Edinburgh City Council sets out plan to 'build a better' city after Covid-19

The plan will be considered next week.

The council has set out a plan for recovery.

The Council has outlined a plan to ‘build a better Edinburgh’ in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the number of confirmed positive cases in the NHS Lothian area reached 2,665 on Sunday.

A draft strategy for ‘adaptation and renewal’ will be considered by councillors on Thursday, in an effort to limit the economic damage to the city.

Edinburgh and the Lothians are the most at-risk economic areas in Scotland, a recent report from KPMG predicted.

The company forecast a loss of more than eight percent to Scotland’s GVA (Gross Value Added), with Edinburgh more vulnerable than many other areas in part because of the city’s reliance on tourism.

It comes as the total of confirmed cases in the Lothians reached 2,665 on Sunday, an increase of 16 from the day before.

Across the country, a total of 15,101 people have tested positive for the virus, a rise of 60.

NHS Lothian reported on Sunday that 165 patients were in hospital with Covid-19, an increase of three, with eight patients in intensive care – a decrease of two.

As of Sunday 2,270 people who tested positive for the virus in Scotland had died.

A total of 3,560 people who had tested positive for the virus had been discharged from hospital.

Since lockdown began the Council has paid out almost £500,000 in Community and Care grants, a further £500,000 in school meal payments, and £600,000 in welfare payments.

The plan for Adaptation and Renewal outlines five programmes to aid the city’s recovery and ‘harness opportunities’ presented by the pandemic; a Public Health Advisory Board, Service Operations, Change People and Finance, Sustainable Economic Recovery and Life Changes.

It will be put to a meeting of the Policy and Sustainability Committee on Thursday May 28.

A Public Health Advisory Board will oversee communication of public health advice.

Service Operations will look at re-introducing essential services and adapting them for social distancing or virtual delivery.

Change People and Finance will examine budget forecasts and the impact of the pandemic on the Council.

Sustainable Economic Recovery will work on a plan for economic recover with businesses and other stakeholders.

Life Changes will focus on tackling poverty in Edinburgh in the short and long term.

The Council also plans to incorporate the ethos of the 2050 City Vision public consultation into the plan, which identified four key values for the city going forward: welcoming, thriving, fair and pioneering.

Council leader Adam McVey said: “Like all cities, Edinburgh will feel the impact of this crisis for some time to come. With the Scottish Government having set out a route to recovery, Edinburgh is doing the same.

“Our Capital is a key driver of the national economy and source of innovation that we’ll all rely on as we change and adapt how we work. In starting to plan for our future we need to acknowledge that business as usual isn’t an option.

“The Adaptation and Renewal Programme report is the first step in building a future that keeps poverty reduction and sustainability in sharp focus.

“We will continue to do absolutely everything we can to provide help and support to those who need it now. Looking to the future will influence how we begin to build a better Edinburgh, together as one City.

“Last year, residents told us what they wanted their city to be –fair, welcoming, thriving and pioneering – and while the pandemic has presented us with significant challenges that will remain our focus alongside the financial challenges, this is still the city that we are committing to build for Edinburgh’s future.”

Depute leader Cammy Day said: “This has undoubtedly been the worst crisis that Edinburgh and its residents have seen for many years and sadly many people have suffered severe losses over the past few months.

“However, the strength and sense of togetherness we have seen throughout this incredibly trying time has been truly inspiring and we hope this will continue as we move into recovery and beyond.

“Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who has been part of the response to date – our Council colleagues, NHS staff, care givers and all of Edinburgh’s people – our steadfast response as a City has only been made possible because of you.

“The Adaptation and Renewal Programme is a crucial first step in moving us through the current crisis and on towards a ‘new normal’. In the meantime, we’ll continue to do absolutely everything we can to tackle the crisis and the challenges it presents while supporting our great city and its residents and helping us build an even better Capital for the future.”

Gary Gillespie, Chief Economist at the Scottish government, has warned that lockdown restrictions will have long-lasting ‘scarring’ effects on the economy, including loss of business and unemployment.

He said that young people will be disproportionately affected, due to a higher rate of employment in some of the worst-hit industries including hospitality and tourism.

A report issued by the OECD predicted that international tourism will be down by 45 to 70 percent this year, and may take years to recover.

While domestic tourism is expected to increase, it will likely not make up the shortfall.

Tourism is thought to be worth around £1.4 billion to the city’s economy every year, while the Summer Festivals, which have been cancelled due to the pandemic, are estimated to bring in around £300 million.

Edinburgh University brought in almost £2.5 million in 2018 from the rent of its facilities and buildings during the festivals in 2018.