Despatches from a mother who started late (and is running to catch up)

February 2010

Mystery berries tracked down

I have tracked down the mysterious juniper berry. Delia Smith mentions this delicacy in one of her books, but I have never before seen such a thing with my own eyes. I confess, in my darkest hours, I wondered if they were a myth. Then, last Friday, I happened to be buying venison from our local butcher. Cook it with red wine and juniper berries, they advised. "Yes, I know about juniper berries," I wailed. "But where can I find them?" It turns out, as so often with these things, that the berries have been under my nose all these years. A small local shop stores them, hidden at the back on a shelf in a large jar, like one of those you used to find in old-fashioned sweetie shops. No casual shopper would know the juniper berries were there, unless they went in and asked.

Harry Potter moment?

It was a Harry Potter moment when they brought that jar down, magic revealed in the everyday. Inside this jar were no pear drops, sherbert pips or gobstoppers. Just thousands upon thousands of tiny, purple berries gathered from juniper bushes on the Scottish hills. Thirty years ago, I would have been disappointed by this, last week I was jubilant. We had a bad moment when the assistant keyed in £16 on the till. "That's my budget gone," I worried. That was the price for a full kilogram. Even I didn't want that many of them. A small pot set me back just 80 pence. The berries were everything I hoped for - and more. Even after three hours in the oven, cooking with venison and red wine, each one burst on my tongue. Like a taste of gin and tonic.

Posted 16 February 2010 14:12 | Number of comments: 6 | Comments

Food

Choosing trams over education?

The carnival against Edinburgh education budget cuts took place last week. Children, teachers and parents gathered in the front quad at the Council's Victorian City Chambers. Shouted, sang and waved placards.

I would never have dared go along, without fellow parent and musician Susanna Macdonald. But we both have school-age children. And parenting makes you militant, you see. It makes you care, where previously you might not have.

A couple of days later Edinburgh Council passed the proposed 1% budget cut. Despite our protests. So there will be £2m less for Edinburgh schools from this April, bringing the budget down to £198m.

Schools were already under pressure, even without this latest set-back. Anecdotal stories exist of parents having to buy children jotters. Maybe not such a problem for more affluent families, but what about the ones who are struggling? You hear of broken plumbing that goes without repair for weeks.

The cut will mean fewer learning assistants, the end of specialist teachers in drama, art, PE and music and further delays to building repairs. There will be fewer books and learning materials.

The Edinburgh tram project is costing the city more than twice as much (£512m) as the entire annual education budget for the city. Really, sometimes I could get quite annoyed about how Edinburgh Council is using our money.

Posted 14 February 2010 12:11 | Number of comments: 2 | Comments

Edinburgh

Hundreds at education rally

Parents, children and teachers from schools all over Edinburgh gathered in the Council City Chambers to protest at planned education budget cuts. We chanted, sang and shouted. Posed for photos. And talked to the press.

Reporters, camera crew and police watched as small children chanted "No more cuts". Council officials took pictures of us from upstairs windows. Drummers kept up a soundtrack. Parents hoisted kids up onto their shoulders for them to get a better view.

"If this was France,we would sue the council," said one parent. "No way would people just put up with this."

Up until last week Edinburgh Council was planning 3% cuts to the education budget. Then, in a piece of interesting timing, it climbed down from that position. Instead of the announced figure, our schools would suffer 'only' a 1% cutback. Lucky us.

Call me cynical, but it's hard not to see the scaling back as a deliberate political manoeuvre. The sort of move that might have been planned all along to make the cuts more palatable.

The sort of timing that makes a 1% cut to over-stretched budgets actually start to look like a good deal. I suspect the council was planning on 1% cuts all along, but started with the threat of three times as much at that.

That way we would all breathe a (misplaced) sigh of relief when they climbed down and the council would look, yes, almost generous. Sometimes I wonder why I bother paying my council tax. The council doesn't seem bothered about honouring its side of the deal and providing my kids with a decent education.

Failing to deliver on their commitments

With inflation running at around 2%, cutting the Edinburgh education budget by 1% means that - in real terms of what the money can buy - it's set to fall by 3%. It's important not to forget that inflation will eat away at the budget, even without politicians tampering with it.

Even without any cuts, the existing budget will be worth less this time next year than it is now. Simply because of inflation stripping away purchasing power.

We deserve better

Add the cuts into the equation, and our schools will be even more dilapidated, teachers even more over-worked, supplies even scarcer.

The proposed cut-backs go to a council vote tomorrow.

Parents hold rally against Edinburgh School Cuts - Evening News Edinburgh

Posted 10 February 2010 08:46 | Number of comments: 4 | Comments

Edinburgh

School rally goes ahead in Edinburgh

Tuesday's rally in Edinburgh against planned education cuts is going ahead. Yes, it's good that Edinburgh Council has agreed to scale back cuts from 2.5% to 1%. But it's not much of a victory. Allowing for inflation, we're facing cuts of 3% in real terms.

The proposed cut means £10,000 less for the average Edinburgh primary school, according to education experts. And the typical secondary school stands to lose four times that sum.

"The cuts come on top of the 1.5% efficiency saving schools have had to make in their budgets for the last two financial years," says one Edinburgh parents' council. "Schools are starting each year with less money."

More, not less

Money is tight. Schools across Scotland have to implement a new curriculum, the Curriculum for Excellence, by August. They need more, not less funding at a time like this.

The battle is far from over. The rally is going ahead because scaled-back cuts are only a partial victory. "The council may have backed down for this coming financial year but they have given no assurances beyond that," said one parent.

"Lack of strategic planning?"

The number of 0-15 year olds in Edinburgh is set to grow by 11% between now and 2023. Parent councils are concerned about what they cite as: "the council's lack of strategic planning when it comes to delivering education to our children."

Our schools cannot face this extra pressure. Our children deserve better. Let's use Tuesday afternoon to prove that. Bring banners, colourful clothes and musical instruments.

City leaders vow no more schools will be axed - Edinburgh Evening News

Schools take biggest hit - Scotland on Sunday

Posted 07 February 2010 21:07 | Number of comments: 2 | Comments

Edinburgh

Leave our kids alone

Edinburgh Council wants to cut the city's education budget by 9% over the next three years. Our children will suffer if these cuts go ahead. Jobs, facilities, even entire schools are on the line.

Stand up and make your voice heard at a carnival next Tuesday (9 Feb), after school. It runs from 4.15 to 4.45pm outside the City Chambers (pictured) on Edinburgh's High Street, opposite St Giles' Cathedral.

All affected by the cuts are welcome to attend. It'll be a child-friendly event. Please bring your kids along.

Be there

Meet up with groups at local schools after pick-up. Or make your way to the City Chambers on your own. The more of us there, the more attention we'll get.

Organisers are asking people to bring along musical instruments, sports kit, art work and drama costumes. Get your kids in face paints or fancy dress.

Bring banners, have fun

Mine will bring tiaras, wings and wands. Please bring along banners too. The message is "No more cuts".

Make them see sense

Last year's protests were enough to change Edinburgh Council's decision on the cuts. This year the plan is to show we are more worried, and even more engaged. Let's get out on the streets next Tuesday. We can make the council see sense.

We might not be strong enough as individuals. Together, we can do it.

Here's an audio briefing on the issues.

Bruntsfield has more details on the carnival here

Posted 03 February 2010 14:44 | Number of comments: 1 | Comments

Daughters Edinburgh Out and about

"Shoes, coat, wand, tiara"

It's hard work being a fairy princess. Realising this, eldest daughter Beanie has begun a daily checklist of essential items before leaving the house. "Shoes," she says, standing in the hallway. And looks down to check each Start-Rite is on the correct foot. "Coat." A nod of satisfaction to herself as she registers her puffa jacket. She holds out an empty hand and looks at it. "Wand?" She puts a hand to her hair."Tiara?"

Posted 01 February 2010 21:42 | Number of comments: 4 | Comments