SNP question value for money at BBC Scotland – Today at Portobello Library – Summer in Inverleith – Edinburgh Leisure pass for under 18s – French Choir at St Mary’s
The SNP has today contacted the BBC demanding greater transparency following concerns that there is no published breakdown of spending on BBC Scotland as a whole in the corporation’s latest annual report. This follows on from reports in today’s newspapers that less than half of Scots believe the BBC is good at representing their lives through news and current affairs, the lowest proportion of any of the countries in the UK.
Stewart Hosie MP – who has written to BBC Trust Chairman Lord Patten – said:-“The Annual Report shows the breakdowns that include the BBC’s spend on BBC Alba and BBC Radio Scotland but I am concerned that there is no mention of the breakdown to indicate how much was spent on BBC Scotland as a whole.
“This is very disappointing and is at odds with the Trust’s assertion in their own published strategy that they would ‘Set new standards of openness and transparency’.
“Scotland’s population share of the licence fee income alone would be over £320 million, even before the Scottish share of other BBC income sources is considered – far more than is spent in Scotland.
“It is vital that the substantial investment from Scotland is fairly benefitting Scotland, as we already know under current plans that spend on BBC Scotland will reduce to just £86 million in 2016/17.
“This must be considered alongside the statement in the Trust’s report that a majority of Scots do not believe that the BBC is good at representing their life in news and current affairs content.
“It is incumbent on the Trust to ensure that there is real transparency over the continued spending on the BBC in Scotland to ensure that Scottish Licence fee payer who contributes significantly to its income can be sure that they are receiving value for money.”
This is a copy of the letter
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This summer there are many events for children in Inverleith Park, Broughton School and Glenogle Baths and other places in Inverleith. These are organised by The City of Edinburgh Council and you will find more details here.
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The eighty young singers of the Paris National Opera Children’s Choir embark on a summer Scottish tour with recitals of Maurice Ravel’s operaL’Enfant et les Sortilèges. Before heading to Stirling, Glasgow and Inverness, they will first stop at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh on 22 July 2013.
The Children’s Choir of the Paris National Opera Children’s Choir present Maurice Ravel’s masterpiece L’Enfant et les sortilèges in a concert version with piano at St Mary’s Cathedral .
L’enfant et les sortilèges is an operatic fantasia in two parts composed by Maurice Ravel in 1924, in collaboration with the author Colette. In his bedroom, a child rebels against his mother’s instructions. In a fit of anger he breaks everything on which he can lay his hands and then surveys the damage. Suddenly each broken toy, each vandalised piece of furniture and each maimed animal come to life to make it clear to him how selfish his behaviour has been.
With its 470 singers aged 7 to 25, the Paris National Opera Children’s Choir is the largest choir of his type in France. Every season, 80 of them become the ambassadors of French vocal music abroad and go on an international tour with a programme of concerts or opera recitals. Over the past 15 year, the Choir have performed in over thirty countries worldwide and in some of the most magnificent venues, including the Ancient theatre of Petra in Jordan and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Just a few weeks before the grown-ups are on stage for the Edinburgh summer Festivals, why not meet the budding singers that could very much be the stars of tomorrow?
A performance produced by the Institut français d’Ecosse.
St Mary’s Cathedral – Edinburgh
Palmerston Place, Edinburgh EH
Monday 22 July
6.30 – 8pm
Tickets: £8 (£5)
Box office: http://parischildrenschoir.eventbrite.co.uk or 0131 225 5366
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
