A further nine people have been arrested as part of an ongoing operation to tackle drug crime in West Lothian.

Officers carried out Operation Newbury enforcement activity on Wednesday 21st February, where they executed 11 search warrants at address in Fauldhouse, Armadale, Bathgate and Mid Calder.

As a result of these searches a quantity of Cocaine, Heroin, Amphetamines and Cannabis were recovered

Seven men aged between 21 and 53 and two woman aged 27 and 52 were charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act

Operation Newbury has now been underway for three weeks and has previously resulted in drugs such as heroin and cannabis being seized, including the recovery of a cannabis cultivation worth £50,000.

Warrants were executed at 17 addresses in Livingston, Whitburn, Bathgate and Kirknewton on Friday 16th February and saw eight men and four women charged.

All of those arrested during the enforcement activity have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Detective Inspector Paul Batten said:  “This continued enforcement targets those involved in drugs, violence and the associated anti-social behaviour that impacts our local community.

“The public have made it clear they will not tolerate drug crime in their areas and through the information they provide us with we are able to carry out successful operations such as this to remove offenders from our streets.

“I would urge anyone wishing to report ongoing crime in their area to do so by contacting us via 101 or by making an anonymous report to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Chief Inspector Liz Macleod, Local Area Commander for West Lothian, said: “Operation Newbury should send a clear message to communities across West Lothian that tackling the misuse of drugs and their distribution is one of our top priorities.

“We will not tolerate drug crime and associated offences and will continue to address any concerns raised to us.”

‘Lady’ Geraldine Elliot’s life story reads like a work of fiction, although any script would probably be rejected as being too incredible to be true.

Born profoundly deaf, Geraldine’s education suffered from a lack of understanding by teachers who were unaware of her hearing problem, but since then she had become an inspirational figure for many.

After an abusive marriage, Geraldine received a life changing era operation then travelled the world before settling in Scotland’s capital where she created two hugely successful businesses, her own range of jewellery and the legendry Edinburgh Doll’s Hospital when ‘injured’ dolls are taken to recuperate.

A chance encounter with a customer however has led Geraldine on a new path and last year she released an album, Little Miss Blue’ which has already received acclaim in the music industry.

Geraldine recently took time out from her busy schedule to chat to the Edinburgh Reporter about her inspirational story.

Geraldine said: “At the moment, I am dividing my time between my jewellery business and music, spending nights and weekends working on the follow up album to ‘Little Miss Blue’ which is called ‘Fast Cars and Movie Stars’ and is due to be released in the spring of 2018.

“I got involved in music after meeting Lawrence (Reiver) when he visited my ‘Doll’s Hospital’ in Edinburgh to buy a soft toy and we got on famously. He invited me to a music evening and it escalated from there. Initially I only wanted to do the backing vocals but he pleaded with me to sing and I remember the screams coming from next door from people saying that ‘she can sing’ which was funny.

“I will possibly be singing live to audiences but I am worried whether I would be able to do it as my ears are volatile and I’m worried that I could be out of tune.

“Little Miss Blue has received lots of good write ups and positive comments in the music industry which is pleasing. I recently had a phone call from a guy in the States and I gave him the links to listen to the album and he wrote back saying he was listening to it in America which is brilliant.

“If I had to choose, my favourite track is ‘Defying Gravity’ which really sums up everything about my life and is about trying to achieve the impossible.

“My advice would be to try and tell someone although I know how difficult this can be. As a youngster I was forced to be quiet and not interfere in conversations but it is important to try and be confident and strong.”

Lawrence however has no doubts about Geraldine’s ability to play to live audiences. He said: “Knowing Geraldine so well, I was able to write autobiographical songs which were inspired by her incredible life. I know that she is concerned about singing live due to her ears but I have no such doubts that she can do this and hopefully we will see her perform soon. We don’t doctor her voice at all and ‘Little Miss Blue’ has already received very positive feedback. The radio side is also taking off. I am very hopeful that the new album will move her a few rungs up the music ladder.”

A few eyebrows were raised when 79-year-old Dame Diana Rigg joined the cast of ITV’s Victoria series 2 as the Duchess of Buccleuch, a formidable new Lady in Waiting who takes up her position at Buckingham Palace under a new Conservative government.

In reality however Charlotte Anne was only 30 when she became Mistress of the Robes and The Edinburgh Reporter takes look at the real life of the Duchess and her relationship with the Queen which differs greatly from her portrayal in the show.

Charlotte Anne Montagu Douglas Scott was born Lady Charlotte Anne Thynne in Longleat, Wiltshire on 10 April 1811. She was the youngest daughter of Thomas Thynne the 2nd Marquess of Bath.

In March 1829 she married the 5th Duke of Buccleuch, Walter Francis Montagu-Douglas-Scott and received her title.

According to the journal The Lady’s Realm, their engagement resulted when the young Duke visited her father and met Lady Charlotte. As he was leaving he saw tears in her eyes which prompted him to turn his coach around and approach her father directly to ask for her hand in marriage.

The wedding took place at  St George’s, Hanover Square, London and Charlotte Anne became the fifth Duchess of Buccleuch and seventh Duchess of  Queensberry.

Her husband had succeeded to the dukedom at the age of thirteen upon his father’s death and his guardian was his father’s great friend Sir Walter Scott of nearby Abbotsford House. The marriage was one that Sir Walter Scott very much approved of.

The couple would produce three daughters and four sons and stayed at Dalkeith Palace just outside Edinburgh where they were great collectors of French furniture and paintings from throughout Europe.

In the TV series Prime Minister Robert Peel was hesitant about Victoria’s choice of lady to replace Harriet Sutherland as Mistress of the Robes, but in real life he was the one who chose the Duchess.

In 1841, she succeeded the Duchess of Sutherland as Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria.  Her husband was a staunch Conservative and became Lord Privy Seal in Peel’s ministry from 1842 to 1846.

Whilst Diana Rigg’s Duchess seems to annoy the young Queen Victoria at first, in real life the pair became firm friends and Victoria was known to have considered the Duchess to be “an agreeable, sensible, clever little person.”

In 1842 The Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch helped entertain the Queen and Prince Albert when they arrived at Dalkeith and a bronze statue inside Bowhill House by Joseph Edgar Boehm depicts the duke receiving a stirrup cup from John Brown.

Victoria later became godmother for the Duchess’ eldest daughter Victoria Alexandrine, who was christened at Buckingham Palace in April 1845.

The Duchess of Buccleuch resigned the post of Mistress of the Robes in 1846, and was succeeded by the Duchess of Sutherland.

The Duchess’s faith was influenced by her brother, the  Reverend Lord John Thynne, who was high church canon of Westminster Abbey and to the Duke’s distress, she converted to Roman Catholicism in 1860, “after struggling with her conscience for many years over the distress it would cause her husband.”

The Duchess enjoyed gardening and landscaping, and spent much time overseeing the gardens of Drumlanrig Castle.

Her husband Walter Francis died in April 1884, and she moved to Ditton Park in Slough.

She died at Ditton Park on 28 March 1895, and was buried at Dalkeith although not in the same grave as her husband due to religious differences.

Hibs’ long serving defender Lewis Stevenson is not getting carried away with good results and performances since the international break.

The popular Fifer doesn’t like to make targets for the season but he finally admitted that European football next season is within the players’ sights.

With Hibs now nine points ahead of Edinburgh rivals Hearts, Stevenson says that he is looking at catching the teams above rather than looking over his shoulder.

Hibs go to Rugby Park this afternoon to face on-form Kilmarnock and he is anticipating a tough game.

He said: “Things have been going well. Four wins in the league since we came back from the break, so we couldn’t ask for any more.

“The performances have been pretty good as well but I know how quickly that can change.

“I hate giving long term targets as you can look stupid afterwards but Europe is a viable option now and we have done superbly getting this close to it as it stands but there are a lot of games to go and a lot of points to pay for.

“We try not to think too much about Hearts. Maybe at the end of the season we can look back as see how we have done compared to them but we are nine points ahead of them at the moment and we are looking up not behind us. but when you start to look behind you that’s when things can get a bit negative.

“Second place is possible but there are top teams above us with great resources although we have showed in recent weeks that we can compete with them but we won’t get carried away.

“Because we are out of the cup, the league is now our cup so to speak and every game is a big game.

“The win against Kilmarnock was one of the hardest games we have had all season They have had an unbelievable turnaround since the manager (Steve Clarke) came in. They are defending well and scoring goals and it is going to be a tough game.

“They will probably go into the game favourites or equal to beat us. Kilmarnock are probably the most on-form team in the league right now.

The Fair a Far weir fish pass on the River Almond at Cramond will be officially opened on Saturday, March 3.

River Forth Fisheries Trust in conjunction with project partners The City of Edinburgh Council are organising a gathering.

The public are invited to the event at 11am for 11.30am at the weir near the old mill building at Cramond.

Guest speakers will tell the audience about the project and there will be a RiverLife stall, tea/coffee and home baking.

Cramond Angling Club will also open the salmon fishing season with a toast to the river and a celebratory cast.

Parking is on the main road and NOT on School Brae and The Fair a Far weir fish pass is part of RiverLife: Almond & Avon, a partnership project between the River Forth Fisheries Trust, The City of Edinburgh Council and West Lothian Council.

The project aims to work at a catchment scale to improve both the River Almond and Avon for the benefit of wildlife and the communities along them.

To find out more about RiverLife: Almond & Avon visit www.river-life.org.uk

Stuart Neave is now fully concentrated on lifting his Inverleith squad off the bottom of Division One.

And the coach hopes regaining the Scottish indoor hockey title will act as a spur.

The Edinburgh-based side have only earned one point from their ten games since being promoted from Division Two.

And they have a goal difference of minus 32, the worst in the ten-strong division.
Inverleith trail second-bottom Uddingston by six points and Clydesdale and Hillhead by eight points.

Neave’s men visit Edinburgh University on Saturday (push-off 4pm) and students are fifth in the table with 13 points from ten games. They want to stay there to avoid appearing in the relegation play-off.

Kinross-based Neave knows he has a massive task ahead of him and a confidence-boosting win in the first game back after the winter break would be such a tonic for his squad.

At the other end of the table, Grange have 29 points from 11 fixtures and hold a six-point lead over second-placed Kelburne but the Edinburgh side have played a game more.

On Saturday, they visit third-placed Grove Menzieshill who have 21 points from ten outings.

The other matches feature fourth-placed Western Wildcats who host second-bottom Uddingston while Kelburne are at home to eighth-placed Clydesdale.

Shayne Stockton urged his fired-up Fife Flyers team-mates to re-focus and added: “We still have a lot of work to do.”

The 28-year-old centre ice was pivotal as Fife wrapped up the Gardiner Conference title in dramatic fashion at arch rivals Dundee Stars on Sunday.

He scored two goals but crucially assisted on Charlie Mosey’s game-tying goal with 16 seconds left to make it 6-6.

And the ice cool New Yorker was involved in Dan Correale’s history-making game-winner after 3min 19 sec of overtime.

Influential Stockton said: “A lot of hard work went into that and it was a great accomplishment to win the Gardiner Conference title.

“We’ve enjoyed that and we’re proud of ourselves, but we still have a lot of hard work to do.”

Stockton desperately wants to make the Grand Final at The Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, on Sunday, April 8.

And the 6ft 2in forward said: “A lot of guys (in the dressing-room) love to play the game and we want to win.

“Guys are playing for each other and we’re prepared to battle every step of the way. Now it’s back to work (against Nottingham) this week.”

Elsewhere, Dundee Stars visit Braehead Clan where they have yet to win in the league this season.

John Tripp’s men have won 3-2, 6-0 and 3-1 in Glasgow and defenceman Craig Cescon has called on his team-mates to up their game.

Clan, Coventry Blaze, Stars and Milton Keynes Lightning are currently battling for the final play-off slot.

Cescon said it is a must win and Cescon, who joined Clan in the summer from Dundee, said: “With Dundee, Coventry and Milton Keynes right behind us it’s important we get the two points.

“Every game right now is a must win and we can’t afford any slip-ups.”

Edinburgh Capitals are not on duty until Sunday when they face Nottingham Panthers but they go into the game without No 1 goaltender Tyler Beskorowany.

Corey Neilson’s men arrive at Murrayfield at the end of a Scottish triple-header having played in Dundee and Kirkcaldy.

Edinburgh come into the game fresh and co-coaches Mike D’Orazio and Jock Hay need a lift after Sunday’s 10-2 home defeat by long-time league pace-setters Cardiff Devils.

It followed 24-hours after Capitals stunning 4-2 road win at second-placed Belfast Giants.

The loss of goaltender Tyler Beskorowany, who twisted his knee early on, did not help on Sunday and he has not recovered in time. Jordan McLaughlin is set to deputise.

And Canadian forward Dylan Anderson, who scored both goals for the home side, admitted the squad are seriously short on the bench due to injuries.

He and the management team hope that several of the injured players return to duty to help out on Sunday. Face off is at six pm.

Hearts head to Ibrox Stadium to take on Rangers on Saturday in confident mood as they look to maintain their recent good form. The Gorgie club have lost just once since the beginning of November and although that was at Celtic Park at the end of January, Head Coach Craig Levein is confident his team can take something from a fixture they traditionally struggle in. He told the official Hearts website:

“We need to play well, whether it quiets the crowd or not. The important thing for me is us starting the game properly.”

“We didn’t start particularly well last week at Ross County and it took a while for us to get any sort of momentum at all.”

“Every time you play Rangers at Ibrox you need to play well and start the game well. We need to make sure that we don’t do anything silly in the early part of the match and give Rangers reason to feel hopeful.  It always is a big test. Away to Rangers is one of the hardest fixtures in the league. We’re aware of that. I’m hopeful that we can do enough to score through there. Defensively we’ve been fairly good. We’ve managed to be very consistent.”

“We need to be good on both of these things. We need to stop Rangers from scoring and we need to take advantage of any opportunities that come our way. Every time we go to Ibrox, no matter how Rangers are, it’s obviously a big challenge. I was at the Hamilton game and saw some reasons to be fearful for their attacking play and some reasons to feel quite good about how we can possibly score.”

“They’re certainly a threat going forward, there’s no doubt about that.”

Hearts will be without long-term injury victims Arnaud Djoum and Jamie Brandon although Levein is hopeful Steven Naismith’s hamstring problem will have recovered sufficiently to allow him to face his former team.

Many moons ago, there were three singers who ruled the music world. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr – collectively known as The Rat Pack – were the headline acts at Las Vegas. The rich and the famous would jet in to see these superstars who would also be the darlings of Hollywood and rub shoulders with the President of the United States, US politicians and the odd gangster or two…

The Rat Pack – Live from Las Vegas recreates that special time and celebrates the huge talent of three of the world’s most famous performers with some of the greatest songs ever recorded featuring The Lady is a Tramp, Mr Bojangles, That’s Amore, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, What Kind of Fool Am I? Volare, My Way, Candyman, Everybody Loves Somebody and many more.

After a critically acclaimed West End season, the Olivier Award-nominated The Rat Pack – Live from Las Vegas is on at the Edinburgh Playhouse next week.

Garrett Phillips (Frank Sinatra), Nigel Casey (Dean Martin) and David Hayes (Sammy Davis Jnr) will wow the audience while Nicola Emmanuelle joins the show as Ella Fitzgerald to celebrate the First Lady of Song and Queen of Jazz.

The Rat Pack – Live from Las Vegas is on at the Edinburgh Playhouse from Tuesday 27th February to Saturday 3rd March 2018. Tickets here.

Murders and serious assaults have fallen while domestic housebreakings are at their lowest level for five years, according to the latest figures issued by Police Scotland.

The Quarter 3 Management Information Report provides in-depth information about the service and recorded crime across the country.

The data, while not official statistics, relates mainly to crime recorded by Police Scotland but some information about incidents and some survey data are also included. It covers the period from April 1 2017 to December 31, 2017.

Published alongside this report is a detailed breakdown of data available at police division or local authority level.

The statistics show that while there has been a slight rise in overall violent crime, there has been a fall in the most serious incidents.

There were 40 murders, compared to 47 in the same period the previous year.

Serious assaults fell from 3069 to 2992 with the detection rate also rising.

There was a rise in reports of sexual crimes, evidence of increasing confidence among victims to report incidents.

There has been a rise in fraud cases. Work is under way to reduce levels of fraud and theft through the Scottish Retail Working Group. Police Scotland Safer Communities is also working with retailers to help protect individuals at risk and engage with businesses on cyber fraud. Domestic housebreaking has fallen to its lowest level in the last five years, while the detection rate has also improved.

The number of people killed on Scotland’s roads has fallen, from 145 to 124. Serious injuries also fell.

The number of serious organised crime groups has fallen. Operation Escalade resulted in nine people admitting a range of charges and forfeiture of £1.8m.

Overall, confidence in Police Scotland remained high, with eight in 10 people saying they were satisfied with the way police dealt with an incident reported.

Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said, “Through the dedication and professionalism of our officers and staff, working together with local communities and partners, we can see significant results in tackling crime across Scotland.

“Violent crime is a priority for Police Scotland and it is encouraging to see a continuing reduction in the most serious violent crimes, including murder and serious assaults. This has been achieved by a combination of strong enforcement action and extensive prevention work.

“The rise in reporting of sexual crimes reflects increased victim confidence. Police Scotland remains absolutely committed to working closely with partners, especially third sector support and advocacy services, to encourage survivors of rape and sexual crime to come forward.

“It is also good to see the continued decline in housebreakings across the country. We recognise the impact that housebreaking can have on victims and the wider community and have taken robust action to target criminals who carry out this type of offending.”

The Management Information Report will be presented to the SPA board meeting on Tuesday 27th February.

International IT recruitment specialist Cathcart Associates, who have an office in Edinburgh, have announced the opening of a new office in Leeds.

The news follows the success of Cathcart’s Manchester office which is projecting 100 per cent turnover year-on-year over the next three years taking revenue to over £4 million by the year 2020.

The company aim to support the growth of the IT industry in what is already established as one of the technology capitals of the UK.

Last year the company, which also has offices in Thailand and Germany, saw its annual turnover reach £6.5m continuing a trend of steady growth since its inception nine years ago.

A Scottish lawyer has called for an urgent review of the UK’s business immigration rules as companies across the country are being denied access to foreign staff unless they pay them more than £55,000 per year.

Jamie Kerr, a partner at Thorntons solicitors in Edinburgh, made his comment after the UK Government’s cap on the number of foreign workers has been breached for the third month in a row.

This means that only those businesses paying the highest salaries are able to sponsor overseas staff, even if they meet all the necessary visa criteria.

He said: “The Home Office’s insistence on keeping its restrictive immigration cap is madness. It is damaging to so many successful businesses across the country and it’s quite frankly anti-business.

“Given the current challenges around Brexit, it is important that the government supports businesses to innovate, grow and create jobs. But its obsession on capping employer visas at a wholly arbitrary number means that business are being starved of the international talent they need to grow.

“The demand that companies pay salaries for overseas workers that are more than double the UK’s average wage is, for most businesses, simply unaffordable.“

The Home Office maintains a UK-wide cap on the number of people who can be sponsored for visas by their employer.

That number stands at 20,700 per year and is divided into monthly allocations. But if the cap is breached in any given month, the Home Office uses a points-scoring mechanism based on salaries with those paying higher wages scoring more points.

The immigration cap was hit for the first time in two years in December last year meaning only those potential employees who had been offered salaries of less than £55,000 were denied entry even if they met all the usual eligibility criteria for a visa.

The cap was breached again in January and again this month, with the required salary level dropping slightly to £50,000.

He added: “The cap is creating chaos for companies. They cannot effectively plan recruitment or expansion as they don’t know if the cap next month will be breached again or what the threshold will be.

“Scotland and the English regions are being hit hardest by these rules and the cap needs to be scrapped or urgently re-thought because it is now damaging the country’s economic interests.”

Tom Gilzean, a retired bus driver and World War II veteran from Edinburgh, is a face familiar to many in Edinburgh from his days collecting for good causes outside the Marks & Spencer building on Princes Street and on the Royal Mile.

The pensioner’s efforts over the last year, following almost a year in hospital after breaking his back, have resulted in £30,000 being raised for the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC).

The money will be used to help fund a host of items and activities for new play rooms to help youngsters in the hospital enjoy being a child first and a patient second.

Tom, who also collects on behalf of other local charities including the Edinburgh Children’s Taxi Outing and Prestonfield Neighbourhood Project, said: “I’m proud to be able to do my bit to help the children in the hospital and want to thank everyone who has kindly put their money into the collection tins.

“I know that the public have had their confidence dented about charities lately following some of the recent bad headlines around certain charities.

“I have had a few negative comments said to me so I would like to show that people’s money is going to extremely worthwhile causes.

“I’ve been collecting for a long time now and love to see the generosity from locals and visitors to Edinburgh that pass by all year round.”

Tom, who holds the Legion d’Honneur and a BEM, started collecting for ECHC 17 years ago, aged 80 following the death of his wife, when he wanted to do something positive with the spare time he had..

Over the years, he’s collected over £187,000 for the charity and his efforts are held dear by both the staff and patients within the hospital.

The drawings and cards they have made him over the years are treasured possessions. His songs for donations to shoppers on Princes Street have become a familiar sound over the years and his cult status is such, that he even has his own Facebook appreciation page.

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Frank Ross, said: “Tom is an inspiring man who devotes his life to raising fantastic amounts of money for charity, and we are extremely fortunate in this city to have people like him who so selflessly give up their time for the good of their community.

“In 2014, the city proudly voted for him to receive the esteemed Edinburgh Award. Now, his handprints can be found set in stone outside the City Chambers where he is still regularly spotted shaking his tin in all weathers for the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.

“A war veteran at 97 years young, the delivery of a £30,000 to the charity is a remarkable achievement. He really is a local treasure.”

Sue Diamond, Community Fundraising Manager at ECHC, said: “The work Tom does is truly incredible.

“To get out there in all weathers and raise the money he has done is absolutely amazing and it has, and will continue to make a massive difference to young people in hospital.

“Over the years his money has helped fund so many invaluable things that we would otherwise have not had funding for, so we really can’t thank Tom enough for his efforts.

“He really is a hospital hero. This donation of £30,000 will have a huge impact as we move across to the new hospital at Little France.”

ECHC support the work carried out at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children as well as other children’s healthcare services across the southeast of Scotland.
To donate, visit: https://echcharity.org/donate

An Edinburgh chef aims to retain his title as Hotel Chef of the Year after winning his regional heat for the Scottish Hotel Awards.

Alan Dickson is head chef at No 10 Restaurant in Ten Hill Place Hotel which is run by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Alan and his team will now face further mystery visits by judges ahead of the national finals.

The 29-year-old will hope to replicate last year’s success where he overcame competition from chefs at some of Scotland’s internationally renowned hotels.

Further adding to the potential of silverware this year, Alan and the team have also won the chance to represent the region in the Best Informal Fine Dining Restaurant category.

Alan from Edinburgh’s Portobello area, said: “The prospect of being judged by mystery diners is something that will always keep a chef on their toes.

“If we were to win the national award again – particularly given the level of competition on the shortlist – it would be an incredible achievement.”

The chef, who began working in hotels as a waiter, aged 15, now heads a 14-strong team.

Hibs’ Head Coach Neil Lennon anticipates a tough game against on-form Kilmarnock tomorrow in the televised lunchtime fixture at Rugby Park.

Hibs have already won there this season although the 3-0 scoreline did flatter them.

Kilmarnock have been in top form since the arrival of experienced manager Steve Clarke who has had a long and successful career at the top level in England.

Lennon also revealed that he has no new injury worries since last week.

Speaking ahead of the game Lennon said: ” We are taking nothing for granted. I know we are playing a team that are bang in form themselves and I know that it will be a very difficult game.

“They have a good balance between defence and attack and a strong midfield.

“I thought Lee McCulloch did a very good job last season but they couldn’t win at home. Now they are formidable at home. Steve (Clarke) has bought confidence and stability to the club and a bit of pride. He is tactically very good and is one of the best managers around at this level.

“He has great experience and great knowledge of the game and I think he is someone that the players will respect.

“We can’t use their artificial pitch as an excuse if we lose tomorrow as we have been there already this season and won and it can’t be any worse than when we played there in October.

“There are no changes regarding team news. Whittaker needs another week training. David Gray will be another tree weeks. Brandon Barker will be another two to three weeks. In terms of any fresh injuries from last week, we are fine.

Police were called to Edinburgh Waverley shortly before 9.20am this morning following reports that a naked man had been seen on the tracks.

Trains between Waverley and Haymarket were delayed following the alert.

Officers subsequently detained a male who was then assessed by medical staff

“The man has been detained by police and is being checked over by the ambulance service.”

Police are appealing for witnesses following a break-in at a business in Danderhall which took place around 4.45 a.m. on Wednesday 21st February at the Sheriffhall Café on Old Dalkeith Road.

Three males forced entry to the property before stealing the till drawer containing a three-figure sum.

Inquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible and anyone with information is asked to come forward.

The suspects are described as being mid to late teens and wearing grey tracksuits with the hoods up and black gloves. One was wearing a black puffa jacket with a symbol on the left side.

Detective Constable James Welsh from Dalkeith Police Station said: “The theft of the money from the till will udoubtedly impact upon this small café and we are pursuing various lines of inquiry to trace the males responsible.

“If you remember seeing anything suspicious around the property during the early hours of Wednesday morning, or if you can help us identify the suspects, then please contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact CID at Dalkeith via 101 and quote incident number 324 of the 21st February. Alternatively, an anonymous report can be made to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Public Services Union, UNISON is to use a new face-to-face advice service from today for employees working in care homes, GP practices or out in the community.

The mobile advice unit – a custom-made vehicle with an office and internet access – will cover workplaces in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The mobile unit is expected to help thousands of workers who don’t have a physical union presence at work.

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis will launch the initiative, the first of its kind in the UK, this afternoon.

Dave Prentis said: “This mobile advice unit is good news for workers, whether they’re in a union or thinking of joining one. It means someone will be available to advise them whenever they need it.

“Workers in the community can often feel left out and isolated so we’re hoping to reconnect with them and ensure they receive the help they need in these challenging times.”

Chair of UNISON Scotland’s health committee Thomas Waterson said: “Too many workers in the community are currently missing out on union advice, partly because of the hours they work and the nature of their jobs. We’re addressing this issue by bringing advice straight to them.

“Having a visible presence means workers will feel supported and reassured that their best interests are being looked after by their union.”

Edinburgh Monarchs have been rocked by the news that Parsons Peebles will not be continuing their sponsorship.

Alex Harkess, the club chairman, said they had been assured throughout the winter that a decision was imminent.

And he got the impression that everything was positive.

He added: “It’s a bolt out of the blue to get a negative answer. It’s taken the wind out of me to be honest.

“We’ve based much of our planning for 2018 on the basis that the sponsorship would be available, including our negotiations with our seventh rider, so we’ll have to look very carefully at our budget.

“Of course, most of our planning for the new season is in place so we’ll be looking at ways of making up the shortfall not least, at this very late stage, in setting out to find a new main sponsor.

“I’d be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to discuss sponsoring us.”

Anyone who would like to discuss the possibilities of team or any other sponsorship can contact the Club by email at [email protected] or telephone 01501 734 404.

Meanwhile, the club hold their second video night of the winter on Friday at the Thomas Morton Hall in Ferry Road.

The council’s budget meeting began at 10 am with several deputations and coursed through the day with occasional moments of levity and laughter, but in truth with a lot of serious debate too.

Finally at 4.30 after a couple of short breaks for tea and a longer one for the councillors to have lunch, the budget was agreed.

The coalition of SNP and Labour got their budget passed and all other counter proposals by the Greens, LibDems and Conservatives fell.

The council leader says this does not mean that some of the suggestions from other parties were not taken into account however.

Speaking to us after the meeting ended Cllr Adam McVey said : “We engaged constructively with a whole range of parties, so we voluntarily made sure that there were synergies between our budget and the Greens, for example. There was even a last minute adoption of one of the Conservative proposals as well. I think that shows that we are open, that we are able to take ideas from wherever.

“But fundamentally the budget that was proposed today was an SNP/Labour coalition budget. The fact that we are a minority administration with an outcome that was so secure for us today in making sure our budget was the one that got passed a credit to all the work that went into it.”

CONSERVATIVES

Councillor Iain Whyte Conservative Group Leader told The Edinburgh Reporter : “The administration took on one of our Spend to Save proposals around increasing recycling. We want a campaign to get the public to recycle.

“But they missed an opportunity by failing to look at some of the deeper strategic proposals in our budget which would have made much more money available for Health and Social Care, to change the way that service works and make it more efficient and effective. Also we want to repair our potholed roads and pavements.”

The Conservative Group wanted to divert the £7.2 million dividend which the council gets from Lothian Buses to sorting potholes and pavements rather than using it as a deposit for the new tramline. Councillor Whyte explained what the Conservatives want to do with the money : “A small part of the £7.2 million would fix the potholes. The vast bulk of it would actually be spent on measures to reduce congestion in the city, particularly at key junctions which are affecting Lothian Buses, making their service slower and making it harder for citizens to get about by public transport.”

FOCUS ON HOMELESS AND VULNERABLE

We then asked the Council Leader what pleased him most today. He replied : “I am most pleased that we had more money to spend at the end of the day thanks to yesterday’s decision in the Scottish Parliament passing their budget. That was always helpful and gave us £27.1 million to invest in our priorities. I think we have invested that prudently and I think we have invested that ethically and socially.

“For example we have invested £2 million extra in homelessness to make sure fewer people have to rely on Bed and Breakfast accommodation. This is one of our key pledges to abolish B&B for those in need of temporary accommodation. There is £4 million extra for social care. The exciting thing about that is that the NHS will also put in £4 million making real inroads in the number of people who are waiting for care assessments and care packages.”

Council sets its 2018/19 budget from The Edinburgh Reporter On Vimeo on Vimeo.

The council still has less money than it needs. No matter which way you look at it, the Finance Convener Alasdair Rankin has a tough job working alongside the council officers in setting out priorities for council spending.

The council says it will now continue to prioritise the frontline services it provides for young, older and vulnerable residents while at the same time making some savings.

There will be £200 million of spending on health and social care where there is a definite need, as well as dealing with the problem of homelessness where there will be £2 million invested and repairs to existing school buildings. £8.5 million will be used to improve all council-owned build gins including schools.

With an addition of £400,000 to spend on lower income families who need help the council is to give children meals outwith term time as well as increasing school uniform grants. Edinburgh still does not pay as much as some other councils, but it is a welcome improvement nonetheless.

A man who is believed to have been homeless was found dead in the city earlier today, lending some reality to the budget debate for a time.

The Lord Provost limited contributions by individual councillors to just three minutes. Believe me it was long enough for all of them to put forward their support for their particular party’s proposals. A time limit condenses and focuses arguments and makes for more coherent discussion.

Councillor Alasdair Rankin, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: “When forming the coalition, we pledged to deliver improved services for residents and communities over the next five years. We have taken opportunities in this, our first budget, to do things differently and invest in key areas, delivering on our 52 Coalition commitments.

“We are committed to protecting frontline services and maintaining investment in areas which will provide more support for our most vulnerable residents and despite an uncertain financial climate we have set a balanced budget for Edinburgh, as well as securing funds for improvements throughout the city.”

Cllr Rankin pointed out during the debate that the council has saved £240 million in this and in the last administration by working more efficiently and prioritising services. He was Finance Convener in the last administration too, and in charge when the Transformation Programme to slimline the council staff was put in place.

The Culture Convener Donald Wilson was very pleased with today’s proposals which are he said the best budget in cultural terms for a decade. Funding has been found for the Leith Theatre, the concert hall in St Andrew Square (formalising the money required in terms of the City Deal) and money is to be made available to the King’s Theatre refurbishment fund.

The city owned museums and galleries will now all open seven days again from 10-5 which the convener hopes will lead to increased footfall.

Councillor Gordon Munro is always good value at big meetings such as this and he was again today. In his speech he urged the coalition against the budget as it stood, although he did vote for it, respecting the party whip. In his speech he said : ” I come to bury the Budget not to praise it .

“Context is important . Transformation has seen this council make cuts of £240m and the  reduction of 1446 in the workforce . This year 2017/18 contained £39.5m of cuts and the month 8 position reported that £11.5m were still to be realised, therefore £4m has been built into this budget and another £4m will come from reserves.

“Something has to change.

“This minority led Council will have to make net cuts of £133m by 2022/23 and will receive a reduction in block grant of £59m if it lasts the full term . This is why Audit Scotland use the phrase ‘financial stress ‘ to describe Council finances . Something has to change.”

Ahead of the budget meeting today there were several deputations heard in the chamber. The Edinburgh Reporter spoke to a couple of the groups who were at that point getting ready to speak at the council meeting. We got the impression that the various groups were not as confrontational as they perhaps had been of old. It appears that they understand that any cuts to services offered, or cuts to budgets are not made lightly, and that they have to be put in the Scottish and UK political contexts.

Des Loughney Secretary of the ETUC said : “The council has outlined a budget which will involve severe cuts to its services. It will put several services into a state of crisis.This is unacceptable. We realise that the council itself can’t do much about it because of the way they are funded, but we are saying the council should lead the people of Edinburgh to put pressure on the Scottish Government.”

Willie Black from North Edinburgh Fights Back said : “We have deep problems. The council cuts are deeply affecting the community that I come from in North Edinburgh as elsewhere in Edinburgh. What is happening is that there are cutbacks in community centres, facilities and services for youth, old people, for the disabled. It can’t keep going on year in, year out.”

Tom Connolly of UNISON said : “I think the councillors need to start listing. We are witnessing the silent slaughter of local government. Nine out of ten jobs in public services in the last five years, that’s 30,000 jobs, have been lost in the past five years. Nine out of ten of those in local government.”

Betty Stevenson of Edinburgh Tenants Federation invited all councillors to go out with her to see for themselves the conditions of some communal stairs or council flats. She had a selection of photos to show them all during the meeting and urged them to improve the lot of those living in council houses with some immediate action.

The council tax bands for 2018/19 will be :

A – £826.79

B- £964.60

C- £1,102.39

D- £1,240.19

E – £1,629.47

F – £2,015.31

G – £2,428.71

H – £3,038.47

Rosie Ellison runs Film Edinburgh, the film commission for Edinburgh, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders, working with filmmakers, local authorities, residents and businesses to attract productions to the area and facilitate their shoots.

She says she has been doing this for too long to quantify, but in a previous life Rosie was a producer and researcher of factual TV, creative documentaries and short drama.

She has also coordinated film industry conventions, festivals and trade delegations, starting out her professional career at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

We put her in the spotlight to find out about Edinburgh on film.

What is the best film ever made in Edinburgh or which has Edinburgh connections in your view?

Can I have two?

– Under The Skin, directed by Jonathan Glazer, starring Scarlett Johanssen as an alien disguised as a human who hunts for men. Alone in Scotland, she becomes curious about human relationships and starts to get to know a man, and there’s a scene in this section which was filmed at Seacliff and Tantallon Castle in East Lothian.

Under the Skin is one of the most heart-wrenching and achingly beautiful films I’ve seen. I’m very proud that the filmmakers included the Edinburgh city region in the mix of locations.

– Chariots of Fire – Hugh Hudson won an Oscar with his Edinburgh-set film. Great performances, a script that is as poignant today as ever, and some all-time-classic shots of Edinburgh including the skyline from Arthurs Seat and a race in Inverleith Park.

What is the best filming location in the city or indeed the most popular – can you tell me about the films it has been used in?

The iconic Royal Mile and its closes is by far the most sought-after part of Edinburgh, featured in over 350 productions spanning factual and drama.

Highlights include The Escape Artist, Festival, Rebus, Case Histories, T2 Trainspotting, One Day, Cloud Atlas, Clique, Avengers, Outlander, Ayat Cinta 2 (Indonesian blockbuster), Looking After Jo Jo, The Debt Collector, Waterboys, Great Expectations (BBC), Murder Rooms (BBC drama about Sherlock Holmes), Greyfriars Bobby, Driving Lessons, Gideon’s Daughter, Low Winter Sun, Burke & Hare, Garrow’s Law, Pramface, The Secret Agent, Liar.

What does film tourism bring to Edinburgh?

Films & TV are the best advertising that money can’t buy.

A successful movie or TV show showcases Edinburgh all over the world, and latest research shows that 40% of visitors to the UK are inspired to visit places they’ve seen on the screen.

Look at the impact of films like Lord of the Rings, Inspector Montalbano, Harry Potter, The Da Vinci Code, and now Outlander – these have all resulted in dramatic increases in visitor numbers to the locations featured, with Doune Castle recording an increase of over 100% in the 4 years since Outlander first hit the screens, and Rosslyn Chapel benefiting so much from The Da Vinci Code that it could at last afford the repairs to the building and build a visitor centre and car park.

If you need help for your film contact Rosie at Film Edinburgh [email protected].

More details here.  

Images courtesy of Film Edinburgh

A police investigation is underway after the body of a man was discovered in East London Street around 7.45am  this morning,

The street has been cordoned off while investigations are carried out and at this time the death is being treated as unexplained.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Police in Edinburgh are currently in attendance following the discovery of a man’s body on East London Street.

“The incident was reported to police and emergency services around 7.45am on Thursday.

“Enquiries are currently ongoing and the death is being treated as unexplained.

“A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”

Police Scotland are warning the public to be alert after businesses and individuals across the country were scammed out of millions of pounds.

Officers are investigating 19 significant crimes of vishing fraud since July last year, with just over £7 million stolen from both businesses and individuals collectively.

Frauds of this nature are generally orchestrated by organised criminal gangs operating in the UK, Europe and further afield.

The variety of techniques used suggests involvement of multiple individuals or groups and can be broken down into three categories: phishing, vishing and smishing.

Phishing type incidents often use emails from the well-known online purchasing sites, either informing a victim that there is an issue with the items they have just ordered (items that they have not ordered at all) and asking them to click the link in the email to verify payment or account details.

Vishing crimes involve contacting a victim by telephone or voice messages pretending to be from the victim’s bank or a reputable company and thereafter persuading the victim into revealing personal information, such as bank details, credit card numbers and other personal security information. Once this information is obtained the criminals can access the victim’s account and move money or through social engineering persuade the victim to make the transfer on their behalf.

Smishing frauds are conducted in the form of text messages, which aim to obtain personal info related to credit card and banking details. Complainers receive a text message from an unknown number with wording along the lines of: “we have noticed that there seems to be fraudulent activity on your credit card/bank account, please clink the link within the text message to confirm your banking details.” The complainer then clicks the link and follows the instructions set up on the fake webpage, allowing the offender to view the complainer’s personal information and use it to their advantage.

The three types are all aimed at getting the victim to provide personal information that will assist the criminal.

Police Scotland is reminding everyone that their bank will not contact them asking for personal information or to carry out a transaction.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Robertson, from the Economic Crime and Financial Investigation Unit, said, “Cyber enabled crime is still crime. People make sure that their house and cars are locked and secure, and the same policy should be adopted online. Simple things like making sure you use strong passwords for personal and business accounts and being wary when accessing public or open Wi-Fi can help keep people safe.”

Police have reported a rise in reported incidents such as impersonation and deception scams where bank details are compromised to enable criminals to commit fraud.

DCI Robertson added, “Banks will not contact businesses or individuals asking for personal information or ask you to carry out a transaction. If someone starts asking for these details end the call and contact your bank.

“If you decide to ring back and verify the call it is advisable to do so on a different phone line like another landline or your mobile. If you are still unsure, consider visiting your local branch instead of speaking to someone over the phone.”

If you live in Scotland and are the victim of a fraud in Scotland then please report this to Police Scotland either through the internet reporting page or by calling 101. You can also read more about Cyber Crime in our Keep Safe section.

The SPFL Trust have announced Hibs’ Head Coach Neil Lennon as ambassador for their charity golf day in May at The Carrick by Loch Lomond.

The annual event, held in partnership with the Chris Mitchell Foundation,raises money for the provision of Mental Health First Aid Training for Scottish football clubs.

The training is part of SPFL Trust’s commitment to tackling mental health in Scottish football.

Neil first spoke out about his own battle with depression in 2014, and has openly spoken about the need for the stigma to end in Scottish football.

He said: “I am pleased to be in board as an ambassador for the SPFL Trust’s charity golf day in May.

“It is vital that players and staff alike know they have support around them and can feel comfortable talking about how they are feeling.

“The provision of mental health first aid training to clubs is a positive step in that regard – it will help break down barriers and give people the confidence to open up with friends and colleagues.”

The training, part funded by the Chris Mitchell Foundation aims to reach the milestone of having two people at every SPFL club trained in mental health awareness within the next two months.

So far, the mental health first aid programme has been delivered to 106 participants from Scottish football clubs.

In a recent survey of football clubs by PFA Scotland, 64% of respondents said either they or a team-mate had experience mental health issues, and almost 7% of those were identified as having significant issues.

SPFL Trust chief executive Nicky Reid adds: “We’re delighted that Neil Lennon is to join us to support our SPFL Trust Golf Day 2018. We aim to raise valuable funds to support mental health first aid training in Scottish football, and his high profile support is warmly welcomed.”

The council will meet at 10am to discuss its budget for the next year. Here we follow all the chat and explain what is happening – as it happens.

In their motion to today’s council meeting (which will deal only with the budget for the next year) the Liberal Democrat Group of six councillors say that the SNP and Labour Groups have failed to capitalise on the financial situation which the LibDems left them in 2012.

LibDems led the council until then when their numbers were reduced from 13 to 3, largely as a result of the tram project which by then had become derailed.

The LibDems propose a longer term vision and an investigation into the council’s Transformation Programme which has led to around 1400 or so voluntary redundancies. The removal of a tier of the workforce and the reorganisation of how the staff work was a core part of the last administrations savings strategy.

This is the LibDem motion which will be discussed at today’s budget meeting :

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The council administration is led by a coalition of SNP and Labour councillors.

They have proposed a budget for the next year which includes measures such as increasing council tax by 3%, increasing car parking charges and some entry fees for council-owned buildings such as the Scott Monument.

The administration say that they will concentrate on dealing with homelessness, education and health and social care. 

They announced their plans last year, some of which such as the proposed closure of the City of Edinburgh Music School at Broughton High were met with protests and had to be shelved.

A consultation followed generating some interest and comments from the public, but whether that has swayed their proposals to be put to all councillors today remains to be seen.

The council has a no compulsory redundancy policy and say that no jobs are at risk, and employees will get a rise of around 2-3% with a cap on those earning over £80,000 who will only receive a rise of £1600 per annum.  Some measures seem to indicate that services such as libraries and leisure facilities will be hit. Yet again it is proposed to cut night services for noise complaints and funding for Edinburgh Leisure is to be reduced from £420,000 to £270,000.

Leith Theatre is in line to receive funding of £5 million and money has been found to allow all the city’s museums and galleries to open seven days a week. Some of these such as the City Art Centre had reduced their opening hours in a bid to save cash during the last administration.

There is still mention of introducing a tourist tax but that requires legislation from The Scottish Government who do not appear in a hurry to do that.

The council meets later this morning to debate the administration’s proposals.  These are countered with motions by the other parties who have their own thoughts on how the £1 billion or so should be spent.

You can watch the budget meeting live here.

There will be deputations by the Edinburgh Tenants Federation and a deputation after a protest staged outside the City Chambers by the Edinburgh Trade Union Council.

Whatever happens (and it is likely that the administration will largely get its way) there will be lively debate and posturing from all sides of the City Chambers later.

We will be there on the floor of the chamber to bring you the news as and when  it happens.

This is the text of the administration motion which will be debated :

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by Councillor Graham Hutchison, Conservative Finance & Resources Spokesperson. Councillor Hutchison claims there has been too much secrecy by the administration who choose to concentrate instead on the tourist tax lobby and brown bins. They want to use the money available from Lothian Buses to fix the roads instead of building the tram line from York Place to Newhaven.

“From its botched launch back in October, Edinburgh’s 2018/19 budget process has been an unusual mix of secrecy and farce, met largely with total apathy from the citizens of Edinburgh, and lacking any real ideas or strategic thinking.

“A mere 1,356 people responded to the administrations consultation, thin gruel for a city of half a million people. The people who did take the time to respond might as well not have bothered.

“The administration has chosen to ignore their opposition to the ludicrous £25 Brown Bin charge, and focus instead on the ‘spontaneous support for the introduction of a tourist tax’. In reality it was suggested just 118 times or by approximately 0.02% of the city’s residents.

“This is all the more incredible given that the Scottish Government, in the form of Finance Secretary Derek Mackay, have been quite clear that they don’t want any councils to have the power to deliver a tourist tax anyway!

“For anyone who’s been following this fiasco as it’s played out over the last 4 months, the publication of the minority coalitions budget proposal last Friday will have brought no surprises.  Not even 9 months after its delayed formation, the re-hashed SNP/Labour administration is clearly out of ideas and out of touch with the city it has been running (badly) since 2012.

“In last May’s council election the Scottish Conservatives topped the poll on first preference votes in Edinburgh, showing a clear desire for change in the way our capital city is run.  Instead of that change our citizens have been saddled with more of the same and an administration which already seems doomed to repeat the failures of their last 5 year term.

“You don’t need to be a City Chambers insider to know that the biggest challenges facing our city, aside from the SNP governments ever increasing stranglehold on local government, are the crisis in Health and Social Care, the poorly maintained and decaying council estate, homelessness and a downward spiral of ever poorer road repair and maintenance.

“The budget amendment which I will propose of behalf of the Conservative group will significantly outstrip the administrations proposed spending in all 4 of these priority areas, delivering the transformative change the Council badly needs, while rejecting the administrations support for a maximum 3% increase in council tax.

“The Edinburgh Conservatives budget will;

• Reject the administrations wasteful use of the £7.2m Lothian Bus dividend on the unwanted completion of the tram line to Leith and re-allocate this funding to our pothole ridden roads, problem junctions and an extension to the Hermiston Park and Ride.
• Limit the council tax increase to 2%, every penny of which raised from 2019/20 will be used to fund the entire current school rebuilding and refurbishment program, investing some £77m more than the administration over the remaining life of this council following a full strategic review of the council estate.
• Match the administrations £4m allocation to meet funding pressures in Health and Social Care, while allocating and additional £500k to establish a ringfenced change delivery team.
• Allocate a total of £2.3m to homelessness, £300k more than the administration, £1.4m of which will go directly to the Homelessness Task Force to be used to eliminate rough sleeping and the use of bed and breakfast accommodation.
• Increase the school uniform grant to £85, £13.50 more than the administration and significantly above the national average.  We will also match the administrations allocation for year round meals and for children with additional support needs.

“The proposed £25 bin tax is a calculated swipe at homeowners in the city’s suburban fringe who deserted the administration parties in droves last May, we categorically reject the charge, and will increase collections to every fortnight.

“The significant financial pressures which the Council will face over the remainder of this term will require innovative thinking and fresh ideas to deliver improved services to the citizens of Edinburgh.

“The Conservative budget amendment will take the first steps down the road towards a more streamlined and efficient council and signify a marked shift from that on offer from the SNP and Labour.

“I look forward very much to delivering the budget which the citizens of Edinburgh voted for last May.”

This is the detail of the Conservative motion which will be discussed later today at the council’s special budget meeting.

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