Pensions

I appreciate it has proved diffiult to get a grasp of the many issues in the debate over pensions.   Here are a few facts which are not always understood:

• Public sector pensions will remain among the very best available – a guaranteed level and inflation proofed.
• Most will see no reduction in the pension income they receive at retirement and many low and middle income earners will in fact receive a larger pension income at retirement.
• Low earners making under £15,000 a year (FTE) - that’s 15 per cent of the workforce - will not have to make increased contribution. Another million workers earning up to £21,000 will have their total increase limited to 1.5 per cent over three years.
• The pension people have built up so far will be protected: a guaranteed benefit in retirement free from market fluctuations or fees - something all but eliminated elsewhere.
• No-one within ten years of retirement will see any change in the age they retire or in the amount of pension they will receive on retirement.
• Only one in three workers in the private sector have an employer contribution at all, while nearly nine in ten in the public sector do.
• Only 2.1 million people in the private sector, around 10% of private sector workers, are active members of a defined benefit pension scheme, with guaranteed benefits in retirement.
• Added 30.11.11:  It should be noted that a very significant factor in the increasing cost of pensions is good news: on average we are living longer and benefit from pension payments for longer.

Rugby: Mike Blair at Sciennes

Scotland scrum-half Mike Blair visited Sciennes Primary this week drumming up support for Edinburgh's crunch match against Aironi this week-end at Murrayfield.

More details here.

Edinburgh Council closed

Edinburgh Council services are pretty well closed for business on Wednesday 30th.  Here is a guide to what's open and what's closed in the Council.

However, buses should be running as normal.

Here is a post I wrote a year ago showing the unfair public sector pension burden on taxpayer.   

Baxterbear at Prestonfield

That is. . . Baxterbear was at Prestonfield House Hotel raising funds for the St Columba's Hospice charity!!

More about him here.

Dynamic Earth: harassment unchecked

Dynamic Earth employers have been ordered to pay £27,750 in compensation to a woman cleaner for failing to deal properly with her complaint of sexual harassment. 

The details are in this BBC report. (The report is notable for its bizarre headline, "Dynamic Earth . . . wins case" at the time of posting.)

Last year another employee was convicted of assault and dismissed. This post tells the story.

Southside Community Council folds

Disputes amongst members of Southside Community Council led to the majority of the members resigning.

Insufficient volunteers came forward to replace them and the Coummunity Council is now formally being dissolved.

Here is my post about the developing situation from October.

Strike next Wednesday

All Edinburgh schools and many council premises will be closed next Wednesday (30th) as teaching and other unions strike.   The strikes are part of a national 'day of action' and the strike has been called by the EIS, UCATT, GMB, Unison and Unite.

Here is the link for updates on whether Council premises will be open.

Efficiency savings thrown out

After amost three years of research, negotiation, bidding and analysis, Edinburgh Council this afternoon rejected outsourcing a range of services which had offered very considerable improvements in services at a saving of £72m over the contract period of 7 years.

The LibDem/SNP administration fell apart on the issue - despite having been united in approving the process for the past two years - a process which itself has cost £3-4m.

As on the recent trams vote, the SNP changed tack at the last minute and, rejecting assessments of the best value and improved services which would result from the move, voted down the deal.

The Council is now faced with a considerable gap in its planned budget and will now have to find savings by rationalising in house.

It is not clear what changed the mind of SNP Group.  It may be that it is a convenient opportunity to break the coalition with the Lib Dems in advance of the local government elections next May. 

It has also been suggested that they have been instructed by the tightly run SNP national hierarchy, that electoral advantage would be obstructed by upsetting the unions in the run up to the elections.  Whatever the reason, it is difficult to see how the decision could have been taken on rational grounds in the light the very considerable advantages offered to the Council through the outsourcing process.

They joined Labour and the Greens in voting against the proposals.

Previous posts here and here.

Assault near Meadows tennis courts

Tennis courts pinpointed above

On Tuesday evening between 6:50 and 7:00 pm an incident took place near the tennis courts in the East Meadows when a 21-year-old jogger was sexually assaulted.

Police want to hear from anyone who can provide information.  The suspect is described as being around 30-years-old, 5ft 10ins tall, and is dark-skinned, possibly Indian appearance. He was clean-shaven at the time and was wearing a grey hooded top and is believed to have made off towards Buccleuch Street.

More details in the police press release.

There is no indication at this point that the incident was related to the incident in the West Meadows reported earlier this month.

Busy, busy

A few days of light blogging are in the offing as I'm committed to a busy spell - mainly council business - and in addition, I'm spending any spare moments reading other people's emails. . . . some of whom are local residents.

Local resident continues as Makar

Only a few days after making his first appearance in this blog, local resident Ron Butlin is in view again as his tenure as Edinburgh Makar has been extended for a further three years.

Effectively, he is Edinburgh's Poet Laureate. See here for the report which was approved at the council's Culture and Leisure Committee earlier this year and here for the STV report of his appearance before the Committee today. 

Time almost up for temporary lights

It used to look like this!

The contractor working on gas mains work in the Minto Street/Newington Road area is due off site (at least on the main road) by the end of this week.   This is because of the Christmas embargo of work on most main roads - and the contractor will take up the work again around Wednesday 4th January.

In the meantime that doesn't mean there won't be continuing work in the area - it will just be concentrated on the side roads in the Grange Road area.

In the meantime, the temporary lights at Minto Street, Newington Road are manually controlled during the day with a view to minimising queues.

Fiddles in the Southside

This weekend was the Scottish Fiddle Festival in Edinburgh.  The three venues were all in the Southside & Newington ward:

• Queen's Hall in Clerk Street
• King's Hall in South Clerk Street
• South Hall, Pollock Halls

Subaru donation to Sick Kids

Before being badged up!

The Royal hospital for Sick Children in Sciennes has taken delivery of a Subaru Forester XC. The vehicle will be used to transport doctors, nurses and lifesaving equipment from the intensive care unit to wherever they are needed.  The Subaru has been donated by A F Noble and Sons of Bilston.

More here.

Snow wardens

Clearing snow creatively

Still there is no sign of a big freeze - but if you wish to volunteer to be a local snow warden - now is the time to do so.

With three consecutive winters of below average temperatures - and the last two classed as severe - I thought you might like to look at the local arrangements for local self help volunteers.   The number to phone - and more information, is to be found at this link.

Local Makar imprisoned

Ron Butlin lives in the Southside.  He is also Edinburgh's Makar - or put another way, Edinburgh's Poet Laureate.  Earlier this week he was in prison - on behalf of PEN.   You can find the whole story here.

Meadows assault at 3:30am

Lothian & Borders Police have a press release out about a sexual assault on a 19 year old victim in the Meadows early yesterday morning. The location appears to have been in the West Meadows north of Melville Drive. Details here.  Police are requesting anyone with relevant information to contact them.

A Prestonfield business is born

An Armands Sprogi photo

Armands Sproggi from the Kirkhill area (Prestonfield)  has set up a photography business even before he finished his course at Stevenson College.

STV have this article on him and his experience - and if you want him to take your wedding photographs, you will find his website here.

Causewayside cycle traffic up 15%

Today was the day when The Bike Station did a count of cyclists using Causewayside during the morning rush hour.  The figure showed a 15% rise on numbers taken on the same day (third Tuesday) last year when the weather was similar.

Time to register your child?

School registration starts on Monday 14 November 
If your child is five years old before 28 February 2013 you can register them for a primary school place at one of the Edinburgh Council schools. Registration in starts on Monday 14 November and your catchment school will be able to tell you when they are registering pupils.

Details here. 

And while we are on the subject letters will be issued by pupil post from mid-November to parents of primary seven pupils who are attending a council primary school. This will confirm the secondary school serving your home address.No action is needed unless you want to send your child to a different school. A non catchment placing request will have to be completed and will be available from your primary school from 14 November.

Prestonfield Remembrance

Today over 100 people attended the local Remembrance ceremony in Prestonfield.

The location is immaculately kept and, as well as appropriate signage, there is now a box hedge spelling our Prestonfield War Memorial which is growing in nicely.

Rev Jared Hay from Priestfield Church led the ceremony which included the reading out of the names of local people who had died - ending with that of Cpl Mark Wright who died in Afghanistan.

Last year's post is here and more information on Mark Wright who was killed in service in 2006 can be found here.

West Savile footway reconstruction

There will be parking restrictions in West Savile Road from Monday 14th November for up to a week to facilitate foot way reconstruction.

Bin dispute ends at last

Edinburgh's refuse collection dispute which has gone on for almost two and a half years is to be ended.  The refuse staff, who were 'working to rule' and refusing to work overtime have now agreed to resume normal working.  The work they declined to do went to other refuse companies.

A Unison representative explained:

". .  .they recognise that, in the current climate, their terms and pay are better protected by trying to work with management in making the service as efficient as possible."

Hello!   So this group of public employees recognise after two and a half years that an efficient service is in everybody's interests.  Welcome to reality.

So where are we now.  Currently, before the Council is a proposal, brought forward by the SNP and Lib Dem Administration, to employ a company to deliver street cleaning, refuse collection and ground maintenance.  Contracted savings are an eye watering minimum of £51m over 7 years with significantly more in prospect, even after very significant legal and employment protection for current employees. And in addition, improvements and capital investment in the service are contractual.

Most of the Lib Dem councillors are in favour.  SNP rejected the proposals last month saying they want the services done in house with the current employees and management.  Labour, although they have previously contracted services out in Edinburgh, have said they will vote against the proposal.  As is usual in these issues, the Greens are allied with Labour.

And I (and my fellow Conservatives) will be voting for the option, brought forward by the Lib Dem and SNP Administration, which is by a long way, the best value for the people of Edinburgh.

Having voted to delay the decision last month (how typical!) the Council will decide how to proceed on Thursday 24th November.  We shall see then who has have changed their minds.

The irony is that, with all the legal and employment guarantees that exist, it will almost certainly be the best option for most of the Council staff who have just agreed to end their dispute.  It is in their interests as well for Edinburgh to have better and more efficient services.

Happy 11th birthday, Daniel

To be 11 today is the happy lot today of Daniel Hinton who lives in the Mayfield Road area.  Congratulations.

More information in this BBC report which notes that Bryony Turner from the Canongate shares the birthday.  Congratulations.

Politicians in Prestonfield

Salmond at Prestonfield

At the Politician of the Year awards at Prestonfield House Hotel last night, the main award went to Alex Salmond.

The full list, which includes Murdo Fraser for the 'Political Impact' award and Ruth Davidson for the 'Newcomer' award, can be found here.

New site, new Boroughmuir - on track

Earlier proposals for the site

Although outside the ward, Boroughmuir School has a catchment area which includes parts of the Southside & Newington ward.

So it is worth reporting that Edinburgh Council has taken a significant step towards solving the thorny question of whether to refurbish the school or rebuild it on a new site.

The state of the property market has led Lloyds Banking Group to sell the Fountainbridge site originally planned for its headquarters.  Eyeing up part of the site for the needed new school, the Council put in a bid which looks on track to be accepted later this month. 

The Council has secured ‘preferred bidder’ status.  The successful purchase is conditional on the conclusion of missives and Council approval at the Council meeting on 24 November.

Update:  The BBC have now put up a report - here.

High profile night for Prestonfield

The Scottish Politician of the Year awards take place tonight at Prestonfield House Hotel.  They are sponsored by the Herald newspaper whose online access policy makes links laborious - so here is a selection of my posts from the events over the previous four years:

• 2010
• 2009
• 2008
• 2009

Trouble at mosque

The ongoing dispute at the Central Mosque in Potterrow is reported in The Herald today (free registration required).

The current case, being heard before the Court of Session today, is a claim for expenses and costs incurred by Imam Muhammad Sajjad Asim during the period from May 2006 until he was sacked earlier this year.

I understand the Imam won an unfair dismissal case against the mosque earlier this year.

The future shape of Edinburgh

Previous two plans will become one

There is a draft Local Development Plan out for consultation and public views at the moment.  It is described as a Main Issues Report and it lays out the options and proposed priorities for the guiding the shape of Edinburgh in the coming 8 years.

Interested?  You can find it here.

Local resident hosts safety campaign

Pic: Deadline

Last month I reported on a fire in Cobden Crescent when an electric blanket ignited.  Harriet Fulford rescued her five month old baby and, as this report details, has now agreed to front a fire safety campaign.

Local resident hosts 'Scotland Tonight'

Rona used to work for Sky

Rona Dougal, a resident in the Newington area is the new co-anchor of the TV news programme Scotland Tonight.

More here.

New Head Teacher for Gillespies

Bruntsfield House, part of Gillespies

Donald MacDonald is the new Head Teacher at James Gillespies High School following the retirement of Alex Wallace.

He takes up the post on Monday 9th January 2012.  He is currently a very highly regarded head teacher at Liberton High School.

Daniel is 11 on 11.11.11

Just as it says.  Daniel Hinton who lives in Newington.

More (brief) details here.

Local scientists in fracking debate

British Geological Survey scientist  Dr Brian Baptie, based at Murchison House in West Mains Road, has contributed to the debate on whether the extraction of shale gas contributes to earthquakes.

Suggestions that huge finds of shale gas may become a game changer in UK energy supplies have been dogged by recent links to small earthquakes recorded in Lancashire.  Baptie commented:

‘The proposed maximum acceptable earthquake of a magnitude 2.6 earthquake might, at a depth of 3km, result in an intensity of shaking that would not be expected to cause any damage but would be widely felt by people indoors and out, and may displace objects on shelves.’

In response to a report playing down the dangers of the fracking method of extracting shale gas, Professor Stuart Haszeldene (of Edinburgh University) countered with a more cautious assessment:

‘Although this is a very thorough report, I would be very cautious before proceeding with more commercial drilling.'

More details can be found here along with a discussion of fracking.

Ruth Davidson new leader

Ruth Davidson is the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives.

The results were as follows:

First round:
Davidson - 2278
Fraser - 2096
Carlaw - 980
Mitchell - 472

2nd Round:
Davidson - 2469
Fraser - 2180
Carlaw - 980

3rd Round:
Davidson: - 2983
Fraser - 2417


OK, not the result I voted for but the people who mattered in this election have spoken.

'The Grapes' gain extension

The Grapes in Clerk Street, a troubled pub which lost some of its opening hours at a hearing of the Licensing Board in April this year, has won back its morning opening hours from 9am at another hearing this week.

It is difficult to comprehend this decision of the councillors on the Licensing Board earlier this week in  the face of the evidence presented by the police which is contained in this news report. Below are some extracts of the evidence presented:

"Council officers were also said to have been prevented from inspecting the premises by drunk punters whilst staff made "no attempt" to intervene during the incident in May. . . on entering the premises, they were approached by two hostile patrons, who prevented the officers from carrying out their duty"

"In his police report, Inspector Gordon Hunter added: "The incidents detailed that staff had poor control of the patrons, an issue that was exacerbated by the cheap pricing of alcohol.  The detection of cellophane wraps within the toilet indicated that persons were involved in the misuse of drugs on the premises.  . . . He urged the councillors to keep the ban in place."

In vain.

If any local residents or others have a story to tell I will be interested to hear it.  See here for my contact details.

New leader today

Crossroads for the right
Pic: Martin Liebermann

The Conservative Party in Scotland will get a new leader today.  Votes of around 8,000 members are due to be counted at an Edinburgh Hotel from around noon today with the result announced anytime from 3pm to 6pm.

Of course, depending on who wins, it might not be the Conservative Party soon, but a broader right of centre party  - a concept I support as previous posts reported here and here.

I'll tweet and post the result as soon as it is available.

Charterhall Road: refuge island

I note the Transport Department have plans for a refuge island in the middle of Charterhall Road at this point. 

Further details are contained here (TRO/11/08B) and comments can be made before 29th November.

Alcohol in the community

The South Central Neighbourhood Partnership is holding a Community Conference at the Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road on Wednesday, 16th November.


The purpose of the event is explore issues of alcohol and its effects on the community of South Central; to raise awareness amongst people on the wide range of issues around alcohol; enhance knowledge and networking amongst key agencies/service delivery organisations and, principally, to identify a series of recommendations for future, achievable, action for consideration by the Neighbourhood Partnership. A programme for the morning is noted below.


Details here.

New houses for Grange

Woodcroft Telephone Exchange

A planning application (just outside the ward) has been submitted for the former telephone exchange site in Pitsligo Road, just off Newbattle Terrace.  It envisages building flats where the Exchange once functioned.

The reports can be found via this page using the following references references:

• 11/01386/FUL Demolition permission and the new development
• 11/01386/LBC Listed Building Consent

Primark to open 10th December

I know its not in my ward but I am often asked when Primark will open its new store in Princes Street.  The answer in is in the heading as this article points out.