Full Council meeting this week

November's Full Council Meeting this coming Thursday - agenda can now be found here.

Proposed school closures likely to be the most controversial issue, by far ... see items 8.2 (a), (b) and (c). Given the undoubted deputations, I suspect it won't be a quick meeting!

Allotment update!

Haven't posted about the allotment for a while :-(

... but, been down there a bit this weekend and thought I'd report that we're still harvesting brussels, spinach and white beetroot :-)

Everything though, much quieter now - as you can see from this photo.

Still a real pleasure to be there on such a clear and sharp day as today.

ALDI comes to Hutchison?

I took some flak locally over the rejection of an ALDI planning application last year - posted about it here.

Well, the company are now planning to take on the empty Somerfield Store on Gorgie Road ... a much more sensible option if you ask me, and Hutchison will get its ALDI store within walking distance ;-)

I do hope that a better long-term use can now be found for the field in front of the Corn Exchange?

Best Scot at Westminster

Who would have thought it ...

... Alistair has just won the title of "Best Scot at Westminster"!

... at the Herald Politician Awards last night.

Now, bias admitted ...

... I do believe its well deserved praise.

Meadowbank shelved

As if the news on trams wasn't depressing enough, it also transpires today that the redevelopment of Meadowbank is also in trouble ...

... I'm all too aware that many people will welcome the shelving of the current plans - it has though to be a worry for everyone, that there's now a very real danger that Edinburgh will see zero capital investment for sport in the East of the city :-(

Not good.

Tram boss quits

My views on trams are well known, so no-one will be surprised that I was dismayed to hear of the resignation of Willie Gallagher today ...

... Willie may well have been the "Tram boss", and his leaving is obviously not good for the project, but he will be replaced I'm sure.

Problem is, what this project needs more-than-ever is a "Leader" and absolutely tragically (as far as I'm concerned) there is not one to be seen anywhere?

Tollcross Community Council

Tollcross Community Council meeting last night.

Very busy agenda, with surprisingly few planning issues being raised for a change?

There was though a lot of debate on police matters - and good to see two Community Beat Officers in attendance to deal with all the questions ...

... one of them even turned up on his bike :-)

And this evening (Thursday), no Community Council meetings allowed! - as it was junior's Parents' Evening at the local Primary School ...

... never a quiet moment.

Neighbourhood Partnership meeting

Edinburgh South West Neighbourhood Partnership (NP) meeting this evening, held at St. Brides Centre in Dalry.

Regular blog readers will know I have frequently posted about the development, and ongoing saga, of NPs ...

... well, if tonight's meeting was anything to go by, members of the public are fast losing patience with the lack of real decision-making being devolved to NPs.

The whole project, to supposedly devolve powers away from the City Chambers, will grind to a cynical halt if the current Council Administration don't get a grip of this :-(

Community Council week!

Second week of the month and its Community Council meetings galore ;-)

... Hutchison and Chesser Community Council this evening, where there was a brief presentation from officers on the tram project. Lively debate followed :-(

But, on the entirely positive-side, Cammy Day had his first day in the City Chambers today - very good to see a new (no pun intended!) Labour Councillor in the building.

No rest allowed ...

I mentioned the impending 'DIY-fest' a few days ago ...

... well, in the midst of the madness that is the 'last-week' of any by-election campaign, I have also completely re-decorated Juniors room (and built all the furniture purchased earlier!) just in time for his return from what appears to have been a very successful 'school-trip week' :-)

To say that I am now completely exhausted would be a huge understatement ... roll on Monday, so I can return to work for a rest ;-))

Well done Cammy Day!

I'm absolutely delighted for Cammy Day - who was declared the winning candidate at the Forth Ward by-election just after midnight :-)

I have not the slightest shred-of-doubt that Cammy will be an effective local Councillor for the Forth Ward area. He has fought an inspired local campaign and he will translate that platform into effective local action in the months to come.

And, it has to be said, this is a very clear message to the current Lib-Dem/SNP Council Administration ... the style (and content!) of the last 18-months of their rule was rejected last night. And it will be rejected again in 2012 if they don't change direction.

And, on the wider political front, the result in Glenrothes is even (marginally) more impressive for Labour ;-))

Joking aside - I've always been open about how poor some recent electoral results have been for Labour ... Crewe and Glasgow East spring immediately to mind :-(

... and I do hope my political opponents will have the good grace to accept that last night was a good night for Edinburgh Labour and Scottish Labour alike.

THE election day

Thursday 6th November, and it's THE election day ...

... lets hope its DAY's day ;-)

A new spirit of service?

Looks like I might have over-egged the turnout prediction, and it doesn't appear Obama will quite get to the 379 Clinton watermark :-(

... but it is looking like a 364-174/Obama-McCain result, which by any standards is an exceptional outcome.

I have to say, I don't envy Obama the task now in front of him - I've never known so much hope and expectation being placed on the shoulders of one person, within my lifetime - but, I'm optimistic he'll rise to the challenge. He is surrounded by extremely capable people, and more importantly, he now has a huge body of verifiable support right-across America that will work with him.

And if you have a mere 17-minutes to spare over the next few days, then can I encourage you to watch his victory speech in full ... it does give a very clear flavour of just how he intends to govern.

Personally, I think these intentions - against much expectation - will be delivered upon.

I really do think some significant changes await the period following his inauguration on the 20th January 2009.

Vote #1 for Cammy Day

Parenting angst :-(

Mentioned the other day that junior was off for a week from today ...

... well, he's now departed and we won't see him again until Friday!

Having never been away from him for more than the odd day, a mild sense of panic has now set in, although I'm quite sure he'll have a marvellous time ;-)

Middle-age parenting angst is upon me :-(

President Obama

US election prediction coming up ... I just know I'll regret this :-(

No sitting on the fence, or predictions of a 'slight' Obama victory - I reckon we'll be waking up on Wednesday to a quite extraordinary result ...

Looking at most of the recent polls, and how they currently translate into votes via the electoral college, I predict that Obama is going to get VERY close to 400 electoral college votes ...

... I think he'll beat Clinton's 379 of the 1996 election, and it will thus be the most convincing Democrat Presidential victory since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Oh, and the turnout will be VERY close to 80%.

Active Sunday

Very busy day up in the Forth Ward this morning/early afternoon ...

... then local Community Centre meeting this afternoon, before finally making it back to the flat.

Looking forward to next weekend ;-)

Shopping mania :-(

Junior is away on his 'P7 school-trip week' from Monday through to Friday next week ... first time in nearly 11-years we'll have been without him, apart from the occasional night :-(

... I only mention this, as we've a cunning plan to completely re-organise and re-decorate his room whilst he's away - so, this evening we all went off to IKEA (not a place I frequent much!) to buy some new furniture. At 6pm on a Saturday night, the place was hopping - and there was me thinking it would be fairly quiet :-((

But, we escaped in one piece, and all is ready for next week's marathon DIY event ... next few days thus shaping up to be as 'relaxed as can-be', especially given my love of all-things DIY which will now be combined with the last few-days running-up to the Forth by-election!

I can hardly wait.