Tag: Scottish Greens

Andy Wightman launches tool for reporting short term lets

Scottish Green MSP Andy Wightman has launched an online tool which allows people to report short term let properties operating in their community.

The homesfirst.scot website includes a simple form which allows local residents to express concern where a whole property is no longer anyone’s permanent home and instead used for short term lets.

An interactive map will chart the locations to give users a better idea about where such properties are concentrated.

The Lothians MSP has campaigned for greater regulation of the properties, which can cause distress for local residents and a lack of affordable housing where concentrations exist.

After failing to back Andy Wightman’s amendments to the Planning BIll last year, the Scottish Government announced a licencing scheme earlier this month.

Andy Wightman said: “The growth in short-term lets is out of control in Edinburgh and of increasing concern across Scotland.

“The Scottish Government’s movement towards licencing is welcome but we still don’t have a clear picture of how many former homes have been given over to commercial purpose, and where they are concentrated. This tool will help us better understand the scale of the problem.”

 https://www.homesfirst.scot/

Greens: Government must ensure public funding protects community assets

The Scottish Government must take responsibility for the funding it provides to Edinburgh’s Christmas and New Year celebrations and ensure that communities and public assets are protected, according to Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone.

Ms Johnstone raised the matter at Culture Questions in the Scottish Parliament yesterday, highlighting local controversy and damage to parks and public assets caused by various events in the city, and received confirmation from the Scottish Government that it provided hundreds of thousands to support these festivities.

Alison Johnstone MSP said: “The Scottish Government must take responsibility for the funding it provides and ensure this supports our communities. Serious community concerns have been repeatedly raised about the impact of Christmas and New Year events, and we must guarantee that these issues are addressed in future.

“Clearly the primary responsibility for these events lies with the City of Edinburgh Council, but Ministers must also use their influence to ensure these events don’t negatively impact our communities.

“Princes Street Gardens’ parks are much loved and sit at the heart of a world heritage site.

“We must make sure this precious community asset is protected so that local people and visitors alike are able to enjoy these celebrations.

“The First Minister recently reminded us that wellbeing should be at the heart of our economy. If government are to live up to this, they must ensure that important public places are adequately valued.”

Greens launch campaign to stop Sheriffhall ‘spaghetti junction’

The council estimates that congestion costs Edinburgh £225m a year, yet they and the Scottish Government insist on repeating the same failed mistakes of the past.Alison Johnstone

A proposed £120m spaghetti junction at Sheriffhall roundabout will increase congestion and should be scrapped, according to the Scottish Greens.

Scottish Green MSPs and councillors have launched a campaign to halt the proposal and instead use the money to improve clean transport across the city region, reflecting Edinburgh’s proposed new ten-year City Mobility Plan.

The campaign highlights how £120m could be better invested in segregated cycle paths, bus lanes and park and rides, transforming the city’s transport infrastructure.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Lothians MSP and Scottish Greens parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone said: “The council estimates that congestion costs Edinburgh £225m a year, yet they and the Scottish Government insist on repeating the same failed mistakes of the past.

“Since the 1960s we’ve known that if you build more roads, they fill up with cars. That’s why the proposal to turn Sheriffhall roundabout into a spaghetti junction isn’t an upgrade, it’s a step backwards, especially when we now know 60,000 cars are coming into the city every morning.

“This is the 21st century, and we are in a climate emergency. £120m could go a long way in transforming our capital for the future. It could pay for 120 miles of segregated cycle paths, for example. It could boost our bus lanes and park and ride offerings to get our city moving again, instead of sitting in gridlock every day.

“The SNP in Edinburgh council and Holyrood need to match their rhetoric with real transformative change if we are to build a sustainable future. That means ditching the failed old ways like spaghetti junctions.”

Edinburgh Green councillor Claire Miller said: “There is only one credible direction for Edinburgh, which is at least reflected in the council’s draft plan, but Edinburgh has struggled to get even basic bike schemes off the ground, while developing a single tram line was fraught. That can’t continue.

“The city region deal needs to catch up too, that’s why £120m going towards a spaghetti junction at Sheriffhall just does not add up. The prize is a much better Edinburgh for everyone.”

You can object to the proposals here

https://twitter.com/i/status/1216736345030385664

General election: Greens announce Edinburgh candidates

The urgency of tackling the climate emergency must not be crowded out by Brexit in the looming Westminster election. That is the message from Edinburgh Greens as the party announces its plans to contest seats across Edinburgh in the election on 12 December. 
The party will contest all five seats in the capital with a central focus on a Scottish Green New Deal: tackling climate change, creating jobs and transforming the economy.

Continue reading General election: Greens announce Edinburgh candidates

Climate Strikes: Green MSPs urge councils to support schools strike action

Scottish Green MSPs Alison Johnstone and Andy Wightman are calling for councils across Lothian to support – not punish – young people who choose to strike from school to highlight the urgent need for climate action, ahead of the planned global strike on Friday 15th March. Continue reading Climate Strikes: Green MSPs urge councils to support schools strike action

Not fair: report calls for better deal for care workers

The Fair Work Convention today published its report Fair Work in Scotland’s Social Care Sector 2019. The report calls for urgent interventions by policy makers, commissioners and leaders in the social care sector to improve the quality of work and employment for the 200,000 strong workforce in Scotland.

The Scottish Greens have urged the Holyrood government to put fair work at the heart of social care by accepting the report’s recommendations in full. Continue reading Not fair: report calls for better deal for care workers

Short Term Lets: Wightman questions legality of Key Boxes

Scottish Greens housing spokesperson Andy Wightman MSP, whose Homes First campaign aims to better regulate the short-term letting industry, is urging residents in affected areas to check the legality of key boxes that are spreading like wildfire. Continue reading Short Term Lets: Wightman questions legality of Key Boxes