Why Edinburgh must not go back to the past – Cammy Day

There are challenging tmes ahead but Edinburgh can come out of this crisis with renewed energy, vision and strength, writes Cammy Day.

Edinburgh’s citizens have worked together and supported each other during the lockdown

As we enter phase one of the Scottish Government’s plans I hope our citizens and communities can continue to work together, support each other and support our local high streets across the city as they slowly start to re-open for business.

Last week we agreed to proceed with a new “adapt and renew” approach to help bring the council and the city back to its new life, post-Covid-19. Agreeing the framework for Edinburgh’s recovery is a big first step in moving us through the current crisis and on towards a “new normal”. The recovery will include five new programmes of work, including looking at how to re-introduce essential services that need to be adapted for social distancing.

With a renewed outlook, and challenging times ahead, we shouldn’t lose sight of our 2050 vision for our beloved capital city and the values of this vision will run through everything we do to aid recovery. People told us they want Edinburgh to be welcoming, thriving, fair and pioneering and this is exactly how the Capital should and will mould itself.

Cammy Day is the leader of the Labour group at Edinburgh City Council (Picture: Ian Georgeson)

Our festivals will change, council service delivery will change, many of the city’s businesses will adapt to new ways and our public transport arrangements will need new thinking, but a continued aspiration of a zero-carbon capital by 2030, a smart city and a city responding to poverty remains our goal.

We’ve seen the amazing work that communities have done, helping neighbours, going for shopping, providing food, clapping for carers and our NHS, and helping to do whatever needs done, and only last week we allocated an additional £600,000 to support community projects across Edinburgh. To date, almost half a million pounds has also been paid out through Crisis and Community Care grants, with a further £500,000 distributed to families in school meal payments, while temporary accommodation has been vastly increased to help those facing homelessness.

All of this support comes at an unprecedented cost but we remain committed to providing our services and supporting our most vulnerable as we work through the months ahead. As part of our planning we’ll be working to narrow our budget gap, which due to pandemic has widened to more than £50m, but it’s clear we’ll also require help from government. I’m determined that we’ll be working with ministers on the funding Edinburgh will need going forward.

The recent interim Edinburgh Poverty Commission report evidences the huge efforts and the impacts on communities in the city. We need to make difficult choices to enable us to genuinely invest in the communities that need public services and our support. Labour councillors will always be working alongside their communities.

That’s why I want to see out city look at new ideas in delivering care, support and other council services through our local community and voluntary sector groups. In addition, workers co-operatives and social enterprises need to be considered as a key way of providing essential key workers with good terms and conditions, in respected careers, working for and in our communities.

Please keep talking with your friends and neighbours, doing the shopping and taking care of each other. We have seen that Edinburgh cares about the city and all of those that choose to call this city home.

Let’s not walk back into the past, but come out of this with renewed energy, vision and strength.

Cammy Day is the leader of the Labour Group at Edinburgh City Council

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