Five things you need to know today

Council announce their draft budget this morning – Lazarowicz solving the broadband problem in Edinburgh – Casio Music Masterclass with Natalia Posnova – Enter the Race for Life – Edinburgh Ceilidh Club

The Capital Coalition will announce their plans for their draft budget later this morning. This will then be discussed at next week’s Finance Committee meeting and there will be a period of consultation when they want you to have a look and make some suggestions on how to spend their £1bn budget across the city. Finance Convenor Alasdair Rankin is adamant that there will not be cuts, but that savings have to be made by improving procurement across all departments of the council, and also selling off some surplus property to plug the £35m gap.

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After Mark Lazarowicz MP raised the problems that constituents in central Edinburgh are having in getting access to super-fast broadband, a Minister has promise to work with him to try and find a solution.

Mark took the issue up after being contacted by a number of constituents who complained of very low broadband speeds and commercial providers had no plans for their area to be connected to super-fast broadband.

Mark said:-“Super-fast broadband access is vital for businesses and especially SMEs that are key to economic recovery and we have to ensure that the basic infrastructure is there for them to succeed as well as for anyone else who wants to email, tweet or watch programmes.

“Yet parts of my constituency cannot get access to it because on the one hand commercial providers have no plans at present to connect them whilst on the other it is unclear whether EU state aid rules would allow public subsidy to be used to do so as it prohibits that where areas that can be developed commercially. The Council has led the way in spite of that, using welcome funding from the Government to increase public wi-fi access and most recently a new voucher scheme to help businesses cover the costs of connecting to super-fast broadband.

“The Scottish Government has announced new funding but like the bulk of UK Government funding it is targeted at rural and remote areas. That has left ‘not-spots’ in the centre of Edinburgh and I will be writing to the Minister to find out exactly what he now intends to do.”

Edinburgh was awarded funding of £10 million back in autumn 2011 to increase access to super-fast broadband under the UK Government’s super-connected cities programme. In July this year the Council announced new plans to use the funding to increase broadband access in Edinburgh including £2.7m for public wi-fi public access, £3m for vouchers for small businesses; £4m to support start-ups and £1m for an online festival archive.

It originally planned to roll-out super-fast broadband to 90% of the capital’s homes and businesses but this had to be abandoned because it seemed likely to fall foul of EU state aid rules which do not allow government support in areas where super-fast broadband could be developed commercially.

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Calling all music lovers! This coming Thursday, 19 September 2013, acclaimed pianist Natalia Posnova will be performing a special classical cross-over set of Queen songs live at Rae Macintosh Musicroom in association with Casio.

This FREE evening event is ideal for music lovers, teachers, parents and students with a live recital, demonstrations and the opportunity to get involved in a Q&A with Natalia and the Casio team on offer. The Casio team will also give attendees the chance to sample the latest Casio digital pianos and product and one lucky person will WIN a Casio Digital Piano! Every participating piano teacher will receive a FREE gift of a Casio Watch for attending the event which is set to be an evening not to be missed.

Register with the details below to come along and hear for yourself why Queen’s Brian May described Natalia as a “marvel” and claims to have “never seen or heard anything like this”.

The event is part of a six tour around the UK so be sure to sign up below to get involved in what is set to be a great evening in Edinburgh!

Event details: Thursday 19th September Rae Macintosh Musicroom, 41 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh EH2 4RG

For more information and to register your attendance visit: www.casio.co.uk/musicmasterclass
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An Edinburgh cancer survivor is urging local women to reach for the stars and hit cancer where it hurts by signing up for Cancer Research UK’s new evening event, Race for Life Twilight.

Julie Rattray, 30, posed in a deep pink, star patterned ‘onesie’ and brightly coloured walking boots to convey the fun but feisty spirit of the event and encourage more women to take part.

Race for Life Twilight is Cancer Research UK’s new 5k women-only evening fundraising event which will take place in Edinburgh for the first time on Saturday 26 October at Holyrood Park. It will also take place in Aberdeen for the first time on Saturday 19 October.

Julie, who is taking part in the Edinburgh event, said: “I want to invite the women of Scotland to join together as a formidable army this October and stomp all over cancer at the new Race for Life Twilight.”

When Julie Rattray first discovered a lump on her neck, her initial reaction was to make an appointment to see her GP. However, as the appointment approached, the then 26-year-old decided she didn’t want to waste her doctor’s time and she cancelled it.

Six months went by and the lump grew bigger and eventually, during a family Christmas celebration, Julie’s sister, who is also a doctor, noticed it and insisted she should go to her doctor.

It was to be an appointment that saved her life as tests eventually revealed that Julie was suffering from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system.

Julie, a student, of Edinburgh, who has been in remission since November 2010, said: “When I first discovered the lump, I thought it couldn’t be cancer because I was too young. I was also reluctant to go to the doctor because I really didn’t want to waste their time. I just thought it was something that would go away by itself.

“Luckily my sister spotted it and, being a doctor herself, she persuaded me to go and get it checked out. By this time, the lump was much bigger and more noticeable and so I was inclined to agree that something needed to be done.”

Unfortunately, and because Julie had left it so late before seeking help, she required eight months’ of chemotherapy, treatment that made her particularly unwell.

Julie added: “I was told that had the cancer been caught early, it’s likely that I would have only needed two months’ of chemotherapy.

“As it was, by the time I was diagnosed, the cancer had progressed to stage three and I needed eight months of chemotherapy. Now that I’ve recovered, I am absolutely determined to get my own back on cancer. That’s why I feel so passionately about recruiting more women to join me for Twilight on the night.  Research saves lives and I want everyone to know it.”

But with help from the people of Scotland, Cancer Research UK intends to make sure the sun sets on cancer for good.

Just like its traditional sister event, Race for Life Twilight is open to all women regardless of age, shape or fitness level. Most women are able to walk 5k in an hour while chatting and having fun. Or they can choose to jog, run or even dance around the course if they prefer.

Susan Johnstone, Cancer Research UK’s Scotland Events Manager, said:

“Race for Life Twilight is an amazing way to celebrate life but also remember those who have been lost to the disease. Like Julie, participants may be decked out in pink onesies, they may plan to prance around the route in their pyjamas or to layer on the Lycra – but what’s inescapable is the power and strength that comes from thousands of women joining together to confront cancer.

She continued: “Thanks to research, hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved. But there are over 200 cancers and we won’t give up until we find cures for them all. So ladies in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, please join us now.  Show cancer who’s boss by signing up to Race for Life Twilight today.”

Thanks to the generosity of its supporters, Cancer Research UK was able to spend over £33 million last year in Scotland on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.

Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its ground-breaking research.  So funds raised through Race for Life Twilight is crucial to the work of doctors, nurses and scientists who work day and night to fight cancer on all fronts.

To enter Race for Life Twilight today go to www.raceforlife.org/twilight  or call 0845 600 6050.

(Photo Gareth Easton)

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The Edinburgh Ceilidh Club have been in touch about their ceilidh tonight:-“We are keeping the fun going this Friday, with the ceilidh club @ The Picture House on Lothian Road.

Teannaich will be providing the music with everything kicking of from 7pm. If you don’t already have yours, you can get your tickets online from www.edinburghceilidhs.com or in person from the Picture House box office, Tickets Scotland (Rose Street) or Ripping Records.

Following that we are back at Summerhall on Tuesday where we have Heeliegoleerie. Tickets are £6 on the door or in advance from www.edinburghceilidhclub.com/tickets opening with everything kicking off at 8pm. Although the advanced tickets have already sold out for this ceilidh, the remaining tickets will go on sale at 10am on Tuesday.