Portobello High School – Action plan for Mortonhall – Get online at Craigmillar Library – Potholes – Waverley Market today
The bill currently before Holyrood to allow the council to build a new school in Holyrood Park will reach its final stage debate today.
We believe you will be able to follow the proceedings live here.
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Following an outcry about the way that babies ashes were disposed of the council’s chief executive instructed a report on the practices and incidents at Mortonhall Crematorium at the beginning of this year. That report was made public and copies delivered to each of the 250 plus families involved last month.
Following the publication of the report the council set up a multi agency working group which has now met several times. Representatives include the Scottish Government, NHS Lothian, funeral directors, Edinburgh Crematorium Ltd, SiMBA, Mortonhall Ashes Action Committee and SANDS at local and national level representing those who were bereaved and who were affected by the disposal of ashes without their knowledge.
As well as the report by Dame Elish Angiolini into matters in Edinburgh there has been a separate commission into Infant Cremation across Scotland led by Lord Bonomy, and the outcome from that commission must be considered alongside the report prepared solely for the City of Edinburgh Council.
The council are holding a special meeting today to discuss the recommendations which the group has produced.
There are 22 recommendations:-
1 – The Council should review how Mortonhall Crematorium is managed.
2 – The Council should put in place systems of audit and inspection to ensure safe working practices that provide high quality services to next of kin.
3 – The Council should lead and support a change of culture and attitude at the Crematorium towards providing services to next of kin.
4 – The Scottish Government should commission research to ascertain the most effective, practical and safe practices for the future to provide reassurance to next of kin that their ashes of their child will be recovered.
5 – The cremation of non viable foetuses (pre 24 week gestation period) should be regulated by legislation
6 – The Council should amend the Application for Cremation form (Form A)
7 – All partners should develop training and guidance for those taking parents through the process of arranging their baby’s funeral
8 – The Scottish Government should review Cremation Regulations including clarifying the legislative position of stillborn babies within the Regulations.
9 – The Scottish Government should make statutory the section of the Form A dealing with instructions for disposal of any ashes
10 – The Council should address the condition of land adjacent to the Garden of Rest at Mortonhall
11 – The Scottish Government should provide a legal definition of ashes
12 – The Scottish Government should ensure proper, accountable and transparent regulation of the cremation of pre 24 week foetuses
13 – The Council should discuss overnight cremation with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to ensure compliance with the permit
14 – The Council should urge the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA) and the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) to review their policy and guidance documents
15 – The Council should ensure adequate training for its staff
16 – The Scottish Government should make changes to its guidance on the subject of ashes informed by scientific or medical evidence and research.
17 – NHS Lothian should further train its staff in working with bereaved families and develop clear and simplified policy and guidance
18 – The FBCA and the ICCM should develop training specifically for the cremation of foetuses and young children
19 – Communication between all agencies should be carried out on a more formal basis.
20 – The Council should ensure that parents understand the importance of Form A and see and sign it in all cases
21 – The Council should ensure that the location of interment of remains is recorded in future
22 – The Council should discuss options for memorials with parents taking into account the range of views expressed in particular about its location.
There is notice of one deputation by Willie Reid the chair of MAAC and an affected parent. Usually such deputations are heard at the beginning of the meeting and are give about ten minutes to speak. The working group will also continue to meet and will report back to the council in twelve months.
You can follow all proceedings at the special meeting and the council meeting which follows on the council’s webcast service by clicking here.
The Edinburgh Reporter will be at both meetings and will report live from the city chambers about any important decisions.
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Craigmillar Library are running classes to help you get online. Learn how to Skype. Learn how your laptop really works and how to use it to find information or apply for jobs online. The East Neighbourhood run the computing classes on Tuesday afternoons or Friday mornings and you can find out more information by contacting the library staff.
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Potholes are everywhere you look – when you really start looking for them. True to say that the council is spending some of its time and resources resurfacing roads. They have just finished Chester Street and are working on Thistle Street in the city centre for example.
The council was asked by Councillor Joanna Mowat to produce figures for all revenue spent on carriageways and footpaths over the last three years. This has been confirmed as £7.7m broken down by area as shown below. One interesting figure is that spent in the City Centre in 2011/12. Out of the total of £477,038 some £337,849 was allocated to be spent on George Street. It is not clear that this sum was actually spent but now the council are spending more money this year on setting George Street out as a pilot project where some of the street will be closed to cars.
3 Year Revenue Carriageway & Footway Spend 2011-2014
Neighbourhood | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 |
City Centre & Leith | £ 477,038.93 | £ 404,424.75 | £ 398,227.99 |
East | £ 431,927.00 | £ 361,458.00 | £ 358,207.00 |
North | £ 332,202.00 | £ 300,611.00 | £ 322,919.00 |
South | £ 586,148.66 | £ 549,320.72 | £ 497,718.00 |
South West | £ 335,127.26 | £ 405,992.16 | £ 330,000.00 |
West | £ 608,743.00 | £ 587,924.00 | £ 497,718.0 |
We would like to draw the council’s attention to the dropped manhole cover in our photo today. It is situated on the corner of Queen Street at the junction with Queen Street Gardens. We have watched it become worse and worse over recent weeks. Please could it now be fixed?
If you have any potholes or roads that you think need attention then do tell us! editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk or you can report it to the council by clicking here.
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Avalanche may be closed but it is not gone.
Platform 2 Market in Waverley Station is quickly becoming the Friday destination for delicious food and local and ethical gifts but this week, Avalanche will be bringing a feast for the ears with its visiting music fair, including CDs as well as a healthy selection of vinyl and posters that will be a ‘must’ for music lovers.
“Our first appearance at the new Platform 2 Market at Waverley Station on Friday 27 June will focus on the things Avalanche is best known for: a wide selection of new indie vinyl, releases from dozens of local bands and a fantastic selection of posters of all sizes. There will of course still be a great selection of second hand vinyl, both albums and 7″ singles,” says Kevin Buckle, Owner.
“These are trying times for the music industry but what is unique about our Music Fair at Platform 2 Market, is you can’t download a large Frightened Rabbit fly poster or replace the sound and physicality of vinyl.” Says owner Kevin Buckle. “We will also have the new CD from Avalanche favourites ‘Broken Records’ for those of you who haven’t picked up a copy yet and I can highly recommend the new album from Hamish James Hawk which reminds me of Magnetic Fields and Belle and Sebastian at their best. I must say I’m looking forward to this a lot.”
The market is run by LocalMotive Markets every Friday from 11am to 7pm on Platform 2 with Avalanche making a guest appearance on the fourth Friday of every month.
For further information, please go to www.localmotivemarkets.co.uk
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
