Dan Farthing

No biomass plant in Leith

2012-02-11T19:17:00.001Z

Like many other people living in Leith I'm delighted that the biomass plans have been withdrawn. The plant would have threaterned the huge progress Leith has made in recent years and especially its future as a leisure and residential centre.

When it comes right down to it the proposed plant was just too big. Notwithstanding the debate over how sustainable biomass is there seems little doubt that it still has a role to play in Scotland's energy mix. No form of energy production is consequence free. Substations, plyons and the concrete involved in construction mean that even the most sustainable generation has an impact on the environment and the communities living nearby. This is one of the reasons energy conservation is so important. Smaller scale schemes are clearly much more appealing so why are the proposed schemes usually so large?

The truth of the matter is that larger scheme are more potentially profitable. The energy companies behind most schemes have a responsibility to their shareholders to invest their resources effectively. Developing new generation capacity is expensive and risky so we shouldn't be surprised that the schemes that come forward reflect that. That is why the Green Investment Bank being delivered by Lib Dems in Government is so important. Only when schemes can attract capital partly as a result of their sustainablity will small scale generation start to achieve the investment levels it needs.

Charles Kennedy Talks About Dan Farthing

2011-05-03T18:00:00.000+01:00

I first met Dan during the first Scottish Parliamentary Elections in 1999. We campaigned together to elect John Farquhar Munro. I was impressed by his hard work and dedication so asked him to join my leadership campaign. After that we worked together for over 5 years and got to know each other pretty well.

Dan is someone I trust implicitly. He has a fine political brain and is determined to use that talent to make politics work for people. I’ve been urging him to stand for election for years and I am delighted that he has finally taken my advice. I have no doubt that he would make an excellent MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith.

The Investing in Scotland’s Future Fund

2011-05-03T10:00:00.005+01:00

Our manifesto creates an Investing in Scotland’s Future Fund. We use the proceeds from moving Scottish Water to a public benefit corporation to fund five strands of work. Each will produce public benefit, jobs and economic growth for the long-term. Most will provide a tangible income stream for government.

Early Intervention Revolution
By allocating £250 million from our Investing in Scotland’s Future Fund to an Early Intervention Revolution we have the chance to turn around the way government views the world. Through early intervention we will support positive, preventative work that generates good economic and social results rather than paying out for poor outcomes – crime, educational under-achievement, social injustice.

Most of our funding will go to early years work. A child from a poorer background is two years behind their richer classmates by the age of seven. They never catch up. Research has shown that early intervention with very young children can stop that gap developing. Interventions with children and their parents can transform their life chances.

Overall, spending a pound on early intervention can generate savings of between three and eleven pounds in the future. The details are in the Early Intervention Revolution plan.

There are new models of funding being pioneered around the UK. Outcome-dependent funding, sometimes using innovations such as social impact bonds, is one. Under this, a voluntary sector partner or social enterprise will take on a project and get rewarded for success. This payment could even be related to the savings to the public purse from their success.

We will use a minority part of our Early Intervention Revolution to support projects dealing with early intervention on alcohol, drugs, obesity and crime.

Overall, we estimate a public benefit of at least £2 billion from this investment but we are not banking any of that money in our manifesto costings. We want to use it to continue to support early intervention work.

The Scottish Government’s financial modelling of short term savings from investing in early years/early interventions from pre-birth to aged five suggests that there are potential net savings of up to £37.4k per annum per child in severe cases and of approximately £5.1k per annum for a child with moderate difficulties in the first five years of life. They estimate that medium term annual savings of £131 million can come if all of the interventions are successful.

Digital economy

By allocating £250 million to our Digital Economy strand we will be able to pay for the installation of super-fast broadband across Scotland.

Currently we are lagging five or ten years behind other countries. The Royal Society of Edinburgh have produced a comprehensive blueprint for bringing super-fast broadband to every community at a cost of £100 million. BT estimate that taking the cables the final mile to every home could cost a total of £200 million, well within our budget.

This system will be good for 30 years. The RSE report estimated that if the money was borrowed then it could easily be paid back inside 15 years with a further 15 years operating life remaining.

Our proposal identifies the lump sum needed for investment.

The RSE estimates that an industry levy of around £25 per annum per subscriber would generate £25m per annum for the Government. In addition the RSE estimates that the public sector currently spends between £53m and £200m annually on networking charges. This would be dramatically reduced under our plans. The public sector spends £30m on telephony every year. This would largely be eliminated under our plans. The International Telecommunications Union estimates that cost savings from just four areas (health, education, energy and transport) will generate savings of £25m per annum.

Added together, it would be reasonable to expect savings of up to £150m per annum from our plans. We have indicated £50m savings by 2014-15 in our costings.

The Royal Society of Edinburgh recommend the establishment of a non-profit distributing Digital Scotland Trust to take forward the investment.

Science Nation

A science boffin

By allocating £250m to our Science Nation strand we will be able to support world-leading research. Most will go to Scottish universities to invest in collaborations with business on scientific research. If business co-invests in this plan then that will generate up to £500m for Scottish universities.
Proportionately to our size, Scottish scientific research is the most cited in the world. We have a good base to secure world-leading research.

The allocation of this resource is part of our reform package for higher education which will avoid the need for tuition fees or a graduate contribution. The additional sum of £250m is roughly equivalent to the level of research and knowledge exchange funding provided annually by the Scottish Funding Council. So it is a significant investment

A part of the strand will be devoted to our plans to support renewable energy research, life sciences and to encourage more women scientists.

Energy Saving
Scottish local authorities spend £100 million every year on energy. Our 2003 manifesto included a fund to help them save money. An interim evaluation made recommendations about how to extend the benefits of the fund. The report concluded that the payback period for energy saving projects is 3.2 years. We are proposing to allocate around £60 million to further public sector projects, including projects wider than just local government and also to projects that support energy generation. This will provide at least the annual savings of £20 million that appear in the Costings section of our manifesto.

The remainder of the fund will be allocated to support households and businesses save energy. Part of this will be repaid through savings in bills (as with the UK Government’s Green Deal) and part will be to provide support and direct help to whole communities, rented housing. There will be a further long-term income stream to the Scottish Government from this plan. It is likely that this funding could support 200,000 homes and businesses.

Finance Scotland

The Finance Scotland strand of funding from the Investing in Scotland’s Future Fund will have two main outcomes. It will support the national finance products currently run by Scottish Enterprise. But the bulk of its work will be providing finance to Regional Development Banks. These regional organisations will get money to companies who need loans to grow but have been let down by their commercial banks. A recent report by think-tank the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA) has shown that high growth companies have found it harder to get credit from banks in recent years even though they have a lower failure rate than other businesses.

In effect, our reforms to Scottish Water and the creation of the Investing in Scotland’s Future Fund will allow private investors - such as pension funds - to take the easy route to invest in the debts of the safe Scottish Water and allow the Scottish Government to use part of the proceeds to invest in the new and high-growth companies that struggle to get finance. These are the companies that are going to create the wealth, growth and jobs in the future. Yet they have been let down by their greedy, commercial banks. We will get them the money.

We estimate that our Regional Development Banks will be able to lend out £500m in their early years of operation. At a cautiously assumed rate of repayment of 5% that generates income of £25m per annum as shown in our manifesto Costings chapter.

Police Community Engagement

2011-05-02T18:07:00.000+01:00

We will give local communities a right to hear from their local police and to influence the policing of their areas, requiring police forces to produce comprehensive community engagement plans. We will give local people access to regular updates on crime in their community and the action being taken to tackle it, working with forces to publish online beat level crime statistics.

Liberal Democrats want to help the police and communities work together to cut crime. Effective local policing is vital if we are to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour and make people feel safer in their communities.

There are examples of good community engagement work happening at the moment. For example Fife Constabulary rolled out a new community engagement model last year. Each local area has a dedicated community officer(s) and its own web page which:
• Provides information about the dedicated community officer(s) – including a picture
• Lists three policing priorities for the area. These are decided by the public and the police and tend to be fairly specific e.g. dog fouling on Hill Street, Ladybank.
• Gives a detailed progress update for each priority, stating what is being done locally to address these. Once these issues have been successfully addressed, new priorities are agreed.
• Gives details of community ‘beat’ meetings – these occur every 2 months.

While some other forces have developed community policing models, Fife Constabulary is the only force with dedicated beat meetings where local people can have their say on local priorities. We believe that communities across Scotland should be able to hear from the police and influence local policing priorities in this way.

As part of our new Police Act, we will require police forces to produce comprehensive community engagement plans outlining how forces will engage with local people to determine policing priorities for their area. We will expect these plans to be detailed in terms of engaging with smaller communities, as opposed to larger regions, in order to allow truly local priorities to be decided. Local people will have a right to hear regular, detailed updates on progress towards addressing these priorities and to engage with local officers through ‘beat’ style meetings.

We also want forces to ensure that information about local priorities and details of beat meetings is readily available e.g. in a prominent position on the force’s website.

We will also work with police forces to publish online beat level crime statistics so that local people can access regular updates on crime in their community and action being taken to tackle it.

Energy Efficiency Apprenticeships

2011-05-02T08:58:00.000+01:00

We will, through Scotland’s colleges, support a new generation of apprentices to become experts in installing insulation and energy-efficient systems in home and business premises.

As Scotland moves to increase its levels of energy efficiency across both the domestic and non-domestic properties, there will be an increasing need for a workforce skilled in fitting energy saving measures and systems to undertake the relevant work.

To put this into perspective, it is estimated that the investment in energy efficiency interventions required to meet Scotland’s ambitious climate change targets could directly support around 10,000 jobs in Scotland (mostly in retrofitting existing properties), with additional employment likely to come about from associated manufacturing, operational, maintenance and management activities.

If Scotland is to benefit from drive to use energy more efficiently – both environmentally and economically - then it is vital that we have a work force and supply chain that is capable translating this ambition into action.

We will work with colleges across Scotland - and the energy efficiency sector and Regional Development Banks - to support and deliver a new generation of apprentices which are equipped with the skills to take advantage of the increase in demand for energy saving technologies. This will be good for the economy (as it will result in jobs for Scottish workers in an emerging and growing sector), good for the environment (as the installation of such technologies reduce emissions levels), and good for households (as fuel bills are also reduced).

It is estimate that, to meet our climate change requirements, enough energy efficiency measures would be required to employ 10,000 people.

Saving Post Offices

2011-05-01T17:26:00.004+01:00

A key Lib Dem achievement in the Coalition has been securing the future of Britain’s post office network.

Business Secretary, Vince Cable, working with Postal Affairs Minister, Edward Davey, and Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, secured funding of £1.34 billion for Britain’s post offices and a Government commitment that there will be no programme of post office closures under this Coalition.

This is a major boost to the network, after years of cuts under Labour, who closed over 7,000 post offices.

“This huge investment gives us the chance to do what successive Governments have failed to do - make the Post Office fit for purpose for local communities, in the age of email and the internet,” said Edward Davey.

“Rather than wasting taxpayers money on closing post offices like Labour did, we will be investing to cut queues and facilitate longer opening hours. We want the Post Office to be the “Front Office for Government”, offering more services, not less.”

No New Nuclear Capacity

2011-05-01T08:58:00.000+01:00

The Lib Dems will continue to oppose the construction of new nuclear power plants in Scotland.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats do not support new nuclear capacity in Scotland. We are adamant that we do not need the cost, the risk or the waste associated with these plants – all of which are considerable. The benefits of nuclear power are outweighed by the costs many times over. Indeed, as shown recently by the tragic events in Japan, although nuclear energy has a reasonably positive safety record, unexpected events can happen, and when nuclear power generation goes wrong, it can have catastrophic consequences.

We don’t need nuclear power. As a country we have one of the most abundant sources of renewable energy in Europe (if not the world). Indeed, it is estimated that we have 25% of Europe’s off-shore wind and tidal power, and 10% of its wave power. As research into this area has shown, we are more than capable of meeting 100% of Scotland’s electricity demand and securing a reliable peak demand supply with renewable energy alone. Indeed, it has also been estimated that Scotland’s renewable electricity resources stand at more than 60 gigawatts, ten times Scotland's peak electricity consumption. Against this backdrop, there is no need for new nuclear power.

Nuclear power would be bad for Scotland. Aside from the obvious environmental advantages, the renewables and green energy sector has the potential to provide considerable economic benefits to Scotland if we nurture it. Domestically, it has been estimated that the industry could offer up to 26,000 jobs, and at an international level, if Scotland can maintain its leadership in areas such as marine renewables, the sector could be worth billions with regards to the exporting of knowledge and expertise. To invest in a new generation of nuclear power plants would be tantamount to throwing this lead away (as happened 30 years ago with wind power).

In government, we will set out a high-level policy statement – similar to the current National Planning Framework – which sets out our opposition to nuclear power in Scotland, sending a clear message to developers that this is not an approach we support.

Where necessary, we will use the current planning powers held by Scottish Ministers to ensure that no new nuclear power plants are built in Scotland. Under these regulations – based on Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 - the Scottish Government has the final say on whether any new power stations are built in Scotland, and we are prepared to ‘veto’ any proposed applications.

Fairer Votes: Rebutting the No Campaign’s untruths and exaggerations about AV

2011-04-29T16:52:00.001+01:00

On 5 May, voters will not only be electing MSPs, but they will also have an opportunity to vote for a new system to elect MPs to the Parliament in London.

I'm urging people to vote YES in that referendum, as I believe the current First Past The Post system is unfair, and we need to change it. You can read more about the campaign here.

Over the past few weeks, the 'no' campaign, which has a number of wealthy donors, has been issuing a lot of literature and mis-information about the AV system. I want to address some of these untruths below;

The defenders of the current system don’t want you to know what the change to AV really means, and will say anything to stop giving voters more of a say, and defending the old ‘jobs for life’ culture at Westminster.

In other words, they will say anything to defend a system that means:
• MPs can win seats with only 1 in 3 voters voting for them;
• MPs can have safe seats for life even though the majority of their constituents haven’t voted forthem;
• MPs don’t have to reach out to secure over 50% of the vote in their constituencies.

But the truth is that the AV system is a small change that will make a big difference – making MPs work
harder to get and stay elected, and giving you more of a say. No wonder the old political establishment will say anything to stop it happening, so let's separate the fact from the fiction;

Myth 1) AV will cost us £250 million
The only piece of equipment you need to vote with AV is a pencil.

The No camp’s sums, like their arguments, simply don’t add up. Electronic counting machines aren’t an
issue in this referendum. This has been confirmed by the Electoral Commission. Australia has hand counted its elections for 8 decades. The £130 million of make-believe machines don’t exist in Australia and won’t exist in the UK.

AV will keep what is best about our current system – the link between an MP serving their local constituency – but strengthens it by making MPs work harder to get elected and giving voters more of a say. Short on arguments the No campaign are trying to claim we can’t afford change. After the expenses crisis we can’t afford not to.

Myth 2) AV is too confusing
Few people would be confused by this. Voters put a ‘1’ by their first choice, a ‘2’ by their second choice, a ‘3’ by their third choice and so on. The logic’s familiar enough to anyone who’s ever asked a friend to pop down to the shops for a coke and said, “If they’re out of that I’ll have a lemonade.”

Some people have a very low estimation of the British public.

Myth 3) AV helps the BNP
The BNP have already called on their supporters to back a ‘No’ vote. Currently because MPs can get elected with support from less than 1 in 3 voters, there is always a risk that extremist parties can get in. The BNP have learnt this lesson, and have used it to scrape wins in town halls across Britain.

With AV, no one can get elected unless most people back them. Therefore the risk of extremist parties getting in by the back door is eliminated.

Myth 4) No one uses AV
AV is a tried and tested system. In Britain millions of people in businesses, charities, and trade unions already use it. Political parties use it to elect their leaders. MPs themselves use it to elect the Speaker of the House of Commons, and their officials.

When politicians are the voters – when they are electing their own leaders – AV is the system they choose. When you need a real winner who needs to speak for the majority AV is the go-to system.

Myth 5) AV means some people get two votes
No. With AV everyone gets one vote. The difference is that AV gives you a vote that really counts and more of a say on who your local MP is. If your first choice gets knocked out your vote is transferred to your second preference.

Whether you just vote 1 for your favourite candidate or list a preference for every candidate on the ballot only one vote will be counted. If you go to the chip shop, and order cod and chips but they are out of cod, and you choose pie and chips instead, you have still only had one meal.

Myth 6) AV means more hung parliaments
No. Hung parliaments are no more likely with AV. And as you might have noticed First Past The Post has not given Britain any special immunity to hung parliaments.

Britain has experienced hung parliaments in the 1920s, 1970s and in 2010, and had periods in the 1950s, 1960s and 1990s where a single party was unable to effectively govern alone. Canada, which uses First Past the Post, has permanent hung parliaments. Australia uses AV, and has recently returned its first hung parliament in 38 elections.

Hung parliaments occur if enough voters support a third party. AV gives voters a greater say over candidates in their constituency. How they vote is up to them.

Myth 7) AV means more tactical voting
No. AV simply eliminates the need for it. Why should we have to abandon the party we actually support, to prevent the party we least support getting in? The dilemma facing millions of voters is often characterised as the choice between “voting with your head or your heart”. AV allows people to do both.

AV offers an honest vote. It gives everyone a chance to vote sincerely for the candidates they really want knowing their vote can go further.

Myth 8) AV weakens the constituency link
No. AV keeps the link and makes it stronger. Politicians like to talk about their constituency link. And a lot of them seem to enjoy it a lot more than the voters.

Many of our MPs currently have a pretty dodgy link to their constituents. Barely a third of MPs can speak for the majority of their voters. AV strengthens the link by giving people the MPs they actually voted for.

AV forces complacent MPs to take heed of the interests of their constituents because their jobs depend on it.

Myth 9) AV forces you to give a second preference
No. You can vote for as few or as many candidates as you like. AV gives you the freedom to vote sincerely for any number of candidates you feel are up to the job.

You aren’t forced to vote for any candidate you don’t want. If you only want to support one candidate you can.

Just mark an ‘X’ as you did before.

Myth 10) AV means you end up with the least worst candidate
No. First Past the Post just lets in winners that most of voters didn’t want. AV ensures a winning candidate has to work harder and go further to secure support from a majority. That’s what’s needed to be ‘best’, and may explain why politicians are so keen on AV when electing their own.

Myth 11) But First Past the Post is a British tradition.
Our parliament is not a museum. There has always been evolution in our politics, and today AV is the logical next step - an ‘upgrade’ to First Past the Post.

Votes for women, votes for working people, and the secret ballot were all innovations once, and met with opposition. These changes didn’t rip up the rule book, but they were necessary to improve the way we do politics.

Voters aren’t looking for a revolution. They’re looking for a simple change that preserves and improves on
what’s come before.

For more information visit the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign here.

Edinburgh's City Budget

2011-04-29T09:25:00.000+01:00

Edinburgh’s Liberal Democrat Councillors have agreed the city’s budget for 2011-14, prioritising the investment in children and the vulnerable, support of the city’s economic development and the protection of frontline services.

Culture, Sport & Leisure
The Lib Dem led city council has undertaken a large number of improvements to local services across the city including the Saughton Skatepark, refurbishment of Glenogle Swim Centre, and a new pitch at Lochend. Lib Dems have also invested in Meadowbank Stadium, and the refurbishments of the Royal Commonwealth Pool and the Assembly Rooms.

Safe, Affordable Homes
The quality of Council housing will be improved, with £40.5 million being spent on 1500 new kitchens and bathrooms, 850 homes with improved heating, and double glazing installed in 450 houses across the city. The £150 million 21st Century Homes programme will build 1200 homes for sale and rent - the first Council homes to be built in Edinburgh for a generation.

Investing in Children
The Council will provide additional funding of £7 million. £4 million will be allocated for vulnerable children, £500,000 to implement class sizes of 18 for P1-3 in deprived communities, £2 million for increasing school rolls & £250,000 for text books, computers and supplies.

Elderly & Vulnerable
£8.4 million will be provided for people with learning and physical disabilities, as will an additional £5.5 million for older people.

College Bursaries Restored

2011-04-18T09:48:00.000+01:00

The Lib Dems have won a serious and important boost for Scottish education having successfully secured more support for colleges and students in the Scottish budget.

Dan Farthing, local Lib Dem candidate in the Scottish elections said, “We made a powerful case to the Scottish Government to increase college funding. Thanks to our work, more than a thousand extra college places will be offered this year.”

The Lib Dems also successfully argued to restore college bursaries, which had been cut by the SNP Government. Thousands of students had faced the prospect of having to abandon their college courses, but will now be able to continue their education.

Minimum Wage INCREASED

2011-04-16T21:01:00.000+01:00

The Liberal Democrats in Government at Westminster have RAISED the minimum wage to £5.93 per hour. Younger workers will benefit as the minimum wages for under 18s and under 21s will rise. For the first time 21 year olds will receive the adult rate and a minimum wage will be introduced for apprentices under 19 years old.

Supporting Business in Edinburgh

2011-04-15T22:11:00.000+01:00

Dan visits Edinburgh businesswoman and Lib Dem Councillor Joanna Coleman

Dan recently visited Edinburgh Lib Dem Councillor, Joanna Coleman who has recently opened a bakery and cafe in the city.

Pledging his support for small businesses, Dan said, "It is important that we make full use of the smaller retailers in Edinburgh who often provide goods and services which can be hard to find elsewhere. But much more than that, they offer a lot to the community, helping to attract more visitors and regenerate areas. It's businesses such as this which help to make Edinburgh the special place that it is"

Volunteering

2011-04-04T21:53:00.000+01:00

Dan and the team would like to thank everyone who turned out last weekend to help stuff envelopes. We filled over 15,000 envelopes at the weekend, and also welcomed our Dutch exchange students to the campaign.

This weekend we'll be doing the same, stuffing another 15,000 envelopes which will be sent out across Northern and Leith in the next few weeks. If you can manage to spare us some time on Saturday or Sunday, the Gayfield office will be open between 10 and 5.

Volunteering

2011-03-28T09:02:00.001+01:00

Dan's campaign for Edinburgh Northern & Leith is now in full swing and we're looking for volunteers to help with canvassing, admin work and leaflet delivering.

If you're able to spare some time to help with Dan's campaign, then come along to the campaign office at 4B Gayfield Place, which is accessible from Gayfield Place Lane, next to Gayfield Square. The office is at the top of the Lane and easily accessed from the steps next to Hi Fi Corner at the top of Leith Walk.

The office will be at the following times, up until Polling Day, 5th May;

Monday, Wednesday, Friday evenings, 17:30 - 21:00
Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 - 17:00

Polski Dan

2011-03-21T08:06:00.000Z

Naleze do Partii Liberalnych Demokratow i kandyduje do Szkockiego Parlamentu z listy Edinburgh Northern & Leith. Obecnie pracuje dla organizacji charytatywnej reprezentujacej ludzi dotknietych chorobami wymagajacymi dlugookresowej opieki. Mieszkam w dzielnicy Leith Links nalezacej do okregu wyborczego Edinburgh Northern & Leith, a do pracy dojezdzam codziennie rowerem.

Polityczne doswiadczenie zdobylem u boku Charlesa Kennedy-ego w czasie kiedy byl on przewodniczacym partii w okregu wyborczym Highland. Pracowalem takze dla burmistrza w radzie miasta Watford.

Wszystkich Polakow zyjacych w Szkocji, chcialbym zachecic do wziecia udzialu w nadchodzacych wyborach. A oto powody dla ktorych warto zaglosowac na mnie:

mieszkam w okregu wyborczym i rozumiem obywateli mieszkajacych tutaj
bede energicznym i zywo zaangazowany MSP w zycie spolecznosci Edinburgh Northern & Leith, Laburzysci wygrywali w tym obszarze zbyt dlugo i nadszedl czas aby zmienic sposob myslenia i zaczac wprowadzac nowe idee
jestem czlonkiem lokalnej grupy Liberalnych Demokratow skladajacej sie z radnych, czlonkow sztabu wyborczego oraz wolontariuszy ktorzy wszyscy razem pracuja aby ulepszyc zycie mieszkancow Edynburga

Program polityczny

Aby dowiedziec sie wiecej na temat tego jakie przekonania ma Dan i tego czy sie z nimi zgadzasz badz nie skontaktuj sie z nim poprzez maila: Contact Dan!

Rynek pracy
Banki powinny znow zaczac udzielac pozyczek lokalnym przedsiebiorcom. Szkocki rzad musi sprawdzic wszystkie przepisy aby upewnic sie ze sa one odpowiednie i aktualne po to aby nie nakladac dodatkowego ciezaru na przedsiebiorstwa, ktore potrzebujemy aby tworzyly miejsca pracy dla ludzi zyjacych w lokalnej spolecznosci.

Zmiany klimatyczne
Zmiany klimatyczne pozostaja zagrozeniem bezwzgledu na stan finansow publicznych. Szkocki parlament powinien odwaznie i ambitnie kontynuowac polityke redukcji emisji dwutlenku wegla oraz aktywnie promowac nowe zrodla energii odnawialnej. Prawdziwe inwestycje w nowe zrodla energii odnawialnej przyczynilyby sie takze do powstania nowych miejsc pracy w okolicach Leith.

Srodki komunikacji miejskiej
Gleboka zmiana powinna nastapic w sposobie w jaki podchodzimy do srodkow komunikacji miejskiej. Powinnismy sprawic, aby staly sie one bardziej atrakcyjne dla osob rezygnujacych z uzywania samochodow. Mieszkancow powinno stac na korzystanie z rowerow a takze z bardziej wiarygodnych i rzetelnych form komunikacji ktorymi powinny byc autobusy, tramwaje i pociagi.

Sluzba zdrowia
Dzieki rzetelnym informacja i wlasciwemu wsparciu ludzie powinni wziac odpowiedzialnosc za wlasne zdrowie. Przeciwdzialanie otylosci, zrezygnowanie z palenia papierosow i picia alkoholu w nadmiernych ilosciach, a takze zredukowanie liczby przestepstw powodowanych pod wplywem alkoholu moga byc osiagniete tylko dzieki wspolnej pracy z lokalna spolecznoscia niz poucznie jej.

Edukacja
Dyrektorzy szkol i nauczyciele sa juz wysoce zmotywowana grupa do tego aby nauczac nasze dzieci na jak najwyzszym poziomie. Rola szkockiego rzadu jest to aby zapewnic nauczycielom odpowiednie srodki i wolnosc w celu poprawienia standardow nauczanie. Rzad powinien powstrzymac sie od pokusy dyktowania tego co powinno byc nauczane w klasach.

Wymiar sprawiedliwosci
Nadszedl czas aby skonczyc z bezsensowna rywalizacja pomiedzy partiami, ktore probuja tylko pokazac ze robia cos w sprawie zmniejszenia przestepczosci. Wyroki powinny zapadac pod wplywem dowodow na to, ze ludzie nie popelniaja ponownie przestepstw po zakonczeniu kary.

Koalicja
Poprzez przygotowanie sie do koalicji z partia Konserwatystow, Liberalni Demokraci udowadniaja ze taka polityka moze dzialac oraz utworzyc stabilny rzad. Nalezy podjac trudne decyzje aby naprawic nadwyrezone finanse publiczne. Do tej pory pozyczalismy £1 na kazdy £4 ktore wydawalismy - tak dluzej juz byc nie moze.

Aby dowiedziec sie wiecej odwiedz:
• Jaki jest program polityczny Liberalnych Demokratow
• Koalicyjne umowy
• Przewodnik po ustawach Szkockiej Partii Liberalnych Demokratow

Biomass plant application should be declined

2011-03-19T16:38:00.005Z

As many local people know the 11th of March was the deadline for the first consultation on the proposed biomass plant in Leith. Although another round of consultation will be triggered when SEPA or SNH respond to the application I thought it was important to get a submission in straight away.

I'm very grateful to everyone who took the time to complete the Liberal Democrat Online Survey. We had a great response and it really helped focus my ideas for the submission.

I know many local people will be interested in the details of my submission so I have copied it below.

BIOMASS SUBMISSION

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am writing to express strong opposition to the proposed Leith biomass plant development on the grounds that it is too large to be appropriate. The proposed biomass plant would dominate the Leith area, fundamentally changing its character. Although the production of heat and electricity through biomass may have a role to play in Scotland’s energy mix, it is clear that smaller schemes attached to specific communities or developments would bring greater benefits with lesser negative impact.

Local opinion is strongly against the proposed biomass plant. This is evidenced by the online survey I conducted as the Edinburgh Northern and Leith Scottish Parliamentary Candidate for the Liberal Democrats (Appendix 1). It is fundamental to our democracy that the opinions of local citizens are given due weight when decisions of this nature are taken. This is especially true when, as is the case with this proposal, the outcome will alter the economy and development prospects of the affected communities.

Although it is my unequivocal position that the biomass plant application should be declined, I am concerned that the legislation governing the assessment of the application does not empower local people to resist it. The final decision may have little regard to the views of local people. If a plant is foisted on Leith then consent restrictions must, as far as possible, limit the negative impact of the proposed development. The remainder of this submission will therefore focus on the principal objections to the scheme, and suggest ways in which the proposal or planning consents might be altered to reflect them.

Size and Visual Impact Development
Modern Leith hosts a vibrant mix of shops, bars, restaurants and residential areas. Given that it is not a primarily industrial area, the proposed biomass site is simply too large. It is close to residential areas and would tower over existing structures. If constructed, the plant would become a dominant landmark, not only for Leith but also for the entire north and east of the city. If a scheme is permitted, then the highest possible standards of design must be applied. These should be suitable for a residential area; industrial design specifications would be highly inappropriate. Current artists’ impressions suggest a design quality unsuitable for an ancient capital city with a world heritage site at its heart.

Carbon Capture
If a scheme is granted permission against the wishes of local people, then the consent should require carbon capture to be fitted or retrofitted to the development as soon as the appropriate technology is commercially available. This would provide an additional market incentive to companies developing carbon capture technology.

Heat Network
Without a distribution network, it is not reasonable to consider the heat generation aspect as part of this application. As things stand, there is no funding in place to build the network and no guarantee that planning permission would be granted to construct it. The argument that the proposed plant should be considered in the context of Scotland’s heat targets is therefore erroneous.

Sustainability of Supply
It is fundamental to the environmental case for a biomass plant that the wood chips used to fuel it come from sustainable sources. While the developers have stated that this would be their intention, local people will not be reassured unless this becomes an enforceable obligation. If the plant is constructed against the wishes of local people, then its continued operation should be dependent on maintaining a sustainable fuel mix. The subsidies or incentives associated with the production of renewable power should be recouped, and the right to operate withdrawn, if a non-sustainable fuel source is used.

Connection to the National Grid
It is understandable that this application does not include detail of how the plant will be connect to the grid as this is the responsibility of a third party. However, when weighing up the impact on Leith and the north of Edinburgh, consideration must be given to any pylon lines or additional sub-stations that will be required to link the plant to the National Grid. These secondary constructions could exacerbate the negative impact of the plant.

Decommissioning
Any consent must include an obligation on the developer to completely remove the plant at the end of its declared life cycle. The land must be returned to a condition suitable for the construction of the urban villages contained within the master plan for the future of the port.

Emissions and public health
Even if the proposed plant would not decrease air-quality to the point that it would breach EU regulations, there would undoubtedly be a detrimental impact on air quality both from the plant itself and from the additional traffic it would produce. In addition to the proposed monitoring, any planning consent should be conditional on the progressive reduction in potentially harmful gases and particles that the plant and traffic will emit. The continued operation of any plant should be contingent on year-on-year improvements in this area.

Traffic
Much local opposition has focused on the number of truck movements and their frequency. I support the arguments in favour of limiting the number of movements, and I would add that there is a strong case for limiting the number of hours each day during which these movements can be made. Truck movements must not be permitted outside school opening hours or during the school lunch break. This would keep the trucks off the roads when children where most likely to be mixing with the traffic and would prevent the trucks adding to the peak hours of road traffic at rush hour and over lunch. Given the destructive impact that heavy trucks would have on the roads of Edinburgh and Leith, the developer should also be required to pay for the additional costs the City of Edinburgh Council will incur in maintaining them.

Again let me reiterate my position that this scheme should not be permitted and urge you to reject it at the earliest possible opportunity.

With best wishes,

Yours faithfully,

Dan Farthing
Scottish Parliamentary Candidate
Edinburgh Northern and Leith
Scottish Liberal Democrats
www.danfarthing.org.uk

APPENDIX 1
RESULTS OF LIBERAL DEMOCRAT ONLINE SURVEY

In seeking to gather the views of local residents to inform this submission, I conducted an online survey. A leaflet was delivered to over 30,000 homes in the north of Edinburgh and Leith encouraging people to take part in the formal consultation and to complete the Liberal Democrat Online Survey.

This methodology means that the results are not statistically verifiable but I believe they do offer an insight into local attitudes to the proposed development.

90.9% of those who responded to the Liberal Democrat online survey were against the proposed Biomass Plant in Leith. 6.8% were in favour while just 2.3% are undecided.

We asked people on a range of issue whether they thought the proposed plant would have a positive or negative impact on Leith. The most popular response for all issues was ‘very negative’ with the exception being creating local jobs where ‘no effect’ was the most popular.
The following table was created by adding the ‘very positive’ and ‘positive’ scores together and deducting the combined ‘very negative’ and ‘negative’ scores.

Issue Positive or negative score
Perceptions of Leith -90.7%
Traffic -90.7%
The Leith Skyline -88.6%
Air Quality -88.1%
Regenerating Leith -79.5%
Attracting new businesses to Leith -60.5%
Tacking Climate Change -53.6%
Creating Local Jobs -0.4%

These results highlight local residents’ fears about the visual and reputational impact on Leith. There is also significant concern about the impact on air quality, followed by concerns about the local economy.

It is particularly significant that those proposing the scheme have been unable to convince local people that the plant would be have a positive impact on efforts to combat climate change. Opinion is neutral regarding whether or not local jobs would be created. This suggests that local residents believe that the disadvantages of the biomass plant would far outweigh any benefits.

The Liberal Democrat online survey asked local people to give their opinions about how Leith should develop. The responses are revealing about the willingness of people in Leith to accept industrial development as long as it is appropriate. The vast majority of local residents believes that Leith’s future lies in promoting mixed development. The following table shows the percentage of support for three statements about the future of Leith.

Statement Percentage of support
The Port in Leith doesn’t have a future as an industrial area. 18.6%
With the right development, Leith can continue to promote itself for retail, leisure, residential and industrial uses. 79.1%
Leith has a future as an industrial area and port. 2.3%

We also asked local residents what forms of development were most appropriate for Leith to achieve their vision for the future. The table below shows the results in order of preference.

Preference Development
1 Bars & Restaurants
1 Shops & Leisure Attractions
3 Flats & Houses
4 Offices & Financial
5 Research & Development
6 Port Expansion
7 Building Wave & Wind Power Generators
8 Manufacturing & Industry

The Lib Dems Deliver

2011-03-06T15:36:00.001Z

The first nine months of the UK government has seen Lib Dem promises delivered as the Lib Dem manifesto becomes government policy.
The Lib Dems are delivering real reforms that will improve people lives.
Fairer Taxes
· 900,000 of the lowest earners no longer pay tax
· Increasing Capital Gains Tax to 28% for the highest earners

Fair Politics
· A referendum on the Alternative Vote system & fixed term parliaments
· Reforming political party funding
· Reforming the House of Lords

Green Economy
· Creating a Green Investment Bank
· Replacing Air Passenger Duty with a per-plane duty

Older People
· Restoring link between pensions and earnings
· £140 per week flat rate pension to be announced soon
· Increasing the Winter Fuel Allowance
· £400m for carers’ respite care

Banking
· Raising £2.5bn per year via a banking levy
· Reforms to get banks lending to businesses again

Civil Liberties
· Abolition of ID card
· Outlawing finger-printing of children without permission
· Moving to end detention of children in immigration

Safer Streets

2011-03-01T22:57:00.000Z

Edinburgh’s Lib Dem led council has been working with Lothian and Borders Police to introduce Safer neighbourhood Teams. The newly formed teams comprise of community police officers, local and national government funded officer, who’ll work with the Council Community Safety teams.

The new teams are getting to know their local communities and the issues facing residents. Dedicated, local meetings will be open to residents to discuss these issues with the Teams, and be able to have a say in how crime in their community is dealt with.

Not only have the Safer neighbourhood Teams been working with local communities, but they’ve been visiting local schools and attending community meetings where they’ve been building relationships and finding out what the issues are that matter to people.

Dan welcomes the new teams, believing that the new strategy, by the police and Lib Dem Council is not only a move towards stronger relationships with communities, but also demonstrates the commitment the Council has to improving the quality of life in Edinburgh.

Amnesty Pledge

2011-02-17T12:55:00.007Z

I was happy to be able to sign the Amnesty Pledge for the Scottish Parliamentary election today.

Amnesty have produced a website so that you can see whether or not your local candidates have signed up to the pledge.
I was particularly pleased to see the campaign against the routine issuing of Tasers to police included. The use of firearms by specialist officers has been extremely successful and I see no reason why we shouldn't take the same approach with these new weapon.

The pledge covers a wide range of issues including:

Domestic Abuse of those in the immigration system
Better education about Human Rights
Stopping people trafficking
Against he routine issuing of Tasers to police officers
Gypsy Traveller rights
Equal opportunities
Including human rights in international engagement work

You can find out more about the pledge at www.amnesty.org.uk/scotland

Edinburgh has a good claim to be the home of new Green Investment Bank

2011-01-16T16:51:00.002Z

I was pleased to hear Lib Dem Minister, The RT Hon Chris Huhme MP, say that Edinburgh has a 'very special advantage' in the running to become the home of the new Green Investment Bank.

The new bank is key to the coalition Government's plan to increase investment in green technology and create new jobs. The possibility that the bank would be based in Edinburgh could make it even more likely that Leith could capitalise on this opportunity to generate much needed new employment.

The SNP should withdraw the 'Princes Street Penalty'

2011-01-12T16:33:00.004Z

Jeremy Purvis MSP, the Scottish Lib Dem Finance spokesperson, has challenged the SNP on their retail tax dubbing it the 'Princes Street Penalty'. He is right to take a strong stand and to demand that the proposals are withdrawn.

We all know that Labour have left the UK public finances drained and that this has an impacting on the Scottish budget. However, the Scottish Parliament has a vital role to play in helping Scottish business to grow and create the jobs that we need in Edinburgh. Our aim should be to make Scotland as competative as possible. We must see business as a partner in achieving that and not some sort of cash cow.

ID Cards Scrapped

2011-01-12T11:45:00.000Z

Liberal Democrats have been campaigning against ID cards ever since Labour first proposed them. The Coalition Government formally scrapped the scheme on 21 December 2010.

Edinburgh Northern and Leith Lib Dem Campaigner, Dan Farthing said;

“ID cards would have been an expensive infringement of our rights – wasting money the country simply hasn’t got. £292 million has already been blown on the scheme. Scrapping them now will save £835 million. That is money which is now available for core priorities like paying back the national debt and protecting NHS budgets.”

Edinburgh Northern & Leith Gets a Lib Dem Candidate

2010-11-19T00:12:00.000Z

Dan Farthing has been nominated to lead the fight for the Lib Dems in the Scottish Parliament seat of Edinburgh Northern and Leith.

Dan, 33, has been an active member of the Liberal Democrats for almost 15 years. At the forefront of campaigning, Dan has previously worked for former Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy MP in his Highland constituency, and subsequently went on to work for the elected Lib Dem Mayor of Watford Borough Council.

Living in the Leith Links area of the Northern & Leith constituency, Dan works for a small, nation-wide charity which represents people affected by long-term health conditions. His interests outside of politics include cycling and playing squash, and he is a keen amateur photographer.

With a reputation as a hard working campaigner, and with extensive experience of fighting elections, Dan is determined to put the issues that matter to the people of Northern & Leith – including crime, health, education and the environment – at the forefront of his manifesto.

Commenting on his nomination Dan said, “Living locally, within the Edinburgh Northern & Leith constituency, I really do understand the concerns and issues that face local residents on a daily basis, and am determined to fight to improve things for everybody.

Labour has taken the people of Northern & Leith for granted for too long and it is now time for fresh ideas and new thinking. I am totally committed to winning this seat and become the best representative for those living in Northern & Leith, and along with our hard-working team of local Lib Dem councillors, campaigners and volunteers, I am determined that we will work together to improve life in Edinburgh for all.”