Five things you need to know today
Leith Festival – More money for broadband – Leith and Portobello Community Turbine – Concert – Moonwalk
Today is the start of Leith Festival with Leith Gala Day. There will be a pageant moving from Pilrig Park to Leith Links just around 12 noon. This week there will be 155 events at 36 venues but you can zoom straight in on what is happening today by clicking here. or have a look at the whole programme here:-
***
Edinburgh’s Liberal Democrat MP, Mike Crockart, has today welcomed the announcement of £32m extra funding from the UK government for the delivery of superfast broadband in Scotland.
This extra funding is on top of the existing £68.8m which was allocated to Scotland by Westminster last August, taking the total to over £100m.
The decision to increase the funding was taken as Scotland’s geography makes delivering superfast broadband difficult.
Commenting on the announcement, Mike said:
“The increase in funding is great news for the communities of Edinburgh West. The Government recognise the importance of high-speed broadband and are working to implement it across the whole of the UK.
“High-speed broadband will give people more reliable and efficient access to public services online.Improving broadband speeds will also give companies a competitive edge and a boost to the economy. This latest investment has the potential to attract new businesses to the area and will encourage web based ventures.
“I have long campaigned to make sure that the rural parts of west Edinburgh like Kirkliston, Ratho, Dalmeny and South Queensferry are not neglected, and the extra funding goes some way to ensuring that superfast broadband can be delivered across the whole of Scotland and not just the cities.”
***
It appears that the Leith and Portobello Community Turbine has stalled. Commenting on the announcement by the Scottish Government that the Leith and Portobello Community Wind Energy project cannot now go ahead on the planned site, Chas Booth, Green Councillor for Leith, said:-
“This is a real loss to the community of Leith. The Minister could have chosen to bang heads together and get this community renewables project built but instead we have excuses.”
“This case is particularly embarrassing for the SNP in the week that they launched plans for more “community empowerment”. Here is a project that has excited the community and won a UK-wide public vote for funding, yet Ministers are unwilling to support it.”
“Pioneering communities will feel let down by the Scottish Government if they can’t match their warm words on community energy with real
action.”
***
Tonight at Canongate Kirk, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra play one of the best-loved choral compositions of all time, Handel’s Dixit Dominus.
***
Today there are hundreds of fundraiser involved in the Moonwalk 2012 to help raise money and awareness for breast cancer. It is the seventh of its kind and will commence at Inverleith Park tonight. So don’t think that you are seeing things if you catch sight of loads of women out on the streets in their bras….