Author: jglbrown

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Portobello Park

On 22 May 2014 the City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Private Bill Committee published their Consideration Stage Report which set out their consideration of, and decisions on, objections to the Bill http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/76791.aspx. The report concluded that, having taken account of all the evidence, the Committee was satisfied that the benefits of the proposal which the Bill would allow to be taken forward outweighed the disbenefits, and so rejected all the objections.

The Committee met again on 12 June 2014 to conclude the Consideration Stage of the Bill. This involved consideration of an amendment to the Bill which was tabled by a member of the Bill Committee with the purpose of providing safeguards for any future use of the land and maintaining the protections of inalienable common good status in circumstances where the land was not, or was no longer to be, used for an educational purpose. This amendment was prepared by an independent drafter appointed by the Parliament (revising an earlier amendment the Council had prepared), which the Council had the opportunity to review in advance and was content with. While other amendments had been requested by certain objectors to the Bill, none of those were taken forward by Committee members. The amendment tabled was agreed to unanimously by the Committee. The Committee also agreed unanimously to each individual provision of the Bill (as amended).

The Bill reached its Final Stage yesterday, 26 June 2014, consisting of a debate and a vote in the Scottish Parliament. The Parliament agreed to pass the Bill and there will now be a four week standstill period before it can be submitted for Royal Assent. When it actually receives Royal Assent (and hence becomes an Act) will depend upon when the Queen (or an appointed delegate, if Her Majesty is out of the country) is available to sign the Bill. As such, we would estimate that it will be around five or six weeks before the Bill is enacted although this obviously cannot be guaranteed.

As soon as the Act is in force we will appropriate the park and formally appoint our contractors, Balfour Beatty, to ensure that the construction of the new school starts on site as quickly as possible. The new school is anticipated to open in August 2016.

Further information:

Billy MacIntyre

Head of Resources

Tel: 0131 469 3355

E-mail: billy.macintyre@edinburgh.gov.uk

 

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Radio 4 independence debate: you can take part!

Referendum Debate chaired by James Naughtie from BBC Radio 4, 7th August, Edinburgh

We’re looking for a lively cross-section of groups/clubs/organisations to come along as part of the audience where you will be able to participate in the discussions. Ideally we’d be looking for around 4-6 people in each group – an even mix of YES and NO voters.

Please see below for more information. It would be great if people from your organisation could come along and represent yourselves and your wider area too.

I look forward to hearing from you!

All the best,

Lesley Haw

BBC Radio 4′s Chief Reporter on the referendum, James Naughtie, will chair a festival debate with a panel of well-known journalists and other prominent voices on one of the most important decisions in Scotland’s and the UK’s history.

In August both sides will be plotting their last pushes for the finish line ahead of the referendum polls on 18th September.

We’re looking for an audience of groups and societies combining different ages and backgrounds across Edinburgh, Fife and the Borders. We would like four-six people from your organisation to come along to this free event.

This will be your chance to have your say in front of a panel and audience on the issues that matter to you.

Please do join us for a lively debate during what will be the last leg of the crucial race against time for the YES and NO camps. This will be a pre-recorded debate broadcast on Radio 4 a week later.

PLEASE NOTE: It is vital in order to comply with BBC guidelines that we have a politically balanced audience. For example, a group of 2 YES people, 2 NO people and an UNDECIDED would be ideal. Each person who intends to come to the event will be asked to fill out a declaration form and email it to me before the debate with their name and how they intend to vote.

Location: Potterrow, Bristo Square, Edinburgh
Time: 19:30-21:00
Panel: We’ll bring you more information soon.
RSVP: Lesley.haw@bc.co.uk

We hope to see you debating on Thursday 7th August!

Yours sincerely,

Lesley Haw

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Leith Museum – Important Public Meeting

Invitation to Public Meeting on a Museum for Leith

Sunday 22 June, 2 pm: Venue: South Leith Parish Church

Over the last few years, thousands of people in Leith, Edinburgh and across Scotland and beyond have given their support to the campaign for a museum in Leith. The aim of that campaign has been to acquire and transform the historic Custom House in Leith into a venue which would be part museum and heritage centre, part exhibition and gallery space, and part education and community centre. The venue would have a historical focus, but would also include material and organise educational and outreach activities to demonstrate the current international links of Leith and Edinburgh. It would set today’s community in its historical context.

The Campaign for a Leith Museum along with a number of other local organisations have been working on various plans and ideas for Custom House over the last few years.

However, our campaign has now reached a crucial stage. That is because the current owners of Custom House, National Museums of Scotland, have now confirmed that it is their intention to move out of Custom House by April 2015. It is their intention to sell the building.

This is an opportunity for us to take forward our ambition plans for Custom House. However, there is also the risk that the building could be sold off for private commercial uses with no possibility of it ever being used for public purposes.

The Campaign is therefore launching an urgent public campaign and appeal to acquire Custom House so that it can be restored and used in the way we and so many others we would like to see happen.

If our campaign is to be successful, however, we will need a wide range of support. We will need the backing of central and local government, trusts and charities, as well as local organisations and local people. We have had many indications of support in principle from such bodies, which is important.

Above all, though, we will need the active support of the many thousands of people in Leith and beyond who support our dreams for Custom House. Please come along to our public meeting and find out more about our campaign and how you can help. Please pass the word and/or send this email on to anyone else you know who might be interested. If you can’t come along, but want to support the campaign, please email us at leithmuseum@blueyonder.co.uk. We will keep you informed.

The meeting will be held on Sunday 22 June, at 2 pm, in South Leith Parish Church. Kirkgate (note: the venue is the church itself, NOT the church halls).

Please join us!

 

Mark Lazarowicz MP

Chair, Campaign for a Leith Museum

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Queen’s Baton Relay top level route announced as part of Glasgow 2014

Glasgow 2014 has announced the list of Scotland’s villages, towns and cities which will welcome the Queen’s Baton Relay, the Commonwealth’s Games equivalent of the Olympic Torch.

Edinburgh will be the first stop on the baton’s final journey through Scotland and will pass through the following communities on Saturday 14 June 2014:

  • Riccarton
  • City Centre
  • Meadowbank
  • Leith
  • Portobello
  • Duddingston
  • Newington
  • South Queensferry.

Further street level details and a full programme of local and city wide events will be announced in the coming weeks.

The relay route will reflect the important role of sport by visiting schools, sporting facilities and leisure centres, encouraging communities to get behind Team Scotland, get involved with the Games and using its profile to get more people participating in sport.

We will continue to promote Edinburgh’s role in Glasgow 2014 to residents and specifically to those communities through which the baton will be carried.

The full press release from Glasgow 2014 and the City of Edinburgh Council’s supportive quote will be through the Council’s news centre this morning.

For further information contact:

David Waddell, Senior Events Officer

David.waddell@edinburgh.gov.uk

Tel: 529 4929

Or for Communications issues:

Lesley McPherson, Chief Communications Officer

Lesley.mcpherson@edinburgh.gov.uk

Tel: 0131 529 4030