Scotland’s changing …

2.5 million Scottish households to receive leaflet explaining devolution changes

A leaflet explaining the changes to devolution as the UK Government prepares to transfer powers to Holyrood will begin arriving through letterboxes in Scotland this week.

The 8-page Scotland’s Changing leaflet (see below) will explain the new powers as well as the benefits people in Scotland retain as part of the UK, including the pound, pensions and passports.

It will be sent to every one of the 2.5 million households across the country.

Find out more about Our United Future

The leaflet clearly explains which powers will be devolved and reserved following the Smith Commission and the earlier Scotland Act 2012. Powers going to the Scottish Parliament include income tax, some elements of welfare and choices over new taxes such as Airport Passenger Duty and Stamp Duty.

The Smith Commission recommended action to raise public awareness of devolution and this is part of the UK Government’s response to that challenge.

Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said:

“Scotland is changing for the better, with new powers coming to the Scottish Parliament.

These powers will have an impact on every person living in Scotland and it is important that we all know what they are and what they mean for us.

From Monday, households across Scotland will receive a leaflet, direct to their door – and that leaflet will spell out the facts.

The Scottish Parliament will soon be given power over the rates of income tax, welfare provision with a starting budget of more than £2.5 billion, and the ability to give the vote to 16 and 17 year olds in Holyrood and local government elections.

Alongside borrowing powers, and continued control over health, education, housing, public transport and so much more, the Scottish Parliament is set to become one of the most powerful devolved parliaments not just in Europe, but in the entire world.

At the same time, Scotland will keep the many benefits which come as part of the UK. We’ll keep our UK pound, our UK passport and our UK pensions. We’ll also continue to benefit from a single jobs market, a single defence system and a single, strong and fast-growing UK economy.

This is good news for Scotland. A united future, built to last.”

Scotland_s_Changing_info_leaflet

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General Election 2015: your questions matter!

Come along and ask candidates the questions that matter to you! Pilton Community Health Project will be holding hustings in each of the two constituencies in the area.

Candidates for Edinburgh North and Leith have been invited to attend hustings on Thursday 19 March from 6.30 – 8pm at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. A light soup supper will be available from 6 with questions starting from 6.30. The event will be Chaired by the very able Harry Woodward.

Candidates for Edinburgh West have been invited to attend hustings on Thursday 26 March from 6.30 -8pm at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre. A light soup supper will be available from 6 with questions starting from 6.30. The event will be Chaired by the very able Harry Woodward.

Get in touch if you would like some help with childcare or have any questions – contact Anita on 0131 551 1671.

SYP Elections: Edinburgh Central & Edinburgh Western candidates

EDINBURGH CENTRAL candidates

EILIDH DEWAR

I have many hopes and ambitions for the future of young people and I hope that becoming an MSYP will allow me to put these hopes into reality for Scotland’s young people.

I want votes for sixteen and seventeen year olds in every election. Sixteen/seventeen year olds were able to vote in the referendum. It opened a lot of young people’s eyes to politics. They took a keen interest to politics by researching and deciding what they wanted to vote. Younger people involved in elections is a great idea because it shows
adults that they have a voice and are able to decide what they want and which party would benefit them. It is a step in the right direction as it would get young people a lot more involved and interested in politics.

I found that young people want more opportunities in their communities. They want more clubs and organizations focused on certain skills. If there are more opportunities to learn skills in certain areas, it opens doors for young people and could help them decide what they want to do as a career. For example, Screen Education Edinburgh is a film-making group I have worked with. SEE is open to any young person interested
in filming, editing, acting etc. As an aspiring film-maker, I have worked with SEE a lot and seeing the support they give young people who want to pursue a career in film or just do it as a hobby, is phenomenal. These types of groups benefit young people as it is a way for them to meet people, who are interested in the same things as them, improve skills and put them on a good path for their future.

I found that young people want more support when it comes to work experience. Work experience is important as it gives young people experience to put on CV’s. I was told by many young people that they want authorities to prioritise work experience for them so it is easier for them to get work experience outside school. This is important because being able to work is a skill every person must have because it opens up opportunities for them in future.

I spoke to people who were worried about lack of security streetwise. I want to see more police on foot patrolling streets instead of the odd police car. I want to know I am safe walking home and this is the case for everyone. I would make it a priority to get more security streetwise such as policemen on foot and more CCTV. Safety is so important and more security means less crime, making Edinburgh safer for everyone.

These are only a few of the things I would do as an MYSP. I have many other ideas that I feel passionate about. As an MSYP I would make it priority to make Edinburgh a better place for our generation.

LUCIE DUFFY

My name is Lucie Duffy and this year I’ll be standing as a candidate for the Scottish Youth Parliament in the Edinburgh Central constituency. I am becoming more interested in politics and politics itself is definitely something I might like to do when I’m older, so to be able to get the chance to represent you at the SYP would be an amazing opportunity for me.

In this manifesto you can read more about me and what I believe are important topics that should be brought to the Scottish Youth Parliament.

I want to be a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament because I believe that young people all over Scotland should have the confidence to stand up and have their say in how the country is run. Also, me being a girl, I feel that sometimes women are under-represented in Governments and Parliament and I want to change that.

I believe that the youth of Edinburgh needs a positive, helpful and friendly MSYP to represent them, and I think that this MSYP could be me.

I am involved in my school’s Amnesty International Youth Group, in which we mainly organise events to raise awareness of the work Amnesty International is doing in the UK and abroad. This means that one of the key issues I would want to raise at the Scottish Youth Parliament is the basic human rights of young people in Scotland, such as being entitled to a home and a family life.

90% of 16 and 17 year olds voted responsibly in the Scottish Referendum, so I see no reason why they shouldn’t be allowed votes in all elections. This is a campaign that is already being raised at the Scottish Youth Parliament but if I were to be elected it would be something that I would help maintain. I think that we should at least try to have the topic discussed with Parliament to consider possible changes.

Last but not least, I feel that the topic of Better Sex Education in schools should be raised. Scotland has the highest rate of teen pregnancies in Europe and this is something I definitely want to change. I believe that young people in Scotland should go into these experiences with a clear head, and it shouldn’t be something to be embarrassed or confused about.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my manifesto, and I hope to receive your vote in the SYP election 2015.

WING YAN NG

Giving young people a voice and fair representation is crucial to me. We need to protect our interests through strong representation and I want to listen and act if elected. Having been a MSYP for one term already, I feel even more motivated and enthusiastic to represent young people of Edinburgh Central.

Last year, I successfully supported to raise the national minimum wage for under 18 year olds through our national campaign “One Fair Wage”. However, I still want to work on my previous policies which were to solve the problem of the lack of funding for leisure facilities in Edinburgh, more work opportunities for university graduates and reducing bus and tram fares. My campaign for these policies is not necessarily about “change” but to review our current system and to see if there should
be more improvement.

First of all, I want young people to enjoy using facilities and not be restricted by money; they have the right to enjoy the facilities that are provided for them by Government.

Secondly, I think bus and tram fares should either be frozen for a reasonable period of time or be reduced.

Third and finally, there should be more work programmes introduced to school leavers/graduate leavers for their chosen field of work.

Young people need more opportunities today to learn a variety of new skills required in growing employment sectors. Strong and passionate leadership is needed and I believe I can make a difference by representing your interests in the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Thank you for your support.

EDINBURGH WESTERN constituency

There are two candidates:

OWEN CRUIKSHANK

SYP_Manifesto_Owen_Crusickshank_-_Edinburgh_Western

LAURA HOLLOWAY

Laura_Holloway_syp_pdf

Scottish Youth Parliament Elections: just seven days left to cast your vote

You still have seven days to cast your vote in the Scottish Youth Parliament elections …

The Scottish Youth Parliament is a non-party political organisation made up of 150 young people representing every constituency in Scotland. It campaigns to highlight the views of Scotland’s young people on a national and international stage.

Its members meet three times each year at a range of different locations, including in the main chamber at Holyrood’s Scottish Parliament.

There are 12 seats representing Edinburgh open to candidates who receive the most votes at the elections in March. These are in six city areas: Central, Eastern, Northern & Leith, Pentlands, Southern and Western.

Anyone aged between 12 and 25 is eligible to vote – to get involved young people can log onto the Young Scot website and use their Young Scot number to vote (temporary numbers for voting are also available from a selection of schools and community venues across the city).

EDINBURGH NORTHERN & LEITH CANDIDATES

EILIDH MACKAY

SYP_Mani_EilidhMackay_UPDATED

Hello, I’m Eilidh, and I want to be your MSYP for Edinburgh North and Leith. Why Me?

 I am passionate about being a voice for young people in my area and across Scotland
 I think there are important changes that need to be made for the benefit of young people in our country
 I have been a member of the Youth Issues forum for 4 years, proving my enthusiasm and meaning I know what issues are important to young people in Edinburgh
 I have a lot of experience in public speaking so won’t be afraid to speak out about the issues that are important

MAIN ISSUES

 Votes at 16
This is something I feel very strongly about; we have a voice that deserves to be heard

 Sex Education
I feel that there is a serious lack of proper sex ed in schools. This is an issue I’ve heard from a lot of people and one I promise to take forward

 School Dinners
Everyone knows school dinners are awful, so why has nothing changed? There needs to be a proper look taken at the quality and healthiness of what we serve to school students.

Follow Me – @littlenerdyscot – and tweet me with any questions you may have. I Hope I Have Your Vote!

KIERAN REAPE

K__Reape_Manifesto_PDF

Why I’m Standing
I’m standing for Edinburgh Northern and Leith in the upcoming 2015 Scottish Youth Parliament elections to represent the young people in the
Edinburgh Northern and Leith constituency.
What I will support and commit to as a Member of Scottish Youth Parliament:
– Votes at 16 (including all elections; UK and Scottish General Elections;
European Elections and Local Council Elections)
– Equality in Young People.
– Higher minimum wage for under-18’s and Modern Apprentices

I want Votes at 16 to become a reality across every type of election possible. This ties in with equality in young people. Young people should be able to Vote.

I also want Modern Apprentices and Under 18’s to be paid higher. The Modern Apprenticeship minimum wage is £2.73 per hour. Compare
that to the National Minimum of £6.50 per hour and you can see that the
gap is far too big.

A little bit about me
I’m 17 years old and born and raised in Edinburgh. I attended Drummond Community High School. After leaving in 5th year I ended up doing some work with the European Parliament shortly after I left school and eventually started a Certificate of Work Readiness at
the National Records of Scotland in January 2014 to March 2014.
I completed the certificate in March and achieved a Highly Commended SQA Star Award for my efforts there and my destination of work after the placement. After the placement I immediately started a one year modern apprenticeship for a SVQ Level 2 in Business and Administration. I now work for the Scottish Government.

Like me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KieranReapeMSYP

Follow me on Twitter: @Keezor

Email me: K.L.Reape@gmail.com

Please note that due to the Code of the Civil Service, my influence on anything to do with the portfolio I will work in is extremely limited. It’s fortunate that each constituency actually has two MSYP’s. In the case of a portfolio topic, of where I work was to arise, I would plan to hand it over to the other MSYP of the constituency.

TERRI SMITH

SYP_Manifesto_Terri_Smith_Edinburgh_Northern_and_Leith

Past experience:
 I’ve been a MSYP since 2009
 Current Vice Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament
 Peer educator/mentor locally & nationally
 Youth Worker with disadvantaged young people
 Involved in 3 successful national campaigns
 Registered over 200 young people to vote in the referendum

Why vote for me?

 I have vast experience

 I’m hard working

 Great at public speaking

 I love working with young people

 I always throw in a bit of banter

 I’m committed to further representing you for another 2 years!

 I have a great working relationship with our politicians.

A vote for #TeamTerri is a vote for …

1. More support for LGBT young people
2. More knowledge and access to local and national opportunities
3. Engage and provide more support to the local youth forum and youth clubs/groups
4. Campaign to improve work experience
5. Tackle bullying In schools and provide further support for bullied young people
6. Continue to work with NUS Scotland to ensure college and university students aren’t facing further cuts to their education.

Scottish Youth Parliament Elections: it’s time to vote!

‘We’ve seen from the success of young people voting in the Independence Referendum that there’s a real appetite out there for them to engage in politics’ – Cllr Cathy Fullerton

Young people in Edinburgh are being urged to vote in the Scottish Youth Parliament elections which start today – and for the first time young voters will be able to cast their vote online from today until Friday 13 March.

Anyone aged between 12 and 25 in the Capital is eligible to vote and to get involved young people can log onto the Young Scot website and use their Young Scot number to vote (temporary numbers for voting are also available from a selection of schools and community venues across the city).

Its members meet three times each year at a range of different locations, including in the main chamber at Holyrood’s Scottish Parliament.

Councillor Cathy Fullerton, Vice Convener for Education for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We’ve seen from the success of young people voting in the Independence Referendum that there’s a real appetite out there for them to engage in politics.

“The Scottish Youth Parliament offers an ideal chance for young people to be heard on both national and local issues and I would urge everyone eligible to cast their vote next week.

“It’s great that modern technology means our young people can vote online for the first time for their preferred candidate. These elections are a great opportunity to develop young people’s citizenship and debating skills as well as demonstrating democracy in action.

“The council is committed to involving young people fully in the life of our city, so they feel that Edinburgh is a place where they can really make a difference. That’s why we are also actively encouraging them to come up with petitions which can be put to our Petitions Committee for consideration.”

Anyone interested in voting should visit the Young Scot website or contact the CEC Young People’s Participation Team on 0131 529 6502.

Youth parliament candidate enjoys hustings event

The joint Edinburgh Central and Edinburgh Northern and Leith hustings that took place at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall was a fantastic night.

The questions asked from the audience were excellent and covered a huge range of issues. We heard questions raised regarding educational attainment, votes at 16 and homeless children, just to mention a few.

I even had a disagreement with Councillor Cammy Day on a Youth Parliament for Edinburgh Council, which I believe should be something that exists, whereas he doesn’t because he believes it was ‘a waste of time!’

It was a truly great experience to hear from young people on issues that mean something to them and an honour to be able to answer the questions to such an engaged crowd.

Kieran Reape

Candidate for Edinburgh Northern & Leith

Scottish Youth Parliament

Sectarianism: Ministers welcome ‘most comprehensive study ever’

Scottish Ministers have welcomed the publication of a series of reports into sectarianism and the impacts of marches and parades in Scotland.

The work, as recommended by the independent Advisory Group on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland, explored attitudes and experiences of sectarianism and the community impact of processions on Scottish society.

The research was discussed at a Glasgow conference yesterday which looked at how research is helping to shape our understanding of the nature and impact of sectarianism in modern Scotland.

The mix of quantitative and qualitative research was undertaken by independent researchers from Newcastle University, the University of Stirling, the University of Oxford and ScotCen Social Research.

Some of the findings within the Scottish Social Attitudes survey 2014 and the Community Experiences of Sectarianism reports include:

Scotland is becoming more secular, with the percentage of Scots who do not identify with any religion increasing from 40% in 1999 to 54% in 2013
The majority (88%) of those surveyed believe sectarianism is a problem in Scotland but most (69%) believe it is only a problem in certain areas
Football is the most commonly mentioned factor people believe contributes to sectarianism in Scotland (88%)
Those surveyed didn’t believe sectarianism happened everywhere, but did happen at specific places and times including football matches and Loyalist and Irish Republican processions.
Gender was believed to play a big part in people’s experiences of sectarianism. Men were much more likely to be the instigators, with both sexes identified as being victims.
Those surveyed believed families, schools and football clubs were best placed to tackle sectarianism.

In addition, the study into the Community Impact of Public Processions found that:

Public processions have a significant meaning for those taking part but there is often a gap between the purpose and meaning around Loyalist and Irish Republican marches for participants, and how they were viewed by the wider public. Communities often associated them with community and social problems and sectarianism.
These types of marches were viewed negatively by people surveyed in the locations they were held, compared to other types of processions, including community and political.
Despite concerns around ‘spikes’ in antisocial or criminal behaviour following these types of procession, police data did not show evidence of this.
Processions organised by the Scottish Defence League and emerging Loyalist organisations, often taking the form of ‘static’ demonstrations, created problems and significant disruption for local authorities and Police Scotland and upset to local communities.

Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs Paul Wheelhouse said: “The publication of this work is a significant step forward in helping us build the most comprehensive understanding of the nature and impact of sectarianism in Scotland that we have ever had. It will undoubtedly play a huge part in influencing collective thinking and shaping how we tackle sectarianism going forward.

“This research also shows us that there is a gap between the perception of sectarianism and the reality of people’s experiences, and this is something I know the Advisory Group will be considering in the coming weeks and months.

“Sectarianism has no place in Scotland in the 21st century and we are fully committed to help rid Scotland of the prejudices of the past and tackling this problem which has blighted many communities.

“Religiously aggravated offending is falling and is now at its lowest level in a decade, last year alone there was a 15% decrease, but we will always seek to do all we can to stamp out this problem. That’s why the Scottish government has invested £9 million over three years to tackle this issue, including supporting 44 community-based projects in their efforts to tackle sectarianism in Scotland.

“The final report of the Advisory Group is due later this year and this will include advice on the future development of our agenda on tackling sectarianism. The Advisory Group will ensure that the findings from today’s publications are incorporated into their report to ensure that the advice they are giving is based on the best and most up-to-date information available.

“This government fully respects the right to hold marches and parades but also recognises that this right needs to be balanced against the right of communities to go about their business undisturbed. We will be looking closely at the University of Stirling’s findings to consider how we can best achieve that balance.”

Chair of the independent Advisory Group on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland, Dr Duncan Morrow, added: “From the outset the Advisory Group has been clear that we need strong and robust evidence as a basis for our work on tackling sectarianism. I am delighted that the Advisory Group has been able to commission these excellent pieces of research with the support of the Scottish Government. There is no doubt that they are a significant addition to the existing evidence base and we will be using the findings to shape or final report to the Scottish Government later in the year.

“The research is clear. There is absolutely no doubt about the fact that sectarianism impacts negatively on people’s lives and that it is not confined to particular communities.

“The evidence highlights some of the complexities of the problem and that there is no single cause and no single solution. A culture of finger pointing, blaming and outright denial has provided comfort to many excusing the familiar behaviour that acts as a life support to anachronistic sectarian attitudes, but such a culture fails to address either the problem or provide a solution. That is why we believe that local solutions are central to tackling this issue, but also recognise that organisations and institutions must play a full role. This research points to the fact that there is a real thirst for change and that public opinion is overwhelmingly in favour of extinguishing the final embers of sectarianism.”

To read the research reports click on the links below:

Scottish Social Attitudes survey 2014: Public attitudes to sectarianism in Scotland

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/02/5330

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/02/6038

Community Impact of Public Processions

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/02/3769

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/02/9505

Community Experiences of Sectarianism: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/02/9920

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/02/6496

Any questions?

Opportunities to get your questions answered at hustings events

PCHP_ELECTION_A4_LR

Pilton Community Health Project has organised hustings in both local constituency seats in the run up to the Westminster election in May.

Candidates for Edinburgh North and Leith have been invited to answer questions from local community on Thursday 19 March from 6.30 – 8pm at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre (soup will be available from 6pm).

Candidates for Edinburgh West have been invited to answer questions from the local community on Thursday 26 March from 6.30 – 8pm at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre (soup will be available from 6pm).

http://pchp.org.uk/news/2015/your-questions-matter

Council agrees £22 million Budget ‘savings’

‘It’s a broken council which is failing it’s people and this budget must be rejected’ – Linda Garcia, WIG group

Councillors have set Edinburgh’s budget after a marathon meeting at the City Chambers yesterday. A raft of deputations from across the city urged the council to reject a budget package of cuts and service reorganisation aimed at saving £22 million this year, but councillors voted to approved the budget.

Leading the deputations was Royston Wardieburn Community Centre’s Women’s International Group (WIG). Royston Wardieburn was the city’s very first purpose-built community centre – it first opened in 1965. Two years ago – after years of hard work by the management committee – a brand new centre was opened, but members fear that all that good work could be undone by proposals to change the way community centres are operated.

WIG’s Anna Hutchison told councillors: “We are very concerned about these proposals. We have achieved a great deal in our Centre in recent years, but there is still a great deal of work to be done and we cannot build on our achievements when everything keep changing.

“Cutting CLD (community learning and development) staff and removing them from centres seems very short-sighted given that the Scottish Government is now requiring all councils to produce a CLD plan stating how they intend to build stronger, more influential and inclusive communities and improve life chances through learning and active citizenship.”

She warned that voluntary management committee members would ‘walk away’ if proposals to change the role of CLD staff in the running of community centres is implemented.

WIG’s Linda Garcia added: “We do not accept the proposed budget. We do not accept the way Edinburgh’s finances are being run. We do not accept that inequality, poverty and powerlessness are inevitable in our communities.

“We have been ‘trained’ to believe that no alternative (to cuts) is possible and that achieving a decent and fair society is just too damn complicated, so best not to try! We do not accept that this is the case. We want a council which puts citizens at it’s heart”.

“We believe that this budget is unacceptable to the citizens of Edinburgh. Unfortunately, despite a string of scandals, the Council seems unable to change. It is a broken Council which is failing it’s people and this budget must be rejected”.

“We demand that you join the campaign to secure additional funding from the Scottish and Westminster governments to safeguard our public services.

“We demand that you support Unite’s campaign to restructure the £1.2 billion debt owed by the Public Works Loan Board – paying £56 million in interest charges each year is completely unacceptable.

“We demand that the Scottish Parliament orders a Public Inquiry to examine the mismanagement of this Council, the numerous scandals and cover-ups by successive administrations.

She concluded: “We demand that you return power to the people.”

The group, joined by supporters in the public gallery, then serenaded councillors with a song! Based on the original Italian partisan song Bella Ciao, WIG’s words are:

The public sector is for the people

Oh bella ciao; bella ciao; bella ciao, ciao, ciao

The public sector is for the people

Not for sale to profiteers.

Oh we are singing for education

Oh bella ciao; bella ciao; bella ciao, ciao, ciao

We are singing for education

And an equal right to learn.

The rich get richer, the poor get poorer

Oh bella ciao; bella ciao; bella ciao, ciao, ciao

The rich get richer, the poor get poorer,

Unnecessary and unfair.

They cut the funding, they cut the workers

Oh bella ciao; bella ciao; bella ciao, ciao, ciao

They cut the funding, they cut the workers

Ain’t no ‘Big Society’.

Following that musical interlude, WIG were followed by a succession of deputations from across the city, each one urging the city to think again. EVOC, Edinburgh East Save Our Services, Edinburgh Tenants Federation, Edinburgh Trade Union Council, UNITE Edinburgh Not for Profit Branch, Edinburgh Anti-Cuts Alliance, Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links, UNISON and the EIS: each one advanced powerful arguments – but ultimately each one was unsuccessful as councillors voted to press ahead with the cuts.

Protecting frontline services in Edinburgh for young, old and vulnerable residents was a priority at the budget meeting, according to senior councillors. Investment in roads and pavements, investing in school infrastructure and working towards the redevelopment of Meadowbank Sports Centre and Stadium were other key priority areas.

Councillors say public opinion expressed during the recent budget consultation helped to influence key decisions as they attempted to balance the city’s books.

Cllr Alasdair Rankin, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: “Given the financial challenges all local authorities are facing over the next few years, we want to invest in the areas that are essential to Edinburgh and so it is important that the public continue to tell us what is important to them.

“This year we published the draft budget in October and 3,525 people gave us their views – five times the number of responses compared to last year. We also used a new online planner to give respondents the opportunity to express what they feel the Council’s priorities should be. The planner allowed us to show where we will incur costs in 2017/18, to demonstrate the impacts of increasing or decreasing spending in all of our services. This was extremely popular and 1,719 of those people took Edinburgh’s Budget Challenge.

Cllr Bill Cook, Vice-Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: “We used the feedback received during the consultation process to help us make many key decisions such as maintaining funding for homelessness services, not increasing allotment charges and putting an extra £5m towards improving roads and pavements.”

The eight successive year’s Council Tax freeze maintains Edinburgh’s band D rate as the lowest of Scotland’s four major cities.

The council tax band levels for Edinburgh in 2015/16 will be:

A: £779.33
B: £909.22
C: £1,039.11
D: £1,169.00
E: £1,428.78
F: £1,688.56
G: £1,948.33
H: £2,338.00

The total revenue budget is £949m for 2015/16. Council Tax funds 25% of this with 75% coming from Government grants and business rates. The total capital budget (including the HRA) is £245m.

Key budget provisions:

Ensuring every child in Edinburgh has the best start in life

– Allocated an additional £5m of capital to support rising school rolls

– More than £4m invested in Early Years Change Fund for services for the very youngest children

Ensuring Edinburgh, and its residents, are well cared-for

– Maintaining funding for commissioned homelessness services

Providing for Edinburgh’s economic growth and prosperity

– Maintaining £1m to continue supporting the Edinburgh Guarantee, helping improve job opportunities for young people

– Support the Strategic Investment Fund with an additional £4.5m

Strengthening and supporting our communities and keeping them safe

– Continuing to invest in community policing

– Allocating an additional £100,000 to each neighbourhood to allow local people to have an even greater say in how their area can be improved

Investing in roads, pavements and cycling infrastructure

– An additional £5m investment in roads and pavements taking the total to £20m

– Commit 8% of the transport revenue and capital budgets for creation and maintenance of cycle infrastructure

Becoming more efficient

– Delivery of procurement transformational efficiencies

– Implementing the Better Outcomes Leaner Delivery (BOLD) programme

– Reducing the head count of the organisation by developing existing staff, revising roles and responsibilities and implementing structural change in the organisation through the ’Organise to deliver’ programme

– Maximising income

– Maximising savings through the rationalisation of the Council’s property estate

– Reducing carbon footprint and generating income through strategic energy projects

While the council argues that front line services are being protected, campaigners believe city councillors have let the capital down.

One Unite member who attended the lobby said: “This is a sad day for Edinburgh. You might have thought that a Labour-led council, supported by the SNP, would stand up for workers and communities – well, today’s vote shows you can think again. You can’t cut 1200 jobs without it having a huge effect on services and the people who will suffer most are the people in the poorest communities, the people who depend most on council services. People are angry – and rightly so, because these cuts will do real damage. Edinburgh is a rich city, yet our politicians vote through cuts on this scale? It’s shocking – they should be ashamed.”

A member of the Anti-Cuts Coalition added: “Deputation after deputation urged the council to reject this budget but it’s clear the councillors had already made their minds up. They blame Westminster, they blame Holyrood but at the end of the day our councillors have got to take a long, hard look at themselves.

“They have got to make a stand – if local councillors won’t support and fight for their communities, who will?

“Communities are being treated with contempt and remember – these cuts are just the start. We are facing another two years of austerity budgets, with more services slashed and hundreds of jobs lost – and when members of the public wake up to that it will be too late.”

Visit our Facebook page to see a webcast of the Budget meeting

http://l.facebook.com/l/PAQGWhuX2/www.edinburgh.public-i.tv/core/share/open/webcast/0/0/0/0//webcast/0/0/0

You’ll find pictures of the lobby there too

Local groups unite to say: NO CUTS!

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Edinburgh Council is planning to cut millions from its budget over the next three years. These cuts will affect all our public services.

We say

NO CUTS

to our schools, nurseries, community centres, youth services, libraries, museums, social and day care services.

Join local groups and communities from across Edinburgh to save our services on budget day.

Thursday 12 February 2015

8.30 am – 9.45 am

City Chambers, High Street.

For transport to and from the Chambers call Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre on 552 5700.

Stop the cuts. Save our Services. Defend public sector jobs.

North Edinburgh is standing together and fighting back.

P2TP CUTS LEAFLET 2015 5

Womens International Group

Power to the People Group

Royston Wardieburn Community Centre