Five things you need to know today
At the City Chambers
Today the council will meet for the last full council meeting with all 63 councillors of 2023. Some will no doubt join the meeting remotely but today is the day for the councillors’ Christmas lunch so perhaps more will turn up at the City Chambers on Thursday.
There are only 21 questions posed by councillors to the various conveners today.
Read them below.
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Open in new tab And catch up with the meeting here online. Or go along in person from 10am when you can sit in the public gallery.
At today’s meeting the council may discuss the behaviour of the former councillor John McLellan which resulted in a referral to the Standards Commission.
Following a Hearing held in Edinburgh on 9 October 2023, former City of Edinburgh Councillor John McLellan was found by the Standards Commission to have breached the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, on the face of it, for failing to behave with courtesy and respect during a meeting held in October 2021. However, as former Cllr McLellan was entitled to enhanced
protection to his freedom of expression, a formal finding of breach could not be made.
Read more about that story here.
Santa and the Elf
Capturing the essence of festive fun, heartwarming photographs of the pair’s visit to the attraction have been sent to us.
Known for its captivating blend of illusion, science and art, Camera Obscura & World of Illusions provides the perfect backdrop for Santa and his Elf to have a festively-fun-filled day off.
“We were delighted to welcome Santa and his gleeful Elf for a visit and spend the day with our team.” says Andrew Johnson, General Manager. “Christmas is not just about presents and mince pies – sometimes, it’s about making magical memories with friends and family and experiencing the wonder and joy that our incredible attraction has to offer.”
Camera Obscura & World of Illusions is inviting visitors to join in the fun, encouraging them to share their own magical moments using the hashtag #ChristmasCameraObscura.
Open early and late for the holidays, the attraction is open every day 9am-10pm from 16-23 Dec, 9am-7pm on 24 Dec, closed on Christmas Day, reopening 10am-10pm on 26 Dec. Extended opening hours 27-30 Dec 8.30am-10pm, with 20% off all tickets online for 8.30am and 8.45am entry slots.
East Linton has a new railway station – again
Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop opened the new railway station at East Linton on Wednesday – the first time the village has had a station for almost sixty years.
The new station is on the East Coast Main Line with connections to Edinburgh Waverly, Dunbar, Newcastle and more.
Many of the £15 million East Linton station’s elements – including its two platforms, lifts, footbridge, and things we may take for granted like lighting and other electricals, have been verified by ORR to ensure they are safe to enter into service and offer a good experience to passengers. This has enabled a quick authorisation ahead of the station’s opening.
ORR authorises new railway stations like East Linton as part of its duty to authorise new, major, upgraded or renewed infrastructure and rolling stock, ensuring they are safe for passengers.
Steve Fletcher, Deputy Director of Engineering and Asset Management at ORR, said: “This new railway station is a really significant upgrade for the local community and we have been working closely with the team at Network Rail to ensure the station is completed safely and to the standard passengers deserve.
“ORR plays a vital role in enforcing common rules and standards on the nation’s railway infrastructure. We’re pleased to have played our part in the opening of this station.”
Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
The Society has been in the news this year – mainly due to the rather surprising announcement in the early part of the year that the UK Government was granting them around £7 million to set up a new office. Despite saying that they were not going to spend the money on “flashy new offices” it seems that the funding will indeed set up a new hub – possibly at the Southside Resource Centre.
When we interviewed John Lamont MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland and asked about the UK Government’s benevolence to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the Spring Budget, earmarking somewhere between £7 and £8.6 million, Mr Lamont said this money was being awarded to the Fringe Society to “help them develop new premises” and that more details will be emerging in due course.”
Mr Lamont confirmed to The Edinburgh Reporter that this money was “what the Society had applied for – money to help them develop new headquarters to accommodate all their staff”, and that the funding was a “recognition of the importance of the Fringe not just to Edinburgh and Scotland but also to the rest of the UK”.
Shona McCarthy, CEO of Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has written an end of year message. She writes: “So now, at the tail-end of 2023, where do things stand? I don’t think I’m alone in regarding this year’s festival as one of the best editions ever – we have thousands of amazing artists to thank for that, for persevering and creating work that inspired and delighted and enriched us beyond measure. Thanks also to the wide and vibrant Fringe ecosystem – the venues, workers, producers, programmers, partners, supporters and media who make this festival such an unmissable proposition for artists and audiences alike. Those audiences deserve a shout-out too, as one of the most adventurous, arts-loving crowds in existence – your willingness to take a chance on something new is the rocket fuel for this festival’s endless reinvigoration.
“I’d love it if we could wrap this up there and call it a day, but it’s not all good news and thank-yous. The availability and affordability of accommodation in Edinburgh is at the forefront of many Fringe participants’ minds – we’re working on various fronts to address that issue and plan to share an update soon. Public arts funding is in a precarious state – we’re continuing to fight on that front too, ceaselessly campaigning to remind those in power what everyone already knows: that the arts are precious, and vital, and fully deserving of public support. There was a year or two there when we caught a glimpse of what life looks like bereft of live performance – and a bleak outlook it was. We must continue to keep that fire alive.
“That’s the note I want to end on today – a call for resistance and passion to protect our means of expression, and to celebrate it. We’re getting the ball rolling on that early next year, inviting artists to register your shows from 08 January for Fringe 2024. After that… it’ll be August before we know it. And I for one cannot wait.”
Subscriptions
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