, the programme includes the roll out of free school meals across all primary school age groups, doubles the Fuel Insecurity Fund to £20 million to help households at risk of self-disconnection or self-rationing of energy, confirms rail fares will be frozen until March 2023 and widens the Warmer Homes Fuel Poverty Programme.

For businesses – in addition to an existing package of financial aid worth over £800 million – six ground-breaking ‘tech scalers’ will be opened, two job-boosting Greenports progressed and the National Strategy for Economic Transformation focussing on economy supporting measures continued.

In total, the PfG sets out 18 new Bills including legislation on an independence referendum and major reforms in the justice system, including a Criminal Justice Reform Bill that will propose the end of the Not Proven verdict in Scots Law and provide anonymity for complainers in sexual offence cases. A Bill for the creation of the new National Care Service will also go through parliament this year.

The programme also builds on long-term commitments made in the Bute House Agreement and restates Ministers’ commitment to the importance of delivering on Scotland’s climate ambitions. These range from a consultation on legislation to transform how buildings are heated to continuing record investment in active travel.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This Programme for Government is published in the context of the most severe cost crisis in many of our lifetimes. It is a crisis pushing millions into poverty and poses a genuine danger, not just to livelihoods, but to lives.

“The Scottish Government is already committed to a range of measures, worth almost £3 billion this year, that will help with rising costs. But the magnitude of what is being experienced by people and businesses means that mitigation is nowhere near sufficient. What is needed now is action on a scale similar to the initial Covid response.

“Regrettably, the powers to act in the manner and on the scale needed do not lie with this Parliament. In my view, they should lie here. If they did, we could have acted already. But they don’t. These powers are reserved to Westminster.

“The cost crisis means this Programme for Government is more focussed than ever before – deliberately so – with priority actions to provide help now.

“To that end we will provide more help for people who may be at risk of self-rationing or even self-disconnection from their energy supply and we will double the Fuel Insecurity Fund to £20 million this year.

“We will also propose emergency legislation to put in place a rent freeze until at least March and a moratorium on evictions.

“Given the powers to act in the manner and on the scale needed do not lie with this Parliament, this Programme for Government also provides for a Scottish Independence Referendum Bill.

“Independence would give us – like it does other independent countries – the levers we desperately need to respond to a crisis such as this. That’s the prize we surely must grasp.”

Commenting on the Scottish Programme for Government, Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance said: “The First Minister outlined many important measures today. The increase in the value and availability of the Scottish Child Payment will help thousands of households with rising living costs. Rent freezes will help tenants across the country.

“But we could do more. The First Minister said that it is not a lack of political will that prevents us from further action to help people with this cost crisis – it is a lack of money. So, the upcoming emergency budget review must focus on getting additional cash into the pockets of people on low incomes.

“One way we can raise money in Scotland, is through devolved taxes. Previous changes to the Scottish Income Tax have raised hundreds of millions of pounds for public services. We can go further. There are also opportunities to reform local council taxes, to make them fairer and raise much-needed revenue for overstretched services in our communities. There was no mention of any new wealth taxes in this programme for government.

“The First Minister talked about creating a culture of solidarity in Scotland. People in Scotland already believe in holding out a hand to others when we need help. We can use our tax system to support each other in this time of crisis, and reflect the values of compassion and justice that we all share.”

Commenting on the Scottish Programme for Government, Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Mary Church said: “There is a welcome recognition in the Programme for Government that the cost of living crisis and the climate emergency are interconnected but the action to mitigate their impacts and tackle their root causes falls far short of what is needed.

“One year on from COP26 in Glasgow, the Scottish Government’s fine rhetoric has not turned into the transformative action needed to drive change across transport, housing and energy.

“The Scottish Government must use its forthcoming energy strategy to spell out how it will secure a rapid and fair transition away from the fossil fuels which are driving both crises within the next decade. By transforming our energy system to run on reliable, affordable renewable energy we can future proof our lives against further damage from volatile fossil fuels.

“The energy strategy must focus on demand reduction, energy efficiency and renewables, which can deliver decent green jobs in Scotland instead of fantasy techno-fixes like hydrogen and carbon capture. The Scottish Government has admitted that these speculative negative emission technologies won’t be able to deliver this decade so it’s hard to see why it continues to throw time and resources at the fossil fuel industry’s pipe dreams.

TRAIN FARE FREEZE

“The freeze on ScotRail fares demonstrates how public ownership can keep fares from getting even higher, benefiting passengers and helping support the necessary shift away from cars. While the fare freeze is welcome, the Scottish Government should be going further and actually reducing fares to help more people leave the car behind.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

“We saw the same promise to introduce a Circular Economy Bill 12 months ago, it must be delivered this time. Consumption targets to reduce both Scotland’s carbon footprint and material footprints need to be at the heart of the Circular Economy Bill to create real change.

HUMAN RIGHTS BILL

“It’s disappointing that the Human Rights Bill that would enshrine the right to a healthy and safe environment in Scots Law has been kicked into the long grass. This is a vital piece of legal protection for people and nature that should not be delayed any further nor cannot it be allowed to become a political football in the constitutional debate.”

City council Leader Cammy Day has welcomed yesterday’s announcement by the Scottish Government that it intends to introduce a bill to give councils the powers to introduce a visitor levy.

The bill, which is expected to be laid before parliament early next year, forms of the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government for 2022/23, as set out by the First Minister in Holyrood this afternoon.

The council has long campaigned for the powers to introduce a levy – which would see overnight visitors pay a small additional charge on their accommodation – and has produced a substantial body of work to back its case.

This included a detailed consultation conducted by Edinburgh’s SNP-Labour ‘Capital Coalition’ in 2018, which saw 85% of the 2,500 respondents expressing strong support for its introduction. This figure included a majority of Edinburgh-based businesses and accommodation providers.

It was estimated then that a levy in Edinburgh could raise in the region of £15m per year to invest in sustainable tourism and managing the impact of tourism on the city.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “This is fantastic news for the city, and a landmark step following years of work here in the Capital to make the case for a visitor levy – something that’s common practice in other major cities and destinations across the world.

“We’re very proud to be one of the world’s most popular visitor destinations, but we’re equally aware that this success comes at a cost. That’s why we believe it’s right to ask visitors to make a small contribution to help us sustain and improve our tourism offer while managing its impact.

“We’ve been building the case for Edinburgh to become the first city in the UK to introduce such a levy, consistently and repeatedly making the case to Scottish Ministers without success – until now. From our citywide consultation held in 2018, our proposals gained overwhelming backing from Edinburgh’s residents, businesses and attractions – and, importantly, also from the majority of accommodation providers.

“Ultimately the income this generates will help us continue to invest in and manage the success of tourism on our city, making sure we continue to offer one of the most enviable and enjoyable visitor experiences in the world – while bringing new and additional benefits to our residents who live and work here all year round.

“We acknowledge, of course, that this has been an extremely challenging period for our culture and hospitality industries and are fully committed to working together with them, the wider tourism industry and other partners to co-produce a scheme that works best for the whole of our Capital city.

“I’ll be pushing the Scottish Government hard to ensure that any income generated is in addition to our block grant funding – not instead of it – and that we’re in a position to benefit from this as soon as possible.”

Adult Education Course: Barbering

Barbering Adult Education Course

Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh EH1

Everyone welcome.

An Introduction to Barbering.

This is an introductory 5 week course for people keen to learn the basics of using clippers, simple cutting techniques and handling scissor & clipper equipment safely & confidently.

Professional Barber Tutor led live demonstration. Discussion, guidance and individual support as required in a relaxed inclusive environment. Students will have access to Clippers, scissors and a trainee model head to practice cutting on.

Wednesdays from 10-12pm OR from 7-9pm

Great and unique opportunity to learn a really useful life skill with a friendly, professional tutor – follow up courses starting from November.

These 5 week courses start from Wednesday 28^th September.

Enrolling now on www.joininedinburgh.org or ring 0131 556 7978 or 0131 469 3003

Standard fees £63.50 – Senior / student fees £41.75 – Benefits fees £17.25

Craigmillar’s Walk-Up Avenue project welcomes first visitors

An innovative new outdoor space for people to meet and spend time has opened to the public in Craigmillar.

The newly named Walk-Up Avenue project has transformed a previously unused site in the heart of Craigmillar into a multi-purpose place that can be enjoyed by local people and visitors alike.

Visitors have had a first taste of the new space, which was used as a venue for this year’s Craigmillar and Niddrie Community Festival. It is linked to the existing play park via a sculptural entranceway. It provides a new commercial unit set within a wider green space – designed as a raingarden to support biodiversity – alongside outdoor seating, informal play and an events space with a stage pavilion.

The site was developed with the intention of providing a new outdoor space for people to meet and spend time, supporting small businesses and increasing footfall to this local centre.

The project has been delivered by the City of Edinburgh Council with support from the Town Centres Fund, Place Based Investment Programme, Scotland Loves Local, Nature Restoration Fund and Cycling Friendly & Social Housing Fund.

The Council owns the site and will oversee the management of future occupation and maintenance.

Walk-Up Avenue aims to support the wider regeneration investment in the Craigmillar area, and will contribute to Edinburgh’s 20-minute neighbourhood strategy for people across the city to live well locally with amenities available within a short walk, wheel or cycle from their homes.

The 20-minute neighbourhood approach is being developed with a focus on quality natural spaces for recreation and social activities that support physical and mental wellbeing for everyone, and places with their own identity and purpose, where everyone feels part of their local community.

Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener said: “Walk-Up Avenue presents a clear vision for the future of outdoor recreation and social spaces in Edinburgh.

“Linked to our 194-home Craigmillar Town Centre development, the site is a prime example of our 20-minute neighbourhood approach in action. It’s not just about building homes, it’s about creating communities that help to end poverty and isolation in Edinburgh.

“Craigmillar is also an important trial in our work to support projects that bring local food growing back into everyday spaces and improve green spaces in local areas. This is vital for creating more opportunities for people across the city to have better access to nature and open space, such as play parks and places to exercise or meet friends, which can support physical and mental wellbeing for everyone.”

Fencing for Wellbeing

Adult Education course starts Tuesday 27^th

Bring yourself and comfy clothes. All kit will be provided. Everyone is welcome, whether keen to learn simple fencing rules, or just to exercise and stretch out after too much sitting at a computer or watching TV or even just to get out and meet people. You do not need to be fit to attend the class.

Fencing for Wellbeing sessions are here to give you time and space to look after yourself with structured exercises to work out desk aches and pains and use some mindfulness to help you reduce stress.

There will also be free online access to video guides for all the exercises in the sessions, along with cool down and injury prevention exercises you can do at home. We are inclusive for people of any ability level and will adapt sessions and exercise to be fun and challenging for everyone.

Choose a course near you:

Ratho Community Centre Tuesday mornings 10.30-12.30pm

Brunstane Primary School Thursday evenings 6.30-8.30pm

Queensferry Rosebery Hall Friday afternoons 2.30-4.30pm

These 10 week courses start from Tuesday 27^th September

Enrolling now on www.joininedinburgh.org

Or ring 0131 556 7978 or 0131 469 3003

Standard fees £87.00 – Senior / student fees £43.50 – Benefits fees £17.20

MORE ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES

Victory! Strikes on hold as union members consider improved offer

GMB Scotland, Unison and Unite trade unions have suspended next week’s strikes after receiving an improved pay offer from local government umbrella organisation Cosla.

The unions are recommending their members accept the new deal.

Responding to the revised offer for local government pay, and following a meeting of GMB Scotland’s local government committee, GMB Scotland Senior Organiser for Public Services Keir Greenaway said: “GMB has been very clear that more must be done for the lowest paid in local government and this latest offer delivers a significant amount of consolidated money for these workers, including the frontline refuse and schools’ staff that everyone depends on.

“It’s not a perfect offer but it is the view of GMB Scotland’s local government committee that it’s worthy of members consultation and their acceptance, but ultimately our members whose campaigning and strike actions have improved these terms will have the final say.

“In the meantime, we have agreed to suspend all planned strike action so this consultation process can take place and our GMB organisers and workplace reps will be visiting as many workplaces as possible to engage our members on this.

“Most importantly, we want to pay tribute to our members. Strike action is not easy, it requires sacrifice and solidarity to deliver outcomes that make work better, and they have fought long and hard for an improved offer to help confront this cost-of-living crisis.”

After days of intense negotiations with the First Minster, the Deputy First Minister, Scottish Government and COSLA. UNISON has now secured an improved offer from COSLA that they will put to their members with a recommendation to accept.

The offer consists of:
• An increase of £2000 for those earning up to £20,500
• An increase of £1925 for those earning between £20,500 to £39,000
• A 5% increase for those earning between £39,000 to £60,000
• A maximum increase of £3k for those earning above £60,000
• The removal of SSSC fees where application (social care registration fees)
• 1 extra days annual leave
• All increases based on a 36hr week calculator

Three UNISON sticking points were overcome late last night with the First Minister. The first is that the pay envelope has been increased to £600m, second that the pay increases will be fully consolidated from the date of implementation and the calculations will be based on 36-hour week (rather 37hr wk).

In March council workers were offered a paltry 2%. In July they were offered 3.5%. And now, through the strength of UNISON’s collective industrial muscle and members willingness to stand up to their employers we have now achieved a total increase to the pay bill of 7.5%, with 8 in 10 UNISON workers getting increases of between 5 – 10 %.

Johanna Baxter, UNISON head of local government said: “This offer is a victory for UNISON members. It has taken 8 months and the industrial might of UNISON members in schools and early years and waste and recycling workers to drag £600m out of Scottish government and COSLA and into the pockets hardworking people.

“COSLA originally offered 2%, then 3.5%, then 5% – we now we have £600m on the table, which is a 7.5% increase to the total pay bill and 87% of our council workers will receive fully consolidated increases between 5% to 10%.

“UNISON want to get this money into the pockets of council workers now while we continue the campaign to support people through the cost of living crisis,

“It is only through the collective action of our members in school and early years staff threatening strike action and our waste and recycling workers taking action that we have forced these extra funds out of government and the employer.

“Our member’s message was clear and unequivocal – UNISON’s local government members are no longer prepared to be treated as the poor relations of the public sector. They will stand up, speak up and organise to win change together. There is always more to do but this is a welcome step in the right direction.”

Mark Ferguson, chair of UNISON Scotland local government committee said: “Do not underestimate the scale of the achievement for UNISON members. We have won significant increases from where we started 8 month ago. We have had to drag the employer to the table to even talk to us.

“This will go someway to help them through the cost of living crisis but by no means is the fight over. UNISON will now continue its campaign to improve pay and conditions for all workers in local government.”

Unite the union can confirm that following talks involving the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, COSLA and the trade unions, a new ‘credible’ pay offer has been formally put on the table.

Unite can confirm that the substance of the new offer has led to a recommendation by its local government committee to accept.

Strikes scheduled to take place in waste and education services from 6 to 13 September are now suspended. Unite will hold a consultative ballot of its local government membership on the offer which it aims to complete by 22 September.

Unite can confirm a flat rate fully consolidated offer of £2,000 for those earning up to £20,500. This is the equivalent to an increase of around 10 – 11 per cent for the lowest paid who are estimated to be around 18 per cent of the total workforce. The offer is consolidated into overtime, allowances and pensions.

It further includes a £1,925 flat rate offer which is fully consolidated for those earning between £20,500 and up to £39,000. This is the equivalent to an increase of 8 per cent for those earning around £24,000. The offer would also be backdated to April.

Unite estimates that trade union negotiators have been able to secure around an extra £460m for local government since the dispute in waste services began in Edinburgh on 18 August.

Wendy Dunsmore, Unite’s lead negotiator for local government, welcomed the new offer, she said: “After the latest round of intensive talks a new credible offer has finally been put on the table by COSLA. Unite wants to acknowledge the First Minister’s direct involvement as a primary reason for the breakthrough.

“The offer on the table is fully consolidated and as such there will be more cash in the pot going forward for local government workers. It provides a degree of security for the lowest paid with a flat rate offer of £2000 which is an uplift worth around 10-11 per cent.

“We now have a credible offer which our local government representatives can recommend to the membership for acceptance.”

It is reported that more than half of Scotland’s 250,000 council workers are earning less than £25,000 a year for a 37-hour week.

COSLA has said it was delighted to get to a point in this year’s pay negotiations whereby a fresh pay offer has been put to the Trade Unions.

Commenting yesterday [Friday 2nd September 2022] following a meeting of Council Leaders, Councillor Katie Hagmann, COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson, said: “Firstly I would like to thank all our Trade Union colleagues for the constructive discussions.

“The revised offer made shows that Scotland’s Council Leaders have listened to the concerns of our workforce and have responded positively.

“Council Leaders have said consistently throughout these negotiations that we very much value and are grateful to the Local Government Workforce.

“We have sent letters to our union colleagues following today’s meeting and hope that this enables strike action to be suspended and allows our workforce to get back to doing what they do best, delivering high quality essential services for the people within our communities right across Scotland.”

Commenting on the new pay offer for local government workers from COSLA, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “Unions work. This offer could not have been possible without the solidarity of our collective movement. As it should be, it’s now up to the members whether to accept this proposal.

“We’re facing the gravest cost of living emergency seen for generations. When there is the political will to do so, instigated by Scotland’s workers and with the assistance of political leaders, the Scottish Government can indeed intervene to help those most in need.

“Other workers across public services will welcome this precedent as they too seek pay justice in the face of the cost-of-living crisis. We intended to make this loud and clear at our cost of living pay march outside the Scottish Parliament this Thursday, September 8th.”

The City of Edinburgh Council has updated its advice to residents following this afternoon’s announcement that industrial action is to be paused.

Strike action was due to restart in Edinburgh on Tuesday but, following the latest offer from COSLA, Unite and GMB trade unions have agreed to suspend the action while they conduct a consultative ballot of their members.

The Council has updated its recovery plan to take account of this and residents are being advised that kerbside collections (grey and green wheelie bins, plus food waste) will resume as normal from next week.

This excludes garden waste and blue box glass collections, which will restart from 13 September. As previously communicated, garden waste customers will be compensated for any missed collections resulting from strike action.

Any residents who were due a collection on Thursday 1 or Friday 2 September whose bins haven’t yet been emptied are being advised to leave them out for collection – they’ll be emptied as soon as possible.

Street cleaning teams, meanwhile, continue to make good progress with the city-wide clean-up, focusing their efforts on high-footfall areas and working closely with waste collection teams to clear excess litter around bins.

Full details of the recovery plan and the latest guidance have been published on the Council website: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/binstrike

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “Clearly, I’m pleased that next week’s strike action has been suspended while union members consider this latest offer – and I’m cautiously optimistic that they’ll follow their unions’ recommendation and accept.

“This dispute has already dragged on way too long and the Scottish Government and COSLA leadership would do well to reflect on this going forward.

“I know this will come as a relief to residents and businesses across Edinburgh who’ve had to endure a difficult few weeks for our Capital city – but I hope, like me, they’ll agree it’s been worth it to secure a fair deal for our hard working colleagues.

(NOTE – Cammy Day voted to offer those ‘hard working colleagues’ just 3.5%!)

“Our teams have put in an incredible shift since returning to work on Tuesday – collecting an eye-watering 3,500 tonnes of waste in the process and underlining their immense value to our city and its reputation.

“The clean-up will continue in the coming days and most kerbside collections will resume as normal from next Tuesday. Unfortunately, for this to happen, we do still need to divert some resources away from garden waste and glass collections, but I’m pleased they’ll be able to resume from the following week.

“I appreciate that this has been, and continues to be, an extremely challenging period for us all and I would like to thank our residents, businesses and visitors for their continued patience and understanding.”

Adult Education Film Courses

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Cinephiles – why not take advantage of National Cinema Day on 3^rd September to see a £3 film and use the savings to sign up for one of the adult education film courses to view, analyse, and learn about films with a very experienced tutor who can offer insights into directors, script writing and context to add to your awareness and enjoyment.

The courses will include viewing clips or short films and time for discussion.

Choose from:

Films of Paul Laverty & Ken Loach

At Queensferry High School Monday evenings 6.30-8.30pm

& Brunstane Primary School Thursday evenings 6.30-8.30pm

Hollywood Greats

At Queensferry Rosebery Hall Monday afternoons 3-5pm

Scotland in Film

At Craigroyston Community High School Friday afternoon 2-4pm

These 10 week courses start from Monday 26^th September

Enrolling now on www.joininedinburgh.org

Or ring 0131 556 7978 or 0131 469 3003

Standard fees £87.00 – Senior / student fees £43.50 –

Benefits of all types fees £17.25

UNITE: Bins strikes to resume Tuesday

*** UPDATE – STRIKES SUSPENDED FOLLOWING NEW PAY OFFER ***

UNITE members in Waste and Cleansing will walk out again from Tuesday 6th to Tuesday 13th September as the dispute over local government pay in Scotland continues.

Schools workers in Edinburgh are not on strike.

Unite is adamant that until COSLA obtains funding from the Scottish Government to offer a proper pay rise, action will continue with the mandates we have in waste and schools.

The First Minister held talks with both Cosla and the striking trade unions yesterday in an attempt to break the deadlock. There has been some progress and a deal is inching closer. Talks will continue today.

UPDATE: 3.30pm UNITE has suspended next week’s strike action as members consider an improved pay offer