Lockdown spirit that helped put roof over heads of Edinburgh's rough-sleepers must be harnessed for future – Robert Aldridge

“It’s a coronavirus” she shouted to her neighbour brandishing a rubber toy “and I’m going to give it a good kicking round the house!” It’s fascinating what you see and hear on your daily exercise walk. She summed up the spirit of frustration and defiance evident throughout the community, and brought a smile to my face.

Two days later I joined neighbours and friends in the street in Drum Brae to pay respects to a wonderful man who sadly lost his battle with the virus as his hearse was walked through the community. So sad for his family and friends who could not all attend his funeral, but a moving moment of appreciation by the whole community.

Dealing with this cruel virus has brought out the best in people. Neighbours helping neighbours, people being more considerate and even less litter being dropped.

In the weeks ahead as we emerge from lockdown, there is a real opportunity to reshape what we do in Edinburgh and how we do it.

We have already discovered that as a country we can set up a new hospital in a matter of days if the will is there. We have proved that we can move more people into a homely setting who have been stuck in hospital if the will (and cash) is there. We have found emergency accommodation for almost all people who were sleeping rough on the streets. But we have also seen a growing digital divide between those who have access to and know how to operate internet devices, and those who don’t.

Close communities, friendly neighbourhoods

We have discovered that we can do a lot of work from home, that we don’t really need to travel as often and that we rely on a range of dedicated workers to keep the essential services going (health, care, emptying bins, keeping our food stocks supplied, providing care for the children of essential workers and so on).

We have also seen an unprecedented willingness to volunteer and contribute to protecting what is best in our society. As a city, we need to find ways to keep that enthusiasm and nurture and reward that generosity. In this way, we can develop the close communities and friendly neighbourhoods which have become more evident during this crisis.

So it’s time for both a national and a local conversation about what is important.

Yes we can!

The council has been consulting on a number of strategies for the future. As we emerge from this current emergency, we need to check whether the assumptions we originally made are still valid, or whether they need to change and adapt.

We can also afford to be ambitious. If the last two months have taught us anything, it is that with the right political will and energy, backed by finance, we can make radical changes for the good of all far more quickly than any of us had imagined.

Of course, we won’t be able to do everything. Money will be tight. But not every change costs money and some changes are worth the investment of cash.

It will be about difficult choices. Do we abandon some cherished projects to free up resources for the renewed Edinburgh? Do we stop doing some services as a council in order to do others better?

If the virus has taught us anything it is that people respond well when given the facts in an adult fashion. Let’s have that adult conversation about our future.

It’s about moving from ‘computer says no’ to ‘yes we can!’ and kicking the virus out of the house.

Robert Aldridge is the Lib Dem group leader at Edinburgh City Council

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Joy Yates

Editorial Director