In the picture from left to right are: Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member for sustainability Councillor Dianne Alexander, the council’s Digital Client Services Manager Marco Reece-Heal, Turing Trust Operations Supervisor Sam Welch and Turing Trust Donations Co-ordinator Will Bellinger-Smith.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Luke Jackson
Children in schools in Malawi are to benefit from 122 projectors donated by Midlothian Council.
Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member for sustainability, Councillor Dianne Alexander handed over the first of the kits to the Loanhead-based Turing Trust on Monday.
She said: “The projectors have been used in classrooms across Midlothian but are now surplus to requirements because we’ve recently upgraded audio-visual equipment as part of the Equipped for Learning Project.
“There’s plenty of life left in them, so it’s great the trust set up by Alan Turing’s family can distribute the kits to now help educate pupils across Malawi in Southern Africa.”
Regarded as the father of modern computing, Alan Turing, whose work to crack the German army’s encrypted communications code helped end the Second World War, saw IT as a tool for solving great challenges.
Set up in his honour, the trust refurbishes IT equipment and gives it to those most in need. In the last 13 years it has given more than 169,000 students across Africa, Asia and the UK access to computers.
Turing Trust Donations Co-ordinator Will Bellinger-Smith said: “Working with Midlothian Council is an exciting opportunity to align our shared commitment to sustainability and education. This donation of projectors is a prime example of how local collaboration can maximise the impact of IT equipment that would otherwise be redundant. We’re thrilled to give these projectors a new lease of life in Malawi, where they’ll continue to deliver a world of learning and possibilities for so many children.”
The council’s Equipped for Learning Project is a £10.5 million initiative to give more than 14,000 Midlothian pupils a free iPad or Google Chromebook.
It’s the most comprehensive digital learning project of its kind in Scotland to date, supporting all pupils from primary one to S6 secondary pupils.
A temporary banner at Gorebridge Pharmacy was put up ahead of a permanent sign.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Planners refused to grant permission for a new chemist sign in a village after describing it as ‘unappealing’ despite approving the same sign for a second shop half a mile along the road.
Gorebridge Pharmacy applied for planning permission to put new illuminated signs above its shops in the village Main Street, and further along the route into Hunterfield Road.
But while planners had no issue with the change to the Hunterfield Road branch they ruled the same sign on the branch on the main street was not acceptable
Refusing express advertisement consent for the central branch they said: “The signage comprises of a modern illuminated sign which is not in-keeping with the character or appearance of the application building or neighbouring properties within the town centre.
“It is an inappropriate addition which does not take the characteristics of the area into consideration.
“While it is acknowledged that the chosen signage is similar to the size of other signage in the town centre, the illuminated signage is unappealing and out of character.
“The size and design of the illuminated sign will result in a detrimental impact upon the amenity and characteristics of the locality.”
Images of the proposed sign which was described as six metres in length, showed it as a solid replica of a temporary banner currently hanging above the door of the shop.
A similar banner hanged over the Hunterfield Road branch which has been given the go ahead to install the new illuminated sign.
Approving the application for express advertisement consent for the shop, planners said: “The proposed signage is in keeping with the character and appearance of the existing building and the surrounding area.
“The signage would not be detrimental to the site or the surrounding area, nor would it have a significant adverse impact on highway safety.”
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
A crackdown on anti-social behaviour in Livingston shopping centre has pushed troublemakers to get on the bus and head to other parts of Scotland including Falkirk, police have said.
Police also said problems with teenage anti-social behaviour in northern Livingston have “migrated from Carmondean”.
An increased police presence on the buses in West Lothian has helped to calm down issues locally.
New call figures showed a total of 45 youth and anti-social complaints were made in the last three months of 2023 for Livingston North compared with 163 made in Livingston South – where the shopping centre is located.
Sgt Lee Brodie told this month’s meeting of Livingston North Local Area Committee that the troublemakers had moved on.
“We understand they’re often taking the benefits of the free bus travel and are now actually outside the county committing some of their offences and anti-social behaviour.
“We’ve actually seen them travelling to Falkirk.”
“Effectively, the numbers have gone down – it is partly the work we’ve done, but part of it has been the problem’s migrated to other areas, although surprisingly out of the county rather than within the county.”
A year ago councillors across West Lothian raised concerns that Livingston shopping centre had become a magnet for anti-social behaviour from teens travelling into the county from Fife and Edinburgh.
In his latest report to the LAC, Sgt Brodie said: “ASB figures during December decreased compared to October and November figures.
“During December, West Lothian Special Constables assisted Response and Community officers which enabled an increase in patrols within problematic areas. Our school link officers also conducted numerous ASB and cybercrime talks to both primary and secondary school pupils.”
His report added: “Officers have carried out a number of Bus Gateway checks riding on local buses to deter Anti-Social Behaviour, locally these have included riding the number 27 and 28 buses specifically travelling through Deans, Knightsridge and Ladywell at school leaving times to ensure pupils from Deans and Inveralmond were travelling both safely and responsibly.
“It was particularly useful and welcomed by passengers and bus companies alike.”
He added: “As a result of one such check alcohol was seized from one adult passenger who was subsequently ejected from the bus. We continue to utilise social media to promote this initiative and encourage members of the community to engage with officers.”
Sgt Brodie told councillors patrols of community officers in Livingston Shopping centre had increased in the past year.
The report added: “Supervisors have attended numerous meetings with McArthur Glen and Almondvale management in an effort to address these issues. Community Officers, in conjunction with SFR, and youth groups have conducted regular patrols of the area with several youths being identified.
“Work is ongoing with these youths and their families. Parents and Carers are encouraged to engage with their children and reiterate that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated and can have longer term consequences.”
Councillor Alison Adamson expressed surprise at the low level of complaints and added she was pleased to see the drop.
Chairing the meeting, Councillor Anne McMillan thanked Sgt Brodie for including the complaint figures for the wards – something all LAC’s have been asking for over the last year.
