Nothing new here please

Forgot to post yesterday about the 'Children and Families Asset Management Plan' that went before the Education Committee ... you can see it here.

Please do check out Appendix 1 (pages 45-47) ... I may just need to update my earlier list/s of school refurbishments/rebuilds delivered by the previous two Council Administrations ...

... I don't need to update my list of those delivered by the current Council Coalition - here it is:

• nothing

Bloody Sunday

I lived in Northern Ireland (in Portstewart - not that far from Londonderry) during the early 1980's and know just how raw feelings were about what happened in January 1972 ...

... and whilst the Saville Report is truly shocking, it's ultimate findings won't come as a surprise to many people who lived through those years in Northern Ireland.

And, I have to say, I thought David Cameron handled its release well - anything less than the completely unequivocal statement that he gave would have had the potential to seriously inflame an already very difficult issue.

The head of the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) for Northern Ireland now has a hugely difficult judgement to make about whether any prosecutions should be forthcoming - how that decision is handled, and communicated, could be every bit as important as today's announcements.

Gracemount High School

Substituted for some of my local colleagues today and went out to Gracemount High School to speak to some P7's who were doing work on their transition to High School ... they were undertaking a project on local governance in Edinburgh.

They seemed pretty knowledgeable and, after a quiet start, asked a huge variety of searching questions!

... most difficult was probably, "who are your best friends on the Council?" - I couldn't possibly repeat my answer here ;-)

Hutchison and Chesser Community Council

Hutchison and Chesser Community Council meeting tonight ... warm welcome for the news about Gorgie Memorial Hall but still some concerns about just how its going to manage its own programme, in due course, without any support from the Local Authority.

Sadly, I expect much more of this type of 'solution' in coming months.

"All within the normal range of uncertainty"

Con-Lib Coalition clearly pretty keen to make the most of the renewed growth forecasts (out today) ... so I wonder what spin they'll try and put on the comments from the Chair of the new Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR):

Despite downgrading the growth figures, OBR chairman Sir Alan Budd said he did not think the recession had caused "permanent damage" to the economy. He added that the changes to the forecasts were "all within the normal range of uncertainty."

I'm fairly sure that's not what Cameron/Osborne/Clegg had in mind for him to say?

... and I'm glad to see that some journalists, at least, are seeing through the spin to the uncomfortable truth - that by 2014-15, the structural deficit is expected (even by the supposedly more accurate OBR) to be only 0.3% higher than forecast in Alistair Darling's last Budget.

And, of course, we'll see soon enough if the recent quarterly growth trends are maintained - over the short to medium term - in the face of the current onslaught on public sector expenditure?

Allotment update

Enough of those Leadership events ...

... on a much more serious note, managed to fit in a visit to the allotment later 'this afternoon/early evening' and most of the veg. is really starting to get a hold now: potatoes doing well; onions; garlic; red cabbage; broad beans; peas etc. ... all looking fine.

Brussel sprouts appear to have suffered a bit of leaf-damage, but will get some netting up very soon!

Tadpoles are doing great; and the Cherry Tree (pictured here) looks like it will fruit for the first time in three seasons ;-)

Miliband junior

Well, I did cruelly abandon my parents for an hour this afternoon ... sent them off to see the Lewis Chessmen! ... whilst I went to listen to Ed Miliband at an Edinburgh event just along the road.

As per last Thursday, an impressive performance, plenty of interesting questions and a lively debate. I've just got no doubt that Labour will emerge from this whole process the stronger - no matter who the eventual winner of this specific contest may be.

Look forward to hearing Andy in a few weeks time hopefully ... think he's coming up to Edinburgh around the 8th/9th July.

History repeating itself?

Oh dear, what can you say ...

... well, I'll just need to console myself with the thought that England drew their first match in 1966 as well ;-)

Miliband senior

The first all-candidate 'Party Hustings' for the 5 Leadership contenders is this coming Sunday (over in Glasgow) but sadly, I can't make it ... parents coming to Edinburgh for the day and simply can't give up 4-hours just to go and listen to five politicians ;-)

... but, all is not lost, as David Miliband was in Edinburgh yesterday morning; and Ed Miliband is in Edinburgh late on Sunday afternoon (presumably rushing over from said-Hustings!) and I think I will steal an hour from my parents to go and listen to him :-(

The overall contest, for me, is a three-way race ... between the Milibands and Andy Burnham. The other two contenders are not for me.

I'm sure Andy will be up in Edinburgh soon and I'll make the effort to go and see him as well, before declaring my 1st/2nd/3rd preference choices.

Anyhow, David Miliband yesterday was very impressive. Clear, concise and not at all afraid to disagree with his audience - such a refreshing approach.

There's just no doubt Miliband senior is future PM-material ... and I'm equally sure he'd lead a very effective team which would give the current Con/Lib Coalition some serious difficulties in coming months.

All-in-all, very impressive.

Nothing but football

Surgery at Fountainbridge Library very, very quiet this evening ... most unusual not to have at least one person turn up?

Must be the build-up of football mania on the TV ;-)

Policy and Strategy Meeting today

Very lengthy Policy and Strategy Meeting earlier today - totally dominated, as expected, by the 'Lessons Learned' report on the Care and Support Services tender process ...

... sadly, absolutely no direct apology forthcoming from the Convenor in charge of this policy area - yet everyone else seemed to be tripping over themselves to say 'sorry'. Quite bizarre.

In all the circumstances, just a bit more genuine humility might have been appropriate.

Auditor General to look at tram project?

On the back of yet more negative coverage of the tram project today - see here and here ...

... various rumours are swirling around the City Chambers this evening that the Auditor General is considering a further probe into the project?

Last time he assessed the project was back in June 2007 - you can see the full report here; with his conclusions on the tram contained in paragraphs 9 through to 15, on pages 3 and 4.

Paragraph 14 sums up the position back then, whilst paragraph 15 warns of future dangers.

Personally, I'd welcome any Audit Scotland assessment of what's happened between now and then ...

I'll be supporting England - as usual

Mention of my parents, reminds me that this will be the first world-cup since I properly started the blog back in August 2006!

... which means many may not know that my mother is from Hampshire (as well as afore-mentioned long-suffering partner being from London) and that in any football tournament, I'll shout for Scotland first, then England next ;-)

I really find it hard to understand the 'anyone but England' mentality that pervades much of Scottish footballing life :-(

So, given Scotland's absence - it's England for me this year - and by glorious happen-chance we'll actually be in Bristol on the day of the World Cup Final to watch Steven Gerrard pick up that trophy ...

... my money is on it :-))

Glasgow weekend

Apologies for lack of posting these last few days ...

... post-election weekend away as a bit of a thank-you to my long-suffering partner!

Left junior with my parents in sunny Salsburgh and we had a really marvellous weekend in Glasgow.

Managed to fit in a visit to the 'Glasgow Boys' at the Kelvingrove - if you haven't seen it yet, and get the chance, do go ...

... very, very powerful exhibition - with (for me) Guthrie's Highland Funeral just dominating the various displays.

Anyhow, was a joyful (certainly not sad!) weekend :-))

Local Branch Meeting

Attended the first local Labour Party Branch Meeting since the 'General Election' tonight ...

... intriguing mixture of elation at the very local 'Edinburgh South West' result, and the wider Edinburgh/Scotland results :-))

... alongside some serious despair at the UK-wide outcome :-(

Very lively discussion ensued!

I do somewhat sense the next 12-months will be just as busy as the last with an iron-determination to convert those Scottish figures into as good a result for Holyrood as possible.

Care and Support update ...

Rather than repeat the whole sorry saga again - do just have a look through the local press coverage today ... here and here.

That first article may have an 'apology' in it - but it's from an Officer ... I've yet to see a full apology from the politicians responsible for this fiasco?

In my humble assessment, they would be wise to just say sorry at the relevant Committee Meeting next Tuesday.

Care and Support Services tender - lessons to be learned?

Cast your mind back to the 27th October 2009 - well worth a quick re-read of my post of that day - and you'll recall that the 'Care and Support Services' tender was referred to the November 2009 Full Council mainly down to Green and Labour Councillors not being willing to agree to a deeply-flawed report ...

... this all ultimately led to the whole process being abandoned, and in February 2010 (by which time - to their credit - the local Tories had seen sense) to a complete climbdown over the whole fiasco.

Well, the first of the 'lessons learned' reports is out tomorrow - it's going to the Policy and Strategy Committee on Tuesday 8th June - and I can safely predict serious fireworks over its conclusions.

Just keep one, very public statement in mind:

"I have said all along that we have a good robust tendering process that has been cleared by the lawyers at every stage."

What would you then think if the report out tomorrow concluded that:

"Legal Services did not have a role in the tender process, in the evaluation of tenders, nor as advisor to the Team or to the Board."

And further still, if the report out tomorrow also concluded:

"The Convenor of the Health, Housing and Social Care Committee was regularly briefed throughout the process."

Just what possible conclusion could you come to - that Officers where to blame?

I think not.

London today

Down in London today for an ERS meeting ... weather down here appears to be even worse than in Edinburgh :-(

I mentioned a few weeks ago the fact that, as things stand at the moment, the next UK-election (assuming that Coalition lasts??) will be on the same day as the next-but-one Holyrood election in May 2015 ...

... well it appears possible that May 2011 (the next Holyrood elections) could also be a crowded, electoral date as the potential AV-referendum looms large in forward-plans: I'm fairly sure that would cause an equal amount of political consternation north-of-the-border as any 2015 clash?

Interesting times indeed ...