Autumn Budget response
Following the budget speech at Westminster by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, Finance Secretary Shona Robison welcomed additional funding, but said the Scottish Government will still face “enormous cost pressures” despite the measures.
Ms Robinson said: “We called for increased investment in public services, infrastructure and tackling poverty. This budget is a step in the right direction, but still leaves us facing enormous cost pressures going forwards. The additional funding for this financial year has already been factored into our spending plans.
“By changing her fiscal rules and increasing investment in infrastructure, the Chancellor has met a core ask of the Scottish Government. But after 14 years of austerity, it’s going to take more than one year to rebuild and recover – we will need to see continued investment over the coming years to reset and reform public services.
“Indeed, there is a risk that by providing more funding for public services while increasing employer national insurance contributions, the UK Government is giving with one hand while taking away with the other. We estimate that the employer national insurance change could add up to £500 million in costs for the public sector unless it is fully reimbursed – and there is a danger that we won’t get that certainty until after the Scottish budget process for 2025/26 has concluded.
“With the lingering effects of the cost of living crisis still hitting family finances, it is disappointing that there was no mention of the abolishing the two-child limit, which evidence shows would be one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce child poverty. Neither was there mention of funding for the Winter Fuel Payment.
“As ever, the devil is in the detail, and we will now take the time to assess the full implications of today’s statement. I will be announcing further details as part of the Scottish Budget on 4 December.”
Recognising Ebenezer MacRae
At next week’s meeting of the full council, Cllr Neil Gardiner has brought to the council’s attention the name Ebenezer MacRae – who was the city architect until he retired in 1946. Cllr Gardiner, an architect and formerly the city’s planning convener, is keen for Mr MacRae’s work to be remembered in some way, particularly as next year will be the 100th anniversary of Mr MacRae’s appointment. If this does not mean anything to you then if you live in Northfield or Saughton and several other areas in between it really ought to as he designed most of the housing there.
Our 2021 article here explained that Mr MacRae also designed the police boxes in Edinburgh, so there will be many people who think he is important – especially those who have converted the boxes into coffee boxes we think.
(However the motion was clearly written before The People’s Story was closed as it suggests mounting an exhibition there. More on that story is coming tomorrow in our article which will be published first thing.)
This is the text of the motion to council:
By Councillor Gardiner – City Architect Centenary
Council Notes:
1) 2025 will be the hundredth anniversary of the appointment of Ebenezer James MacRae as City Architect for the City of Edinburgh, a post he held until retiring in 1946.
2) In the following year (1926), MacRae was also appointed as Director of Housing.
3) MacRae and his team thereafter were responsible for the design and delivery of high-quality social housing with good space standards and natural daylighting.
4) The works included new housing districts, schools and public buildings in the north, east and west of our city including: Piershill, Prestonfield, Stenhouse, Redbraes, Saughton, Whitson, Craigentinny, Granton and Craigmillar.
5) MacRae and his team were also responsible for designing and delivering sensitive urban social housing renewal in the Old Town and South Side.
Therefore, in order celebrate this important centenary Council requests that:
6) A report be prepared in two cycles to the appropriate committee, to consider mounting an exhibition of the work across the City of Edinburgh of MacRae and his team in the People’s Story Museum, Canongate Tolbooth.
Motion of Condolence at Holyrood
A motion of condolence was debated at Holyrood on Wednesday to remember Alex Salmond, the former First Minister of Scotland who died two weeks ago in North Macedonia.
Can you help with this university study about exercise and mood?
The University of Edinburgh Moray House School of Education and Sport is recruiting adults aged 18-45 (men) and 18-55 (women) for a study exploring how exercise duration and intensity affect mood.
Participants receive a comprehensive assessment of aerobic capacity to tailor exercise intensity and gain insights into their fitness level through scientific testing at the Physiology Lab, St Leonard’s Land, Edinburgh. If you are healthy, generally inactive, and interested in joining, please contact H.Ran@sms.ed.ac.uk
Help to create a film festival
North Edinburgh Arts invite you to help create the North Edinburgh Film Festival 2025. Go along to West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on Monday 4 November to watch, chat about and choose films for the third North Edinburgh Film Festival, which takes place in February 2025
Meet at the Neighbourhood Centre on Monday 4th November at 5.00pm – 6.30pm.
For more info, email: film@northedinburgharts.co.uk
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
