"Just what is it you do??"

Several 'far flung' readers of the blog have recently e-mailed me to ask if I can give a bit more background to exactly what it is I do - answering that simple question could prove interesting!

Here's the last Council meeting I attended ... no, seriously ...

... no easy place to start, but the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) web-site is as good as any; have a look at this link first. This site gives you a full explanation of how the Council works politically ... if you follow the link to "the Executive" and scroll down a bit, you'll see I'm listed there as Executive Member for Children and Families. In essence, the politician responsible for that area of Council business. Further information at the EGFL site ...

At a wider level, have a look at one of the links on the left of the first CEC page marked "elections" and you'll get a huge amount of general information about the political elections in Edinburgh, including those for the local authority (CEC) of which I am an elected Member (currently Ward 28 Moat). Thus, as well as the 'Children and Families' city-wide responsibilities I have strong local Ward (area) responsibilities as well. You can read a bit more about all of this on my own website here.

This is all about to change in May - thus my recent ramblings - when Scottish local government (including Edinburgh of course!) moves to STV-PR ... a form of proportional voting. Much more information on this topic at the Electoral Commission Scotland's new site - here!

On a daily basis - this can mean a range of meetings, discussions and decisions ranging from helping to get a constituent's blocked drain fixed on a Sunday afternoon through to strategic planning for the future provision of education for the whole of Edinburgh.

There - that's what I do. Clear as mud ;-((