Tag: suppport

Blow for local democracy as many areas unlikely to form Community Councils

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

IT’S looking increasingly likely that many areas across Edinburgh will not have active community councils following the current election process.

With just ONE DAY left before nominations close:

NINETEEN (of 47) Community Councils in Edinburgh have reached the minimum number of elected members numbers needed to form but 28 Community Councils still require more elected member nominations to form.

Muirhouse/Salvesen, West Pilton/West Granton and Davidsons Mains/Silverknowes are among eight areas across the city to have received NO nominations at all so far.

At time of writing no elections will be necessary in any community council area. Elections would only be necessary if more local people came forward than there are places available.

Community Councils are an important element in local and national community planning structures, but lukewarm support at best – and complete apathy at worst – will be a disappointment to those who hoped to see a renewed appetite for community participation.

The city council is currently reviewing community planning in Edinburgh.

Election organisers continue to urge members of the public to play a part in improving their local neighbourhoods – and there’s still time to submit a nomination form by the closing date at 4pm TOMORROW – Thursday 27 February 2025.

The quickest method to return completed nomination forms is by email to the Governance Team at community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk

If you choose to return by hand or by post please ensure you have allowed sufficient time for the nomination form to be received before the deadline at 4pm on Thursday 27 February 2025.  

Example completed nomination forms are attached – see below. All sections that must be completed are highlighted in yellow.

Nomination form – further clarification

We being persons residing in and appearing on the electoral register for the area of’ – ‘area’ means the community council area that you are being nominated for. Please ensure that you include the correct name of the Community Council and not the constituency or ward information. You can check the name of your community council on our website.

An individual can be both a single proposer and a single seconder, e.g.  They could propose Individual A and second Individual B. They cannot propose or second any other individuals.

A nominees family member (e.g. Wife, husband, brother etc.) can propose or second them in compliance with the point above.

Please only submit 1 nomination form via 1 method of submission e.g. via email OR by hand OR by post. Please do not send multiple copies of nomination forms to the Governance Team as this creates additional administrative pressures.

The quickest method to return completed nomination forms is by email to the Governance Team at community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk

Since nominations opened we have received a number of nominations which have been assessed as not valid.  All candidates have been provided with advice on how to rectify and re-submit by the closing date of 4pm on Thursday 27 February 2025.

Common ‘not valid’ reasons

Below are common reasons why nomination forms have been assessed as not valid:

  • The nomination form does not detail the name of the Community Council area that the candidate has been nominated for.
  • The nomination form has not been signed in ink by the proposer, seconder and candidate.
  • The nomination form has not been dated by the proposer, seconder and candidate.
  • Photo of nomination form and signatures must be legible.

Below are common reasons why Local Interest Group nomination forms have been assessed as not valid:

  • The LIG nomination form has not been signed in ink by the President/Chairperson and Secretary/Treasurer.
  • A copy of the LIGs constitution has not been supplied.
  • The LIG nomination does not include the name(s) of the Community Council.

If you need any assistance with completing a nomination form then please do not hesitate to contact the Governance Team at community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk

Completed Nomination Form – EXAMPLE (2)Download
Completed Local Interest Group Nomination Form – EXAMPLE (1)Download

Peter Beales Roses to unveil ‘With Courage’ rose at RHS Chelsea 2024

Spectacular new charity bloom and lifesaving-themed Great Pavilion display will commemorate the RNLI’s 200th anniversary in style at the world-famous flower show

Leading grower Peter Beales Roses will unveil Rosa ‘With Courage’ at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May – an exquisite new bloom that’s poised to raise more than £40,000 to help support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

The spectacular rose marks the start of a touching new collaboration between Peter Beales Roses and the RNLI and will commemorate the charity’s 200th anniversary with a breath-taking floral showcase that will grace Chelsea’s Great Pavilion.

Peter Beales Roses – a 28 times RHS Chelsea gold medal winner – and the leading lifesaving charity are bursting with excitement to debut their new alliance at RHS Chelsea, presenting a display that not only celebrates the exquisite allure of roses but also pays homage to the extraordinary efforts of the RNLI and its valiant volunteers who, together, have saved over 144,00 lives since the charity’s formation in 1824.

Rosa ‘With Courage’ is a modern classic floribunda, bred to reward the nation’s gardeners with an abundance of beautiful coppery orange double flowers set against mid-green glossy foliage.

Free-flowering, compact and growing to 3ft tall, peachy pink tones add charm to outer petals which display yellow accents at their base, while a sweet apple scent fills the summertime breeze with delightful fragrance. Having performed spectacularly during Peter Beales’ own field trials, the ‘With Courage’ rose has taken six years to come to market to ensure it can more than meet the demands of modern gardens.

For Ian Limmer, head of the nursery and plant breeding programme at Peter Beales Roses, the launch of the high-profile rose is personal, because his grandad spent 30 years serving as a volunteer for the RNLI and saved over 160 lives.

Ian said: “In my mind, the colour of the rose reflects the orange of the RNLI’s boats while the yellow is reminiscent of the colour of the uniform. Gardeners who grow the rose will be supporting the RNLI and its flowers will be a constant reminder in the garden of the life-saving work that volunteers do.”

Ideal for growing in all parts of the garden including borders or containers, in sun or part-shade, ‘With Courage’ is a superbly healthy and highly versatile new rose, that boasts exceptional resilience to summer heat and shrugs off winter cold. What’s more it will happily withstand temperatures as low as -10C, whilst blooms last well when cut for the vase, too.

Set to be the talk of RHS Chelsea 2024, 20% of proceeds from sales of the rose will help to support the indispensable resources that the RNLI needs to survive, including crew, kit and lifeboats.

Developed in Britain, the extraordinary plant embodies the fearless commitment of RNLI volunteers who have been saving lives at sea for two decades, from the times of wooden lifeboats with oars and sails to the motor-powered, all-weather lifeboats they have now, complete with state-of-the-art technology and communications.

Celebrating a flourishing new partnership

At the heart of Chelsea’s Great Pavilion and spanning over 100 square metres, a breathtaking display will unfold, showcasing the partnership between Peter Beales Roses and the RNLI in a truly spectacular fashion.

Central to this display will be a real RNLI rib, surrounded by thousands of Peter Beales’ most stunning roses. Designed to evoke the iconic image of a lifeboat launching from its house, a sight synonymous with the RNLI, this floral masterpiece will capture the essence of the partnership’s commitment to saving lives and protecting communities and is set to be a major highlight of the show, offering countless photo opportunities for Instagram enthusiasts and plant-loving visitors.

Ian Limmer expressed his excitement: “The RNLI’s 200th anniversary is a testament to their unwavering commitment to saving lives at sea. It is an immense honour to stand alongside one of the UK’s oldest charities as partners during this historic milestone and we feel truly blessed that, of all the exhibitors at RHS Chelsea, the RNLI chose us to partner with.

“The unveiling of the garden, with its centrepiece lifeboat alive with roses, will be a truly magical moment. As the world watches, we hope to not only captivate visitors with the beauty of our display but also to raise awareness and much-needed funds for the vital work of the RNLI. This partnership is a celebration of resilience, strength, and the enduring spirit of humanity, and we are proud to be a part of it.”

Peter Beales Roses is striving for its 29th RHS Chelsea gold medal at this year’s show, which will run from May 21st to May 25th at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.

The Peter Beales Roses and RNLI display can be found in the Great Pavilion. Available to order from April, a limited number of ‘With Courage’ roses will be available at Chelsea, with more plants available as bare-root from November. It’s priced at £26.95 for bare-root and £31.95 in containers.

Visit the website for more information about the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and to register for tickets.

Peter er Beales Roses can be found on London Road, Attleborough, Norfolk, where you can view its two-acre rose garden, historic rose collection, garden centre, and an unrivalled programme of workshops and rose events.

See more at www.classicroses.co.uk or call 01953 454707.

Learn more about the RNLI by visiting www.rnli.org