Midlothian Council wants to increase use of glyphosate

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Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp

Midlothian councillors are being asked to approve the use of a toxic weedkiller three months earlier than usual this year because of climate change.

Council officers say allowing them to start spot treatment with glyphosate in March instead of June will save them nearly £18,000 by allowing them to axe a seasonal gardener job needed to remove weeds by hand in the summer.

And they say that while they remain ‘committed’ to reducing the use of the toxin, introducing it early will mean an additional 300 litres of it are spread over the year.

Midlothian Council has reduced the amount of glyphosate used annual from 1,374 litres in 2019 to 570 litres last year.

They say even with the additional 300 litres it still remains far below the amount being used six years ago.

The council has restricted its use to spot application on the county’s streets and pavements with a continued reduction in use in parks and open spaces while it is also used for essential treatment of invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed and in areas where road safety requires it to ensure visibility.

Officers also work with local community groups who have taken over maintenance of open spaces in exchange for a ban on its use in their areas.

However a report to elected members later this month will ask for permission to extend the times of year it is used.

It says: “A major challenge for the Neighbourhood Environment Team in 2024 was the amount of weeds already in the road gutters and footpaths. This was due to the restrictions on the timing of the first application of glyphosate in Midlothian.

“In addition to this, the effects of climate change have seen an increase in the growing season to include March, October and even November, due to the longer periods of wet and warm weather which have now become the norm in the UK. This means that there is now a longer period during which weeds require treatment.”

The report also points to the addition of three new housing estates in the county as requiring more of the weedkiller as part of the reason for increasing the amount needed.

But it says introducing the weedkiller on the streets earlier in the year will help control growth and make it easier to maintain.

It says: “The application of glyphosate to target weed growth in March, rather than from June, would significantly improve the visual quality of the local environment and would result in resource savings, which would be reinvested in the Recycling and Greenspace service.”

North Bridge northbound to close for 6 weeks

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Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Luke Jackson

As part of ongoing refurbishment of North Bridge, there will be a northbound closure for six weeks from Monday 17th February.

During this period traffic will only be permitted to proceed southbound from Princes Street towards South Bridge.

The six-week closure is to undertake resurfacing on both the southbound approach to the bridge (both lanes outside Waverley Gate toward Princes Street) and the southbound departure of the bridge (both lanes from the entrance to the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton on North Bridge to the junction at High Street).

The wider work on North Bridge has included refurbishing the cast iron bridge facades, grit blasting and repainting structural steelwork, repairing and improving the footway paving and underdrainage amongst a host of other improvements.

The council are targeting the end of this year for the end of major repair works.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said:

“I appreciate this temporary closure will be frustrating for our residents and businesses. I want to thank them for their continued patience as we carry out these essential works.

“These works are part of the wider project to restore this crucial link between the north and south of the city – and of course preserve it for future generations.

“I’m conscious that this work is taking longer to complete than we had initially anticipated, but this is this a hugely complex project, with the historic nature of the bridge requiring painstaking and specialist work to restore it to its former glory.”

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Edinburgh Council services set to rise by around 5%

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Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan

Fees for services from cremations to car parking across Edinburgh are set to go up substantially, according to new plans set to be considered by city councillors.

A full list of all council services and their costs, has been included as part of the Labour administration’s budget proposals.

And they see almost all services rising by some amount, with most costs going up by around 5%, broadly seen as in line with inflation.

While many of the charges are ones that will have little impact on most residents, others will have huge implications for almost everyone living and working in the city.

These include proposals to again increase parking charge and parking permit costs, while the Labour group are proposing a council tax increase of 8% – with other parties suggesting the council tax increase should be as much as 10%.

Parking permits in the city are also set to go up, as are parking charges.

Resident permits could go up in price between 3% and 6% across the city, while visitor permits will increase as much as 17%.

Meanwhile, on-street parking rates could soar, with some places set for an increase of 15% – meaning some charges could be as high as £9 per hour.

Housing costs and homeless temporary accommodation charges are set to rise by up to 7%.

One of the few areas where prices could go down is are day care costs, with the cost for Jewel House set to fall 0.43% to £1639 per week, and the cost for Ferrylee to drop 1.65% to £1785 per week. However the cost at Marionville, Inchview, Royston, North Merhiston and Castlegreen will all increase, between 3% and 5.86%.

Community alarm costs will rise 5%, as will washing and drying charges in sheltered housing.

Residential stays at outdoor centres including Benmore and Lagganlia will increase by around 5%.

Colour photocopies at council libraries are set to go up a whopping 18% to 65p per page, while black and white printing will go up 20% to 30p a page.

Room hires at council venues across the city could also go up, with the charge to book the conservatory at Saughton Park going up 20% to £30/hour.

And at the City Chambers, the cost of hiring some of the complex’s biggest rooms will go up 11.76% on weekdays, up to £95 an hour or £600 a day, while hiring the Council Chamber will cost £1300 per day – a rise of 4%.

The cost of getting married will rise, with registrars fees are set to increase the cost of conducting a civil ceremony out-with the registrar office will cost £495 Monday to Friday (an increase of 4.21%), £650 on Saturday (an increase of 4.84%) and £675 of Sundays and public holidays – and increased of 5.47%.

And the cost of dying sadly also looks set to rise – budget proposals suggest increasing the price of an adult weekday cremation with a full service to £947, a 4.99% increase. One without a service would climb to £586, a 5.08% jump.

A Saturday cremation would climb to £1,121, a 4.96% increase, while a Sunday service will cost £1,237, a 5.01% increase.

Cremations for children will not carry a charge.

Burials, however, are set for even steeper increases, as the cost of a Sunday burial would climb to £2,042 – a 5.01% bump. A Saturday service would run slightly less, costing £1,838 – still a 5.03% jump.

A weekday interment would cost less, at £1,457 – an increase of 4.97%.

The most expensive funerary option would be a Sunday double interment, costing £2,816 – a climb of 5% exactly.

The Church Hill Theatre, Assembly Rooms, Ross Theatre and the Usher Hall are all set to see hire charges increase by around 5%. Standard hire of the Ross Bandstand for example, will go up 5.01% to £5135 per day.

And if you fancy going even bigger and hiring Princes Street Gardens for a large event, that will set you back £3,630 per day, an increase of 5.07%.

The costs for hiring room at venues such as the Museum of Edinburgh, the Writers Museum Lauriston Castle and the City Arts Centre are set to rise by around 5%, while chargers for taking private groups to museums are also set to rise.

Admission charges for the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill and the Scott Monument in Princes Street Garden are to rise by up to 9%. At the Nelson Monument, costs will be: Adult Admission Charge £7 (3.70%); Concession Admission £6 (9.09%) Child Admission Charge £6 (9.09%) Family ticket for two adults and two children (child 5-15 / no under 5’s permitted) £22 (4.76%);

And at the Scott Monument they will be: Adult Admission Charge £9 (5.88%); Concession Admission Charge £7 (7.69%); Child Admission Charge £7 (7.69%); Family ticket for two adults and two children (child 5-15 / no under 5’s permitted) £26 (4%)

Event charges at other city parks will also go up. For the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links, Calton Hill, Inverleith Park, Leith Links, Saughton Park and Lauriston