Latest news with #FinanceandResourcesCommittee
STV News
20 hours ago
- Business
- STV News
Edinburgh Council to explore trial of four-day work week for staff
Edinburgh Council is to explore running a trial of a four-day work week, following a successful study in an English council. After a decision by city councillors on Thursday, council officers will study four-day workweek trials in other parts of the country, and determine if and how a trial can be run in Edinburgh. They will also explore the state of recruitment, staff retention, productivity and health of council staff. Officers will present the report at a future meeting of the city's Finance and Resources Committee. Green councillor Claire Miller, who put forward the motion asking for a trial to be explored, said: 'When faced with the need for budget cuts every year, it's a joy to find a proposal which helps to save money while also being beneficial rather than detrimental. 'And the four day week is just that. The four day week is one where services remain as-is – there are no changes as far as residents are concerned, either in opening hours or what's provided – but our workers deliver in a reduced working week. 'Studies of four day weeks show that productivity remains the same, or in some cases even improves, when the number of hours worked is reduced down and a greater proportion of the week is given back to people for their other responsibilities, for rest and for leisure.' Cllr Miller's motion comes off the back of a 15-month four-day week trial for some staff at South Cambridgeshire District Council, which found it offered significant benefits. An academic study of the trial found that it reduced turnover by 39% and saved the council over £300,000 in agency worker fees. Additionally, it found that a range of council services either saw no change or improvements in delivery. Further, less council staff were found to be going on benefits. However, not all councillors held firm support for the motion. Conservative councillor Chris Cowdy said: 'At a time when our own council continues to face budgetary pressures, rising demand of core services and persistent performance issues, now may not be the time for a speculative experiment.' It was found that some council staff were working second jobs in their time off – however, most reported to the local authority that they had been doing so since before the trial. A spokesperson for Edinburgh Council said: 'As approved by full council, a report will be brought to a future Finance and Resources Committee. 'The report will examine this issue in more detail including reviewing evidence from other organisations.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Edinburgh Live
a day ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Council to explore trial run of a four day workweek
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Edinburgh Council is to explore running a trial of a four day work week on the back of a successful study in an English council. After a decision by city councillors on Thursday, council officers will study four day workweek trials in other parts of the country, and determine if and how a trial can be run in Edinburgh. They will also explore the state of recruitment, staff retention, productivity and health of council staff. Officers will present the report at a future meeting of the city's Finance and Resources Committee. Green councillor Claire Miller, who put forward the motion asking for a trial to be explored, said: 'When faced with the need for budget cuts every year, it's a joy to find a proposal which helps to save money while also being beneficial rather than detrimental. 'And the four day week is just that. The four day week is one where services remain as-is – there are no changes as far as residents are concerned, either in opening hours or what's provided – but our workers deliver in a reduced working week. 'Studies of four day weeks show that productivity remains the same, or in some cases even improves, when the number of hours worked is reduced down and a greater proportion of the week is given back to people for their other responsibilities, for rest and for leisure.' Cllr Miller's motion comes off the back of a 15-month four day week trial for some staff at South Cambridgeshire District Council, which found it offered significant benefits. An academic study of the trial found that it reduced turnover by 39% and saved the council over £300,000 in agency worker fees. Additionally, it found that a range of council services either saw no change or improvements in delivery. Further, less council staff were found to be going on benefits. However, not all councillors held firm support for the motion. Conservative councillor Chris Cowdy said: "At a time when our own council continues to face budgetary pressures, rising demand of core services and persistent performance issues, now may not be the time for a speculative experiment." It was found that some council staff were working second jobs in their time off – however, most reported to the local authority that they had been doing so since before the trial. A spokesperson for Edinburgh Council said: 'As approved by full council, a report will be brought to a future Finance and Resources Committee. "The report will examine this issue in more detail including reviewing evidence from other organisations.'
Edinburgh Live
09-06-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh residents 'relief' as council backs plan to buy Dreghorn homes from MoD
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A working mother has said she feels 'so much relief' after Edinburgh cou ncil has progressed plans to purchase 36 homes adjacent to an army base. Some 15 civilian families currently live on the Dreghorn estate, which was built as housing for service members at the nearby Dreghorn Barracks. In February, the Ministry of Defence wrote to the tenants saying that they were looking to evict the residents and sell off the houses early next year. But, on Monday, councillors agreed to purchase the homes where the families live and keep them in their houses as tenants, in a move a committee convener has said is 'really pleasing'. Amy Monaghan, a school dinner-lady and a working mother living on the estate, said she feels relieved by the decision. She continued: 'It means everything that we're going to be able to keep our homes. It's the only home my daughters have ever known. 'It means we're going to have our forever home. The security is something I can't imagine. 'There's so much relief. We can get to work on building a community. It's great knowing that there are people there around you.' Dreghorn residents have already started putting together a residents' association, with plans for monthly socials and litter picking exercises. The council already bought 40 other homes from the MOD on the estate, 23 in March 2023 and 17 in January 2025. Labour councillor and Finance and Resources Committee convener Mandy Watt said: "We're doing everything we can to make sure these residents will remain in their homes and to increase the amount of affordable and social housing we have in the city, and I know the residents are very grateful that this proposal has had so much support from councillors. 'Purchasing these homes is a sensible way to boost the housing we have, and Dreghorn is a community that provides a great place for council tenants to have a suitable, safe and affordable place to call home. 'Council colleagues have worked over many months to negotiate this purchase from the Ministry of Defence, listening to the concerns of Dreghorn residents at every turn and ensuring good value for the council. 'This is a huge step towards a positive outcome – a fantastic example of doing things differently to make sure we address our housing emergency.' Of the homes, 21 will be purchased as vacant, with the council intending to use them as mixed-market housing. A total of £6.65 million will be spent on the purchase, with about £3.29m coming from the Scottish Government. The total cost to the council is estimated to be about £8.77m, after asbestos removal and renovation works on the property are completed. Councillor Simita Kumar, the SNP's group leader and a member of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: 'The acquisition of 38 more homes at Dreghorn is a positive step that brings long-overdue security to residents and strengthens local affordable housing. 'However, the uncertainty many tenants have faced highlights the need for clearer, more consistent communication. 'We urge the council to maintain open dialogue with local communities to ensure residents are informed and supported throughout any future transitions.' The MOD had been housing both defence families and civilians on the site as the need for military housing at the base reduced. At present, a handful of defence families still live on the site, but the MOD intends to move them to other housing prior to the sale. Dreghorn residents attended Monday's meeting, and several cried and hugged outside the meeting room after the committee made its decision. Mandy Burgen, another Dreghorn resident, said she was looking forward to the estate's new residents' association growing, and that the committee's decision was a positive step amid the housing crisis. She said: 'We've got a lot of things going on. We've got a social evening once a month. 'We're going to develop ideas as we go along, improving our [public] spaces. 'The decision that has been passed today is not only combating a housing crisis in Edinburgh, but it's actually showing that something good can come out of it by building sustainable communities.' Conor Savage, a Labour councillor for Colinton/Fairmilehead, said: 'I'm really thankful for what council officers have done, and my fellow councillors. 'Other elected officials like Scott Arthur MP, thankful to work with him on this. But most importantly the residents. 'The work they've done to collaborate and engage has been absolutely brilliant, conveying their own personal experiences, what they needed, being a part of the process from start to finish. 'This is a really unique opportunity to save a community and tackle the housing crisis.' The decision to borrow money to fund the council's side of the purchase will be made at the next full council meeting on 19 June, but this is expected to be approved.
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
£13 million road linking Bertha Park to A9 North of Perth to open at the end of 2026
Work has been accelerated on the third phase of the Cross Tay Link Road project Work on a £13.2 million project to create a road connecting Bertha Park to the Cross Tay Link Road and the A9 north of Perth has begun. The new Bertha Park Link Road is expected to open at the end of 2026. A capital budget report put before Perth and Kinross Council's Finance and Resources Committee on Wednesday, April 30 said construction work on the project had been accelerated. The new road - just under a mile long - will connect Bertha Park to the Cross Tay Link Road and the A9 north of Perth. It is the third and second last phase of the £150 million Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR) project. It will head north from the existing roundabout next to Bertha Park High School, going through housing in Bertha Park and on through areas of farmland and forestry before meeting the new A9 west roundabout. At last Wednesday's meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee, Conservative Almond and Earn councillor David Illingworth said: "I'm pleased to see the Bertha Park Link Road has been accelerated. Are there any estimates for when it will start and how long it will take to deliver?" PKC's strategic lead for Economy, Development and Planning Serge Merone said: "Initial works - tree clearance and construction of temporary accesses - have commenced. That will be followed by further advanced works. Earthworks will commence in June 2025 and we anticipate the completion before the end of 2026." Planning permission for the new route was granted earlier this year by PKC's Planning and Placemaking Committee in February, just ahead of the Cross Tay Link Road's three-span Destiny Bridge and four-mile New Kingsway officially opening on March 31.
Daily Record
06-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Five-month delay opening the new Blairgowrie Rec "not acceptable"
Contractors are currently trying to pinpoint the location of the latest leak in the swimming pool A council chief has told councillors the five-month delay in opening the new £36 million Blairgowrie Recreation Centre is "not acceptable". Contractors are on site attempting to identify where the latest pool leak is as well as considering "other more radical options". The unidentified leak in the six-lane 25-metre swimming pool - which has been built with a movable floor - has further delayed the opening of Scotland's first leisure centre built to environmentally-friendly Passivhaus standards. The state-of-the-art, low-energy facility has been built for the use of both Blairgowrie High School and the wider community. As well as the pool, it has a four-court sports hall; two-court sports hall/gymnasium; a fitness suite; dance studio; several different changing facilities; an office and a PE classroom, and a floodlit synthetic outdoor pitch. At a meeting of PKC's Finance and Resources Committee on Wednesday, April 30, a Blairgowrie and Glens ward councillor asked when locals could finally expect to step foot inside the new sports centre. Conservative councillor Caroline Shiers said: "We were heading for a post-Christmas opening and then we were going to go and work off our Easter eggs and now we're looking at maybe it's our summer bodies we'll be working on. "I think the community has been very very patient and that has been appreciated but an indication of a projected handover and then opening time would be helpful." PKC's strategic lead for Property Services Stephen Crawford said: "My apologies from both my contractors' supply chain and myself for not being able to deliver this on time. "The pool remains with an unidentified leak. The contractors are currently on site, in the pool, attempting to find the leak but also considering other more radical options. "A timescale I unfortunately can't give you at the moment. Last Wednesday the Scrutiny [and Performance] Committee asked for a report on the cause of the delay. "I would say it has been fortuitous that we've had the existing Blair Rec ready during that time but I agree with you five months' delay is not acceptable." SNP council leader Grant Laing agreed: "It is frustrating for us all but it is the right thing to do. You wouldn't go and take a car that had one bald tyre. "It's the sensible and pragmatic thing to do and I'm sure the contractors will not be enjoying this situation either. It is a good example though of having a tandem build because if we had knocked down Blair Rec and said something would be ready in 18 months, and it ends up being two years that is really when people will get upset. "But yeah I share your frustration." Cllr Shiers asked if local elected members could be updated on the logistics of when the handover and demolition of the old Blairgowrie Rec does eventually take place. She said: "When handover does happen and then there will be the demolition of the existing building, my concern is around the logistics around that in terms of making sure the car park facilities for the new facility are available and we don't have any knock-on effect on the wider community by not having that operational. I'm guessing the whole schedule has gone out the window a wee bit with this so an additional briefing with local elected members would be helpful." Mr Crawford was "more than happy" to work with both the local councillors and Blairgowrie community on that. Councillors have previously been assured, by Mr Crawford, Perth and Kinross Council will not be financially impacted by the delays and that they are "fully the responsibility of the contractor so they are bearing all those costs". Blairgowrie Recreation Centre was originally scheduled to be handed over to Live Active Leisure - to run the facility - at the end of December. At the April 23 meeting of PKC's Scrutiny and Performance Committee, Mr Crawford told councillors that during the filling of the swimming pool "a number of small leaks" were identified and since then "a number of other leaks have been found and we've been working through that over the last three months to deal with those". In a previous statement, issued by Perth and Kinross Council, BAM UK and Ireland construction director Paul Carle apologised for the delay. He said: "The pool is a complex design, and we have been working with specialist contractors to deliver it. Unfortunately, there have been technical issues and it's right that we take time to correct these before it opens to the public. "We are sorry for the delay and remain fully focussed of getting the repairs undertaken as early as possible." While it will be the first energy-efficient leisure centre in Scotland, it is not the first swimming pool with a movable floor. Loch Leven Campus has a movable floor and one is also proposed in Perth's new sports centre, PH2O. A PKC spokesperson said: "We are currently working with the contractor to address the issues at the new Blairgowrie Recreation Centre and our Scrutiny and Performance Committee has been asked to investigate the causes of these. "Movable floors are found in many pools, including at Loch Leven Campus. Full proposals for PH2O will be presented to councillors in June." Building work on the replacement Blairgowrie Rec eventually began in June 2023 - after years of delays. Brexit, the COVID pandemic, a drainage issue and market volatility caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine have all been blamed for delays to the project.
