Spinning out of control?

Please do read the very first sentence of this section of the Scottish Government website, as pointed out to me earlier today --- just click on the image to enlarge and read it ...

... and then contrast this blatant fantasy with the absolute truth that not ONE SINGLE new school contract will be initiated, and then that school built and actually opened, all within this term (May 2007-May 2011) of the current Scottish Government.

Just what else can one say ???

NEW weekly Surgery arrangements

Well, due to yet another Lib/Nat local budget-cut, I have indeed been forced to somewhat change my weekly Surgery pattern :-(

So, from tomorrow, here are the new weekly Surgery arrangements:

Andrew holds regular surgeries, right across his local Ward -
no appointment is necessary, just simply turn up:

• Every Monday, 6pm (during school term-time)
  @ Craiglockhart Primary School, Ashley Terrace
• Every Tuesday, 6pm (during school term-time)
  @ St.Cuthbert's Primary School, Hutchison Crossway
• Every Wednesday, 6pm (all year round)
  @ Fountainbridge Library, Dundee Street

These details can also be found on the Council's web-site - here.

Apologies for any confusion caused - I'll get all the local posters etc. changed as quickly as I can over the next few days!

'Chutney-Sunday'

The flat has been filled with the strong smell of vinegar for most of today :-(

... after a brief visit to the allotment this morning, we processed the following (all) home-grown ingredients:

- 3lbs of green tomatoes

- 3lbs of apples

- 2lbs of onions

- 6 cloves of garlic

... plus a few other spices, sugar and (a significant amount of!) vinegar, which have all ultimately led to the creation of 5 huge jars of home-made chutney ;-)

And, bias aside --- it does taste delicious!

Group Away Day

Labour Group Away Day (or afternoon, I should say!) later today ...

... this will be the third or fourth over the last year or so - and before you start howling protests about the cost: we're going to Muirhouse and no public money is involved!

Actually - posting this has reminded me that we had a few All-Party Away Days prior to the May 2007 Elections ... in the knowledge that it was difficult to know who would be within the ruling Coalition :-(

Been no hint of such an event since - which, given the finely balanced nature of the Council, is a missed opportunity if you ask me?

No national symbols here?

The story in this morning's Scotsman about the UK High Speed rail network nearly had me choking on my cornflakes --- nothing to do with the actual proposals, I hasten to add ...

... but have a quick look at the SNP comment about the (supposed?) plans to brand the line the "Union Railway" (fifth paragraph down):

"The name, intended to celebrate the political partnership that has linked Scotland and England for more than 300 years, irritated Nationalists who slated the UK government for politicising the project by making it an overt symbol of the Union".

Politicising a project by using overt national symbols - well, I never!

Policy and Strategy papers out ...

Policy and Strategy Committee papers out today - for next Tuesday's meeting - main agenda can be found here ...

... I suspect there could be quite a robust debate about the 'Carbon Reduction' report - which can be read in full here.

The reality of commitments for Local Authorities in this area (of which I'm generally supportive) are very clearly laid out - and it's certainly not challenge (or potentially, cost) -free!

The future of rail?

Very, very good news on the High Speed rail network - details all now made public this afternoon ...

... all the details can be found here (that's a link to the News Release, but links to all the reports are within the right-hand bar therein) and the 'Summary Brochure' for the proposals can be found here.

There was quite a bit of effort (and political support) put into this project by the last Council Administration, so I am pleased to see some of that coming to potential fruition.

2-hours to Edinburgh indeed ... that really would be a challenge to domestic air travel!

Local amenity diminished

Well, sadly the restaurant application for Dundee Street was approved earlier this morning - I hear the request for a site-visit was defeated by 7 votes to 6?

... not great when a request for a mere site-visit is defeated by one vote :-(

The application report can be found here - and my main point of contention is with the top of page 3 where the report says:

"The concentration of similar uses in this area is not deemed to be excessive with only three of the nine units on the frontage to be occupied by a restaurant or a takeaway. The proposed location is therefore in accordance with Central Edinburgh Local Plan Policy L2, finalised Edinburgh City Local Plan Policy Ret 12, and nonstatutory guidance on Restaurants, Cafes and Hot Food Shops."

But just above (in the same paragraph) it acknowledges that "other restaurants and takeaways are close by" --- well, there are actually numerous other such establishments in the adjoining tenement blocks, and across the road at the Fountainbridge Cinema complex.

The report goes on to justify granting the application by mention of 'Policy Ret 12' --- the full text of which says (see page 30 here):


Policy Ret 12

The change of use of a shop unit or other premises to a licensed or unlicensed restaurant, café, pub, or shop selling hot food for consumption off the premises (hot food take-away) will not be permitted:

a) if likely to lead to an unacceptable increase in noise, disturbance, on-street activity or anti-social behaviour to the detriment of living conditions for nearby residents or

b) in an area where there is considered to be an excessive concentration of such uses to the detriment of living conditions for nearby residents.


Frankly, I think granting of this application breaks both a) and b) above - and at the very least, I believe the Committee should have agreed a site-visit to see for themselves the over-concentration of 'restaurant/takeaway' establishments in the immediate area?

Really not a great decision to reject that request by one vote :-(

2-hours to Edinburgh?

'High Speed rail network' decision due later today ... I know it's just a study by Network Rail, but whatever it says about going beyond the North of England will have a major impact on the future chances of such services actually making it to Scotland ...

... as a complete convert to the train - over the plane - I'd be delighted to see a 2-hour journey time to Edinburgh ;-)

The worth of local amenity ...

Fairly contentious (locally at least!) planning application for yet another restaurant - on Dundee Street - up at tomorrow's Development Sub-Committee ...

... main local complaint is one of existing over-provision of restaurants/takeaways around the Dundee Street area; and I think the objectors have a good point. There's no doubt in my mind that yet another restaurant - and quite a big one at that - will diminish local amenity yet further.

I can't get along to the Committee myself, unfortunately, but hoping that Members will at least agree to a site-visit before any final decision?

Consistent treatment?

Now - I am not defending the content of either of the e-mails that these two local stories (here and here) in today's Evening News are about ...

... but do contrast the fact that over a dozen staff have been suspended for sending these messages, when absolutely NOTHING appears to happen when the current Council Administration:

• put up statements on the bin dispute one day
• change that statement the next day
• and then eventually remove all trace of both statements from the web-site of the Capital City of Scotland

Pressing the delete button appears to work for some??

And yet rather astonishingly, several people have contacted me since I first mentioned this issue to tell me - in no uncertain terms - that it's not a serious problem?

Well - I beg to differ.

Someone, somewhere, approved those statements going on to the Council's web-site; and someone, somewhere approved them being removed.

And ultimate responsibility for all of this has to rest with Administration politicians - if not, then that's an acceptance that they are simply not in charge.

Recession in Britain 'at an end' ?

I know most media attention has been elsewhere - and quite rightly so - but it does appear that this story failed completely, to make it beyond the 'business section' of the BBC web-site :-(

Possible pattern here --- potential good news, is no news :-((

Trader 'poisoned' by tram works ??

With all due sympathy to those who have been ill ...

... but it does appear that the latest, local story on trams has really stretched the headline-writers' creative abilities ;-)

... and I'm still quite shocked that no one from the SNP has taken the opportunity to have-a-go at the project ;-))

More seriously - do I detect a glimmer of hope that senior, local Nationalists may, at last, have accepted that this project is going to be delivered and should be supported for the remaining duration of the tram-works?

Community Food Event ...

Must mention the 'Community Food Event' I attended locally yesterday ...

... the recently formed Shandon Local Food Initiative organised it, and a very impressive number of folk turned up with a wide variety of 'local food dishes'.

Now, given my well-known proclivity for the consumption of rather large amounts of food - this was an event clearly just made for me!

Can't wait until the next one :-))

And, I'm pleased to report, we also took along:

• a red-onion quiche
• lots of potato salad
• a large apple tart

--- all made from allotment-only ingredients ;-)

Wrong decision

I'm a fairly compassionate person (I like to think?) and - I hope even my political opponents would agree?? - not 'overly' partisan or personal in my political beliefs and/or actions ...

... but having kept quiet on the Megrahi decision since the whole episode burst into the news last week, after some serious thought I now find myself - whilst having personal sympathy for the position Kenny MacAskill found himself in - having absolutely no sympathy for the way the ultimate decision was arrived at and eventually communicated.

A man (Megrahi) who is legally guilty (put aside the arguments over his conviction - they shouldn't apply to this moment) of murdering 270 people was released from jail last Thursday, and allowed to leave the country of his crime, where he was being held for his actions on a life-sentence.

I just can't find any justification for what's described above?

Look at the statement on this issue from the Scottish Government (and the relevant legislation) - it is obvious that Scottish Ministers have the power to release on 'compassionate grounds', but the relevant Minister has only 'guidance' to follow and has to be 'satisfied' of any case made. There is no reading of the legislation (not in my mind) that says: if this and this applies, then the prisoner must be released ...

... ultimately it's a subjective process, which clearly relies on some objective facts - such as the prisoner is dying - but nowhere can I see any set of objective facts that must inextricably lead, in law, to prisoner release?

MacAskill was right to say, "these are my decisions and my decisions alone" ... that's correct ... but, for me, he arrived at the wrong decision and released (not just from custody, but from Scotland) a man who is legally guilty of the worst crime committed on Scottish soil, in living memory.

A compassionate decision - just maybe?

The right decision - certainly not.

Ashes victory

I've listened to quite a bit of the cricket on the 'radio/ computer' today ...

... have to say that I thought it was completely gripping towards the end and there's no doubt England deserved to win this 5th Test.

... but if you look at the other 4 test results, there is no doubt that Australia will be kicking themselves this evening ;-)

Blogging-on ...

Little bit of blogging recognition added to the side-bar ;-)

... the Councillor-one is (for me) particularly pleasing, as it covers the whole of the UK.

Mind you, probably just shows how few local Councillors keep blogs :-(

'Smithy'

Back up in Edinburgh now - and true enough, the rescue-cat is securely installed in our flat ...

... indeed, I think he's already wondering what the hell I'm doing wondering around 'his' new domain :-(

That said, he is rather cute - as you can see :-))

He's been called 'Smithy'.