Environmental Services element of ABM to be kept in-house

Council Meeting now over and can confirm that the Environmental Services element of the ABM-programme is to be kept in-house - 31 votes to 25.

Credit to the local SNP, and also Councillor Gary Peacock (Lib-Dem) for ultimately backing the in-house bid.

A clear Council-majority ... Officers, Employees, Trade Unions and Politicians (of all Parties) now need to get on, and deliver the Council decision.

One moment of light-relief came during Leaders' Question Time when 2 SNP Councillors quoted directly from our 'Moving Edinburgh Forward' document ... criticising us for sending it to Members of Community Councils and for discussing it openly at public, budget meetings?

Outrageous behaviour from Edinburgh Labour - and I really must apologise ... but, just for a moment there, I clearly thought we lived in a free and open society where the discussion of ideas was to be welcomed ;-)