Tag: consultation

Help us deliver ‘re-shaped’ services, pleads council

Council seeks your views on budget priorities

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Edinburgh residents are being asked by the City of Edinburgh Council for their views on reshaping council services as part of public engagement for the 2017/18 budget, which will be set early next year.

This year people will get the chance to contribute ideas of their own on how city services are provided, by having meaningful conversations online with other residents in their local area. Residents will also be able to see the suggestions of others in their community and rate those ideas.

The Council has agreed draft spending and saving plans for the next three years and is now looking for residents’ views on how best to change the delivery of some services.

A seven-week engagement period, beginning today (Friday, 30 September), will run until Friday, 18 November. It will focus on three key themes, new ways of working, lean and agile services and working with partners.

The online survey will ask residents to think about how the changes below could affect them, their community and the city as a whole as well as what challenges and opportunities they present for the Council.

  • Supporting individuals and community groups to become more involved in delivering library services.

  • Developing the ways customers do business with the Council to include more online tools which are accessible and respond to customer needs so that services are delivered right first time.

  • Working with Edinburgh Leisure to maintain access to quality facilities and programmes whilst achieving savings and efficiencies.

The Council will also be working closely with communities, equality groups and partners over the coming months by running workshops around reshaping services, working with communities to agree how local budgets should be spent and creating a city vision for Edinburgh for 2050.

A Question Time event will also be webcast from the City Chambers on Thursday, 10 November to give members of the public a more personal opportunity to ask questions about changes to services.

Councillor Alasdair Rankin, Finance and Resources Convener, said: “We have an increasing population, inflationary pressures, decreased budgets and greater demand for our services so it is really important that we get residents’ views on how we can more efficiently deliver services.

“In previous budget engagements residents told us to protect education, care for older people, culture, and services for vulnerable children and adults. These continue to be our priorities.

“Using our online engagement tools, we’re making it easy for people to contribute their views and ideas, and to understand the different challenges there are reshaping our services.

“We are improving our engagement tools this year by allowing people to speak to other residents in their local area about issues which specifically affect them. This will give us quality feedback on how people would like their services delivered in the future.”

Councillor Bill Cook, Finance Vice-Convener, added: “Everything you say will be taken into account when we draw up the final budget to be considered by Council in early 2017, so we are extremely interested in hearing your views. Whether it’s via the online survey, dialogue page, phone, letter, email or social media we welcome all feedback.”

At a meeting of the Finance & Resources Committee on Thursday, 29 September, councillors approved a report on the draft budget.

The draft budget, online survey and dialogue page can be accessed at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/playyourpart.

Residents can have their say by:

Completing the online survey 

Commenting on the online dialogue page 

Phoning on 0131 200 2305 (8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 3.40pm Friday)

Writing to Freepost, RSJC-SLXC-YTJY, Budget, Council Leader, City Chambers, High Street Edinburgh EH1 1YJ

Speaking to your local councillor(s)

All together now? Capital sets it’s sights on collective city vision

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Edinburgh residents, businesses, partners and stakeholders are being called upon to share their vision for the Capital’s future. The ‘2050 Edinburgh City Vision’ – which begins development today – will encompass the diverse needs of the city, ensuring it continues to thrive as a great place to live, work and visit over the next 30 years. Continue reading All together now? Capital sets it’s sights on collective city vision

Community councillors: get your nomination papers in NOW!

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The deadline is fast approaching for local people taking part in this year’s community council elections in Edinburgh – nominations close on Monday (26 September).

This year, nominations are being sought for 44 community councils. By becoming a member, local residents are given the opportunity to influence what happens in their area. Members can get involved in a wide range of activities, comment on planning and licensing applications, take part in community campaigns and work with others to improve the local area.

Community councils are made up of local residents and community groups such as youth forums, parent councils and student bodies. Each one is represented on the Neighbourhood Partnership for their area, where they work with local elected members, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, NHS Lothian and the voluntary sector to identify and deliver local priorities.

The first community councils were established in Edinburgh in 1980 in Merchiston and Longstone, and there are more than 500 community councillors across the city.

Cllr Maureen Child, Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee Convener, said: “Community councils are an ideal way to support communities to thrive. They allow people of all ages and from all backgrounds to meet and share ideas and to make change happen. They are a fantastic way of making public sector agencies aware of the needs of local areas, and can really help to make changes for the better.

“With only three days left until nominations close, I’d like to encourage anyone who’s interested in local democracy to get involved – be part of something great.”

People aged 16 years or older who are registered to vote can join. The nomination period for the community council elections runs until 4pm on Monday 26 September 2016. Elections, where required, will take place on Thursday 27 October 2016. Residents can apply as an individual or as a local interest group, such as a Parent Council, Friends of Parks or sports club.

Nomination forms are available on the City of Edinburgh Council’s website.

You can find information on each individual community council, including maps, on the Neighbourhood Partnership website, telephone 0131 469 3838 or email community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk  

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Karen Lloyd
0131 469 357

Muirhouse Shopping Centre to be demolished

Gunner to go for good as regeneration plans unveiled

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The mutli-million pound regeneration of Muirhouse and Pennywell has taken another significant step forward with the launch of a consultation exercise on Muirhouse Shopping Centre and the surrounding environment. Continue reading Muirhouse Shopping Centre to be demolished

Have your say on city centre public spaces

Views sought on how best to use Edinburgh’s key public spaces

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Residents, local organisations and businesses are being asked for their opinions on proposals to balance the use of civic spaces, both owned by the Council and not, in the city centre. 

Feedback from an online consultation will be used to inform the development of a Public Spaces Protocol, which will support Council decisions on the most appropriate use of spaces like the Grassmarket, the Mound precinct and the High Street.

Edinburgh’s status as a world renowned Festival City, World Heritage Site and visitor destination will be considered alongside residents’ quality of life, the requirements of established local businesses, as well as seasonal traders, and promoters or organisers of events and activities.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “As a capital city, Edinburgh boasts a wide range of attractive and accessible spaces in which the public can spend time and enjoy diverse and world-class events.

“In order to cater to all those who use these spaces, including residents, visitors, businesses and traders, as well as ensuring the fair and balanced staging of events across all the areas on offer, it is necessary that we establish a clear set of guidelines.

“By trialling a number of approaches across spaces in the city, I am confident that we will able to create informed and relevant criteria, and I look forward to hearing what the public think of our approach.”

Trials are already in place to test the different approaches to managing public spaces across the city. In George Street, a set of criteria has been developed to assess proposals put forward by event organisers for large scale festival-related events, while this summer in the Grassmarket a series of measures are in place to deliver a more coherent approach to managing activity in the area.

Evaluation is also currently underway on best practise for Castle Street, which was redeveloped in 2008 but is now considered under-used. Outcomes from this and the other two trials will contribute to the final Public Spaces Protocol.

The Public Spaces Protocol is part of the City Centre Programme, which incorporates a number of projects with a ‘place-making’ agenda. The Programme focuses on a vision for the city, ensuring that everyone who cares about the centre has an opportunity to have their say.

The Use of Public Spaces consultation is open until Tuesday, 6 September and can be accessed through the Council website.

Continue reading Have your say on city centre public spaces

Social Security consultation underway

Your opportunity to shape the benefits system in Scotland

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People across Scotland are being given the chance to help shape the country’s first ever social security system. The Scottish Government has launched a 13 week consultation looking for views on the benefits being devolved to Scotland, as well as how they are delivered. Continue reading Social Security consultation underway

Terrorist attack is biggest fear, public tell Police

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The threat of terrorism is the main issue of concern to people across Scotland, according to the first results from Police Scotland’s new online survey, ‘Your View Counts’. Edinburgh citizens highlighted housebreaking and antisocial behaviour as their main concerns. Continue reading Terrorist attack is biggest fear, public tell Police

Greens urge city residents to take part in World Heritage survey

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Lothian Green MSP Alison Johnstone is calling on constituents to make their feelings known on the future of Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns before a council survey closes on 25 July. 

Council chiefs are seeking people’s views to help create policies to preserve and enhance the World Heritage Site and Johnstone wants guarantees that the city’s large tourism numbers won’t mean that prospective hotel developers are given carte blanche.

Alison Johnstone MSP said: “People from the capital are all too aware of planning issues in the city and now we have an opportunity to give our views on Edinburgh as a place to live, work and visit in this survey before it closes at the end of the month.

“Given our World Heritage status, our growing population and increasing development pressures it’s important that people make clear their opposition to developments that may not be the most optimal or necessary use of precious city centre sites.

“We need to have an honest conversation about how many luxury hotels the city needs and where they should be situated. Tourism is vital to Edinburgh, but we need to ensure that Edinburgh caters for travellers on all budgets, and essentially, for those who live and work in the city.”

Access the consultation below:

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/edinburgh-oldandnewtowns-managementplan-review/consult_view