Do we need to market Edinburgh? – This week at Holyrood – Photography – Food waste allows plastic bags – – Edinburgh Tram Project
The Scotsman’s Arts Correspondent, Brian Ferguson, has made his views about the new city marketing campaign well known on Twitter over recent weeks, but has now taken time to write a very entertaining opinion piece about the Incredinburgh panto……
Although we were not invited to the Marketing Edinburgh launch of Winter in Edinburgh last Tuesday evening, we do have thoughts about spending public money on expensive marketing campaigns.
Perhaps we could add our own views into the marketing mix. We believe that to a large extent a city such as Edinburgh sells itself. We should not need to spend millions of pounds, which might be spent on essential services elsewhere in the city, telling people what the best things about this city are, and particularly we do not need to pick out one Edinburgh chef chasing lobsters and do so in a rap animated film. We believe the film does not do justice to our city’s unique allure. We have many restaurants, bars, theatres, wonderful people and wonderful sights. We have our many festivals which are a draw for people from across the globe. And we have our 500,000 inhabitants all of whom are able to tell their own story about Edinburgh, and who can perhaps do so better than this?
One of the more ingenious and useful marketing campaigns we would suggest, has been the sponsorship of a yacht emblazoned with Edinburgh’s Inspiring Capital which has sailed around the world in the Clipper Round the World Race, giving those on board a memorable experience, but also a marketing return which is far greater than the £55,000 which the council spends on it. The largest part of the cost, admittedly, has been underwritten by an anonymous donor.
We suggest that the council uses its many Twitter accounts to launch a Twitter and Facebook marketing campaign involving everyone in the capital. It would be absolutely free and easy for anyone to join in. Well maybe we should just start? We would like you to tell us the best thing about Edinburgh for you. Is it a place or the people? Or one person? Feel free to tell us here with a short article through our Submit a Story feature or tell us on Twitter using the hashtag #bestofedinburgh.
We will very soon be able to show you the exclusive film about Edinburgh projects about changing parts of our city. This was made here only two weeks ago by the people celebrating our high streets through the n0tice campaign which is backed by the Guardian Media Group. Take a look there are many photos of Edinburgh up there!
So have our council paid £1.2m setting up Marketing Edinburgh and around £300,000 for a bunch of catchy slogans for a city that does not need any? What do you think? Let us know by adding your comment below.
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This week at Holyrood only one of our Edinburgh MSPs has already lodged written questions for answer.
S4W-10609 Jim Eadie: To ask the Scottish Government how many disabled people receive discounted travel under the national concessionary travel scheme.
S4W-10610 Jim Eadie: To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of people eligible for a concessionary bus pass has one.
S4W-10611 Jim Eadie: To ask the Scottish Government how much on average the national concessionary travel scheme saves people who use it each year.
S4W-10612 Jim Eadie: To ask the Scottish Government whether it will carry out an assessment of the physical and mental health benefits of the national concessionary travel scheme for (a) disabled people, (b) older people and (c) veterans.
And motions lodged include the following:-
S4M-04552 Christine Grahame: Help Keep Animals Safe this Firework Season— That the Parliament commends the work of the Scottish SPCA and, in particular, its campaign to keep animals safe during the firework season; notes that, although the sound of a typical pneumatic drill measures around 100 decibels and people are advised to wear ear protectors when exposed to anything above 80 decibels, the current legal noise limit for a firework is 120 decibels; understands that a dog’s hearing is twice as sensitive as a human’s and a cat’s three times, which means that the sudden bang from a firework could terrify them and cause extreme distress; believes that anyone holding a firework display should warn their neighbours in advance so that they can make adequate provisions for their pets, and considers that, to allow pet owners and farmers to make adequate provisions for their animals, the use of fireworks should be limited to major festival periods and licensed displays.
S4M-04549# Kezia Dugdale: Living Wage Week—That the Parliament is committed to promoting a society where work pays; finds it unacceptable that in-work poverty continues to be a scourge, perpetuating societal ills such as poor health and child poverty, with six out of 10 children in poverty from families where at least one parent is in work; welcomes recent analysis, which it considers encouraging, by the IPPR and the Resolution Foundation, which estimated for the first time the wage bill for UK companies listed on the London Stock Exchange when paying staff a living wage; acknowledges what it considers the tireless work of the Scottish Living Wage Campaign and the trade union movement to make a living wage a reality for many public sector workers in Scotland; welcomes the advent of the annual Living Wage Week, taking place from 4 to 10 November, and looks forward to events promoting the benefits and ideals of a living wage for all; congratulates those local authorities that have delivered a living wage to their employees and notes the commitment of other councils, including the City of Edinburgh Council, to do so; welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to maintaining the relevance of a living wage for staff covered by its pay policy by uprating it; understands that it has committed to continuing to do so and notes the work outstanding to make the living wage a reality for all public sector employees, and hopes that the tide of support for the living wage will set a precedent too strong for private employers to ignore.
S4M-04547 Marco Biagi: Putting Scotland on Track for Business—That the Parliament welcomes the publication by the sustainable transport charity, Transform Scotland, of On track for business: Why Scottish businesses should try the train, regarding the economic and environmental benefits of travel by rail; commends the work of Transform Scotland with the rail industry and Scottish business to raise awareness of the importance of rail travel to business competitiveness and productivity in Scotland, and calls on politicians of all parties, as well as Scottish businesses, to take steps toward improving the efficiency of business travel and the reduction of emissions through the promotion of rail for business travellers.
S4M-04524♦ Christine Grahame: Big Energy Saving Week—That the Parliament supports Big Energy Saving Week, which runs from 22 to 27 October 2012 with the aim of helping consumers “Check, Switch, and Insulate” to help them save money on their energy bills this winter; notes that the recent rises in energy prices by four of the big six energy companies are a serious worry for people looking for ways to cut their costs in Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale and across the country, and congratulates Citizens Advice Scotland on coordinating the week, which includes 30 events in local communities run by Citizens Advice bureaux.
S4M-04522 Alison Johnstone: More Evidence that Pesticides are Killing Bees— That the Parliament notes new research published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Nature, on the effects of exposure to pesticides on bees; understands that the study explored the effects of pesticides on bee colonies, tested the so-called cocktail effect of neonicotinoid and pyrethroid chemicals and found that exposure leads to greater bee deaths, reduced ability to collect food and a greater likelihood that colonies will fail; notes the essential role that bees and other pollinators play in ecosystems, food production and the economy; believes that this study adds further weight to the already strong case for a ban on pesticides containing neonicotinoids and other compounds that might harm insect pollinators, and supports the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s campaign for a moratorium on the use of neonicotinoids on crops in Scotland.
S4M-04517 Alison Johnstone: Fair Access to Education for Looked-after Children—That the Parliament recognises what it considers to be the continued good work of the Care Leavers Foundation and its initiatives such as National Care Leavers Week, which runs from 24 to 30 October 2012; commends the work and achievements of similar organisations in Scotland, such as Buttle UK and the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland, and their continued efforts in promoting and enhancing the rights of looked-after young people and care leavers; understands that 9 of Scotland’s 17 universities have, or are working toward, the Buttle UK Quality Mark and encourages the others to aspire toward this; expresses dismay that, in its view, care leavers continue to be hugely under-represented in higher education, with just 2% of young people who enter higher education directly from high school coming from a looked-after background; endorses NUS Scotland’s view that, while universities cannot do everything to achieve fair access, they can do a great deal more, especially for those from a looked-after background, and calls on the Scottish Government to work with all stakeholders to improve access to further and higher education by care leavers.
And the Government’s Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee will meet to hear more evidence on the government’s renewable energy targets this Wednesday morning at an especially early time of 8:00am.
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The Reporter is an amateur when it comes to photography, but in the true sense of the word: someone who loves to take photographs and play with cameras! We are running a free photography tuition evening on 5 December 2012. Watch this space for more details but there will be only 20 spaces so feel free to apply now by email theedinburghreporter@gmail.com. It will be first come first served. You can also add your own photos to the Edinburgh Reporter Flickr Pool. And today’s photo is taken with the new lens…..
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Councillor Maureen Child tells us she has had many enquiries about food waste and how to do it. “I have been asked to explain why the advice has changed about what to use for lining your food waste bin. Plastic bags are now allowed. This is because the Council’s contractors now have bag splitters, at the front end of their recycling process, which first separates the food waste from the bags. Biodegradable bags, or food wrapped in newspaper are still fine. Some people don’t want to use plastic bags and work hard to avoid using them. Other people were unhappy about the cost of buying bio bags. For the latter, recycling officers suggest reusing any plastic bags they have so as not to produce yet more plastic waste e.g. old supermarket carriers or sleeves from magazines. The additional technology, added by the contractors, means that residents have options. With the changes made to refuse collection so that the ‘landfill collection’ is now once a fortnight instead of weekly, have reduced the tonnage going to landfill by 25% compared to the month before, and reduced the landfill tax burden by that amount. There are still some difficulties with refuse collection, but I get the impression things are working out in more areas each week.”
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Edinburgh Trams appear to be making some progress, although that does mean that parts of the New Town have become a dual carriageway with increased traffic. From today there is some resurfacing in the city centre on North and South St David Street, and the council say this will last for approximately three weeks.
Two-way traffic will be maintained on North and South St David Street during these works, although St Andrew Square / George Street junction will be closed over approximately four nights to allow for essential night-time working on that area.
Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said:- “The carriageway surface on North and South St David Street is in a poor condition, so I’m pleased that we’ve been able to take advantage of this ‘window of opportunity’ before Princes Street reopens fully to get this sorted. It’s also sensible to get the work completed now before winter arrives. I know from personal experience that the uneven road surface has made bus journeys on North and South St David Street pretty uncomfortable of late, so I’m sure all road users – motorists, bus passengers and pedestrians – will be glad to see the road resurfaced.”
The resurfacing work has been financed through the Council’s Capital Roads Programme.
George McKendrick, Lothian Buses Operations Manager, said: “We appreciate the City of Edinburgh Council’s endeavours to improve the city centre road surfacing, which will enable Lothian Buses to improve the quality of our journeys for our passengers.”
For an update on progress with the tram line from the airport to York Place, watch the video below.
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