Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Labour Group AGM

Labour Group AGM this evening; as Thursday's Full Council Meeting is the "Council AGM" ...

... needless to say, this won't be reported anywhere; but no challenges for any posts, all Senior (and Junior) positions remain as-was.

Just 12-months into a 5-year term, its the right approach as our single-minded focus remains on delivering those Capital Coalition pledges ...

... much more of which, next month :-)

Sunday, April 28, 2013

80 years young ;-)


 Swiftly back to Edinburgh (by train, of course!) ...

... and made it back up North just in time to attend a large family gathering to celebrate my Mum's 80th Birthday.

A great time was had by all :-)

Its a very big year for significant, family mile-posts - already having taken place:


And, well, this December just doesn't bear thinking about :-(



Saturday, April 27, 2013

Electoral Reform Society Council


Saturday in London for the quarterly Electoral Reform Society Council Meeting ...

 ... amongst other subjects, good discussion about potential lessons from ongoing work in Scotland (see here) that may be applicable to ongoing campaigns in England.

London - as so often - was in truly stunning form, here's a view along the South Bank of the Thames with St. Paul's Cathedral in the distance.

Such a beautiful city.

Friday, April 26, 2013

May 2013 Leader's Report

 

May 2013

A tribute to Tom Buchanan

Like everyone at the Council, I was deeply saddened to hear about the death of one of our most experienced councillors, Councillor Tom Buchanan, last month. Tom brought unstinting energy and enthusiasm to his role as Economic Development Convener, particularly to the Council’s Strategy for Jobs. My thoughts, and the thoughts of all those who worked with him, are with his family and friends at this very difficult time. 

He was incredibly passionate about the health of the economy, especially when it came to creating opportunities for young people, and he will rightly be remembered for it. 

As a lasting memorial of Tom’s work, a scholarship is to be established in his name and I will be reporting the details of this in future issues of my Leader’s Report.

___________________________________________

Foster Care

I was recently very moved when I met a group of foster carers who took the time to come to the City Chambers and explain what they do, what some of the challenges are and the huge satisfaction they get from providing a loving home for children who need it. I know it is not for everyone, but I would urge everyone who can to consider becoming a foster carer.

I am also very grateful to Council staff for their commitment in recruiting such a dedicated team of carers for the city.
___________________________________________

Property Repairs

Consistent with the pledge in our Contract with the Capital to resolve issues surrounding the Council’s Property Services, two reports commissioned by the Council have now been published.
They make uncomfortable reading in parts but the issues raised in the reports have been addressed and the Council has approved stronger governance arrangements that seek to eliminate the risk of such situations happening again. 

Whilst this is a complex issue and there are ongoing legal implications, it is quite clear that the public has been let down. It is important to say, however, that the overwhelming majority of Council staff are honest and professional and work hard to deliver services for the people of Edinburgh.

I know that Council staff have put a great deal of effort into developing the new service and it is essential that we continue do everything possible to ensure that the public has confidence in the Council whether on property conservation or any other issue.

___________________________________________

Tram Update

Following the successful handover of the airport to Gogar section of the tram route in March, the project continues to progress well and remains in line with the revised schedule and budget. 

Contractors have been carrying out overhead cabling work along the route and on-street works in the city centre are moving along well. By the end of summer much of the road and track works will be finished and we now know that all construction works are programmed for completion by the end of the year. Beyond that a rigorous programme of system testing will take place.

See the latest pictures highlighting the progress on the Council website. You can also get regular updates by following @edinburghtrams on Twitter.

___________________________________________

Bedroom Tax

A range of Welfare Reform measures has been introduced from April this year and we are particularly concerned about the measures to reduce housing benefits for some tenants of local authorities and housing associations.

The Capital Coalition has forged a “no eviction” policy in response ... (I should add that the local Green Group on the Council have been very helpful/supportive in the formation of this policy position) ...

This will mean that tenants subject to the under-occupancy charge, who build up arrears because the housing benefit no longer covers their rent, are not going to be evicted. They will have to show that they have done all that can be reasonably expected of them to avoid falling into arrears and we will pursue collection of those arrears but we will not evict. If you or somebody you know is affected, there is information on our website or call 0131 469 5000.

___________________________________________

Community Planning

As Chair of the Edinburgh Community Planning Partnership I am pleased to report strong progress in our key areas of economic, health, educational, and social issues in the city. 

The Partnership has focused all actions on delivering its vision for the city: “Edinburgh is a thriving, successful and sustainable capital city in which all forms of deprivation and inequality are reduced”. Key examples of partnership action include the Edinburgh Business Gateway Partnership which, through its one to one support services, is making it easier to do business in the city. This support is focused on business growth, access to finance and developing entrepreneurship amongst women and young people, the sharing of facilities to improve the accessibility of services and the launch of a new Entrepreneurial Spark “hatchery

Local IT/training initiatives are helping mitigate issues faced by residents affected by Welfare Reform and we have secured the support of financial institutions in schools to ensure our young people have access to bank accounts. 

The Family Nurse Partnership supports young first-time mothers to develop skills as competent, confident parents, engage in activities to support bonding with their child, delay weaning and become more physically active. 

These are just some of the ways the Edinburgh Partnership is making a real difference to our communities.

___________________________________________

National Performance Centre for Sport

I was delighted to hear that the bid submitted by Heriot-Watt University with support from the City of Edinburgh Council has been short listed for stage 2 of the process to become the home of the new National Performance Centre for Sport. The stage 2 submission will have the full support of the Council and we will be working closely with colleagues from the University to ensure we submit the best possible final bid. The deadline for the stage 2 application is 5 July 2013 with an announcement on the preferred bidder scheduled for late summer.

___________________________________________

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Full Council Meeting


Full Council Meeting coming up next Thursday (first of two in May!) ... all the papers/reports are now available via Committee Papers On-line (CPOL): here.

And, of course, you can watch all the proceedings live via this link: all the action starts at 10am next Thursday morning :-)

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Date confirmed for Liberton and Gilmerton by-election



Date  23/April/2013


DATE CONFIRMED FOR LIBERTON AND GILMERTON BY-ELECTION

A by-election will be held in the Liberton and Gilmerton ward on Thursday 20 June 2013 following the death of Cllr Tom Buchanan.

The counting of votes will be carried out manually on the following day in the Council Chamber.

To register to vote or apply for a postal vote people should contact the Electoral Registration Office or phone 0131 344 2500 by Wednesday 5 June.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. Details of where these are will be announced in due course.

The election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system where voters can rank candidates in order of preference rather than using a single cross. Voters can give a rank to as many or as few candidates as they like.



Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee today ...

Council's main Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee meeting earlier this morning ... all the papers available here ... and obviously, most discussion/debate centred around the Bedroom Tax Report, copy of which can be found here.

I'll simply cut-and-paste below the agreed recommendations and associated motion ... Labour/SNP/Greens all supported:


It is recommended that Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee:
  1. Notes that around 3,800 Council tenants will be affected by the reform.
  2. Notes that rental income funds housing management services, improvements to existing homes and building new affordable homes.
  3. Notes the approaches adopted by other local authorities and that of the Govan Law Centre.
  4. Notes the Council’s current practice for managing rent arrears is in line with policies now being adopted by Dundee, Clackmannanshire and West Dunbartonshire Councils which support a no evictions approach.
  5. Notes the additional measures that could be introduced to support tenants who are affected by the under-occupation charge and the assessment of the risks associated with disregarding arrears due to under-occupation.
  6. Refers the report to the Health, Wellbeing and Housing Policy Development and Review Sub-Committee on 23 April 2013 for discussion.

Motion By Councillor Ricky Henderson – Welfare Reform

1)        Committee wishes to express its concern regarding the impact that the range of Welfare Reform measures is having on people in Edinburgh.
2)        Specifically the Committee is concerned that, from April 2013, measures to reduce housing benefit for tenants of local authorities and housing associations (Bedroom Tax) have not taken account of the acute shortage of one bedroom homes.  This will lead to significant hardship for the tenants affected and increase the risk of homelessness.
3)        Committee is further concerned that these measures may have an adverse impact on council and housing association landlords’ rental income and their ability to invest in improving their own stock and in building new, affordable to heat, homes.
4)        Committee notes that there is a significant risk of a reduction of £45 million in capital investment, funded from the Housing Revenue Account, as a result of this and other measures.
5)        Committee agrees:
 
a) that where the Director of Services for Communities is satisfied that tenants who are subject to the under-occupancy charge have done all they reasonably could to avoid falling in to arrears, then all legitimate means to collect rent arrears should be utilised except eviction
b) to establish a joint working group that will include elected members, officials from Housing and Revenues and Benefits, Registered Social Landlords and tenants representatives. The role of the working group shall be to monitor the implementation and impact of various benefits changes and to contribute to consideration of further measures to support tenants.
c) to support calls by local campaigns to scrap the Bedroom Tax.
d) To seek a further report on decisions made by other councils in England and Scotland to re-designate bedrooms, providing information on the rationale and impact of these decisions.
e) That the Council will use its influence to encourage Edinburgh’s Registered Social Landlords to adopt a policy of not evicting tenants for bedroom tax arrears.
f) To continue to work constructively with the Scottish Government and to seek a meeting with the relevant minister to discuss issues affecting Edinburgh as a result of the welfare reform changes.
g) To call for a report on the implications of the Govan Law Centre’s guide on “Challenging your bedroom tax decision”.
 

Moved by Cllr Ricky Henderson
Seconded by Cllr Steve Cardownie
 
 


 

Friday, April 12, 2013

CSPP 'City Region Seminar' - Edinburgh

Speaking at a CSPP 'City Region Seminar' later today ... link to further information here, and some blurb follows:

===

The Centre for Scottish Public Policy has developed a series of ½ day seminars to examine the critical role which Scotland’s City-Regions play in fuelling the engines of economic growth.
 
The first seminar in this series will be held in Edinburgh today with representatives from East, West and Midlothian, Fife and Scottish Borders Councils expected to participate, along with their colleagues from Edinburgh.
 
This initial series of seminars will focus minds on how councils can lead by deploying all of the economic levers at their disposal, maximising impact through partnership, across the public sector and beyond.
 
===
 
 
 

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Is there not more to unite, than divide us?

Its the Council's main Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee meeting next Tuesday, the 16th April ... all the papers are now out and available here ... you'll see that there are several reports on Welfare Reform.

As regular blog readers will know, the main Welfare Reform changes (especially the Bedroom Tax) have featured heavily in recent debates in-and-around the City Chambers ... I'll provide just a few, relevant links:

  • Council help and general information is here
  • I referred to much of this myself last week - here
  • the Edinburgh Labour site ran an update on our joint Labour/SNP position, on the Bedroom Tax, which can be seen here
  • there was some coverage yesterday, in the Evening News, on next week's Committee Reports - you can see that here
  • on the back of this formal Council News Release - here
  • I was subsequently asked to do a piece for The Scotsman contrasting our local Labour/SNP solution with the Holyrood stalemate ... the newspaper has run that article this morning, and I'll simply re-produce it below - and, as ever, would welcome any constructive feedback:


Is there not more to unite, than divide us?

Take just one topical subject – the Bedroom Tax.

Here in the Edinburgh Council Chambers, the local Labour Party and Scottish National Party have managed to forge a joint-position which will mean a ‘No Eviction’ policy for the Council tenants affected, as long as they are constructively engaging with the local authority. Many other Councils, with a variety of local coalitions, have managed to arrive at more or less the same position.

Specifically, we are ensuring that those tenants who are subject to the under occupancy charge and build up arrears because their housing benefit no longer covers their rent, are not going to be evicted. They will have to show that they have done all that could reasonably be expected of them to avoid falling into arrears and we will pursue the collection of arrears ... but will not evict in those circumstances. Frankly, the last thing we want is to make people homeless and then have to pick up the even more costly pieces of destroyed lives. 

Yet, glance at Holyrood and you’d be forgiven for thinking that such a joint SNP/Labour agreement on the Bedroom Tax was a simple, human impossibility. This attack on the poor and vulnerable should certainly enable us to unite at both a local and a national level. But, the level of tribal antagonism … and it does come across as near-hatred … between our respective parties’ activists, particularly on social-media, is pernicious. It’s enough to switch the most interested individual off politics altogether.

Most political commentators, and certainly many researchers, would acknowledge that trust has broken down badly between the electorate and politicians at all levels of government and I believe that  this kind of unnecessary tribalism certainly does not help. For me, we’ll never successfully re-invigorate our democracy if we can’t bring ourselves to acknowledge that there’s a problem to solve and to change the way we do things politically. Business as usual just cannot, sensibly be an option.

It was doing things differently that enabled historically bitter enemies to create a Labour / Scottish National Party coalition in Edinburgh’s City Chambers after last May’s council elections. Most thought that Steve Cardownie and I were not natural bedfellows and they were right. And on the face of it neither are Alex Salmond and Johan Lamont. But, learning to put one’s ego aside and take a pragmatic approach to make a much bigger impact together, than you would apart, is surely a prize worth striving for. 

Out of Scotland’s 32 Local Councils, Edinburgh was the only one to form such a two-party Labour/SNP Coalition. And, I think it’s fair to say that the arrangement came as a bit of a surprise to many who did not believe the two parties could ever work together – at any level. Coalition politics by its nature means acknowledging differences as well as developing relationships built on trust and mutual respect and I’m not claiming this was without its difficulties.

It just doesn’t stop at forming a coalition though. In a few weeks’ time, Edinburgh’s Capital Coalition will have been running Scotland’s capital city for a full year. Our joint programme to radically transform the way that services are planned, managed and delivered, and move Edinburgh towards being a truly co-operative council will ultimately be what matters. We want council services to be transformed by shifting power; so that the council is working much more ‘in partnership’ with the local people it is ultimately here to serve.

And we have embarked on a new approach to what we do. This has included some very radical actions including establishing the first Council Petitions Committee in Edinburgh to enable local residents to have an additional channel to raise issues of concern, with their elected representatives, and directly with the Council.

We have completely revised our budgetary processes, to be much more open and interactive across the political divide, as well as with the public, by publishing an early draft budget thus allowing months of debate and discussion before any final decisions were made. 

And yes, our electorate and city stakeholders can only interact positively with us if they know what we stand for and have the ability to judge us on delivering it.  That  is why our Capital Coalition published a new ‘Contract with the Capital’ which set out over fifty clear service and policy commitments in some detail and the ‘monitoring against delivery’ of those promises is live and very visible via the front-page of the main Council website: www.edinburgh.gov.uk

I’d be so bold as to contest that even our local, political opponents – whilst not agreeing with everything we’ve done – would acknowledge that we’re certainly doing politics differently.  If we’re to stand any chance of rejuvenating our political culture at a Scottish level, and regaining the trust and respect of the electorate, we surely must not allow party interests to get in the way of good policies and a refreshed approach to doing business, yet I see little evidence of this.

Here locally, we have managed to agree on every significant issue facing the capital city of Scotland for nearly a year now and whilst it would be silly to deny that we have not had our moments of tension – as I watch our respective Holyrood colleagues, Johann Lamont and Alex Salmond, slog it out every Thursday at FMQs, I can’t help but think we’re not doing too badly. 

Okay, the raging constitutional debate in Scotland may not affect us Councillors as directly as MSPs – but are you really telling me that there are simply no issues on which our MSPs can cooperate for the next 18-months as we await the referendum?

All that said, I completely understand the importance of the decision we’ll all have to make on Thursday 18th September 2014. I understand the reality that the constitutional debate, in the run-up to that decision, is going to dominate Scottish politics for the next 18-months.

But do we really need to suspend all political cooperation, on all issues, during that period?

Frankly, especially against the backdrop of current UK-politics, I happen to think Labour and the SNP fundamentally agree on a huge swathe of domestic issues. Issues that really have nothing to do with the constitutional debate, on which I acknowledge we are obviously divided.

Here in the City Chambers of Edinburgh, we’re not going to suspend all cooperation on local political issues because of that constitutional divide.


Councillor Andrew Burns
Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council




Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Tom Buchanan (1958-2013)

Most readers will know that my Coalition Colleague, Tom Buchanan, died last Wednesday 3rd April; after a courageous battle with a brain tumour.

It was Tom's funeral today. Obviously, a very solemn occasion ... but also a day full of fulsome tributes from many, many colleagues, friends and family.

Very hard to sum up such occasions - so I'll just post the link to the very fitting obituary that Martin Hannan wrote in The Scotsman last week ... here ... and paste below the few words that my colleague Steve Cardownie, and myself, released on hearing of Tom's death.

Steve also spoke really well at the funeral today - never an easy task.

Councillor Tom Buchanan

Published Wednesday 3 April 2013

Councillor Steve Cardownie, Deputy Council Leader and leader of the SNP group, said: "Although Tom has been ill for some time now it doesn't lessen the shock or sadness of his leaving us so many years before his time. The impact that he had in a relatively short time with the Council, and as Economic Development convener, was second-to-none. In the midst of a worldwide recession, his drive and stewardship of the city economy left Edinburgh in a much better place than it would have been without his leadership.

"Tom was incredibly hard working as well, always the first in and the last out of the office, but you could see how much he enjoyed it. Having worked with him for nearly six years I can say that he became a firm friend to me, and to many others, as well as a colleague. He will be very much missed by all of us and the city as a whole, but we hope that his work will have a fitting legacy in a proposed scholarship fund for Edinburgh's young people."

Cllr Andrew Burns, Council Leader, added: "Like everyone at the Council, I'm deeply saddened to hear of Tom's death. My thoughts, and the thoughts of all those who worked with him, are with his family and friends at this very difficult time. Tom brought relentless energy and enthusiasm to his role as Economic Development Convener, particularly to the Council’s Strategy for Jobs. He was incredibly passionate about this, especially when it came to creating opportunities for young people, and he will rightly be remembered for it."

===




Friday, April 05, 2013

Benefits are changing: do you need help?

As most readers will know, there are significant changes to the benefits system coming into force from this week ...

... I know there are strong views on both sides of the argument regarding these changes, but every Local Authority (including Edinburgh) has to manage the changes, which are being implemented (via the UK-Government) regardless of what our individual, political views may be.

So, rather than fulminate about my own views ... here are:
... and much more importantly, here are:
Please do seek help and advice if you need it; either via the link above and/or you can also visit your Local Councillor's surgery if you want to speak to them directly ... you can find your own Local Councillor from here (my weekly Surgeries are listed here if you're in Ward 9).


Thursday, April 04, 2013

Shandon Parking - Drop-in Sessions

In response to ongoing problems with parking raised by residents in Shandon, the South West Neighbourhood Partnership of the Council has been looking at ideas to deal with some of those concerns, especially around safe access for emergency vehicles and making sure corners and narrow streets are not blocked.

These ideas are a result of community feedback and the Neighbourhood Partnership would now like to get public views before going through any formal legal process.
 
To do this the Neighbourhood Partnership is holding two drop-in sessions at Craiglockhart Primary School (on Ashley Terrace) to provide information for local residents about the safety measures being proposed and parking in the area.
 
  • Tuesday 16th April — 4pm to 7pm
  • Wednesday 17th April — 4pm to 7pm

These drop-in sessions are an opportunity to meet and discuss your concerns with Council officers, to provide you with all the information you need before the start of any legal consultation and to give your views on parking concerns in the local area.
 
Whether or not you own a car your views are important as parking and safe access affects the whole area. 
 
Please come along to one of the sessions or if you are unable to make these then get in touch and let us know your views and ideas.

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Bedroom Tax update

I posted twice back in late February about the Bedroom Tax - you can see the posts here and here ...

... I've subsequently had a lot of queries asking for any update on our position, as we approach the upcoming Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee on Tuesday 16th April?

The actual papers/reports for that Committee won't go into the public domain until the morning of Wednesday 10th April (and will be available on CPOL, as usual); but the local Labour/SNP Coalition has today agreed a motion for submission to that Committee, which I'm now able to publish today - the full text follows below.

I obviously fully anticipate this position being approved at Committee, and hope it clarifies the Labour/SNP Capital Coalition's intentions.

I'd also like to think it might act as a signal that both of Scotland's major political parties can actually work together constructively on contentious issues and arrive at an agreed joint-position.

One can but hope that others might be listening? 

---


Policy and Strategy Committee 16 April 2013

Motion By Councillor Ricky Henderson – Welfare Reform

1)         Committee wishes to express its concern regarding the impact that the range of Welfare Reform measures is having on people in Edinburgh.

2)         Specifically the Committee is concerned that, from April 2013, measures to reduce housing benefit for tenants of local authorities and housing associations (Bedroom Tax) have not taken account of the acute shortage of one bedroom homes.  This will lead to significant hardship for the tenants affected and increase the risk of homelessness.

3)         Committee is further concerned that these measures may have an adverse impact on council and housing association landlords’ rental income and their ability to invest in improving their own stock and in building new, affordable to heat, homes.

4)         Committee notes that there is a significant risk of a reduction of £45 million in capital investment, funded from the Housing Revenue Account, as a result of this and other measures.

5)         Committee agrees:

(a)           that where the Director of Services for Communities is satisfied that tenants who are subject to the under-occupancy charge have done all they reasonably could to avoid falling in to arrears, then all legitimate means to collect rent arrears should be utilised except eviction

(b)       to establish a joint working group that will include elected members, officials from Housing and Revenues and Benefits, Registered Social Landlords and tenants representatives. The role of the working group shall be to monitor the implementation and impact of various benefits changes and to contribute to consideration of further measures to support tenants.

(c)        to support calls by local campaigns to scrap the Bedroom Tax.


Moved by Cllr. Ricky Henderson

---


Monday, April 01, 2013

April Allotment update!

Weather has been pretty good (compared to the Lake District anyhow!) in Edinburgh today ... and we managed a few hours down at the Allotment late this afternoon.

All looking in reasonably good order now - but still not consistently warm enough to plant any of our substantial crops (potatoes, broad beans, onions etc.) ... I'd say we're at least "a month behind" last year!

We did see some allotment-colleagues planting their tatties, but I'm not convinced the next few days will definitely be completely frost (and snow!) free? Maybe we'll go for it next weekend ...

... meantime, badly need to catch up on e-mails, twitter. facebook: all the joys of modern life.