Home News Five things you need to know today

Five things you need to know today

September 3, 2016 6:00 am

Politics to the fore
Paws on the Prom
ECCI company pitching to the Dragons’ Den
Higher Education Exhibition at the Corn Exchange
Works at Fountainbridge Canal Basin start on Monday

In case you haven’t noticed there will be council elections in May 2017. Our photo today shows the SNP Group as at September 2016 when Councillor Lewis Ritchie had just taken his seat in the City Chambers following a by-election.

The by-election was brought about by Green Group Councillor Maggie Chapman stepping down to concentrate on her campaign to be elected to Holyrood. In the event Andy Wightman, Alison Johnstone, Ross Greer, Patrick Harvie, Mark Ruskell and John Finnie were elected, but Ms Chapman was not.

Now the big news of the moment is who will stand at next year’s council election. Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Frank Ross was just appointed leader of the SNP Group earlier this year and looks likely to stand for another term (despite having assured us that he would be a one term councillor and would return to business). The Edinburgh Evening News reported yesterday that Deputy Lord Provost and councillor of 29 years standing Steve Cardownie is stepping down. We have been reliably informed that Councillor Ronald Cairns will retire.

As for the other parties the Labour Group have already declared a few imminent retirees in the shape of Councillor Lesley Hinds and Councillor Eric Milligan both of whom are former Lord Provosts. Councillor Norma Austin Hart is retiring and the Council Leader, Andrew Burns is stepping down.

The Conservatives will lose Jeremy Balfour who has been elected an MSP for Lothian, Councillor Allan Jackson who is retiring after forty years and Councillor Mark McInnes who was elevated to the House of Lords in the recent Honours List. The Edinburgh Reporter understands that Councillor Lindsay Paterson is also leaving office.

There are two Independent councillors, Orr and Shields who may stand again, and Councillor Paul Edie who is one of only two LibDem councillors, is to retire.

Only the Green Group has so far come forward with its list of candidates and you can read about that here.

This is not for the weak of heart… If you are thinking about a new dog or cat then go along tomorrow afternoon to the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home to find out about giving a pet a new home. Paws on the Prom is an afternoon of information about pets whether it is feeding, exercise, training or playing. There will be refreshments and a chance to meet mascot Hamish.

Paws on the Prom is a time for the home to say thank you to their supporters.

Chief Executive Howard and the rest of the team are already looking forward to the event.

“We want to use this chance to encourage more people to seriously think about re-homing but it’s not going to be ‘preachy’; Paws on the Prom will be great fun.

“If you already own a pet or are thinking about owning one, there’ll be lots of useful information available from exhibitors and our own expert team.

“There are so many benefits to re-homing but if you asked me to pick just one; I’d say the gratitude and love you get in return is one of the most rewarding things you can experience.”

Edinburgh Centre For Carbon Innovation (ECCI) based entrepreneurs, Artur Napiórkowski & Denny Schenk will appear on hit BBC series DRAGONS’ DEN this Sunday to pitch their low carbon invention to the millionaire ‘Dragons’.

Artur and Denny won a place in ECCI’s LOW CARBON IDEAS LAB earlier this year with the RETROMIXER: a patent pending, easy to use, adjustable and affordable adapter that mixes hot and cold water streams.

The enterprising pair came up with the idea when Artur was studying in the UK as an international student, discovering that the separate taps for scalding hot and freezing cold water was a common complaint for visitors to the UK.

Retromixer claims to make washing your hands more convenient and also helps save water and energy. So watch out for them on Sunday evening!

ECCI’s Ideas Lab offers tailored support, competitive bursaries, University of Edinburgh links and access to ECCI’s community of key sector players. Launched in October 2014, the lab has gone through three rounds of recruitment, supporting thirteen entrepreneurs from various sectors (water, smart cities, transport, big data) who have collectively achieved a significant impact.

The Low Carbon Ideas Lab is open now for applications. Apply online by Monday 12 September 2016.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and UCAS are having a Higher Education Exhibition in the Edinburgh Corn Exchange where young people can find out more about careers, college and university.

The event, on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 September, brings together representatives from Higher and Further Educations institutions in Scotland and elsewhere. These representatives will be on hand to offer advice as well as information on a variety of courses and learning pathways.

There will also be seminars on choosing a course and university, personal statements, student finance and alternative routes to Higher Education.

SDS’s Nichola Murray said: “This year’s Exhibition gives young people and their parents the opportunity to find the information about their options in one place at one time. It also gives them access to experts which is also very valuable. Choosing which course, university or career is one of the biggest decisions people make, so it is vital they have all the information to ensure that decision is well-informed.”

The Union Canal at Fountainbridge will be transformed by Scottish Canals who are planning to spend £330,000 on upgrading the towpath, improving landscaping and installing new moorings by the new Boroughmuir High School. And the work begins on Monday 5 September 2016.

These works will ensure that by the time the new school opens the area will be one which people can enjoy safely. There will be a wider towpath alongside Fountainbridge Green and the new school to mark the beginning of the canal route out of the city centre. We cycled that way last weekend and it was lovely to see the new benches which have been installed already at the new student flats just beyond the Leamington Lift Bridge.

Richard Millar, Director of Infrastructure at Scottish Canals, said: “The towpaths of the Union Canal are busier than ever before and, with a lot of developments ongoing in the area this route is becoming an increasingly significant destination for leisure, exercise and commuting. This project will improve access to them by providing a safe, all-weather surface that anyone from cyclists and walkers to wheelchair users can use and enjoy.

“In addition to the towpath upgrades we will be carrying out essential maintenance and repairs to the canal wall and adding new moorings. By carrying out the works at one time we hope to minimise disruption for users.

“We are hugely grateful to both Sustrans and The City of Edinburgh Council for supporting these important works. The Union Canal already attracts more than 10 million visits a year and I am sure that the upgraded paths in the nation’s capital will see even more people enjoy the rich heritage, wildlife and open space offered by the nation’s waterways.”

From 5-8 September a diversion will be in place to direct towpath users heading west along the canal. The diversion route will take users along Gibson Street to Dundee Street then back down Gilmore Park onto the towpath. For users heading east along the canal the diversion route will be reversed (Gilmore Park – Dundee Street – Gibson Street).

As work progresses further updates will be provided, including details of diversions, via bit.ly/Fbridgeworks and @scottishcanals

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