A last minute reprieve when tonight's scheduled meeting was cancelled...naively I thought, get my surgery done then home to put the feet up...you know what thought did? Thought wrong!
Only daughter (ergo, favourite daughter) turned up with 3 children in tow looking for food which trailed into bathtime and then stories...and just as she left, up turned number 1 son with dog, looking for food and use of the internet...so night with feet up was just an illusion...
A busy surgery...yes, you guessed it...grass verges and tales of 1 elderly lady's daughter pulling out the weeds on the large forecourt area (public space, used by kids for football) in front of the pensioner's house for fear her mother would slip on the wet grass and hurt herself...weeks after first reporting it we are no further forward: clean, green and safe is just a bad joke!
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Sprouting suites
Tonight was the West Pilton & Granton Community Council - well attended and full of ire about estate maintenance and the Fairer Scotland Fund.
Everybody thinks the estates are looking more neglected than ever: the streets and pavements are sprouting furniture which the Community Council attributes to private landlords dumping whenever tenants leave and also to decisions about charging for second special uplifts. At the corner of West Pilton Park (where I work daytime) the corner has seen 4 different suites dumped in as many weeks and the picture is the same across the area.
Along with sprouting suites are invasive weeds in every corner, flagstone, edge and verge. It was reported tonight that 6 workmen were spotted spraying the verges along Inverleith parallel to the Botanics...nary a sign of any weedspraying yet in Granton, Pilton or Muirhouse. Soon they'll need to take the strimmer to it...
Fairer Scotland Fund is a beezer...£700,000 out of North Edinburgh alone:Community Learning & Development cut by £800,000 for the entire city and a huge whack of that out of North Edinburgh...the voluntary sector in the North is being hammered. There is to be a meeting on Wednesday 23 July to try to gather information on the overall impact...it will be towsy, no doubt about that.
Everybody thinks the estates are looking more neglected than ever: the streets and pavements are sprouting furniture which the Community Council attributes to private landlords dumping whenever tenants leave and also to decisions about charging for second special uplifts. At the corner of West Pilton Park (where I work daytime) the corner has seen 4 different suites dumped in as many weeks and the picture is the same across the area.
Along with sprouting suites are invasive weeds in every corner, flagstone, edge and verge. It was reported tonight that 6 workmen were spotted spraying the verges along Inverleith parallel to the Botanics...nary a sign of any weedspraying yet in Granton, Pilton or Muirhouse. Soon they'll need to take the strimmer to it...
Fairer Scotland Fund is a beezer...£700,000 out of North Edinburgh alone:Community Learning & Development cut by £800,000 for the entire city and a huge whack of that out of North Edinburgh...the voluntary sector in the North is being hammered. There is to be a meeting on Wednesday 23 July to try to gather information on the overall impact...it will be towsy, no doubt about that.
Saturday, 5 July 2008
Adam Smith
I missed the unveiling of the Adam Smith statue yesterday - much to my chagrin. Other duties forced a late cancellation but I heard all about it from my colleague Mr Milligan who was at pains to inform me I had missed a fantastic affair, extremely well managed with some very interesting people in attendance.
I was particularly miffed to have missed out on catching up with Michael Forsyth who, though it was popular to despise him when he was in office, was always unfailingly pleasant and thoughtful in his business with me. Fiercely intelligent, he knew what he stood for but respected the alternative view. I liked him...a lot, and when it comes down to the fight for the Union, as it surely will, I'll be glad we're on the same side.
I was particularly miffed to have missed out on catching up with Michael Forsyth who, though it was popular to despise him when he was in office, was always unfailingly pleasant and thoughtful in his business with me. Fiercely intelligent, he knew what he stood for but respected the alternative view. I liked him...a lot, and when it comes down to the fight for the Union, as it surely will, I'll be glad we're on the same side.
Thursday, 3 July 2008
A bloody disgrace
Staff and Board members were today delighted with Dr Ray Harris' mention of PEP's buses as one of his top 5 Edinburgh icons in the Evening News 'High Five' slot: he intended it as a positive reflection on the role of the voluntary sector in our great city - but he has no idea how many people he made very happy this afternoon. The phones haven't stopped ringing...
Small voluntary sector projects feel under assault right now with budget cuts and bureaucratic over regulation and PEP is no different...so any praise is gratefully received. Today, we had 6 volunteers out cutting grass, generally improving the local environment. Ranging in age from 15 - 65 years they were a happy gang: each man has his own problems, some really quite serious, but it is a joy to watch them working hard together for their own community when previously they were isolated and very alone. It is a win win situation: they learn new skills, learn to work together as a team, gain in confidence and the local community looks much the better for their efforts.
Services for Communities could learn a few lessons from them: take a drive round Granton, Boswall, East Pilton, West Pilton, Muirhouse ...have a look at the public verges and edges: weeds knee high, grass growing where it shouldn't be possible for grass to grow, thistledown blowing in the breeze...it looks like the set for Will Smith's blockbuster 'I am Legend' but this is no futuristic city abandonned to the zombies: it is Edinburgh 2008 and it is a bloody disgrace.
Small voluntary sector projects feel under assault right now with budget cuts and bureaucratic over regulation and PEP is no different...so any praise is gratefully received. Today, we had 6 volunteers out cutting grass, generally improving the local environment. Ranging in age from 15 - 65 years they were a happy gang: each man has his own problems, some really quite serious, but it is a joy to watch them working hard together for their own community when previously they were isolated and very alone. It is a win win situation: they learn new skills, learn to work together as a team, gain in confidence and the local community looks much the better for their efforts.
Services for Communities could learn a few lessons from them: take a drive round Granton, Boswall, East Pilton, West Pilton, Muirhouse ...have a look at the public verges and edges: weeds knee high, grass growing where it shouldn't be possible for grass to grow, thistledown blowing in the breeze...it looks like the set for Will Smith's blockbuster 'I am Legend' but this is no futuristic city abandonned to the zombies: it is Edinburgh 2008 and it is a bloody disgrace.
Knights of the Thistle
I have said before that being a councillor allows you access to unusual events and yesterday's was one of those: I was invited to attend the 'ceremonial to be observed on the occasion of the installation of the Rt Hon The Lord Cullen of Whiteside,KT,PC and Sir Garth Morrison, KT, CBE as Knights of the most ancient and most noble order of the Thistle'...a lot of words used to describe a considerable display of State power and theatre. The Queen and Prince Philip, HRH, The Princess Royal and so on and so on were all in attendance. St Giles was packed with very well dressed ladies and gentlemen. Like Ian Rankin, many were bedecked with their 'honours' or were garbed in archaic costume following equally archaic ritual: yet the whole thing had a kind of dignity and timelessness...
...and some of the ladies' hats were to die for...
...and some of the ladies' hats were to die for...
Opacity
Thanks to the help of a self confessed nosey colleague you can read for yourself the latest escapades of Steven Izatt and co. at http://www.thisisjersey.com/2008/06/24/jeb-a-plan-too-far/
I must admit it all seems an overly complicated scheme and when something is as opaque as this then people will worry. Comments in the report regarding 'vagueness, financial risk and the shortcomings of WEB (Waterfront Enterprise Board) ' had a worryingly familiar ring...
I must admit it all seems an overly complicated scheme and when something is as opaque as this then people will worry. Comments in the report regarding 'vagueness, financial risk and the shortcomings of WEB (Waterfront Enterprise Board) ' had a worryingly familiar ring...
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
The Jersey Evening Post
Tonight I attended my first meeting as a Board member at North Edinburgh Arts. It was interesting in so much as they are slowly but steadily pulling themselves out of the hole they had fallen into. I was mightily impressed by Kate Wimpress, seconded to manage the organisation from Capital City Partnership. She has a cool head and an open manner and has done well.
Today, too, I heard a whisper that things are not going well at the Jersey Waterfront. My source has promised me a copy of a recent Jersey Evening Post which outlines the issues...I have an understandable interest and am curious to read of Mr Izatt's latest problems.
Today, too, I heard a whisper that things are not going well at the Jersey Waterfront. My source has promised me a copy of a recent Jersey Evening Post which outlines the issues...I have an understandable interest and am curious to read of Mr Izatt's latest problems.
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