Council cuts NEN funding
Office to close and all three staff made redundant on 31 March
North Edinburgh News, the community newspaper that’s served this local community for 30 years, will close this month. The NEN’s Board of directors were forced to wind up the project following the the Council’s budget meeting on 10 February, when councillors voted not to fund community newspapers.
The decision to close the NEN has been met with anger and sadness across the North Edinburgh community (for comments see pages 9, 10, 11 and 12).
Statement from NEN Board of Directors
‘At its Budget meeting on Thursday 10 February the Council took a final decision to ‘disinvest’ in a number of community organisations, one of which was The North Edinburgh News. This decision means that we shall get no further funding and effectively forces the closure of the paper, with effect from 31 March 2011.
‘Following the introduction of Fairer Scotland Funding (FSF) over two years ago, the Board and staff re-organised in an attempt to meet the criteria for funding. This has been difficult as NEN is really an enabler rather than a deliverer. Nevertheless, we have developed a successful partnership with Telford College providing work experience and training for journalism students and provided a communication channel for many other voluntary community groups across North Edinburgh, helping them achieve their Edinburgh Outcomes and thereby deliver good value for the Council. The two local Neighbourhood Partnerships, which administered FSF, agreed to fund us on this basis. The change this year to a central distribution of funding meant that the local input was lost.
‘Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership, which includes councillors from the four largest parties and community reps, unanimously agreed, however, to recommend the continued support of NEN, albeit with an 8% cut in funding. We believe that we could have continued even with an 8% cut! Forth Neighbourhood Partnership also identified NEN’s value to the community, while recognising that we had difficulty meeting the particular set of criteria required for the funding. It should be noted, however, that at the Council meeting the SNP, Lib Dem and Tory councillors from Forth and Inverleith all voted for the officials' recommendations, which resulted in our cut in funding. You might wonder why the Neighbourhood Partnerships were asked for their views, if they were to be ignored.
‘The result is that after over 30 years your community newspaper, the voice of your community, will no longer be dropping through your letterbox each month, unless the cavalry come galloping over the hill! Over the past two years, as our funding was reduced, the Board has endeavoured to find ways of ensuring the NEN survives. Staff agreed to a cut in hours and pay in order for us to balance the books and we have been seeking alternative sources of funding and generating income through sponsorship and advertising. Ultimately, though, the grant-aid from the Council was our main source of income and crucial to our survival.
‘The Board well appreciate the financial constraints under which the Council has to operate. However it is a matter of priorities. Some organisations, many in North Edinburgh, have had their funding cut, while others have been saved. The recommendations of officials haven’t always been followed in this exercise and it’s not always been clear why. In the current financial year we received £43,000 from the two Neighbourhood Partnerships. A much more modest grant would have enabled us to survive (we asked for £35,000).
‘We are extremely grateful for the valuable support we have received from the local community and we will continue to follow up opportunities to re-launch your newspaper.
‘We have developed an online presence for NEN with a new blog, Facebook and Twitter profiles so we can at least keep the name of NEN going. The success of any new venture will depend on the willingness of local people to get involved, so keep in touch.
‘On the 30 March the NEN Board of Directors will hold an EGM/AGM at 2.30pm in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre where all these issues can be discussed. Everyone is welcome to attend and we hope to see you there.’
A grassroots community ‘Save the NEN’ campaign was also established in the run-up to the crucial budget meeting, with a petition (in local shops) as well as a Facebook campaign and petition attracting over 2000 signatures at the time of going to print. Crewe woman Anna Hutchison (pictured with Roberta Blaikie) organised the campaign and she and Roberta spoke in a deputation supporting the community newspaper on 10 February. She said: “We have met with Granton Community Council and are contacting other community councils to seek their support for NEN. We also plan to hold a public meeting at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre on March 17 and, when this is confirmed, we will invite local people, councillors and community councillors to look at ways forward for NEN. The campaign is growing in strength - local people are outraged that NEN will no longer be available to them.”
NEN staff are hugely disappointed but not surprised by the decision - see final page.