city council – Page 94 – The NEN

Swinney rethink: schools now to open full-time in August

Deputy First Minister John Swinney yesterday updated Parliament on plans to reopen schools:

When I spoke in this chamber on the 19^th March, I said that the decision to close schools was one of the very toughest we had needed to take during this crisis. My engagement with teachers, children and parents since has only served to reinforce that view.

For that reason, while it has been critical to suppress the virus, we have been clear that these closures cannot go on for a minute longer than necessary.

We want Scotland’s children back in school full time as soon as possible and as soon as it is safe to do so.

That ambition is shared within the Education Recovery Group – our partnership with local government, unions representing teachers and other school staff and parent representatives.

Presiding Officer, today, I want to set out the government’s ambitions for when that full time return to school might be.

When I published the Strategic Framework from the Education Recovery Group report on 21 May, we had a clear expectation that the outlook on Coronavirus was bleak.

At that point, there were around 20,000 people in Scotland who could transmit the infection. On 21 May, 1,318 people were in hospital with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, including 51 in intensive care. Tragically, over the course of that week 230 people passed away from the virus.

And, not only was that position bleak, but, at that time, the majority view of our Scientific Advisers was that physical distancing would be necessary if schools were to open. Blended Learning was developed therefore to restore some form of face-to-face education against that outlook.

Working through the Education Recovery Group, we built a plan – a plan based on making the very best of the very difficult circumstances that we expected to face.

It was a contingency plan that was and is necessary. And, for the last month councils and teachers have been working hard to enact that contingency.

Presiding Officer, even while we took this work forward, we continued to make the point that we did not want to see blended learning implemented for a moment longer than necessary.

Now, thankfully, the picture looks more positive.

Since May, because of the efforts of our fellow citizens to stay at home, we have seen Scotland make significant progress.

There are now only around 2000 infectious people in Scotland – a reduction of around 90% since May. There has been a sustained downward trend in COVID-19 deaths. Intensive care cases now stand at a fraction of what they were.

If we stay on this trajectory – which cannot be taken for granted – by August the position will be even better. That is good news.

That means we are now able to update our planning assumptions.

If we stay on track, if we all continue to do what is right, and if we can further suppress this terrible virus, the Government believes that we should prepare for children to be able to return to school full time in August.

I must stress, this is the aim that the Government is now working towards. However, because it has to be achieved safely, it inevitably remains conditional and dependent upon ongoing scientific and health advice.

Presiding Officer, this will be part of a wider approach. If we continue to make progress at the rate we envisage, by August, it is possible – though of course by no means certain – that we may have successfully achieved, or be well on the way, to Phase 4 of the Scottish Government Routemap.

I have to be honest with Parliament and admit that when we prepared our plans back in May, I frankly could not have imagined that we would be where we are now.

It is this more positive outlook that allows the Scottish Government to make this change of planning assumption for schools.

But it is a change born out of the hard work and sacrifice of people in every part of the country, sticking to the guidance, staying at home and suppressing this virus. In particular, we should highlight the many people who as parents have supported their children while continuing to hold down jobs and caring commitments.

It is a change born of the actions of our citizens.

They delivered it.

Now it falls to the Scottish Government, our local government colleagues, teachers and school staff to build on it.

I want to commend the work of local authorities and school and early learning and childcare staff across Scotland for the way in which they have responded to this emergency. They have worked tirelessly to protect the interests of our children and young people – through our childcare hubs, ensuring ongoing provision of free school meals, delivering remote learning, and planning for the next term.

I know they will continue to rise to the challenge as we get ready for the next school year.

Presiding Officer, that is the good news. But I must emphasise the importance of Scotland staying on track if we are to make it a reality. And we must be clear that blended learning is a contingency that we may still need to enact.

While the outlook is more positive now, there are no certainties with this virus. If there is an increase in infection rates, if there are outbreaks that require action to control, then this contingency plan could still be required.

Equally, we still need to protect those in our society who may not be able to attend school for health reasons. All the work that has gone in to preparing blended learning models for every locality across the country has been essential preparation. It is vital that we have these models ready if we need them because we may need to turn to them.

We must continue to ensure the safety of pupils, teachers and staff by engaging in such contingency planning, and that is why Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education will continue with their scrutiny of the plans when the latest versions are submitted by local authorities on Wednesday.

Similarly, we can only move away from blended learning if we stay on track and command the confidence of parents, teachers and children on safety.

But there are important benefits of doing so.

A return to full time schooling would enhance the life chances of our children and young people and start to reverse any damaging impacts of recent months. We know from the Lockdown Lowdown, for example, that young people are concerned about school closures, and about their mental wellbeing.

If we are in a position to ease public health measures in early learning and childcare, particularly small group working, more children and families will be able to benefit from an expanded offer in the year ahead. In parallel, we continue to work in partnership with local authorities to agree a new timetable for delivery of the 1140 hours entitlement to all eligible children.

We are already seeing other countries begin to relax their physical distancing restrictions in schools, for younger children in particular, and others are starting to plan for a more ‘normal’ return after the summer break.

The First Minister confirmed on the 15^th June that we will now review the scientific assumptions underpinning education recovery as part of our statutory three-weekly review process. This will include, for example, reviewing our approach to physical distancing in schools and equivalent measures in early learning and childcare.

As part of that review process, I have established a new sub-group of the Covid19 Advisory Group to specialise on education and children’s issues. We will get the first review of that material later this week. I would not want to pre-empt such advice, but in order for us to realise our aim to resume full-time schooling, I would expect that various conditions would need to be in place.

First: infection rates must be at a level that is sufficiently low to provide assurance that we can continue to control the virus.

Second: we must ensure that we make use of our full public health infrastructure locally and nationally to get early warning of issues and rapid local action including test and protect.

Third: there must be the right protective measures and risk assessments in place in schools to keep everyone with higher risk factors – including teachers and staff – safe.

In addition to these, the Covid-19 Advisory Group and the new sub-group have been asked for further advice on any tests or indicators which would show we were on track.

In all of this, I will work closely with the Education Recovery Group. Given the change in our central planning assumption to work towards full-time return to schools in August, we will continue to work together over the summer. Local authorities will then communicate arrangements for the return to school with families in due course.

We will need all possible education resources at our disposal over the next year – to compensate for the loss of learning pupils have faced, as well as to help us should we need to switch to a blended model at any stage.

Even with a return to full time education, it is imperative that we increase levels of digital inclusion, which is why we have already committed to a huge digital boost through the investment of £30 million to provide laptops for disadvantaged children and young people. This will include £25 million of funding to enable a roll out of digital devices to school pupils to enable them to study online.

Initial estimates from local authorities are that this funding will be required to provide digital devices to around 70,000 pupils, with up to 40,000 connectivity solutions also needed, although these figures are the subject of ongoing work.

I can also announce today that we will be providing a further £100 million over the next two years to help support the return to school and help children recover any lost ground. This new funding will see us invest to tackle the impact of coronavirus in our schools and ensure that children get the support they need.

We will start with teacher recruitment. Many of this year’s probationer teachers have already secured teaching posts with local authorities. We will now work with local authorities with the objective of ensuring that every probationer teacher who has reached the standard for full registration is able to secure a teaching post for the next school year.

And, of course, we will still look to encourage retired teachers and those who are not currently teaching back into the profession wherever this proves necessary.

I have asked Education Scotland to expand their partnership offer with the ESgoil digital learning platform to develop a strong national e-learning provision. This represents an opportunity to enable all pupils to access high quality lessons – by qualified teachers trained in offering high quality online learning – across as broad a range of subjects and qualification levels as possible.

Finally, while we want to support the wellbeing of all our children and young people, we know lockdown has been particularly difficult for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Reducing the poverty related attainment gap is a defining mission for this government. We will therefore be working alongside partners to increase support to those families and communities who need it most. We will also seek the involvement of the Youth Work Sector in assisting us in this challenge.

Coronavirus has had a massive impact on our education system. It will take a collective endeavour to overcome that, but we have a duty to our children and young people to come together to do just that.

They have played their part in protecting this country from the worst of the pandemic, and now we must repay them that faith by serving their needs at this critical time too.

Education Leaders at the City of Edinburgh Council have welcomed the news that schools may be back full time in August with no physical distancing measures in place.

The Council will continue to make contingency arrangements and yesterday submitted its plans for blended learning to the Scottish Government.

Councillor Ian Perry, Education Convener, said: “This is obviously welcome news and will come as a great relief to all parents and carers across the city. We will make sure we’re doing everything possible to ensure our schools are safe to reopen by following the most up to date Government and Health Protection Scotland advice.

“Obviously the major caveat to this announcement is that the suppression of Coronavirus has to stay on track. That’s why it’s so important we make sure we have robust plans for schools reopening in August with the blended model of learning that may be required.

“Our schools and other Council teams have been working tirelessly on these plans for many weeks and I want to thank them for all their efforts. We submitted our plans to the Scottish Government today and we will continue our dialogue with them over any additional funding that may still be required.

“I really hope that the virus continues to be suppressed and our contingency plans are not required. However, if they are needed, then I am confident the detailed plans we are proposing demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the best teaching and learning for all pupils across the whole city.”

Cllr Alison Dickie, Education Vice Convener, said: “I know parents will be delighted to hear the announcement that schools should be planning for 100% reopening as the past few months have put a terrible strain on family life, with many juggling work commitments and home learning.

“Ultimately though, I’m pleased for the children and young people themselves, particularly those who have already faced challenges in their daily lives and to whom school is a haven. This has been a particularly difficult time for them, and that’s why it’s important that the wellbeing of all our children be placed at the heart of their education on their return.

“Of course we need to have robust contingency plans in place and our plan has always been never to compromise on the quality of learning and teaching and to deliver it in a safe and equitable way.

“Everyone will continue working to achieve the same goal of getting every child and young person back to school where they belong and our detailed preparations for anything other than a 100% school return will continue over the summer.

“We will of course continue to communicate with parents as we move forward together and keep them updated over the summer.”

Teaching union the EIS has noted the statement from the Deputy First Minister in the Scottish Parliament about potential changes to how schools may reopen in August.

Commenting on the statement, EIS General Secretary, Larry Flanagan said, “Clearly, if the suppression of the virus continues to be successful, public health guidance may change and this will impact on schools as well as every other aspect of society.

“It would be a grave mistake, however, to believe that the virus has gone away and therefore in the event of schools reopening more fully than currently planned, appropriate mitigations must be in place to protect staff and pupils and prevent flare-ups either in terms of localised resurgence in infection or even a full second wave.

“In terms of schools, this means looking at measures already being used elsewhere such as mandatory face coverings, protective perspex shields, proactive testing of teachers and an appropriate level of physical distancing between pupils and most certainly between pupils and staff, alongside continued protections for vulnerable groups. The EIS would expect these issues to be agreed within CERG before schools could reopen more fully.

“A great deal of work at school level has already gone into planning for a blended learning model from August 11th, so any change to that will require time to adjust plans and conduct revised risk assessments. Again, this will need to be subject to discussion and agreement.

“Everyone wishes to see schools operate as normal, but this should be done in a way which is demonstrably safe for students and staff, which doesn’t undermine public health messages, and which is done with the interest of school communities being first and foremost and not political expediency.”

The Scottish Tories are taking the credit for forcing this ‘screeching U turn’.

They proclaimed on Twitter: “Our campaign to open our schools has forced the SNP government into a screeching u-turn on its plans for part-time schooling. The SNP must now deliver on its new found promise of full time schooling by August.’

UNISON’s Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby said: “This is a significant about turn which, given the lack of scientific evidence available at this stage, seems to be driven more by politics than by safety.

“The safety of staff and pupils must be paramount and any return to school must be led by the scientific evidence at that time and be dependent on crucial risk assessments to ensure everyone’s safety.

“Education budgets were already squeezed before the pandemic hit. While the Scottish Government’s pledge of £100m over the next two years to support children with their lost learning is to be welcomed, schools also face increased practical costs to implement the required safety measures.

“It is vital the Scottish Government steps up and provides local authorities with the additional funding urgently needed to ensure that schools can open safely whenever science shows the time is right.”

Transport Convener: We’re responding to the city’s desire to walk, cycle and wheel

Transport and Environment Convener Lesley Macinnes writes of council plans to make walking, cycling and wheeling safer and easier during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond:

One positive aspect of these last few, trying months is the city’s clear desire to get walking and cycling.

Not only has our own analysis shown pedestrian and cyclist numbers rocketing, but since launching the interactive Commonplace map we’ve received thousands of ideas for making it easier and safer to get around the city by foot, bike or wheelchair.

It’s clear there’s work to do – and we’re responding. Every suggestion, from removing guardrails on narrow pavements to pedestrianising streets, to speed reduction or pop-up cycle lanes, is extremely valuable.

This process is a very complex one and our teams are working flat-out to assess and consider responses, as well as linking them to those actions already identified across the city.

From inception to delivery, each scheme’s timescales can vary significantly, and we must target the projects that deliver the greatest benefits. For this reason, we won’t be able to undertake every suggestion, but each one gives us an invaluable insight into the kind of city people want to see post-COVID and we’re taking this on board.

We’re already delivering initiatives at a more ambitious rate than any other Scottish local authority.

In the last week we have installed more than 5km of pop-up cycle lanes leading to Edinburgh’s two main hospitals, adding to some road closures to help people walk, cycle and wheel to their local greenspaces and amenities.

These changes follow engagement with communities, mobility and active travel groups and local councillors. They’ve had a great response so far. We’re continuing to listen to the people that use them, tweaking the designs where necessary.

As we begin to tentatively emerge from lockdown, we must get the city moving. Before long, businesses will begin reopening and this will have a real impact on the way we move around Edinburgh. We want cafes, bars and restaurants, shops and other services to thrive, once they’re able to reopen, while also protecting people’s safety as Scottish Government advice on physical distancing remains.

We’re already preparing for this. From this week we will begin implementing several, major interventions in the city centre to help create a safer environment, encouraging people to spend time on foot or bike as restrictions ease.

These include footway widening and the introduction of bus, cycle and taxi gates on East Princes Street and South St David Street, reducing traffic volumes and aiding cycling and public transport, and the partial closure of Waverley Bridge.

This kind of real, tangible change, supported by similar, forthcoming measures across the city’s local high streets, will help us to move to the next phase of eased restrictions.

Reintroducing parking enforcement next week is crucial if these measures are to have the desired effect. By minimising often dangerous obstructions from our streets, we will be able to create and maintain spaces for people. What’s more, encouraging turnover of parking spaces means a higher and more varied footfall on our shopping streets.

Much of the work we are undertaking is to create quick, temporary changes to help people travel safely as we adjust to these exceptional circumstances. Emphasising clean, sustainable transport and people-focused spaces, where fewer cars result in less air pollution, supports our long-term city goals of a carbon neutral future where air quality is improved and healthy, and where walking, cycling and wheeling is the norm. We will get through this together and, if we are to make the right decisions now, we can harness these positive outcomes as we emerge from this crisis.

Find out more about Spaces for People on the Council website.

Housing and homelessness: biggest challenges are still to come

The response from organisations working to prevent homeless during the pandemic in Edinburgh has been phenomenal (writes Councillor Kate Campbell, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener).

The council’s homelessness service has been working with the Scottish Government, third sector, the police, the NHS, social care and volunteers to provide housing, food, health care, advice and support throughout the lockdown period.

Front line workers and volunteers have powered this work, putting their own health at risk to make sure that our most vulnerable residents are supported. We owe them a massive thank you.

And what is even more phenomenal is the level of engagement we’ve received in return. Turns out showing that you actually care builds trust. So people we have been describing as ‘hard to reach’ have actually been reached, and are engaging, and are being supported on the journey to permanent housing.

So we have learnt a lot – things, frankly, we already knew. But now we can evidence them. If you put in all the support upfront, then people will engage. You have to take services to people and they have to be tailored to meet their needs.

It has cost a lot in the short term, but we also need to learn the lessons about what we are saving in the longer term. Not just money on future services that hopefully won’t now be needed. But life chances, health outcomes, dignity, respect.

There’s a big debate here. And one we need to manage carefully: when our city shut down, suddenly we were able to end rough sleeping.

Now partly it’s to do with resources. It was a public health emergency and so funding became a secondary consideration. And we were allowed, because of public health, to spend money accommodating people with ‘no recourse to public funds’ – where their immigration status means a person isn’t entitled to any benefits, even if they have the right to remain in the UK. Usually the law prohibits us from doing this.

The other thing that happened is accommodation became available to us. Short term let properties were suddenly accessible for people experiencing homelessness. Hotels opened their doors to people who had been rough sleeping.

And we have to be honest. This is about supply and demand. There was no demand from tourists, so residents were the only market.

We will welcome visitors back to the city in the months and years to come. We need to make sure that the balance is right. That visitors are not staying in accommodation that could be used as homes. And we need to support hotels who employ more people, are tightly regulated and have to pay their business taxes.

So we will be pressing ahead with controls on short term lets as they pass into legislation, whether that’s licensing powers or through planning. It’s important for both the hospitality sector, and for our residents, that homes stay as homes after the pandemic.

But there will be more challenges to come. We know that there will come a point when we are no longer legally allowed to accommodate people with no recourse to public funds. The idea that we will have to say, because of the law, that people must leave their accommodation – and we will know that they have nowhere to go – is horrific.

We have limited powers (unfortunately we can’t change legislation at Westminster from the city chambers) but we can start to plan pathways, look at options and work with our partners. Kevin Stewart, Scotland’s Housing Minister, has written to the UK government. We will need to work with the Scottish Government to make the case for legislative change – and funding to go alongside it.

We know too that the economic situation is likely to worsen before it gets better. We know that we are likely to see job losses as the furlough scheme winds down and that alongside this there is a risk of increased homelessness.

We need to increase preventative work to help keep people in their homes. Advice and support are crucial so that people are able to access the benefits they are entitled to and receive help with housing costs. It’s also vital people know their housing rights.

We will also need to increase the supply of temporary accommodation, and make sure that accommodation is suitable for the people that need to stay in it.

Ultimately though, we want people to move into permanent, secure and safe homes – so our housebuilding programme, and the provision of social housing, will be even more critical than ever.

We’ve reconvened the homelessness task force to look at all of this. To have a space where we can learn best practice from each other – and there is so much innovation happening – and where we can share our concerns about what we see coming down the line. And work together to plan solutions.

In the months ahead we will need to keep re-evaluating, and planning, and adapting. This crisis is far from over. But the strength of the partnerships we have now across the city, and the enormous determination to work together to overcome any obstacles, give me confidence that we will collectively rise to the challenges that come.

This article first appeared in the Edinbugh Evening News

‘One Team Edinburgh’?

‘Fair, Pioneering, Welcoming and Thriving’ endorsed as Edinburgh’s city values for the next 30 years

Edinburgh’s 2050 City Vision principles of Fair, Pioneering, Welcoming and Thriving have been endorsed by the Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee, confirming them as integral to both Edinburgh’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the city’s future.

Produced by a steering group led by Lord Provost, Frank Ross, Councillors had previously agreed that the four values were to be central to the Council’s Adaptation and Renewal Programme. The steering group is currently developing a Vision charter for businesses and organisations to sign, committing to keeping the values central to their future plans. Once finalised, the charter will be signed by the Lord Provost on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council.

In addition to the formation of an annual youth council to provide oversight on progress and delivery of the 2050 Edinburgh City Vision, the steering group will be asked to consider measures for the city’s success in meeting the Vision’s aspirations.

Council Leader, Adam McVey, said: “Our recovery plans have already embedded the 2050 Edinburgh City Vision principles to ensure we rebuild better with an eye to our future. We’ve seen partners across the City adopt these principles and will continue to reflect them in our strategy and business planning.

“It’s important to note that we are not charting a fixed journey for everyone to follow – the City Vision gives us all principles to help shape and inform our actions now and push towards a vision of what Edinburgh could and should look like in 30 years’ time.

“Building a city that is led by these values is only possible when we work together. I have every confidence that we can all come together as one Team Edinburgh to adopt and reflect these principles in the plans and strategies of businesses and organisations throughout Edinburgh and in our own lives as citizens.”

Depute Leader, Cammy Day, said: “My thanks go to our Lord Provost and all members of the steering group for the great time and effort they have put in to determining the 2050 Edinburgh City Vision. It establishes an image of Edinburgh that, should we all do our best, we can achieve in 30 years.

“There is still important work to be done and the development of a Vision charter is a crucial step towards our future, one that we are all jointly responsible for and that all organisations, partners, communities and residents need to play their part in. We look forward to the Council signing it in due course and to seeing other businesses and organisations from across Edinburgh embrace it too.”

The 2050 Edinburgh City Vision principles were shaped by over 22,000 public consultation responses from residents across the city – the largest such exercise ever undertaken by the Council. It identified four key values that people wanted Edinburgh to stand for: welcoming, thriving, fair and pioneering. These values reflect a positive ambition for the city and will underpin a long-term vision for how the Capital will mould its future.

This was North Edinburgh yesterday. Will it look any better in thirty years time?

Scottish Government support for Fringe

Backing for world’s largest performing arts festival

The Scottish Government has agreed a funding package for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the charity that underpins the world-famous Fringe Festival.

As part of a commitment to support cultural, social and economic recovery, the Fringe Society will receive a £1 million interest-free loan from the Scottish Government. It will also benefit from a £149,000 Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund grant and a £100,000 grant from City of Edinburgh Council.

The money will be used to mitigate the significant losses incurred as a result of this year’s festival not going ahead as planned due to coronavirus (COVID-19) and to support the thousands of Fringe artists, companies and venues whose livelihoods have been affected.

The Fringe is estimated to be worth around £200 million to the wider Scottish and UK economy. Thousands of artists and cultural entrepreneurs across the UK rely on the Fringe annually as a key milestone for employment.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This has been an extremely worrying time for people whose livelihoods, careers and wellbeing have been affected by COVID-19 and the cancellation of festivals such as the Fringe.

“I am one of many thousands of people who will miss the Fringe this year. It is one of Scotland’s greatest cultural exports and this funding package will help ensure the world-renowned festival can bounce back in 2021. Many performers, cultural organisations and businesses rely on the festival and I hope it can build on its previous major successes to safely return to the international stage.”

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Chief Executive Shona McCarthy said: “This funding is a life raft to the Fringe Society, enabling us to properly support the extensive ecosystem of artists, venues and businesses who rely on the Fringe.

“This festival is about much more than three weeks in August. It’s an embodiment of how culture and creativity unites us, and in this incredibly difficult time, we’re grateful to be working so closely with our partners at Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and City of Edinburgh Council on this common goal.”

Edinburgh City Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We’re incredibly proud to be known as the world’s Festival City and are well aware of the positive cultural, social and economic life of the city contribution our festivals make to our residents and visitors.

“We worked quickly to help our Fringe festival get through the enormous challenge of COVID-19, working with Government to put resources in place to ensure the festival’s survival.

“I look forward to welcoming back the Fringe, and all our summer festivals.”

The loan will be repaid over six years.

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has welcomed the support. He said: “The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people from across the globe every year and is an important part of Scotland’s tourism industry.

“This funding will allow the festival to bounce back next year, so that the much loved event can be enjoyed again by Edinburgh residents, people across Scotland, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.”

Join the virtual Pride Edinburgh this morning

This weekend, city streets were due to welcome thousands of people for the annual Pride Edinburgh march.

The event was due to celebrate 25 years since the first Scottish Pride in 1995 but, while the march won’t proceed quite as planned, you can still show your support for Edinburgh’s LGBT+ community online.

This morning there is a virtual Pride breakfast which has been organised by LGBT Health and Wellbeing. The family-friendly event will feature special guests and live music.

An online drag queen story hour for all the family will take place with Aida H Dee, as well as a family friendly rave in the afternoon. Showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, the virtual event will also aim to highlight and celebrate the city’s BAME community, including those who identify as LGBT+.

Our LGBT+ Council colleague network, STRIDE, said: “For decades, LGBT+ people and Black and Minority Ethnic people have shared experiences of police brutality and discrimination.

The fight for equal rights is still very much ongoing, especially for Black and Minority Ethnic people, and we stand alongside their community as we always have and always will. There is no place for inequality or injustice in our society.”

As an inclusive employer and to demonstrate our support, we’ll be flying the rainbow and transgender Pride flags from the City Chambers for the whole weekend.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Edinburgh will look slightly less colourful this weekend without the show-stopping banners, t-shirts and celebrations which usually take centre stage at Pride.

“I’m sorry to everyone who had planned to take part and can’t. I’d like to thank the organisers for prioritising health and safety by moving online and thank those focusing their efforts on racial equality as part of Pride.

“Next year I hope we can celebrate bigger than ever. Edinburgh is a City that all of us should take pride in.”

Cammy Day, Depute Leader, added: “I’m proud that we’re supporting our LGBT+ colleagues and citizens by flying the rainbow and transgender flags above the City Chambers once again, particularly in this 25th anniversary year.

“These flags are an important symbol of love and inclusion, and fly against all forms of discrimination, intolerance, injustice or prejudice in our incredible, diverse City.”

Council announces back to school plans

Detailed arrangements are being put in place by the City of Edinburgh Council to ensure the safest return possible for pupils and staff when schools reopen in August.

Following the announcement by the Scottish Government last month, all pupils will return on Wednesday 12 August, a week earlier than programmed.

In accordance with national guidance, social distancing, hygiene regimes and risk assessments will be essential to keep children and staff safe, with the result that not all children will be able to return to school at the same time.

As such, schools are planning that 33% of their pupils will be in school at any one time. Every pupil will have a mix of teaching in school and learning at home and the days they attend will be determined by their school.

Teaching will take place from Mondays to Thursdays with all children attending for whole day and Fridays used by staff to support home learning. Limited key worker childcare support will continue throughout the week including Fridays during normal school hours.

Nursery and primary children will be grouped together to enable family members to attend school on the same days. In secondary schools, pupils will be grouped together either by year group or family group depending on the individual arrangements made by their school.

Pupils at special schools will be in for 50% of the week with the majority offering two full days in school and the rest as home learning.

Individual schools will be in direct contact with parents/carers to let them know final details of the arrangements for pupils.

Education Convener, Councillor Ian Perry, said: “The past three months have been very challenging for the world of education and I want to thank parents, carers and staff in our schools who continue to support our children with home learning and keyworker learning and childcare.

“The health and wellbeing of our children, young people and staff has been at the forefront of our planning for their return to their schools in August. We believe these plans represent the safest return to school as possible for them and in a way that best supports the quality of their learning and their safety

“We are making sure the guidance and advice from both Health Protection Scotland and Scottish Government is being strictly followed when it comes to social distancing, hygiene regimes and risk assessments – it’s essential that we keep our children and staff safe.

“This new blended model is an improvement on the current home learning arrangements, and I want to reassure parents that where possible we review, refine and improve our approach so we can maximise the proportion of in-school learning.”

Education Vice Convener, Cllr Alison Dickie, said: “School recovery lies at the heart of helping our city back on its feet, and I want to begin with a thank you to our teachers and parents and especially the wonderful children and young people of our city.

“This has been an unprecedented time for all of them and I am acutely aware of those who already faced challenges on a daily basis, and to whom school is at times a haven. They are at the heart of our plans.

“Children and young people have missed their teachers, and their teachers them. They have missed their friends and the inspiring and holistic learning environments of our modern classrooms. It’s important too that we build on the home aspect of our blended learning, so that our children feel fully connected and supported.

“Lockdown has also reminded us that learning is wider than just the classroom, and this is an opportunity to realise the full potential of community learning. From our youth workers and After School Clubs, to a range of third partners and community organisations, all have a part to play in this recovery process.”

As schools are starting a week earlier than planned, the summer holidays in 2021 will begin one week earlier, with the school year finishing on Friday 25 June.

Put your old bike to good use with Brake the Cycle

We want your broken, old or unwanted bikes for our Brake the Cycle scheme!

Usually the Brake the Cycle Scheme is a recycling project which takes old and unwanted bikes that are then repaired or serviced by offenders on Community Payback Orders. The bikes are then given away for free to community organisations, youth groups and schools.

At the moment supervisors from the team have been repairing then delivering bikes to people who can use them during the lockdown. So far the team have been able to help NHS and Council workers avoid using public transport to get to work, and donated bikes to vulnerable adults and children across the city, giving them a chance to go out exercise and help as well as improving their mental health.

If you have a bike you would like to donate please email the team and someone will collect your old bike for free.

By donating your unwanted or broken bike, you can help to reduce waste (and maybe make some room in your garden shed!).

You’ll also be helping others who could be in need during the lock down as well as promoting healthier lifestyles and environmentally-friendly travel in Edinburgh.

Council to place 500 staff on furlough

As the City of Edinburgh Council announces 500 staff will go on furlough, UNISON has stepped up to ensure they are protected and has called for long term investment to protect local jobs and services after years of cuts.

Tom Connolly, UNISON City of Edinburgh branch secretary, said: “Our members have responded heroically to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis – providing support to the most vulnerable members of our communities, looking after the children of key workers and collecting our refuse to name but a few examples.

“As we begin to move out of lockdown our communities will need even more support than ever before. After years of cuts, only sustained long term investment will protect jobs and services at Edinburgh City Council.”

The union has ensured that furloughed staff will continue to get full pay and pensions contributions.

Tom Connolly added: “It is regrettable that UNISON members may be finding out about the councils furlough announcement through the media.

The unions had initial contact from the employer on Monday (8 June) about the proposal to furlough groups of staff. Immediate reassurance was sought and given that every member of staff would continue to receive full pay, full pension contributions, and all other benefits associate with their job during the period of furlough.

“It was also recognised that by using the furlough scheme in what had to be specific income generating sectors, and had needed to be closed down due to COVID-19, the council would benefit financially by the sum of £500,000 .

“We continued in dialogue with the employer up to late on this afternoon and are fully confident that our members affected will be fully protected, we would accept nothing less.

“What is clear, our council has suffered year in and year out from the constant cuts to funding from both the Westminster austerity agenda and real term cuts to local government funding from the Scottish government. The huge responsibilities placed on local government by the pandemic has massively impacted on an already precarious financial position.

“The issue of funding for council services now and in the future must be addressed and all costs associated with the provision of added services resulting from COVID-19 should be fully met by the Scottish Government.

“As we begin to move out of lockdown our communities will need even more support than ever before. Only sustained long term investment will protect jobs and services at Edinburgh City Council.

“Negotiating on behalf of and supporting our members during this time of crisis has been of paramount importance to UNISON and that is what we will continue to do.”

‘For better or worse’: New plaque for Melville Monument

The city council is to draw up new wording to tell the story of the Melville Monument in St Andrew Square.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Edinburgh is a progressive, diverse and welcoming City and we must continue to fight against racism in all spheres of Government and across society.

“I share the anger of people that we are still, in 2020, debating the issue of racial prejudice – something that should be consigned to the history books. The Black Lives Matter demonstration at the weekend, where no arrests were made, proves the overwhelming power of peaceful action.

“What is essential is that we tell our City’s story more accurately – for better or worse. We have a lot to celebrate about the contribution black and ethnic minority Edinburghers have made and are making to our City’s progress and success and that should be clear.

“Yet, we also need to address and talk openly about those moments in Scottish history where people have been killed, enslaved or discriminated against, simply because of their race.

“As part of this, we’ll be reviewing our own museum and gallery collections through the lens of BAME history to make sure that Edinburgh’s stories are accurately told.

“Building on the progress we’d already made with Prof Geoff Palmer and others, I’m pleased to say that we’ve come to a form of words on a plaque at the statue of Henry Dundas (above) – and this will be published tomorrow (Wednesday 10 June).

“It will be finalised and installed at the foot of the Melville Monument as soon as possible. This is just one part of Edinburgh’s history and one small change we can make. We should make many more.”

Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, was a leading figure in the Scottish Enlightenment – but the Royal High School and Edinburgh University educated advocate also did all he could to delay the abolition of slavery while president of the Board of Control of the East India Company, which was heavily involved in the slave trade.