Tag: city council

Forever Edinburgh marketing campaign secures new funding

“Our Capital’s much-missed buzz is back” – Council leader Cllr. Adam McVey

Forever Edinburgh, the city’s official destination guide, has secured a further £90k from VisitScotland’s Destination and Sector Marketing Fund to continue amplifying promotional activity.

This follows a successful first year of ‘The Story Never Ends’ campaign, which promotes the Capital as the UK’s top city break and shares the unique stories and experiences visitors can discover around every corner.

Delivered jointly by the City of Edinburgh Council, ETAG, VisitScotland and private sector partners, the campaign showcases the attractions, shops, bars, events and restaurants. It was launched as lockdown was easing in April 2021 to target domestic leisure visitors in Scotland and England encouraging people to meet up safely and spend time together once again.

At a local level a new Resident Rewards Edinburgh scheme was also launched in 2021 as part of the campaign. It aims to help residents to re-discover all the city has to offer by benefitting from a high-value reward or discount with a new business every month.

The funding secured from Scotland’s national tourism organisation will support the next phase of campaign activity over summer 2022 and adds to £50k set aside in the City of Edinburgh Council’s budget to develop the Forever Edinburgh website, helping to strengthen the Scottish Capital’s shop window to visitors from across the globe.

An update on the campaign’s ongoing success – which has seen page views increase by 460% year on year – was given to the Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee this week.

Forever Edinburgh Winter Campaign

Council Leader, Adam McVey said: “The Forever Edinburgh campaign has been a vital piece of partnership working, helping encourage residents back into our city centre after attractions and businesses had dealt with the challenges of COVID restrictions. And its success is clear to see; our Capital’s much-missed buzz is back.

“After a hugely difficult time for our hospitality industry, it has been crucial to safely welcome visitors back into our city centre to support local businesses. Everything we’ve achieved with our City partners with the campaign demonstrates what we can do when we work together, and I’m grateful to everyone who has stepped up to support it.

“While we’ve come far, the impact of the pandemic will be felt for a long time to come so it’s important that we keep up the momentum. This latest funding boost from VisitScotland is hugely welcome and, alongside £50,000 from the Council, will be used to encourage even more residents and visitors to enjoy our beautiful Capital and rediscover all it has to offer this summer.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Forever Edinburgh has been a true partnership and this additional money from VisitScotland recognises how well the campaign is working. It also demonstrates how important it is that we continue to work together to reinvigorate tourism in the Capital, and we will use the funding to leverage the partnerships we have in place.

“In this next stage of the campaign there will be a focus on our live music scene and all the events lined up to take place over Spring and Summer. The city’s calendar is building back up and there is no shortage of places to see, restaurants and shops to enjoy and arts and culture at every turn.

“As we move forward, I’m sure residents and visitors will continue to lend their support to businesses which were hit hard by the pandemic and feel inspired by the Forever Edinburgh campaign.”

Neil Christison, Regional Director at VisitScotland, said: “Forever Edinburgh has been a fantastic platform for businesses and the tourism industry to engage with residents and visitors during an incredibly challenging time.

“While the return of international visitors will be important for the long-term recovery of the industry, domestic visitors will continue to play a key role in helping businesses get back on their feet.

“The award from the Destination and Sector Marketing Fund will ensure the Forever Edinburgh campaign continues to extend the benefits of tourism to the capital and the surrounding region in a sustainable and responsible way.”

Campaign highlights

‘The Story Never Ends’ featured a series of summer and winter-themed films showcasing Edinburgh’s broad product offer and unique stories, radio advertising, paid media partnerships, new content and itineraries created for the Forever Edinburgh website and new photography of the city. As a result of this activity the website saw page views increase by 460% year on year during campaign period April-February, with users accessing the site saw a rise of 174% compared to the previous year (2020/21).

A consumer PR campaign complemented this activity including travel journalists and social media influencer visits to the city to experience what Edinburgh has to offer first-hand. Global media coverage was secured for a new video promoting dog-friendly Edinburgh, reaching over 1billion readers through media coverage, and a competition prize package with multi award-winning author, Ian Rankin OBE reached nearly 250million readers online.

As a result of this participating businesses have reported a rise in bookings due to the media coverage. Further celebrity endorsement was given by Gail Porter for the city’s spooky stories while there is still more in the pipeline to promote the Capital’s live music scene and sustainability credentials.

https://youtu.be/GUxTzvFM8Z0

The new resident focused initiative, Resident Rewards Edinburgh, was launched in December 2021, with promotion on social media and YouTube as well as a partnership with The List and ForthFM.

Working in partnership with the city’s tourism businesses, residents of Edinburgh are enjoying high-value rewards and discounts with a new business every month. The dedicated Resident Rewards section has become the second most popular page on edinburgh.org since it launched (December-February) with 33,000 page views and 2,279 referral clicks.

This activity was all supported though both Scottish Government’s Regional Recovery Fund and VisitScotland’s Destination and Sector Marketing Fund and Market Readiness Fund money.

City council appoints North to deliver Smart Waste Solution for Edinburgh

The UK’s leading IoT service and solutions provider, North, has been appointed by IT and business consulting firm, CGI, to support the City of Edinburgh Council’s vision to become one of the world’s leading Smart Cities.  

A five-year contract has been agreed to support the Council’s plans to ‘transform the capital into one of the world’s leading Smart Cities’. 

The deal is supported by a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grant as part of the ‘Scotland’s 8th City – the Smart City’ programme. City of Edinburgh Council will deliver three projects budgeted at £6.4m, of which £2.5m is part of the ERDF grant. Funding secured by the Council from Zero Waste Scotland through its Recycling Improvement Fund will also be used towards the scheme.  

The development of a Smart City Operations Centre will transform and enhance city management and the citizen experience by utilising data captured through a range of emerging technologies to drive transformational change’. 

Driven by CGI’s industry-leading Smart City Platform, North was selected by CGI to provide the Smart Waste sensors and to provide connectivity for the solution through the IoT Scotland network, the most advanced Internet of Things (IoT) network in the UK. 

Intelligent sensor data will now be used to develop and drive improvements for better waste management, transmitted using North’s IoT Scotland network, allowing the City of Edinburgh Council to improve services across the city. 

The project will see North provision 11,000 smart waste sensors in waste containers throughout the city. The state-of-the-art technology will enable clever waste management by detecting waste levels and predicting usage trends, enabling the Council to optimise waste collection and manage routes more efficiently.

The smart technology will assist in creating a cleaner and greener city and will help reduce the Council’s environmental impact.  

The IoT Scotland network will also be used to transmit data for other critical services to enhance the council’s digital vision.  In parallel with the waste project the council will roll-out a digitally enabled proactive service for Social Housing across the city, using the IoT Scotland network.  

This solution will capture insightful data through real-time management and monitoring of the conditions in social housing properties.  The proactive approach for the maintenance of properties and asset management will deliver efficiencies for the council while enhancing the living conditions of their residents and improving wellbeing. 

Commenting on the partnership, City of Edinburgh Council Deputy Leader, Cammy Day, said: “Edinburgh has big ambitions for becoming a world-leading Smart City – a digitally inclusive, sustainable and connected Capital with services easily accessible by all of our residents no matter where they are.  

“The use of intelligent sensors will help us to deliver a more digitally-enabled proactive service and address many of the challenges a rapidly growing city like Edinburgh faces and will support our work towards providing clean and green communities, meeting our net zero targets and improving living conditions and wellbeing for all.” 

Scott McEwan, Chief Commercial Officer at North, said: “Edinburgh is one of seven Scottish cities working collaboratively on a Smart City programme. The introduction of the Smart City Platform will enable the Council to reach its ambitions efficiently and North is proud to accelerate this vision. 

“The use of technology to introduce intelligent waste management services will create a cost-efficient solution to everyday duties, whilst improving the streetscape and health of communities, and increasing sustainability.  Working with CGI, the roll-out of the smart waste scheme is an important step that will help Edinburgh reach its ambitions.” 

Tara McGeehan, UK & Australia President at CGI, said: “Edinburgh is a vibrant and diverse capital city that is home to more than 518,000 citizens and CGI has been the primary provider of transformational ICT services to the City of Edinburgh Council since 2015. 

“We very much look forward to taking Edinburgh’s vision of a Smart City and making it real through our innovative use of technology, analytics and data. Together, we will turn Edinburgh into one of the world’s leading Smart Cities.” 

Far From Home: The face of Cramond’s medieval wanderer

Isotope analysis of ‘bodies in the bog’ found at Cramond reveals several crossed a politically divided Scotland, meeting their end hundreds of miles from their place of birth.

For decades, the skeletal remains of nine adults and five infants found in the latrine of what was once a Roman bath house in Cramond have fascinated archaeologists and the public alike.

Discovered in 1975 they were originally thought to be victims of the plague or a shipwreck from the 14th century.

Then radiocarbon dating showed them to be some 800 years older, dating to the 6th century, or early medieval period.

New bioarchaeological work led by the University of Aberdeen has brought to light more details of their lives and has revealed that several of the group travelled across Scotland to make Cramond their home.

Their investigations change our understanding not only of this important site but of the mobility and connections of people across Scotland in the early medieval period, when the country was broadly divided between the Scotti in Dál Riata to the west, the Picts in most of northern Scotland and the Britons in the south.

The researchers examined the bones and teeth of the group unearthed from what was once the latrine of a bathhouse in a Roman fort, leading to them being coined ‘the bodies in the bog’.

Using isotope analyses they were able to look at the diet and origins of each of the adults in the group.

Professor Kate Britton, senior author of the study, said they were surprised to discover that despite being buried in close proximity to each other – leading to assumptions that they were one family – some were brought up hundreds of miles apart.

“Food and water consumed during life leave a specific signature in the body which can be traced back to their input source, evidencing diet and mobility patterns,” she added.

“Tooth enamel, particularly from teeth which form between around three and six years of age, act like little time capsules containing chemical information about where a person grew up.“When we examined the remains, we found six of them to bear chemical signatures consistent with what we would expect from individuals growing up in the area local to Cramond but two – those of a man and a woman – were very different.

“This suggests that they spent their childhoods somewhere else, with the analysis of the female placing her origins on the West coast.”

“The male instead had an isotopic signature more typical of the Southern Uplands, Southern Highlands or Loch Lomond area so it is likely he came to Cramond from an inland area.”

The findings, published in the Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences journal, provide one of the first insights into early medieval population mobility in Scotland.

Dr Orsolya Czére, post-doctoral researcher and lead author of the study, added: “This is a historically elusive time period, where little may be gleaned about the lives of individuals from primary literary sources. What we do know is that it was a politically and socially tumultuous time.

“In Scotland particularly, evidence is scarce and little is known about individual movement patterns and life histories. Bioarchaeological studies like this are key to providing information about personal movement in early medieval Scotland and beyond.

“It is often assumed that travel in this period would have been limited without roads like we have today and given the political divides of the time. The analysis of the burials from Cramond, along with other early medieval burial sites in Scotland, are revealing that it was not unusual to be buried far from where you had originally grown up.

“Previous studies have suggested that those buried here were of high social status, even nobility. What we can say from our new analyses was that these were well-connected individuals, with lives that brought them across the country”

“This is an important step in unravelling how these different populations of early medieval Scotland and Britain interacted.” 

Despite evidence for geographical mobility, social tensions may still have been high. Several of the skeletons at Cramond indicate that some of the individuals may have met with violent ends.

Osteoarchaeologist and co-author Dr Ange Boyle from the University of Edinburgh said: “Detailed osteological analysis of the human remains has determined that a woman and young child deposited in the Roman latrine suffered violent deaths.

“Blows to the skulls inflicted by a blunt object, possibly the butt end of a spear would have been rapidly fatal. This evidence provides important confirmation that the period in question was characterised by a high level of violence.”

John Lawson, the City of Edinburgh Council archaeologist, co-author and lead archaeologist on the investigations at Cramond, says the new findings further underline the importance of the Cramond site.

“This paper has been the result of fantastic collaboration between ourselves and our co-authors from Aberdeen and Edinburgh Universities. The final results from the isotopic research have confirmed the initial 2015 results giving us archaeological evidence and a window into the movement of elite society in the 6th century.

“In particular it is helping us to support our belief that Cramond during this time was one of Scotland’s key political centres during this important period of turmoil and origins for the state of Scotland.

“Whilst it has helped us answer some questions about the individuals buried in the former Roman Fort’s Bathhouse, it has also raised more.  We hope to continue to work together to bring more findings to publication as these have a significant impact on what is known about the history of Scotland and Northern Britain during the Dark Ages.”

The study was funded by Edinburgh City Council and the University of Aberdeen and research by Professor Britton and Dr Czere is supported by the Leverhulme Trust and AHRC respectively.

Councillors set to give green light to capital Low Emission Zone

The final steps towards introducing a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Edinburgh this May is expected to be given the green light by councillors this week.

A report to Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday recommends proceeding with the scheme approved in January, and to submit the Final Submission to Scottish Ministers for consideration.

The recommendations follow a month-long Statutory Notice Period in February, during which 26 objections and one note of support were received. After full analysis of the objections, officers advised there is no justification for changes to the scheme, though have affirmed that work will continue apace to ensure any potential impacts from the scheme are mitigated.

Edinburgh’s city centre LEZ would apply to all motor vehicles, except motorcycles and mopeds, with a two-year grace period and allowing certain exemptions, including for blue badge holders and emergency vehicles.

Once the LEZ is in place, vehicles must meet a minimum emissions standard to enter the zone freely, and those that don’t will be considered non-compliant and subject to penalties.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “Being able to breathe clean air is a right we all deserve, and by introducing a Low Emission Zone in the city centre we want to tackle air pollution in one of the most densely-populated parts of Edinburgh.

“Our officers have carried out a great deal of planning, modelling and analysis, in line with national frameworks, to develop our proposals. They have been able to draw on this evidence in response to objections received during the Statutory Notice Period. I’m confident that the proposed scheme will deliver significant benefits to quality of life in our city.”

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “Significant work carried out to assess this scheme’s impact on carbon emissions, as well as the proposed boundaries and grace period, demonstrates that these proposals are appropriate for the city.

“The LEZ, alongside a range of ambitious projects to improve air quality, will encourage more sustainable transport and support active travel, and is key to achieving cleaner air for everyone.”

In general, objections to the scheme focused on the size and location of the boundary, the impacts of traffic displacement and the potential financial challenges of complying. Other objections included concerns around exemptions, the effects on individuals and businesses and the evidence base for the scheme.

Thursday’s report addresses objections by theme. Amongst the reasoning for proceeding with the current scheme is the significant modelling and analysis carried out under the National Modelling Framework and Options Appraisal work undertaken in accordance with the National Low Emission Framework.

This research demonstrates the rationale for the proposed boundary and the short-lived impact on traffic at its periphery. A Network Management Strategy is also being developed to counter any traffic displacement.

In response to concerns around the financial challenge of complying with the LEZ, significant support provided by the Scottish Government was highlighted.

This included funding to mitigate impacts for those most in need, in the context of Covid recovery. Some objections related to national exemptions, though the report confirms that these are prescribed in the regulations and the Council has no powers to amend them.

With regard to local exemptions, it is proposed that these are only issued on a case-by-case basis and in exceptional circumstances. It is recommended that a LEZ Local Exemption Advisory Panel (LEZ-LEAP) is established to consider requests for local time-limited exemptions.

In conclusion, the report summarises the evidence for introducing the scheme and refers to previous reporting which has been presented to Committee to support this.

Throughout the development of an LEZ for Edinburgh, consultation, engagement and scientific evidence, following national frameworks, has highlighted both why we need cleaner air and how to bring this about for Edinburgh’s requirements, while supporting the city’s Covid recovery.

A full breakdown of objections and responses is available as an appendix to the report.

Read the full report, Low Emission Zone – Objections Report and Final Submission, on the Council website.

Trams to Newhaven project ‘on track’

The majority of track has been laid to take the tram to Newhaven as the scheme enters the final phase of construction works.

More than 3km of track – 70% of the total to be laid – is now in the ground as part of the Trams to Newhaven project, which remains on schedule to begin revenue services in spring 2023, delivered within the £207.3m budget.

The main construction work on three of the eight new tram stops is also complete, while over 3km of drainage (66% of the total) and almost 4km of communications ducting (82% of the total) serving the tram and wider area has been installed.

Construction is ‘largely finished’ on several key sections of the route, other than some localised works, including Constitution Street, between Constitution Place and Queen Charlotte Street, and Ocean Terminal to Rennie’s Isle.

Next week, operational tram stops on Princes Street and St Andrew Square will reopen following their temporary closure. These were closed to allow for the removal of the York Place tram stop and installation of new infrastructure there connecting the existing line to the new one.

As we enter the final year of major civil work ahead of testing and commissioning this winter, a review of the specific completion dates for remaining sections has been carried out.

This has resulted in some changes affecting certain sections due to various unavoidable factors such as complex utilities diversions, archaeological finds and an industry wide shortage of materials, though this is not expected to affect the final completion date.

Full details of the updated programme are available on the Trams to Newhaven website.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “It’s clear that the Trams to Newhaven project is well on its way to completion, as these figures show, and before long we’ll be testing trams on the streets of Leith.

“Next week, we’ll also see the return of the existing service to the city centre, which I’m sure will be great news for many.

“Of course, while this project will bring significant benefits to the area, we know that its construction has impacted all those who live and work nearby, and I’d like to thank them for their patience during the last two years.

“As we enter the final year of work to deliver the tram line, we’ve had to make some changes to the programme due to issues outwith our control.

“I want to assure communities along the route that we’re doing everything we can to mitigate the impacts of this, and that we’re still on track to begin providing the service by spring next year.”

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “This project will be transformative for the north of the city and it’s really exciting to see it take shape already.

“Once complete, it will play a key role in the future growth and development of the city. Delivering the tram line to Leith will unlock a large area of the city for housing and economic development, while providing a low-carbon, clean mode of transport to densely populated communities.”

The project team is working to mitigate the impact of changes to the programme, ensuring the scheduled spring completion date is met.

Based on lessons from the first tram line, and best practice from other major European construction projects, Trams to Newhaven focuses on large work sites, providing the flexibility to continue construction elsewhere on-site if issues are encountered.

In the coming months, localised works will continue on completed sections to resolve defects, carry out landscaping, install equipment to support the new tram line including tram communication systems, complete tram stop fit-outs and install overhead line equipment, street lighting and traffic signalling.

Since 2019 the project has provided significant support to businesses through its £2.4m Support for Business initiative. As part of this more than £100k has been spent on an ‘Open for Business’ campaign, 60k deliveries have gone through dedicated logistics hubs and 140 applications have been made to the business continuity fund. In addition, the extremely popular itison scheme has seen over 20k vouchers sold, generating £200k spend in participating businesses.

Additional milestones:

  • 90% of utility diversions complete
  • Substation at Melrose Drive complete and fit-out ongoing
    Lindsay Road retaining walls complete
  • All track crossovers, which allow the tram to turn back on itself, installed
    Constitution Street wall rebuilt following archaeological excavations
  • Archaeological excavations on Constitution Street complete, which saw more than 360 bodies exhumed, dating from between 1300 and 1650, as well as finding the apparent remnants of the original medieval graveyard wall.

Still no word from the long-running Edinburgh Tram Inquiry into the Edinburgh Tram project.

This inquiry,which was set up in 2015, aims to establish why the original Edinburgh Tram project incurred delays, cost massively more than originally budgeted and through reductions in scope delivered significantly less than oroginally promised.

The costs to taxpayers so far is an eye-watering £12.5 million …

Find out more about Trams to Newhaven online.

Help for Edinburgh’s young people to access education and employment opportunities

A budget of over £3million is being committed to support more young people into training, education or workplace opportunities over the next year.

This is being done by the City of Edinburgh Council, as part of the Young Person’s Guarantee (YPG) funding from the Scottish Government, as Scotland’s Capital looks to build a stronger, fairer and more sustainable economy.

At yesterday’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work (HHFW) committee (24 March) councillors were given an update on the diverse range of projects and programmes, both new and existing, across the city. These will help to support young people aged between 16-24 years old, from a wide variety of backgrounds and stages of their training or career journeys.

The help that young people can expect to receive through these programmes will include mental health support, early skills training, practical skills training, as well as in-work support and mentoring as they progress into employment. In particular, young people who find it difficult to access opportunities will be targeted to help them to either prepare or give them the tools to find work.  

As part of the initiatives, a further small grant opportunity for third-party employability programmes will be opening in April on the Joined Up for Jobs website.

YPG funding will also go to the NHS to run a new programme for care experienced young people who are looking for work experience, as well as a Job Creation Scheme to support progression from current YPG paid placements. This will offer funding to support the first year of up to 20 Modern or Graduate Apprenticeships within the Council and third sector organisations who are currently providing work placements. 

The city’s five Activity Agreement Hubs will also benefit from additional funding. The Hubs work with young people who have left school without a positive destination, or who drop out of college, training or their first job, to gain the skills they need to move into education or employment.

In addition, in a separate report to HHFW, it was agreed that funding from the Scottish Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee will be used to support a new pilot programme that will look to enhance Employer Recruitment Incentives (ERIs) by offering an uplift to match the Real Living Wage where the employee is from a disadvantaged household and starting a Modern Apprenticeship or gaining a recognised qualification.

The funding is being delivered through the city’s own Edinburgh Guarantee, which last year expanded to help people of all ages access fair work, training and employment.    

Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee said: “Thanks to this funding, we are able to continue supporting existing programmes, as well as new projects, that are having a real impact for young people.

“There are so many good ideas and new, innovative programmes by organisations across the city that will help get people’s education and career goals back on track after what’s been a very disrupting time.

“We’re particularly mindful of the impact the pandemic has had on young people and people facing additional barriers. That’s why we also want to make sure that we continue to reach every area of the city by making sure the programmes we fund cover every community.

“The Young Person’s Guarantee grant programme will help to increase those opportunities and will complement the already extensive support provided across the city.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, said: “Our Edinburgh Guarantee promises that no one will be left behind.

“Through the continuation of this small grant programme for another year we hope to make sure those who need our help will be given the opportunity to access the support they need – whether that’s for training or career aspirations – to reach their goals. We also want to make sure that this is spread out across the city and that those experiencing the greatest barriers get the most help from these grant programmes.”

Transport Scotland risks legal action at taxpayers’ expense, says MSP

South Queensferry residents are embroiled in a bitter battle with Transport Scotland to secure road access to their new homes. 

Transport Scotland have refused access to the Ferrymuir Gait road forcing all residents from the new development to travel through the existing Varney Estate.

All 124 houses on the development must now use Henry Ross Place despite Ferrymuir Gait being the most direct route into the housing development.

Heavy construction traffic used Ferrymuir Gait throughout the build. 

The developer has offered to upgrade the road to adoptable standards and Edinburgh Council has indicated a will to adopt the road once this takes place.

Transport Scotland could risk court action if the refusal to permit access continues. 

Lothian MSP Foysol Choudhury said: “There is considerable anger among residents from both developments.  They are strongly in favour of Ferrymuir Gait being used to access the new development.

“Despite my attempts at mediation, this issue has remained irreconcilable for many months, and looks like it will inevitably end in legal action.

“For the sake of the use of one road, Transport Scotland appear to be willing to drag this through the courts at what will inevitably be great expense to the taxpayer.

“I do not believe that the Scottish public will see legal action to prevent residents’ access to new homes as a good or explicable use of public funds.

“It seems to me that it is clearly in the public interest – from the point of view of the residents and the Scottish taxpayer – that this matter be settled reasonably between the two parties.

Edinburgh task force driving change for the gig economy

The City of Edinburgh Council has pledged its support to Edinburgh’s vital gig economy workforce, a significant and growing aspect of the city’s labour market.

It comes as the City looks to promote better access to fair work standards for people following a series of discussions with workers, trade unions, academics, Scottish Enterprise officials, and civil servants from the Scottish Government.

This inquiry, led by Edinburgh’s Gig Economy Task Force and spearheaded by the Council, was the preliminary piece of work to understand the key issues as well as the immediate actions to be taken alongside the long-term legislative changes that need to be considered so gig workers feel empowered, are treated equally and are able to make a fair wage for a fair day’s work.

Next week (on 24 March) a report from the Task Force will feedback its seven recommendations* to the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee.

If agreed these recommendations will be developed into an action plan to be brought back to committee in Autumn this year (2022). This will focus on short, medium and long-term priorities which the Council and partners across the city will be asked to focus on to improve access to fair work for people working across the gig economy, including zero hours contract workers.

One key area recognised by the inquiry was to understand gig workers’ rights to accessing the data collected on them and what transparency exists on the way company algorithms use this data to determine how jobs are offered, how much workers earn, and other challenges workers face.

If agreed, as part of the recommendations the Council will build on the findings, and continue to work with gig workers, businesses and the Scottish Government to understand more about existing rights of access to worker’s’ data while also considering whether data driven innovation tools could be used to help gig workers analyse and better understand their earnings and conditions.

The other recommendations* focus on issues relating to licensing and regulation of the gig economy, public sector procurement, alternative business models and establishing a gig economy worker’s charter for Edinburgh.

The short-life Task Force was established in November 2021 as part of the work plan for the Living Wage City Action Group, and after the Council welcomed the UK Supreme Court’s decision to confirm the status of Uber drivers as workers.

Its objective was to understand the real experiences of workers in the gig economy in Edinburgh, while also looking to explore actions that will tackle the concerns and challenges they face and could improve working conditions, rights and quality of employment.

During its inquiry the Task Force recognised that flexibility and ease of access to employment can be a positive aspect of these roles for some workers, usually those using it as a ‘top-up’ to another income stream or those who have caring responsibilities, or for example students.

However, the growth of the sector has been associated with concerns over low rates of pay, poor income security, risk of in-work poverty, poor opportunities for progression, as well poor working conditions and worker safety.

It is recognised that a growing number of people are becoming reliant on gig economy work as the sole source of income, and they tend to be the people most impacted by poor working conditions and unreliable pay.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee and chair of the Gig Economy Task Force said: “As part of the action plan for the Living Wage City accreditation, and as part of our fair work agenda, I knew it was vital that we did some work to look at the gig economy in Edinburgh and the impact on pay, rights and working conditions.

“The Gig Economy Task Force was put together with the aim of getting a clear understanding of where the real issues lie, what powers the council has to improve conditions now, and where we need to focus on, and implement changes, in future.

“It’s pretty clear that there is a strong power imbalance. For many gig economy workers their shifts, performance monitoring and pay are controlled by an algorithm. This can be incredibly disempowering. We need to look at who has access to data, and how that data is used, and understand what reforms could empower workers.

“We also came to the conclusion that we need to look at current licensing powers, and procurement. And look at strengthening workers’ rights, raising awareness of those rights and understanding how the categorisation of workers impacts on their working conditions. For example gig economy workers are classed as ‘self employed’ – but the reality of their day to day working lives is very far from what most of us would consider self employment.

“I hope we’ll come together next week at Committee and agree the recommendations, so that we can get on with these actions, starting the journey to dramatically improving the working conditions for the growing number of gig economy workers in our city.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee said: “This task force was established in response to a motion that we raised regarding Uber and was widened to include other gig economy and zero hours workers by the convenor.

“Our intention is to highlight the rights that these workers should already have and to find ways of supporting their efforts to achieve safer working practices and fairer terms and conditions.”

The Gig Economy Task Force was chaired by the Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, and comprised workers who have first-hand experience of the gig economy and precarious work in Edinburgh, as well as workers’ representatives, academics, alongside relevant policy leads from the Council, Scottish Government and its agencies.

*Gig Economy Task Force Recommendations:

  1. A costed proposal for a dedicated workers’ hub in Edinburgh, providing access to advice and support.
  2. A costed proposal for ongoing campaign work to provide information on and raise awareness on worker rights in Edinburgh, good working practices, and how to access support.
  3. Licensing: The Council should facilitate and host further work with gig economy and precarious workers, businesses and government on issues relating to licensing and regulation of gig economy and precarious employment. 
  4. Procurement: The Council should facilitate and host further work with workers, businesses and government on issues relating public sector procurement fair work and the gig economy. 
  5. Data Rights and Access: The Council should facilitate and host further work with gig economy workers, businesses and government on issues raised during this inquiry relating data rights and access for workers in the gig economy. 
  6. Alternative Gig Economy Business Models: The Council should facilitate and host further work with gig economy workers, businesses and government to hear more about examples observed in other European cities.
  7. A workers’ charter for Edinburgh: Building on all of the above, the Council should facilitate further engagement with gig economy workers and businesses.

The development of this Task Force has been informed by the Council’s Fair Work Action Plan and Edinburgh Economy Strategy, both of which emphasise the importance of fair work that provide citizens with dignity and security of income.

‘Standing firm in friendship’

Council to grant Freedom of the City to leaders of Ukraine

City councillors have reinforced the City’s ongoing solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Councillors came together at yesterday’s full council meeting to unanimously grant the Freedom of the City to the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, and Mayor Vitali Klitschko of Edinburgh’s twin city, Kyiv, in recognition of them standing heroically by their citizens and leading the fight against Russia’s illegal invasion.

The Council Leaders also reaffirmed their support of local humanitarian efforts and help for refugees, confirming that Edinburgh ‘stands ready’ to support victims of the crisis who seek refuge in Edinburgh.

The meeting heard from the Chair of the Ukrainian Association in Edinburgh, Hannah Beaton-Hawryluk, who thanked the city and Council for their ongoing efforts – highlighting many of the horrors being faced by Scottish-Ukrainian residents’ family members and those trying to flee.

In readiness for welcoming refugees to the city, officers are holding daily meetings with the Scottish Government, Edinburgh Airport, third sector partners and other agencies to make sure people are welcomed into safety and receive all the support they need from the moment they land.

This is being coordinated to ensure the best use of resources – whether that be arranging accommodation, transport, interpreters, access to GPs and healthcare, counselling, education, and other vital services.

A helpline has also been set up for Ukrainian arrivals, which will be operated 24 hours a day, and a dedicated page on the council website.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We’re standing firm in friendship with the people of Ukraine, committing to doing whatever we can to help.

“I’m enormously proud we’ve agreed to award the Freedom of Edinburgh to President Zelensky (above) and Mayor Klitschko, recognising all they’ve done and continue to do for their people.

“I hope this decision demonstrates our absolute solidarity and admiration of the people of Kyiv and Ukraine, who have literally taken up arms in defence of their country against this illegal and murderous invasion by Putin’s forces, and I very much hope that, one day, they’ll be able to receive this honour in person.

“I’ve been deeply moved by the footage on all of our TV screens and by the outpouring of support from Edinburgh, as highlighted by the Ukrainian Association’s heartfelt and powerful deputation earlier today. Their members are doing everything they can to support their literal brothers and sisters, who are victims of this war, and to deliver humanitarian aid.

“The money we have pledged will make a huge difference to organisations like this, and we’ll continue to look at further actions in the weeks and months ahead to do everything within our power to help people who are arriving in our city to escape Ukraine. There’s no doubting the enormity of the task to make this happen and I know the Ukrainian community are immensely grateful for the support they’ve had so far.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Today we heard heart-breaking stories of local people whose families are trapped in this war and those who are fleeing. We will do everything we can to welcome those who arrive here with open arms.

“We’ve already witnessed an incredible response from the people of Edinburgh since the invasion began, with tonnes of donations arriving at Ukraine’s borders having been donated, packed and driven by volunteers from Edinburgh. I’m sure we will see this generosity continue as people open their doors to join the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

“As a city, we condemn the actions of Putin’s regime and commend the heroic way in which Ukraine’s political leaders have stood up to lead and defend their nation. The Freedom of the City is a tradition that dates back over 560 years and can only be ‘bestowed upon those who are held in the highest esteem’. It is very rarely conferred in Edinburgh so the unanimous decision at Council speaks volumes about the strength of Edinburgh’s solidarity.”

Following the Council’s decision today, up to £100,000 of Council funding will also be targeted towards local efforts with the Edinburgh Partnership to maximise supplies to Ukraine, support local infrastructure for facilitating donations and transport of supplies to Poland and elsewhere.

Letters will be sent to the Home Office, UK Foreign Office and MOD seeking further clarity and support for refugees and help with temporary accommodation.

In an additional display of solidarity with Ukraine, a ban on Russian cultural events and performances in Council-owned venues has also been set and the Council has ended its relationship with the Russian Consulate, and the Ukrainian flag will continue to fly from the City Chambers.