Monday holiday – Planning – Baby Charlotte – Salaries for University bosses criticised – People’s Postcode Lottery Seed Truck
Today is officially a Monday holiday in Edinburgh. Are you on holiday? What are you doing with your day off? Do you think that local holidays are useful? Or would it be better if we had national holidays?
***
From the planning Weekly List we have noticed a couple of applications. Changes are afoot at Odeon Lothian Road where the owners would like to alter the entranceway. All of the planning papers are here including a drawing of the proposed elevation. They plan to have two sets of automatic sliding doors.
Out at Asda at Chesser they plan to build a drive through area for shoppers to collect their groceries.
And perhaps in some good news for Leith, on Leith Walk there is an application for a mixed use development of a site at Shrub Place previously used as a tram/bus depot.
***
Police have traced 37-year-old Cliff Steel, who was reported missing from his home in Edinburgh on 3 April 2013. He was found safe and well yesterday in Kent.
Police are however still looking for the mother of baby Charlotte who was found at Hailesland Park on Thursday afternoon and there will be a photo call later today at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to show the baby off again, in the hope that the mother may come forward.
The baby was named after PC Charlotte Work, who carried her to the hospital, who said: -“I am delighted that baby Charlotte is doing well and that there are no concerns for her health. As part of my duties it was important that an officer accompanied the child to the hospital, but it is very flattering that the staff chose to name her after me.
“What is more important, however, is for us to trace Charlotte’s mother and ensure she receives all the necessary medical attention and support she requires.
“I would urge her to get in touch with her doctor, attend at hospital or contact police so we can make sure she is safe and well.
“Similarly, we would like anyone with information that can assist us with our enquiries to contact Police Scotland on 101 immediately.” Our main photo today shows a rear view of Hailesland Park where baby Charlotte was found on a bench.
***
In advance of the expected publication of the proposed code of good governance for Scottish universities this week, National Union of Students, NUS Scotland, has produced a report showing the worrying levels of high pay among senior staff atScottish universities.
The report collated figures taken from the most recent university financial statements and existing freedom of information requests, and found:
- Average basic pay (before pension contributions and benefits in kind) is over £200,00
- Just two principals have a salary below that of the First Minister
- Across 18 institutions, 88 individuals earn more than the First Minister
- On average, across Scotland the highest university earner receives 16.10 times the lowest (full-time equivalent)
In its submission to the consultants undertaking the development of the governance code, NUS Scotland has called for an explicit maximum ratio between highest and lowest earners, staff and student representation on university remuneration committees, and greater transparency in the setting and reporting of senior level pay.
Robin Parker, President of NUS Scotland said:- “It’s unjustifiable for university principals and other senior staff to routinely be paid such large sums. There are 88 senior staff members at Scottish universities who earn more than the First Minister, and across our institutions the gap between the lowest and highest paid is too large, with some receiving almost 20 times that of the lowest paid university employee.
“Universities need academic autonomy, but they should not have the freedom to pay such large salaries and to allow large gaps between those at the top end and the lowest paid. There are hundreds of millions of pounds of public money quite rightly going into universities over the next few years, we must make sure that this money is used on the front line, not on increasing already substantial senior salaries.
“At a time when everyone is feeling the pinch it would be completely out of touch for university principals to think we didn’t need to have greater controls on such high levels of pay. Last year’s review into university governance was absolutely right to recognise that controversies over high pay undermines the trust we put in our universities. When there are senior managers getting paid far above and beyond what even the First Minister does, while the tens of thousands of staff below them receive a fraction of that, you can see why.
“The forthcoming governance code for Scottish universities provides the opportunity to start addressing the imbalance we see in university pay. A maximum pay ratio between highest and lowest earners and greater staff and student input into pay decisions are just two ways we can tackle inflated pay. These need to be defined in to code to ensure that we have that vital trust in our universities and those who are leading them.”
***
Tomorrow there is a mini-Seed Truck event organised by People’s Postcode Lottery on Castle Street. The Seed Truck visits schools and community groups across Scotland, educating visitors in growing their own produce and taking action on climate change.
Their expertise has led to an increase in urban community gardens across the country. The branded van (which we are told looks really cool!) will be on Castle Street from 11am – 2pm and will be open to the public to go along and see / learn how they can create their own urban garden spaces.
Meantime there has been another Edinburgh winner…..! See our article here.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
