Progress on closing the poverty-related attainment gap between the most and least deprived school pupils has been limited. And more evidence is needed to understand educational achievement beyond exams.
A joint report by the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission found that exam performance and other attainment measures at the national level have improved.
However, progress since 2013-14 has been inconsistent. And there are large variations in local authority performance, with some councils’ performance getting worse on some measures.
The poverty-related attainment gap remains wide and existing inequalities have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The national curriculum recognises that school is about more than exams.
And there has been an increase in the types of pathways, awards and qualifications available to young people. But better data is needed to understand if other important broad outcomes, like wellbeing and self-confidence, are improving.
The Scottish Government, councils, schools and the other bodies responsible for planning and delivering education were working well together before Covid-19.
That allowed them to respond rapidly in exceptionally difficult circumstances. Funding for education has remained largely static – rising from £4.1 billion in 2013/14 to £4.3 billion in 2018/19.
However, most of that real-terms increase was due to the Attainment Scotland Fund, which the Scottish Government set up to close the attainment gap.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “Significantly reducing the attainment gap is complex. But the pace of improvement has to increase as part of the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 recovery planning.
“That process needs to particularly focus on the pandemic’s impact on the most disadvantaged children and young people.”
Elma Murray, Interim Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “There is variation in educational performance across Scotland, but this is not solely about exam performance.
“Education also supports and improves the health and wellbeing of children and young people, which has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is vital that councils, schools and their partners work to reduce the wide variation in outcomes as well as understanding and tackling the short and longer-term impact of Covid-19 on learning and wellbeing.”
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The impact of poverty on children’s life chances remains a matter of huge concern, and much more needs to be done to support young people living in poverty to overcome the barriers that they continue to face.
“Schools do all that they can with insufficient resources to support young people from all backgrounds but cannot, in isolation, overcome such serious societal issues as inequality and poverty.”
“We have long known of the devastating impact that poverty can have on young people, and this has been made worse during the pandemic when young people from less affluent backgrounds have been far more likely to have had their in-school learning disrupted and to face barriers in accessing education outwith the school environment.”
“It is clear that much greater and sustained investment is needed to tackle the impact of poverty on young people’s education, and all of Scotland’s political parties must fully commit to tackling this issue in the context of education recovery during the next Parliament.”
The public will have a greater say in how major decisions around health and social care services are delivered in Scotland.
New guidance will ensure NHS Boards, Integration Joint Boards and local authorities uphold their legal duty to consult and engage with local communities about major planning decisions.
This will guarantee people with real experience of using local services will be able to shape decision making at a local and national level, from building or rebuilding hospitals, to transferring health and social care services into the community.
This ‘forward thinking’ approach will ensure lessons are learned from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by giving people with lived experience a say in the future of NHS Scotland and the reshaping of Adult Social Care. It will also help ensure services are effective, safe, value-for-money and meet individuals’ needs.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Community engagement and participation is vital as we look to reform health and social care services, ensuring they are fit to meet the needs of the public as we deal with the long term impact of the pandemic.
“This guidance will help ensure people have a greater say in decisions which affect the care they receive.
“Our collective response to the pandemic has shown the strength of our public services and how we can come together to address challenges. Since the start of the pandemic we have been delivering services differently and have engaged with communities to ensure they are involved in decisions that affect them. This guidance captures that learning and seeks to ensure we all benefit from it.
“The Scottish Government will continue to listen to the views of people who use health and social care services and actively involve them in re-shaping how we deliver care as we re-mobilise beyond the pandemic.”
COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson Cllr Stuart Currie said: “Planning with people promotes real collaboration between NHS Boards, Integration Joint Boards and Local Authorities.
“It sets out the responsibilities each organisation has to community engagement when services are being planned, or changes to services are being planned, and it supports them to involve people meaningfully.
“Fundamentally, good engagement means that services are developed which are effective, safe and value-for-money. And there is no doubt that greater participation brings better outcomes for communities all round.
“So, we encourage people in communities across Scotland to read this guidance and find out what they should expect when it comes to engagement about care planning. Ultimately, it is their experience that will be the real measure of what impact it is making.”
The essential, everyday services provided by Scotland’s Councils – upon which we all rely – have once again been undervalued and underappreciated by Tueday’s passing of the Scottish Budget, says COSLA.
COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “Our ask of Scottish Government throughout the Budget process was to give Scotland’s 32 Councils the fair funding and flexibility they deserve to be able to deliver the essential services that they provide to communities and have continued to provide throughout the COVID pandemic.
“We are pleased that the Cabinet Secretary has listened to Local Government and agreed to baseline the £90m that was made available to councils who chose to freeze Council Tax during 2021-22.
“However, our key ask around fair funding and local flexibility has not been met with the passing of the Budget today – instead we are left with a Budget deal which does very little to address a decade of cuts to Local Government’s core funding, and once again ring fenced pots of money for specific Scottish Government policies. Without flexible additional funding to our core Budget, our ability to help recover from COVID is severely eroded.”
“The essential services that Local Government deliver are the foundations for strong communities across Scotland – today’s announcement means that these foundations will come under even more pressure.
“This is not the deal we wanted – it is not a good deal for communities and serious financial challenges lie ahead for councils. Not least in relation to our ability to recognise the amazing effort of our workforce – where Scottish Government has not recognised the pressures such as pay being faced by Councils.
“Scottish Government has raised expectations yet further through their public sector pay policy – without any increase to Local Government’s core funding, a pay increase for our workforce will have to be funded from elsewhere. This will only lead to a reduction in everyday essential services that communities rely on.”
Scotland’s Council Leaders have restated their view that the Scottish Budget as it currently stands does not represent fair funding for Local Government.
Commenting ahead of the final decision on the Scottish Budget next week Councillor Gail Macgregor, COSLA Resources Spokesperson, said: “Our ask of Scottish Government throughout the Budget process for this year was to give Scottish Local Government the fair funding and flexibility it deserves to be able to deliver the essential services that we provide to communities.
“The settlement for 2021-22, as it stands, does very little to address years of cuts to our core funding – in fact, once all Scottish Government commitments are taken into account, the increase offered is less than 1 percent (0.9% increase on last year’s base).
“This comes on top of years where Local Government has seen no increase at all. Since 2013-14, Scottish Government has seen a 3.1% increase in its revenue funding (real terms) – this is in contrast to a 2.4% reduction for Local Government over the same period.
“A key part of flexibility for Councils is to have their democratic right to determine their own council tax rates in their own areas respected. Sadly the Scottish Government have not listened to us this year but Scotland’s Council Leaders have restated their view that councils should have the right to determine the level of council tax for their own areas without facing penalties in future years.”
Councillor Macgregor continued: “In light of the current offer of £90m for authorities that agree to freeze the council tax this year (2021/22), Council Leaders were clear that COSLA should continue to press for this amount to be baselined into the Local Government Settlement.
“Council Leaders also expressed their continued concern about the proposed levels of core capital funding for the next five years. It will severely restrict the ability of councils to invest locally and drive recovery from the Covid19 pandemic. We would ask that Scottish Government thinks again about Local Government’s capital grant ahead of a final decision on Tuesday.”
COSLA is calling on all political parties to acknowledge the rightful role of Local Government in their manifestos ahead of this year’s Scottish Parliamentary elections.
The organisation, which represents all 32 Councils in Scotland, hopes parties will reference its recently launched Blueprint in their manifestos and make a commitment to its aspirations.
Commenting today, COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison said: “This last year has been like no other, the forthcoming elections to the Scottish Parliament will be like no other and Local Government is the sphere of Government at the heart of our communities like no other.
“The COSLA Blueprint provides a narrative around the kind of country we want, and about the changes that could make a real difference to communities across the country – the election this year offers the chance to make this a reality.
“The value of Local Government can be seen in our response to Covid-19, where Councils have taken decisive action to support communities, people, and businesses.
“For too long now Local Government has been given a poor diet – and that is why we developed the Local Government Blueprint, which is our menu for change that we want to see.
“The new Parliament provides the opportunity for us to reiterate our value – for too long Scottish Local Government has not had its rightful place at the top table.
“Our response during the pandemic has been remarkable, our Communities have appreciated what we have done on their behalf and realise that only Local Government comprises all of the various ingredients that can truly deliver for our communities
“Therefore we call on all parties to make a commitment to the COSLA Local Government Blueprint in their forthcoming Manifestos.”
Council budget ‘stays true to core priorities for Edinburgh’
Budget agreed for 2021/22 despite ongoing pressures of Covid response (around £85 million to date)
Budget shaped by – and addresses – key priorities of poverty, sustainability and wellbeing
Council Tax to be frozen in 2021/22
One-year rent freeze for Council house tenants following a joint motion by Conservative, Green and Liberal Democrat groups
Further revisions to the budget may be made depending on Scottish Government and UK Government budget decisions in March
Councillors in Edinburgh have agreed a new business plan and budget framework to drive the Capital’s recovery from the pandemic in the coming years while tackling key priorities of eradicating poverty, cutting carbon emissions and working for a fairer, more inclusive city where every resident feels valued and empowered.
Despite the ongoing financial pressures brought about by the impact of Covid19 on Council services and communities across the city, a balanced £1 billion-plus budget has also been set for the next financial year (2021/22), with Council Tax frozen at 2020/21 levels to help protect household budgets.
In addition, rents for Council house tenants have been frozen for a year (2021/22) following a joint motion by the Conservative, Green and Liberal Democrat groups.
Financial flexibilities already agreed with the Scottish Government have contributed to the balanced budget position for 2021/22, with an acknowledgement that more fundamental service reform, improvement and prioritisation will be required in future years.
At yesterday’s annual Budget Meeting, elected members also approved a three-year Business Plan setting out how the Council would respond to the need for change, titled Our Future Council, Our Future City.
The Business Plan brings together the Council’s core priorities and seeks to shape a sustainable, fair and thriving future for Edinburgh post-pandemic.
The Business Plan and the priorities it sets shapes the four-year budget framework (2022/23 – 2025/26) also approved yesterday, which sets out the need for broader reforms to reprioritise and potentially redesign services to achieve more than £100 million of savings over the coming years.
Finance and Resources Convener Councillor Rob Munn said:When we set a three-year balanced budget in February 2020, we had no inkling of the economic and social turmoil the pandemic was about to unleash across the globe.
“As a city and as individuals, this past year has tested us like no other time in recent memory – and the challenges are ongoing. It’s testament to the dedication, commitment and resilience of all our staff, our services and our city that we’ve been able to agree a new business plan and balanced budget for 2021/22 today.
“Helping Edinburgh and our citizens to recover and rebuild after the strains of Covid19 is critical and, as they’ve done throughout, staff in Council services continue to work tirelessly to look after the city and our communities.
“Guided by our business plan priorities of ending poverty, becoming a net zero city and making sure wellbeing and equalities are enhanced for all we’ve agreed a comprehensive package of additional investments as part of our £1 billion-plus 2021/22 budget, channelling extra funding to where it’s most needed and will have the most meaningful impact.
“We want to pay tribute to the outstanding efforts of our residents in helping Edinburgh weather the Covid storm. We have seen communities come together through the hardest of times and they have shown all of what is best about our city. Without the solidarity and resilience of the people of Edinburgh, the financial, social and life cost to our Capital would have been far higher.”
Vice Finance and Resources Convener Councillor Joan Griffiths said: “Everyone’s lives have been up-ended by the Coronavirus pandemic. Jobs have been cut, businesses hit, children’s education disrupted, families separated and, tragically, many, many lives have been lost.
“It’s essential then that we do whatever we can to help our most vulnerable citizens and those who’ve been hardest hit financially, while at the same time making progress with our key ambitions towards a fairer, greener and better-connected Edinburgh.
“Make no mistake, tough times lie ahead and we’re going to have to think creatively and courageously in the years ahead to meet the substantial savings required.
“As we’ve learned during this crisis, however, difficult times can sometimes be a catalyst for lasting, positive change and we’re determined to drive forward our commitments on poverty, cutting carbon emissions and equal opportunities for everyone to access jobs, training and good places to live.
“Our three-year Business Plan responds to this need for change so that our strategies and approach achieve their ambition of making Edinburgh the best possible place to call home.”
The outcome of the Scottish Government’s Local Government Financial Settlement this year has contributed an extra £9 million* to the Council’s budget.
Investment proposals put forward by the SNP/Labour Coalition for the additional £9 million were agreed as follows:
£0.170m to freeze fees and charges of school meals, care at home services, garden aid and library reservation charges and fines;
£0.400m in 2021/22 to expand support and advice to help people at risk of homelessness and support those experiencing homelessness into secure tenancies;
£1.050m to manage crisis needs, increase funding for direct payments in light of COVID, support food security in the City, embed advice across schools and GP surgeries and expand programmes like Discover!, all to help put millions of pounds extra in the pockets of families who need it the most;
£0.500m to support our climate obligations and further decarbonisation of the Council’s estate;
£0.300m to support delivery measures for the sustainability plan which will be published in the summer;
£0.500 million to enhance our parks, playparks, food growing and urban forests, with £4m of related capital investment
£0.250m into setting up a short-term let licensing and enforcement system to move quickly in dealing with the problem;
£2.000m extra to accelerate the 1-to-1 digital strategy to help all our school pupils get the equipment they need for their studies;
£0.110m to strengthen and support our role as corporate parents by expanding the support team;
£0.175m to support expansion of Edinburgh Guarantee in light of the impact COVID has had on jobs;
£0.500m investment to take forward Smart City initiatives; and
£0.052m to extend the role of the Gaelic Development Officer for one year beyond the end of Scottish Government funding.
Further to this, £2.743m has been allocated to the Council’s unallocated reserves as a contingency against future risks.
While the city council expresses satisfaction at setting a balanced budget, there’s no getting away from the fact that Edinburgh is facing another year of swingeing cuts to service provision.
Earlier this week local government umbrella body COSLA spoke out once again about the consequnces of further cuts.
COSLA warned that communities across Scotland will face unavoidable and damaging consequences if Local Government does not receive a fair funding settlement in this year’s Budget
COSLA said that the trend of recent settlements for Local Government needs to change because on top of existing pressures, the COVID pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on the finances of Scotland’s Councils this year.
the costs of COVID-19 to Local Government and the need for these to be met,
flexibility on how the budget allocated to Councils is spent and
an increased budget allocation to address the reduction in funding to Councils over recent settlements.
Speaking as she launched the document on Tuesday, COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “This year, across every community in Scotland, Local Government’s essential role has been magnified and once again we have delivered for our communities.
“Nobody in Scotland has been unaffected by this pandemic and the financial impacts of COVID-19 are severe. Individuals, families and businesses have all felt the effects and continue to look to Councils for support every day.
“Sustaining this lifeline support is placing extreme pressure on already strained budgets and without fair funding for Local Government this year, the consequences for the most vulnerable in our communities would be unacceptable.
“That is why we need fair funding for 2021/22 that respects our communities. Without this, there will be further cuts to services, reductions in spending locally, increases in the inequalities exposed by the pandemic and a much slower recovery.”
Echoing these concerns, COSLA President, Councillor Alison Evison, said: “Local Government’s role on behalf of our communities cannot be underestimated anymore. The COVID pandemic has shown exactly how much the public rely on us as leaders and as providers of vital services.
“The reality is that in recent budgets, the Scottish Government has chosen not to provide enough funding for the essential services that communities rely on day in day out.
“On top of this, this year we have had to contend with COVID-19 which has seen the inequality in our society grow.
“Our ability to recover from this and continue to deliver for Scotland’s communities depends on a change of emphasis from Scottish Government that provides fair funding for Council services.
“If we are to truly recover from this pandemic then Local Authorities must receive a fair settlement.”
Collision course with COSLA over National Care Service?
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has accepted the findings of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care, and the Scottish Government is already working to implement key recommendations.
Ms Freeman told Parliament yesterday that Derek Feeley’s Independent Review, commissioned five months ago in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, was an “important opportunity” to be bold in reshaping how social care is planned, funded and delivered.
Speaking in a debate on the review, Ms Freeman set out a number of immediate measures in response, including a new £20 million Community Living Change Fund to redesign services for people with complex needs including intellectual disabilities and autism, and for people who have enduring mental health problems.
This will address some of the issues raised by the 2018 Coming Home report, about the need to avoid out of area placements and delayed discharge for people with learning disabilities and complex needs.
She said she accepted the principle of introducing a National Care Service but would continue to talk to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) about how to address its concerns.
The Scottish Government is working to implement other measures recommended by Derek Feeley’s report. These include:
work with local partners to end charging for non-residential care
developing minimum standards for terms and conditions in the social care sector, to help organisations meet fair work principles by the end of May
work to ensure there is no delay in the annual Real Living Wage uplift for Adult Social Care workers
Ms Freeman said: “The independent review of social care gives us a clear roadmap for the future of care provision in Scotland and we believe in the recommendations in this report.
“There is immediate action that can be taken now to secure improvement. I am pleased to announce a new Community Living Change Fund of £20 million to deliver a redesign of services for people with complex needs including intellectual disabilities and autism, and those who have enduring mental health problems. We will work with local partners as quickly as practicable to end all charges for non-residential care.
“The report also recognises and highlights the critical and invaluable support that the social care workforce provide to people all over Scotland. We are looking to establish a new sector-level body to ensure an effective voice for the whole of the social care workforce to enable them to respond to local conditions and address matters of importance, and support an effective collective bargaining role in the sector.
“As a priority, we will work with our stakeholders to agree a national approach to implementing the real living wage for Adult Social Care workers – for 2021 and in future years.
“We want to move from a competitive market to collaboration and ethical approaches to commissioning and procurement to help embed fair work principles and improve the consistency of services.
“The National Care Home Contract should also embed changes which drive the Fair Work Agenda and I have asked that for the first time Union representatives should be party to the discussions on this contract.
“I understand the concern expressed by COSLA on the issue of accountability. Local government is a critical partner in taking forward the radical change the Review rightly calls for and I support. We need to work together to find the best way to secure the Review’s recommendations and the spirit of its intent.
“I believe, as the report sets out, that improving adult social care gives us an important opportunity – to improve people’s lives, to build our economy, and to invest in high-quality, fair work.
“This is just beginning of a process for improvement. It is now up to us to ensure a social care system that consistently delivers high quality services across Scotland – a system that is founded in fairness, equality, and human rights, and that puts lived experience at the heart of its redesign and delivery.”
Council Leaders have already rejected the idea of a Scottish Care Service.
Speaking following the launch of the Feeley report on 11 February, Councillor Stuart Currie, COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson, said: “There was real and unanimous opposition to the recommendations on governance and accountability which would see the removal of local democratic accountability and a degree of centralisation, which Leaders rightly felt would be detrimental to the local delivery of social care and its integration with other key community services.
“They (council leaders) also felt that given the level of funding set out in the Review, Local Government would be well placed to deliver the human-rights based approach outlined at pace, whilst ensuring local democratic accountability remains front and centre of social care.”
Council leaders will consider a detailed report on the proposals and the Scottish Government’s response at the end of this month.
There is much in the Feeley Report on Adult Social Care that Local Government and Scotland’s Council Leaders have been calling for, COSLA said yesterday.
Leaders have long advocated that that the lived experience of those who rely on social care should be embedded within the system and that social care should move to a more person centred approach, recognising the value of not for profit provision, and carried out by a workforce that is valued.
However Leaders unanimously expressed ‘grave concern’ at the recommendations around the future governance and accountability arrangements contained within the Report.
Whilst they agreed with a lot of the content within the Feeley Report, Council Leaders together voiced their opposition to the recommendation which proposes the removal of local democratic accountability from Adult Social Care and the centralising of the service under a National Care Service with accountability falling to Ministers, a move that they described as being detrimental to the local delivery of social care and its integration with other key community services.
They also felt that given the level of funding set out in the Review, Local Government would be well placed to continue to deliver this vital service.
Speaking following a special meeting of Council Leaders Councillor Stuart Currie, COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson, said: “Council Leaders noted the publication of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care and endorsed many of the principles set out in the report particularly in relation to empowering people, valuing the workforce and embedding a human rights approach to social care.
“Leaders were also clear that the lived experience of those who rely on social care should be embedded within the system and that social care should move to a more person-centred approach.
“However, there was real and unanimous opposition to the recommendations on governance and accountability which would see the removal of local democratic accountability and a degree of centralisation, which Leaders rightly felt would be detrimental to the local delivery of social care and its integration with other key community services.
“They also felt that given the level of funding set out in the Review, Local Government would be well placed to deliver the human-rights based approach outlined at pace, whilst ensuring local democratic accountability remains front and centre of social care.”
A further detailed report on the proposals will be considered by Council Leaders at the end of February.
City Council Committee Conveners and Vice Conveners have set out their key priorities for 2021:
Council Leader Adam McVey and Depute Leader Cammy Day:
Our first and most pressing task in 2021 is to continue to steer Edinburgh through and – hopefully sooner rather than later – out of the global Covid19 pandemic. There’s no doubt these past nine months have been unbelievably challenging for all of us, and especially so for anyone who’s sadly lost a loved one during the crisis.
As we work with organisations and communities right across the city to help Edinburgh navigate whatever comes next, we’re clear that ‘back to normal’ won’t be good enough – we need to build back better, following the key principles of the Edinburgh 2050 City Vision to achieve a thriving, welcoming, pioneering and fair Capital for now and for future generations.
Our work will be guided and shaped by our core priorities of tackling poverty and inequality, boosting sustainability and promoting wellbeing. We’ll push on with implementing our 10-year End Poverty in Edinburgh plan as well as our Net Zero 2030 ambitions. 2021 is going to be a major and defining year for this incredible city and we’re determined to do Edinburgh proud.
Cllr Rob Munn and Cllr Joan Griffiths, Finance and Resources Convener and Vice Convener:
Our main focus for 2021 is to take the carefully considered decisions about where to prioritise spending for the Council over the next three years and setting a balanced budget that protects our most vulnerable citizens and helps our communities to recover from the pandemic. At the same time, we want to continue to deliver high quality services for Edinburgh.
Our budget process is, as ever, informed by direct feedback from the people of Edinburgh on which services they want to see prioritised and we’re very grateful to the 2000+ people who responded to our budget engagement survey before Christmas. This feedback is invaluable, especially given the exceptionally challenging year 2020 was and the impact that Covid19 has had and will continue to have for us all. It’s crucial we understand how people’s lives have been affected by the impact of the pandemic on our services as we work to steer the Capital towards a sustainable recovery.
Finally, the Council’s core priorities of addressing poverty and inequality, improving sustainability and tackling climate change as well as enhancing wellbeing, based on what people told us was most important to them, will remain at the heart of our budget setting for 2021 and beyond.
Education, Children & Families Convener Cllr Ian Perry and Vice Convener Cllr Alison Dickie:
The ongoing pandemic is having a devastating impact on us all and 2021 will still provide challenges for our education system and young people but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I have to pay tribute to all our dedicated teaching staff and young people who are showing amazing resilience in these challenging times. Even though there will be no exams this year our school staff will ensure pupils get the best teaching possible for their assessments. Our Edinburgh Learns plan will position education as the lever for a fairer, healthier and greener future. The support for our vulnerable young people, especially our Looked After Children, will continue to be a priority.
Our plans to create the very best learning environment for young people will continue with our £500m planned investment over the next 10 years for an ambitious new school building programme with Frogston Primary, Victoria Primary, St Crispin’s opening this year and the new Castlebrae Community Campus in early 2022.
The investment also includes new nurseries with more Forest Kindergartens opening up this month and we’ll be meeting the Scottish Government’s target of 1140 funded early learning and childcare by August this year.
Transport and Environment Vice Convener Cllr Karen Doran:
The events of 2020 have had an unparalleled impact on so many aspects of our lives. How we move around our city has of course been greatly affected.
During lockdown, roads emptied and travel by bike, foot and wheels surged. Our Spaces for People measures saw people take up cycling or walking where they might previously have driven, and we want to keep this momentum up.
In 2021, development of major plans, including the draft City Mobility Plan and Edinburgh City Centre Transformation, will revolutionise the way we interact with the city. Construction will begin on schemes like City Centre West to East Link and design will continue on several exciting projects to improve cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.
We’ll move closer to introducing a Low Emissions Zone and Electric Vehicle charging network while Trams to Newhaven will begin to take shape, alongside our excellent existing bus and tram services.
I know we’re on the right track for a sustainable, inclusive, carbon-neutral future for Edinburgh, and 2021 will help get us there.
Councillors Kate Campbell and Mandy Watt, Convener and Vice Convener for Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work:
In 2021, we will build more good quality, energy efficient, affordable homes. They’ll be good places to live, within strong communities. Our new and existing tenants will get the best service possible from us as their landlord; and we’ll make sure our tenants, especially those who may be struggling with the impacts of Covid-19, get the support they need.
We’ll continue work to improve temporary accommodation, reach out to our most vulnerable citizens, prevent homelessness whenever possible and make sure people are able to access the right support when and where they need it.
We want to help our economy to build back better and stronger, putting fair work and sustainability at the heart of our strategy to rebuild. We’ll do that by supporting businesses and, with a view to the long term, we’ll work towards building a wellbeing economy based on good jobs, job security and career progression.
We’ll begin by expanding our existing employability services so that people facing barriers to employment are supported to find work, learn new skills and gain confidence.
Culture and Communities Convener Donald Wilson:
I think it would be an understatement to say 2020 was extremely tough for the culture sector. As we look ahead to 2021 we will be doing all we can not just to survive, but to come back better than ever.
Our vibrant cultural heritage and festivals offering is at the heart of what makes Edinburgh unique and we are committed to supporting the sector’s return and future. The return of live audiences next year will be crucial to this recovery. The cultural sector makes a huge contribution to our economy and the quality of life of our communities.
We have made a start though with the City Art Centre reopening in September and we very much look forward to the reopening our other Museums and Galleries as well as opening our doors for performances at the Usher Hall.
So, in 2021, I’ll continue to fight for what I believe in: that it is the city’s duty to continue to nurture Edinburgh’s creative heart. Not just for the huge contributions to our economy but also to the lives of our citizens.
We may find those priorities changing come May, of course. Local government elections are still scheduled to take place on , when we may well see new political alliances and a new administration with new priorities for the capital. – Ed.
Communities across Scotland will face unavoidable and damaging consequences if Local Government does not receive a fair funding settlement in this year’s Budget, COSLA has warned.
COSLA said that the trend of recent settlements for Local Government needs to change because on top of existing pressures, the COVID pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on the finances of Scotland’s Councils this year.
the costs of COVID-19 to Local Government and the need for these to be met,
flexibility on how the budget allocated to Councils is spent and
an increased budget allocation to address the reduction in funding to Councils over recent settlements.
Speaking as she launched the document yesterday, COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “This year, across every community in Scotland, Local Government’s essential role has been magnified and once again we have delivered for our communities.
“Nobody in Scotland has been unaffected by this pandemic and the financial impacts of COVID-19 are severe. Individuals, families and businesses have all felt the effects and continue to look to Councils for support every day.
“Sustaining this lifeline support is placing extreme pressure on already strained budgets and without fair funding for Local Government this year, the consequences for the most vulnerable in our communities would be unacceptable.
“That is why we need fair funding for 2021/22 that respects our communities. Without this, there will be further cuts to services, reductions in spending locally, increases in the inequalities exposed by the pandemic and a much slower recovery.”
Echoing these concerns, COSLA President, Councillor Alison Evison, said: “Local Government’s role on behalf of our communities cannot be underestimated anymore. The COVID pandemic has shown exactly how much the public rely on us as leaders and as providers of vital services.
“The reality is that in recent budgets, the Scottish Government has chosen not to provide enough funding for the essential services that communities rely on day in day out.
“On top of this, this year we have had to contend with COVID-19 which has seen the inequality in our society grow.
“Our ability to recover from this and continue to deliver for Scotland’s communities depends on a change of emphasis from Scottish Government that provides fair funding for Council services.
“If we are to truly recover from this pandemic then Local Authorities must receive a fair settlement.”
