Leader: ‘Worth a try to give hope to the homeless’

IT was not surprising that the calls to ban begging in Edinburgh city centre were roundly dismissed.

With such a sensitive issue, an 
extreme knee-jerk reaction was never going to be popular.

But while the comments by Essential Edinburgh chief executive Andy Neal may not have been supported, they have led to a positive debate on an issue which many would rather ignore.

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Today, we report the beginning of what could be an exciting new project and an innovative way to tackle the problem.

Instead of banishing beggars from the city centre, can they instead be encouraged into work with the support of city centre businesses?

It would be naive in the extreme to pretend that this will solve homelessness in one easy move. There are a whole raft of reasons why it won’t, not least the chaotic lifestyles of many people who find themselves on the streets.

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth pursuing. The Social Bite sandwich shop is proof that such an approach can bear fruit in some cases.

It relies on the commitment of everyone involved, most importantly the person who is being encouraged to swap a day sitting on Princes Street for a day working in a shop.

There is likely to be the inevitable criticism for even suggesting such a move if it is viewed as being at the expense of other unemployed people.

That would be unfair. Such a project could work hand-in-hand with the many other projects which are under way to help people into employment.

It will never work in every case and it will not end the sight of beggars on the Capital’s streets.

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But for relatively little investment if even one person is given new hope and a way off the streets then surely it has to be worth a try.

Loss to whole city

Scottish politics can be a very tribal affair, but there are a few gifted individuals who rise above the rabble to earn the respect and affection of colleagues across all parties.

Cllr Tom Buchanan was one of that rare breed. Hard working and humble, with a keen sense of humour, he might not have been a household name like some politicians, but we all have reason to be grateful to him. Without his work on economic development, there would be fewer jobs in Edinburgh, and fewer opportunities for young 
people in particular.

Our thoughts are with his wife Evelyn and brother Sandy at this sad time.