H0lyrood calls for ‘return’ of Fort Kinnaird
At the Grassmarket Community Project
Polluted streetsÂ
Turner at the National Gallery of Scotland
Massive fundraising for St Columba’s
Rural Affairs Secretary, Richard Lochhead again urges the UK Government to devolve the management and revenue of all Crown Estate assets in Scotland, ahead of the House of Lords Committee stage this week.
The UK Government’s current plans propose treating the Crown Estate’s valuable shareholding in Fort Kinnaird, as a non- Scottish asset, so that it is not devolved.
The capital value of the Crown Estate’s interest in Fort Kinnaird outside Edinburgh is £103 million. If included in the transfer, this financial asset could be used to help local communities in Scotland.
Mr Lochhead said:
“From managing rural estates and tenant farms to leasing and co-ordinating investment in renewable energy or leasing aquaculture sites – the management of assets affects communities the length and breadth of Scotland, particularly rural, coastal, island communities and tenant farmers. The Crown Estate Commissioners have raised gross revenue in Scotland of around £110 million between 2007 and 2015. The surplus income has been paid to the UK Treasury and we need to retain future income in Scotland, make the most of our natural assets and increase transparency.
“Current plans for devolution of the management of Crown Estate assets in Scotland are far too complicated, include reservations that allow UK Ministers to limit devolution and exclude significant economic assets in Scotland that are not wholly owned by the Crown Estate. The Crown Estate’s interest in the shopping centre at Fort Kinnaird is valued at £103 million – it is totally unacceptable for the UK Government to refuse to devolve this asset.
“I again urge the UK Government to rethink their plans as the devolution of the management and income of the Crown Estate in Scotland provides a real opportunity to deliver benefits to communities across Scotland.
“In the meantime we will continue to work with our stakeholder advisory group to develop future options for the management and revenues of Crown Estate assets in Scotland to implement the Smith Commission’s recommendations.”
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The Grassmarket Community Project is a fabulous place for something to eat, a meeting space or indeed as a venue for film and music. At the end of the month they have lots of music on offer:
More information here.
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Friends of the Earth have confirmed that yet again St John’s Road features high on the list of polluted streets in Scotland. In addition Salamander Street in Leith is also included. The list is made up of streets which do not meet Scottish safety standards.
Air Pollution campaigner Emilia Hanna stated:
“Streets are breaking legal limits in each major city in Scotland, demonstrating just how serious and widespread Scotland’s air pollution health crisis is. Air pollution causes over 2,000 early deaths in Scotland each year at a cost of over £1.1 billion to the economy. Air pollution increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and asthma attacks and the main culprit is traffic.
“The Scottish Government’s Clean Air Strategy has good aspirations but needs resources and energy behind it to tackle the scourge of dirty air in our towns and cities. The government must support local authorities with funding to implement low emission zones in all major cities.  It must also increase its investment in walking and cycling paths so that it becomes safer and more convenient for people to leave their cars at home. It is unacceptable that is is throwing £3bn at dualling the A9 while funding for walking, cycling and public transport, and measures to improve air quality remains very low. That is why we are calling on the Scottish Government to reallocate a portion of its motorways budget to active travel in the next budget.
Top 8 most polluted streets for nitrogen dioxide in 2015.
Figures in microgrammes per cubic metre (ÎĽg/m3), European legal limit 40 (annual mean)
Edinburgh St John’s Road – 65
Glasgow Hope Street – 60
Dundee Seagate – 50
Perth Atholl Street – 48
Dundee Lochee Road – 48
Aberdeen Union Street – 46
Edinburgh Queensferry Road – 41
Aberdeen Wellington Road – 41
The Scottish air quality objective is 40 (ÎĽg/m3), so all these sites fail the objective.
The Air Quality (Scotland) Regulations 2000 required this objective to have been met by 2005.
The European Ambient Air Quality Directive sets the same legal limit for NO2 , with which the deadline for compliance was 1 January 2010. Following a legal action, the Scottish Government has been forced to come up with fresh plans to show how it will achieve compliance with European law in as short a time as possible. [6]
Small Particles (PM10)
Top 8 most polluted streets for particulate matter in 2015
Figures in microgrammes per cubic metre (ÎĽg/m3), Scottish Air Quality Objective: 18 (annual mean)
Edinburgh Salamander St – 23
Aberdeen Wellington Road- 22
Perth Atholl Street – 20
Aberdeen Market Street – 19
Glasgow Dumbarton Road – 19
Dundee Lochee Road – 19
Falkirk West Bridge Street – 18
Rutherglen Main Street – 18
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We are now midway through January and you only have a couple of weeks to go and see the Turner exhibition which takes place once a year in Edinburgh.
Here is a little taster
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The Light a Light appeal along with the Light Up a Life Appeal have raised ÂŁ100,000 in just a few months or so for Edinburgh’s St Columba’s Hospice. The Light a light initiative brightens up Charlotte Square Gardens with its Christmas tree in the centre lit up for those who have lost their lives to cancer.
Lesley Christie, director of fundraising at the Hospice, said: “We are incredibly grateful to all of our supporters who have given so generously to our Light A Light & Light Up A Life appeal. As a charity, we need £8 million a year to run, so appeals like this make a big difference to the Hospice. The money from our Light A Light & Light Up A Life appeal is spent on ensuring patients and their families could have the best possible Christmas. Thank you once again to our amazing supporters!”
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