Family time?

Mother-in-law staying in Edinburgh for a few days; from this afternoon through to next Monday morning ...

... needless to say, the chance of some family time coincides with:

• local by-election tomorrow
• the count on Friday
• candidate training-day on Saturday
• Pedal for Scotland event on Sunday

Family time indeed :-(

Neighbourhood Partnership meeting

Local South West Neighbourhood Partnership meeting this evening ... main agenda can be found here.

Very informative presentations (under item 6) about the development plans for parks, allotments and the canal ... all subjects close to my heart: being a frequent user of Harrison Park; looking after an allotment at Saughton; and a daily user of the canal towpath!

Appears to be a bit of local controversy around the path-plans in Harrison Park, but I did establish that the proposals will have to go through due-and-proper planning processes, so everyone will be able to have their 'formal' say in due course.

Lothian Valuation Joint Board

Lothian Valuation Joint Board meeting this morning - for those interested, the main agenda can be found here ...

... later, I've got a local surgery at 6pm up at Craiglockhart Primary School; then some more, many and various, by-election activities for the rest of the evening!

Already looking forward to Friday ;-)

Campaigning Sunday

Back in Edinburgh on Saturday evening, and all day today spent campaigning ...

... out in Ward 9 this morning and then up at the Liberton/Gilmerton by-election for the afternoon. Really good turnout of activists and the weather was perfect for the afternoon's activities ;-)

Just a few days to go now until Polling-Day and the local team seem in very good spirits ... still numerous jobs to complete before Thursday mind you, so if you've any spare time between now and then --- ;-))

London for a few days

Off down to London first-thing this morning ... couple of days of ERS events and meetings to attend.

Back on the train ;-)

Ricky Henderson for Edinburgh Pentlands

Well, a few weeks ago it was "Paul Godzik for Edinburgh Southern" ... and after tonight, its now Ricky Henderson for Edinburgh Pentlands!

An extremely close-fought contest between Ricky and Eric (Milligan), saw Ricky selected as the Labour Candidate for next May's Holyrood elections.

Four of my colleagues from the Edinburgh Labour Group are now selected to fight next year's elections ... in the nicest possible way, I'd love to lose them all to Holyrood ;-))

ACAS to the rescue?

Received notification late yesterday that ACAS have been brought in to try and find a resolution to the refuse dispute ... not before time I say!

I very much welcome this move - I'll try not to feel too sore about the fact that the Labour and Green Groups on the Council suggested this move about 9-months ago and were told that it wouldn't help resolve the situation :-(

Suppose we should be grateful for small mercies and, more seriously, hope that ACAS can bring the dispute to a resolution which is acceptable to both sides.

Policy and Strategy Meeting today

Well, rather shockingly - the Lib-Dem/SNP Administration basically agreed the broad outline of an amendment that we tabled on the ABM programme at today's meeting ;-)

... a new cross-Party grouping is to be set up (Group Leaders and Group Finance Spokespersons) to oversee the ABM Programme and to ensure that, that grouping has full involvement into the intended report (outlining any next ABM steps) which will be coming back to Full Council on the 16th December 2010.

I still can't get to read that Gateway Review, but at least we will now have some involvement - between now and December at least - into the next phase of the ABM Programme ... maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to influence its direction?

ABM programme - who is in charge?

Alternative Business Models programme is up at Policy and Strategy Committee again tomorrow ... you can see the full report here.

Whole section of the report is on an 'independent' Gateway Review of the programme to date --- unfortunately, despite helpful briefings from Officers, we're not allowed to see the actual review material; and I understand that not even Administration Councillors have seen it?

Totally bizarre - we're heading towards the potential privatisation of a significant number of Council jobs and those politically in-charge haven't even read the full independent review of the programme that is driving us down that route??

Actually - I'll correct that last paragraph: those really in charge have read the documents :-(

Allotment potatoes

Managed a brief visit to the Allotment early this evening, to pick up some pretty impressive (if I don't mind saying so myself!) potatoes ...

... probably the best crop of tatties (overall, taking the three beds together) we've dug up in the near 3-years we've been lucky enough to have the plot :-)

Campaigning Saturday

Most of this morning/early afternoon spent campaigning across Edinburgh!

... early part of the morning in Ward 9 and later morning/early afternoon in Ward 16 in the final run-up to the by-election on Thursday 9th September.

Looking forward to a bit of respite come October?

Local Transport Forum

Local South West Neighbourhood Transport Forum this afternoon - refreshingly dominated by cycling issues!

... and most of the discussion was of a constructive and positive nature: must have been the impending bank-holiday (for some!) weekend that helped set the right tone :-)

Gathering saga

Good to see that the local paper picked up on the 'Gathering' report, which is going to next week's Policy and Strategy Meeting - main agenda here.

Whilst I am willing to accept the Council Leader didn't actually know about the one-payment that was made by the Local Authority, I do still think that serious questions need to be asked about how the Council got itself so embroiled in the failings of this project ...

... we'll still be sure to pursue certain avenues at next Tuesday's Committee Meeting.

Pakistan flood appeal

Edinburgh's Disaster Response Committee decided this afternoon - thanks to an earlier Conservative motion at the August Council Meeting - to review its position on the flood situation in Pakistan and to locally assist a separate appeal which will go towards the provision of clean drinking water ...

... it seemed a very sensible decision to me.

STOP - no scrutiny here please

Well - at Policy and Strategy (oops! - Finance and Resources) today the 'external consultants' report was approved :-(

... more depressingly was the approval of a the report at item 13, which was - in essence - the agreement that up to £20million (yes TWENTY MILLION POUNDS) could be spent on private contractors to cover for any ongoing refuse collection disruption?

Worse than the simple implications of this, the report was before us under Standing Order 63, which means that the contract had already been signed by the Convener of the Committee without any reference to the political process :-(

Now, I understand that Standing Order 63 sometimes has to be used - but this contract commenced on 19th July, so must have been signed in early July, and there is no reason that I can see why it wasn't brought before some Committee of the Council as the issue first flared up back in April - some 4-months ago?

Just about says all there is to say concerning this Administrations attitude to serious political scrutiny ... they would rather there was none :-((

Age of austerity?

Finance Committee tomorrow ... main agenda here and individual papers can be found via CPOL here.

There's a classic statement contained within report number 22, on the use of external consultants - paragraph 11 simply says:

"The report details consultancy costs in 2009/10. There are no financial implications arising directly from this report."

... yet two paragraphs above there's confirmation that over £5million was spent in 2009/10 on revenue and capital consultancy contracts?

Age of austerity??

Auchterarder weekend

Up to Auchterarder this afternoon for an overnight stay ...

... as is ever the case, my wayward brother forced me to drink far too much whisky than is helpful for one's good health.

Truly terrible time had by all ;-)

Ward 16 candidates finalised

Eight candidates now confirmed for the by-election up at Liberton/Gilmerton taking place on the 9th September:

• BROWN, MEV Independent
• COOK, BILL Scottish Labour Party Candidate
• FOX, COLIN Scottish Socialist Party
• HUNT, PHILIP Pirate Party Scotland
• KNOX, JOHN CHRISTOPHER Scottish Liberal Democrats
• LEWIS, RICHARD Scottish National Party (SNP)
• McCOLL, PETER Scottish Green Party
• MURRAY, STEPHANIE Scottish Conservative and Unionist

Further details here and here.

Meant to mention that this lampost picture was taken yesterday when we were canvassing in the Ward: I don't think that chap is the Lib-Dem candidate any longer?

One can only hope they have some Knox posters to cover this up soon??

... mind you - not certain even that will help their likely vote ;-)