FRIDAY 18th AUGUST from 9.15 – 11am
at PILTON COMMUNITY HEALTH PROJECT
Just drop in on Friday morning, no appointment needed.
A warm welcome, a cuppa and a listening ear with your local councillor Stuart Dobbin for anyone living in North Edinburgh looking for advice
Education, Children and Families Convener, Councillor Joan Griffiths, extends a warm welcome to all our young people, families, carers and teaching staff with the start of the new school year today:
Cllr Griffiths said: “It’s that exciting time of the school year as the first day of the new term starts after the summer holidays. For many of our young people this will be their first experience of being in one of our early years settings, Primary One or S1.
“It can be quite daunting having to settle in new surroundings but I know all our amazing staff will do everything they can to make their first day as welcoming as possible.
“I hope everyone had a fantastic summer break and was able to relax and enjoy the holidays. I want to wish everyone a lovely first day back at school and a successful and enjoyable year ahead.”
Gas engineers gathered in Granton Waterfront yesterday to re-enact a historic lunch which took place prior to the iconic Granton gasholder being put into use in 1901.
The work carried out by McLaughlin & Harvey is part of the ongoing restoration works using £16.4m from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The money is being used to restore the original 76 x 46 metre frame to look like new.
Historic records on the original lunch said that attendees were taken ‘by special train’ to a ‘special station’ built for the gasworks in Granton where more than 50 members were met by ‘the Edinburgh and Leith Gas Commissioner’.
The documents go on to describe the gasholder as ‘a works that promises to be a model of structural beauty and mechanical ingenuity’.
The station mentioned in the documents is the former Granton Station which has been completely refurbished and will be managed from this year by social enterprise charity Wasps Studios, who work across Edinburgh and Scotland, to provide affordable workspace for artists and the creative industries.
Using a further £1.2m from the Scottish Government, the Council plan to open up the area to create a new and exciting multifunctional public space within the gasholder frame as part of their wider £1.3bn regeneration project to create a new sustainable coastal town at Granton Waterfront.
Council leader Cammy Day said: “The gasholder is so much more than a giant steel structure and is steeped in local history. I’m really pleased that the industry is reenacting the original lunch in this way creating another event for the history books.
“The gasholder can be seen for miles around so I’m very excited about our plans to transform it to serve the local community and visitors with a completely different purpose as a place for people to enjoy arts, sports, leisure and culture for years to come.
“We will make sure the gasholder becomes the centrepiece of our wider £1.3bn regeneration of the area with thousands of environmentally friendly homes, well connected to the rest of city, culture and art spaces and more planned.”
McLaughlin & Harvey Contracts Manager Graham Brown said: “We were delighted to host the Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers at our Granton Gas Holder project today to mark the luncheon held on-site back in 1901.
“The gas holder has an interesting and rich history which we are delighted to be adding to the next chapter of with our restoration works.”
IGEM CEO Ollie Lancaster said: “It’s a genuine delight to have the opportunity to visit such a special gasholder in Granton, Edinburgh, which has been used for many years to keep homes warm, put hot food on the table and power businesses in the region.
“This stunning landmark has played a significant contribution to balancing local energy supply and demand since it was commissioned, shortly after the 1901 luncheon my colleagues from yesteryear enjoyed.
“The gas industry has a rich history that we should celebrate, like we are doing today, while we also work hard to secure an affordable energy system for the future and develop the role of hydrogen in the transformation of our sector.”
Levels of attainment for pupils across Edinburgh remain above those achieved before the Covid pandemic, while passes in vocational courses continue to climb, according to exam results released yesterday.
More than 9500 pupils in the Capital received their results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) on Tuesday (8 August). 2023 was the second year since 2019 that pupils sat formal exams and attainment remains high in comparison. Different assessment models were used in 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the pandemic.
Passes in National Progression Awards (NPA), vocational courses equivalent to National passes, have also increased, with 48 NPA courses leading to 941 passes at levels 4, 5 and 6. This is compared to 26 NPA courses and 296 passes in 2019.
A total of 51,941 resulted awards were certificated for 9,583 candidates (includes special schools, adults and mainstream secondary pupils) in over 85 subjects ranging from Accounting to Urdu.
National 5s saw passes (A-C grades) of 78% (up one percentage point from 2019 but down one percentage point compared to last year) and Highers saw passes of 78% (up two percentage points from 2019 though three percentage points lower than 2022).
Notable results include:
Pupil Vincent Rodziewicz, who is about to start S6 at Craigmount High School, said: “This year I got an A and a few Bs and I was quite surprised by these results, they were very positive actually – I expected to do worse in Maths.
“I don’t feel that stressed about the way exams are done though, I don’t mind being in a big hall.”
Zaneta, who is an S5 pupil at Craigmount, added: “I was really nervous, but I think my results are good – I wasn’t really expecting straight As.
“It will give me a lot of confidence going into S5 as well, because I know it’s going to be a difficult year.”
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The Covid pandemic may seem like a distant memory for some, but recent years have posed a real challenge for pupils and teaching staff in all our schools who have had to deal with the impact on learning and teaching.
“All our teachers and staff have worked extremely hard in preparing pupils for these exams, as well as parents/carers whose support is invaluable and, most of all, our young people themselves should be praised for their hard work and achievements.
“We want to make sure all school pupils are able to fulfil their potential by attaining the highest level of achievements possible and by receiving the best possible experience – every learner’s journey is unique. We look forward to building on the success of this year’s learners as they move through the senior phase and onto positive destinations.”
Additional information – analysis
Results by the end of S4
5 passes at National 5 or better – 48% (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 5 percentage points up on 2019)
Results by the end of S5*
1+ pass at Higher or better – 63% (same as 2022 but 6 percentage points up on 2019)
3+ passes at Higher or better – 44% (same as 2022 but 6 percentage points up on 2019)
5+ passes at Higher or better – 24% (same as 2022 but 4 percentage points up on 2019).
Results by the end of S6*
1+ pass at Higher or better – 69% (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 3 percentage points up on 2019)
3+ passes Higher or better – 51% (2 percentage points down on 2022 but 2 percentage points up on 2019)
5+ passes at Higher or better – 38% (2 percentage points down on 2022 but 2 percentage points up on 2019)
1+ pass at Advanced Higher – 31% (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 4 percentage points up on 2019)
*based on the percentage of S4 pupil roll.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Regulatory Committee agreed to review the Short Term Lets Policy and Conditions yesterday.
The committee also noted the outcome of the Judicial Review of the Council’s Short Term Lets (STL) Policy, and that the Council has decided not to appeal the judgement. To reflect the terms of the Court’s decision, the Council has updated its STL Licensing Policy.
Convener of Regulatory Committee, Neil Ross, said: “The Council was successful in defending large parts of the policy and the Court did not criticise any aspect of the Council’s consultation nor the evidence base which it used to reach its decision. Having reviewed the Court’s decision in detail, the Council has decided not to appeal the ruling.
“We have changed our policy to reflect the decisions reached by the court, which took effect from 13 July, and the date for applying for a licence is 1 October. Existing hosts and operators have until that date to submit an application for a licence.”
More details can be found on the Short Term Lets Licensing section on the Council website.
The council has no discretion as to which type of accommodation is covered by the requirement to obtain a licence.
Let us collect your garden waste.
You can sign up now for our fortnightly collections starting in November.
Sign up by direct debit and let us renew your permit every year – www.edinburgh.gov.uk/gardenwaste
MEETING DATES: TWO drop-in consultation sessions on Monday 7 August and Tuesday 15 August and the Teams meeting set for Thursday 17 August.**
Community Councillors are invited to ‘make initial contributions and suggestions regarding the existing Community Council scheme and boundaries and to ‘provide feedback and recommendations for any proposed changes that you believe would be beneficial’.
This invitation was discussed at the Members’ Board last Thursday. Here are some issues we think are worth your attention:
A] Community Council Boundaries
1. New community council wards:
2. Size of community council wards:
3. Boundaries:
B] Scheme for Community Councils
1. Minimum number of ‘elected community council members’ (2019 Scheme, Para 6.24):
2. Resourcing of a community council (2019 Scheme, Paras 11.9 and 11.11):
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/30693/scheme-for-community-councils
**Here are the dates, and the opportunity to put some meaningful questions to CEC.
Monday 7 August 2023
17.00-19.30
Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, EH8 8BG, Ground Floor, Room 15
Tuesday 15 August 2023
13.00-16.00
Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, EH8 8BG, Ground Floor, Room 15
Thursday 17 August 2023
17.00-19.30
Virtual meeting held via Microsoft Teams – if you would like to attend please make contact with CEC (by email to community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk) no later than 14.00 on 17 August 2023 to confirm your attendance and request the link to join the session.
The EACC website homepage is:
Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk)
_______________________________________________
Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC)
EACC Secretary; Ken Robertson
A pilot project to radically improve residents’ homes in an area with high levels of poverty has been hailed by the Housing Minister.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s three-year Mixed Tenure Improve Plan is directing £30m towards boosting the sustainability of homes and comfort of residents across the Murrayburn, Hailesland and Dumbryden estates in Wester Hailes.
Measures being installed in Wester Hailes are revolutionising the energy efficiency of these properties, resulting in warmer homes, reduced fuel bills, and significantly lower carbon emissions.
Two years in, over 900 hundred homes have been upgraded, benefitting over 670 council tenants and 230 private residents in the first eight phases of work. Phases 9 to 11 will be completed by the end of 2024.
Following a visit to a recently renovated estate at Murrayburn Park, where 84 homes have benefited from the pilot, Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “I was delighted to see first-hand the work of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Mixed Tenure Improvement Service programme, which is making homes more energy efficient so that people are able to live in good quality, warm homes.
“The Scottish Government has provided £36.9 million of funding to the City of Edinburgh Council to fund initiatives like this one in Wester Hailes. This is part of a £1.8 billion investment during this parliamentary term to transform the heat and energy efficiency of homes throughout Scotland and help people with their energy bills.
“High quality housing is a key pillar of Housing to 2040. I am delighted to see the benefits these home improvements will have for residents in Edinburgh.”
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: What a transformation and a shining example of the work our officers are doing to make hundreds of homes warmer, greener and better inside and out. It just goes to show what we can jointly achieve when we have the funding we so desperately need.
“It has been fantastic to see the effect this ground-breaking initiative is having. The work we’ve put in to this pilot is clearly welcomed by local residents, including many of our own tenants, and will have a lasting impact on the community.
“Edinburgh is quite unique in the amount of shared housing we have, with many blocks and estates benefitting from a mix of privately owned homes, rented properties and social housing. This project has already increased the lifespan of many of these buildings so that everyone living here now and in the future benefits.”
Residents of the housing estates which have already benefitted from the pilot have reported experiencing warmer, more comfortable homes and a noticeable decrease in their energy bills.
One local tenant said: “The neighbourhood feels refreshed and brighter, and homes feel warmer.
Another resident laughed, telling us that his daughter gave him a row for having his heating on, when he didn’t. He felt that the works have improved the heat in his home noticeably.
One tenant told us that she did not switch on her heating at all last winter, saying she thought she had saved about 80% off her heating bills.
One key initiative has involved installing cutting-edge insulation technologies. The Council has successfully minimised heat loss from homes, helping them to remain warm and comfortable during colder months.
Other upgrades include new roofs, new common windows, new main doors and door entry systems and decoration of common stairs.
Edinburgh is hosting the UCI World Cycling Championships 2023 Men’s Elite Road Race tomorrow morning – Sunday 6 August 2023.
We will have temporary restrictions on
along the route, which spans from Holyrood Park to the Queensferry Bridge.
We may need to adjust these timings depending on the event timings.
These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 3pm on 6 August:
These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 1:45pm on 6 August:
These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 11:15am on 6 August:
These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 12 noon on 6 August:
The following roads will be closed from 8:00am to 9:45am on 6 August:
The following roads will be closed from 9:00am to 9:45am on 6 August:
These roads will be closed from 9:10am to 9:45am on 6 August:
These roads will be closed from 9:15am to 9:50am on 6 August:
These roads will be closed from 9:20 to 9:55am on 6 August:
These roads will be closed from 9:40am to 10am on 6 August:
These roads will be closed from 9:40am to 10:40am on 6 August:
On Sunday 6 August, traffic will be held at the junctions with the race route for up to 10 minutes while the race passes. Once the final support vehicle passes, traffic will be able to flow as normal.
The timings may change slightly to fit with the event as it passes through Edinburgh.
Please note that these planned restrictions and closures may be subject to change.
The bell that floated up as water filled the historic gasholder in Granton Waterfront has been taken apart to make way for work to begin to restore the original 76 x 46 metre frame to look like new.
The City of Edinburgh Council plan to open up the area to create a new and exciting multifunctional public space as part of their wider £1.3bn regeneration project to create a new sustainable coastal town at Granton Waterfront.
McLaughlin & Harvey began work on the site in January of this year on behalf of the Council using £16.4m from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The Scottish Government has also provided an additional £1.2m to provide a high quality public park within the gasholder frame.
The space within the restored gasholder is to have multi-sensory play zones, a dedicated space for permanent and temporary public art, a relaxation area, outdoor trails and tracks for exercise as well as a large outdoor space for sports, markets, seasonal events, community use, festivals, performance arts, exhibitions and play.
Work will also be carried out to plant trees, shrubs and wildflowers improving biodiversity and local habitat in the area.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It was really dramatic to see the bell being ripped apart by the machinery. It marked a historic moment as this iconic structure will be transformed now to move on with the times to serve a completely different purpose for the local community to enjoy arts, sports and culture for future generations to come.
“Now the bell has gone the contractor can get on with the exciting work to transform the frame back to its original glory which will be seen for miles around.
“The scale and ambition of the gasholder nicely mirrors that of this £1.3bn regeneration project where we are using brownfield land to build a new sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood which is well linked to surrounding communities and is somewhere residents will be proud to live.
“We’ve already started building some of the thousands of environmentally friendly affordable homes planned and active travel routes, along with recently completing the restoration of the former Granton Station building to become a modern workplace and cultural hub, with public square.”
UK Government Minister for Levelling Up, Dehenna Davison, said: “The Granton gasholder has been part of Edinburgh’s skyline for over 120 years, and will soon be brought back to life as a real community asset.
“The bell’s removal will ensure the structure can be restored to its former glory, whilst the space will be brought into the 21st Century by becoming a destination for families, residents, and future generations to enjoy.
“We’re delighted to have supported this project through £16.4 million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund which will ensure this iconic structure will serve as a beacon to people in the area for many years to come.”
Seamus Devlin, McLaughlin & Harvey Civil Engineering Director, said: “McLaughlin & Harvey is delighted to be main contractor for the restoration works at Granton gasholder.
“We bring with us a wealth of experience in the civil engineering sector, and look forward to completing the deconstruction of the bell this week and the removal of the walls in the upcoming weeks.”
Fascinating gasholder facts
The Granton Gas Holder is unique as the umbrella which supports the tank roof when the system is not pressurised, was made from timber as opposed to cast iron. These timbers were in remarkably great condition when demolition began.
