Forth Green Freeport gets funding in UK Budget
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray has advised there is £26 million of funding in the UK Budget for the creation of the Forth Green Freeport. This is part of £1.4 billion announced by the Chancellor last week, all for local projects.
Mr Murray said:”Growth is a key mission for this government and a top priority for the Scotland Office. The Chancellor delivered a Budget that will herald an era of growth for Scotland, rebuild our public services and begin a decade of national renewal.
“This is a historic Budget for Scotland which chooses investment over decline, and delivers on the promise that there would be no return to austerity. I am pleased that we are now able to confirm our commitment to invest nearly £1.4 billion into important local projects across Scotland over the next 10 years.
“Over the summer I wrote to every local authority to set out our commitment to building strong and trusted relationships so that together we can deliver the change our country needs. I am pleased to be able to write to them again to confirm their funding allocations. I look forward to working with Scotland’s local authorities in the coming weeks and months on a renewed approach for delivering the UK Government’s missions in all parts of Scotland.”
The Chancellor also confirmed the Scottish Government will receive Barnett Consequentials of £1.5 billion for 2024/25 and a further £3.4 billion for 2025/26. This will mean a £47.7 billion settlement in 2025/26 – which the UK Government says is the largest in real terms in the history of devolution.
A Green Freeport is a zoned area within which businesses access tax benefits and incentives. The Forth Green Freeport will be one of two in Scotland and covers a 45 kilometre wide site in the Forth Estuary covering Edinburgh Falkirk and Fife.
Disorder involving fireworks
The council leader, Cammy Day, has asked for any prosecutions involving people who were arrested for causing disorder in the first few days of November to be fast-tracked.
There have been several incidents in Edinburgh.
Local policing teams and other emergency services required the assistance of Operation Moonbeam assets to tackle violence and damage. The groups of youths threw fireworks and other projectiles at officers, vehicles and public property. Fires were also set in some of these areas, causing fear and alarm to the local communities.
Other isolated incidents involving the reckless or criminal use of fireworks were also reported in various parts of both cities, including a report of 21 cars being damaged by fireworks at a car dealership in Calder Road, Edinburgh.
Between Thursday, 31 October and Wednesday, 6 November, a total of 19 arrests were made throughout Scotland in connection with firework offences. Six people have been charged under the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles Act, while a further 26 charges have been brought against individuals for associated criminality.
Police Scotland say further arrests are expected in the coming days.
A Major Incident Public Portal has also been established, allowing communities to share video and photo evidence of Bonfire Night offences taking place in their area.
Anyone with footage that can assist officers in identifying people involved in fireworks-related crime can submit it to https://mipp.police.uk/operation/SCOT24S16-PO1.
At Rosslyn Chapel this winter
Join storyteller Dougie Mackay for an afternoon of winter-themed stories in the chapel. Family audience ages 4 upwards.
Makers Market
Edinburgh Open Workshop will once again host its winter Makers Market, celebrating the best of homegrown artists and makers, on Saturday 30th November. With locally designed and produced clothing and accessories, jewellery, illustrations, decorative iron works, crafts, art, textiles and knits, this popular event provides the perfect opportunity to meet some of Leith’s creative community and to buy some really special festive gifts.
Products are available to take home on the day, you can commission bespoke pieces directly from the makers, or simply come and take a look at what people can create when they find the right space.
The award-winning Planet G will be on hand to provide some great plant-based street food and we will also have hot chocolate, mulled wine and other treats available to help warm you up.
We will be hosting an EOW Design Exhibition in our event space, featuring work from our resident and local makers. And, for our younger visitors we will have Make a Reindeer and Snowflake kits that can be completed on site or taken home for later.
The event will also mark the launch of the Leith Creative Trail, a map of Leith-based venues, markets and open studios, which highlights and promotes the impressive making and creating talent on our doorstep. The Leith Creative Trail will run from Saturday 30th November to Saturday 8th December.
When: Saturday 30 November, 10am – 4pm
Where: 39-41 Assembly Street, Leith, EH6 7BQ
Tickets: There is a suggested £1 door entry
Book event at Edinburgh’s Christmas
Book lovers Val McDermid and Nicola Sturgeon will bring a special festive edition of their in-conversation event, In The Company of Books, to Edinburgh’s Christmas this year.
This special edition of In The Company of Books reunites friends and book lovers Val and Nicola to discuss all things literary, following a number of sold-out, acclaimed in-conversation events across the UK in recent years.
Joined by special guests who are yet to be revealed, Val and Nicola will explore the joys of reading alongside a few glasses of mulled wine and a lot of festive cheer.
Val McDermid has sold more than 19 million books to date across the globe and has been translated into more than 40 languages. She is perhaps best known for her Wire in the Blood series featuring clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill and DCI Carol Jordan, She is the recipient of six honorary doctorates and is an Honorary Fellow of her alma mater, St Hilda’s College, Oxford.
Nicola Sturgeon is the MSP for Glasgow Southside constituency, and the former First Minister of Scotland.
In The Company of Books joins a newly announced stellar line-up of performances taking place at Assembly Hall as part of Edinburgh’s Christmas this year. These include the enchanting and inspiring children’s show The Bubble Show; brilliantly funny stand-up comedy from Jason Byrne in Jason Byrne: No Show; the award-winning, critically acclaimed burlesque and drag parody show Swamplesque. For further information and to buy tickets, please go to edinburgh-christmas.com
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
