Artisan, awarded Scottish Property Company of the Year, but known locally for their recent award-winning New Waverly development, have instructed local contractor Hart to begin the construction of a new residential development at Warriston Road in Canonmills, Edinburgh later this month. Continue reading Award-winning Artisan to begin new residential project in Canonmills
West Pilton West Granton Community Council will meet on Tuesday 5th June at 7pm in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre. Continue reading Community Council: Trying again on Tuesday
Recommendations to transform temporary accommodation, including getting the right support in place from day one and giving more power to front-line workers, have been accepted by the Scottish Government. Continue reading Tackling temporary accommodation
Local MSP Ben Macpherson has welcomed the Holyrood Government’s commitment to a review of communal tenemental repairs. Continue reading Macpherson welcomes commitment to improve tenement housing
Jeane Freeman, Scottish Government minister for Social Security, has responded to campaigners’ demands by pledging to consider fully mitigating the Benefit Cap cuts to Housing Benefit. In response to the evictions caused by the Benefit Cap cuts campaigners have occupied council buildings and Ruth Davidson’s office. Continue reading Jeane Freeman makes pledge on benefits cap at Muirhouse meeting
A NEW Edinburgh housing development is to provide much needed affordable and modern accommodation for more than 100 people. Fleming Place, the newest addition to Bield’s Scotland-wide portfolio of specialist housing, features 40 apartments for social rent that comprise a mixture of one and two-bedroom flats for people aged 50 and over. Continue reading Double Success for Bield Housing & Care
A Green MSP is challenging the Scottish Government’s housing minister to clarify if the government still plans to build 50,000 new, affordable homes, as promised in its election manifesto. Kevin Stewart wrongly told a Holyrood committee yesterday that his party had only pledged to “deliver” 50,000 affordable homes. Continue reading Minister is causing confusion over new homes promise, say Greens
Continue reading “Challenging” tenants could lead to mass exodus from Edinburgh rental market
LIFT (Low Income Families Together) organised an event to give local people an opportunity to learn more about the ongoing changes to the welfare and benefits system yesterday. Around sixty people attended the Scotland’s New Social Security System: What Does It Mean for You? conference in Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre yesterday. Continue reading LIFTing the lid on Scotland’s new social security system
Scottish Green MSP Andy Wightman is raising fresh concerns about the case of Shahbaz Ali, a Syrian refugee who was stabbed in an alleged racist attack in Edinburgh earlier this month.
Mr Ali has internal bleeding after collapsing while being discharged from hospital and it has now emerged that the City of Edinburgh Council has not allowed Mr Ali’s father to sign a lease on behalf of his son, nor is the Council prepared to visit Mr Ali in hospital to obtain a signature.
The property he was given is in a poor state – dirty and with only one bed and nothing else for furniture. He was promised a clean and furnished property. Mr Ali’s father wanted access to the property to tidy and furnish it, so it is a welcoming and safe environment for his son to recover in.
Andy Wightman MSP said: “It is absolutely appalling what this young man and his family have gone through in the last week.
“At last Thursday’s First Minister’s Questions, the First Minister responded to my question about the attack on Mr Ali by saying that, ‘We want Scotland to be—and to be seen to be—a refuge from war and persecution… The Scottish Government will do what we can, with the local authority in Edinburgh and other groups, to provide as much reassurance and support as possible.’ Clearly that means providing appropriate accommodation.
“However, the difficulties faced by Mr Ali’s father yesterday (Monday) suggest that the City of Edinburgh Council is failing in its duty to house vulnerable refugees. Why did Mr Ali’s father face so many unnecessary barriers when all he wanted to do was to create a safe and welcoming environment for his son to recover from this most malicious of criminal acts?
“The current systems in place to house vulnerable people, including refugees, in Edinburgh need to be rapidly re-assessed. I am shocked by reports of the treatment Mr Ali’s family received yesterday and I urge those responsible to act swiftly to uphold Mr Ali’s human rights in this situation.”
Council leader Cllr Adam McVey said yesterday that access to the flat will be available today and that the council will be doing all it can to support Mr Ali and his family.
An online fundraising appeal Shabaz Ali Appeal – Scotland Says NO To Racism has so far raised over £11,000. You can contribute at https://mydonate.bt.com/events/saynotoracism/464056
It would be good to think this story might yet have a happy ending …
