Edinburgh Trams – Recommendations for improvement at Saughton – Lord Provost Fair Trade Awards – Food poverty – Carer Support payment
Transport Convener Lesley Hinds was delighted to present the new tram to Edinburgh yesterday morning in St Andrew Square. This is the first time that the Transport for Edinburgh livery has been on display, with its shades of maroon and platinum. New uniforms were also worn by some of the bus and tram drivers who attended the event.
There is also a new Edinburgh Trams website that will become fully operational when the tram service launches.
The first meeting of the new board of Transport for Edinburgh the new body to look after public transport in the city will be held later today.
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A new report by the Chief Inspector of Prisons has been released today highlighting the areas where improvements can be made to the running of HMP Edinburgh. The buildings in Saughton now accommodate women prisoners as well as men which has meant some changes and more responsibility for the Governor. The prison is designed for 870 prisoners but actually held 907 at the time of the inspection of which 174 were on remand and at the other end of the scale 90 were serving life.
This report reflects the terms of earlier report by previous inspectors of prisons in recommending that more is done to occupy prisoners during their time there. In particular the inspector David Strang points out that while the Learning Centre in HMP Edinburgh is well-equipped, it is underused.
He also mentions that while relations between prisoners and prison staff seem positive, there is a large number of minor assaults between inmates which he is concerned about.
While the prison is given a satisfactory rating, nonetheless the inspector finds 69 areas where he makes recommendations for change or improvement.
You can read the whole report produced to the Scottish Ministers here.
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The Lord Provost has put out a call for nominations for the Lord Provost’s Fair Trade Awards.
There are four categories which nominees can be entered for:-Achievement Award; Newcomer Award; Faith Community Award; and Fair Trade Schools Award.
You will have seen the Fairtrade mark which now has wide recognition. But this is about more than coffee and bananas. The movement aims to improve the return for the farmers producing the goods and tries to ensure that they have decent working conditions, local sustainability and that they can trade their goods on fair terms.
If you are interested in nominating yourself or someone else then you should read the Lord Provost’s blog here.
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Barnardo’s have assessed the food poverty situation in Scotland and claim that more people are having to resort to food banks than ever before.
Read more here.
Only yesterday the First Minister visited a foodbank in south east Edinburgh:-
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If you are a carer then you might like to know about the scheme which the council have set up to offer a payment of £250 to you. The Carer’s Support Payment is to acknowledge the support unpaid carers give. This one off payment of £250 is for unpaid carers to spend on themselves to maintain their health and wellbeing or for a short break from caring.
Applications are on a first come first served basis and should therefore be made as soon as possible and no later than 28 February 2014 and can be made here.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
