It was a long day!

Unfortunately, my prediction was correct and the Council meeting lasted until just after 8pm this evening :-(

And the school closures were indeed the main topic of debate - generating 7 deputations alone, none of which (sadly) led to any change in the recommendations that were before the Council despite some very powerful points being made by those who spoke.

One point of note - I think - is the fact that during the debates on the closure of Bonnington and Westburn Primary Schools, not one single elected Member of the Administration spoke other than the Convener and Vice-Convener of the Education Committee? No one, not even the relevant local Councillors, had the good grace to get onto their feet and explain their decision to the Council Chamber. At least during the Lismore Primary School debate that did happen.

And significantly, the Council Leader never uttered a word in any of the three debates. Now, I am all for a bit of devolution of responsibility, but not to speak when YOUR Administration is closing down three Primary Schools is - for me - just a gross error of judgement.

And just to make matters worse, one of the schools was only closed because the Lord Provost used his casting-vote to push the decision through :-(

Long day ahead ...

Blogging could be non-existent for the rest of the day, you'll be devastated to hear? ...

... at the last count, there were 10 deputations coming up to the Full Council later this morning!

I sense the meeting could go on well into the evening :-((

Street (un)cleanliness

Having spent a considerable amount of time pounding the streets of Forth Ward recently, I'm not at all surprised to see the detail within this report - which is going to the Transport Committee next Tuesday.

... it does appear that the "Cleanliness Index Monitoring System (CIMS)" is reporting an acceptable outcome - see paragraph 2.1 within the report - but read paragraph 3.1 and you realise CIMS is only based on a "50 metre transect in 10% of the city’s streets" ...

... fast forward to paragraph 4.7 (and check out Appendix 3) and you'll see the overall reality that 7 out of the 17 Wards in Edinburgh - that's over 40% of the city - have a cleanliness level which is below an acceptable standard.

This - sadly - will surprise no one in the Forth Ward.

A Fairer Scotland?

During the recent Forth Ward by-election, my new colleague repeatedly warned of the imminent threat of direct service cuts due to the massive reduction in funding for local projects that was about to happen with the move to the so-called Fairer Scotland Fund (FSF) ...

... he also highlighted the fact that the current Council Administration blatantly postponed a funding decision-meeting to AFTER the by-election in the hope of burying bad news. Thankfully the good people of Forth weren't fooled.

And, in the last week of the campaign, Cammy was repeatedly being accused of 'lying' about the cuts to local organisations.

Well, that "funding decision-meeting" took place on Monday and in one stroke over £527,000 has now been cut from local organisations in North Edinburgh. That figure will get a lot worse when staff-losses are added in, and they will be as some of the organisations are almost certain to fold given the scale of their funding-reduction ... over 50% in certain cases!

I can send anyone the full details by e-mail if you contact me.

It is nothing short of a tragedy for North Edinburgh.

Sadly, its a pattern being repeated elsewhere in ex-Community Regeneration Funded (CRF) areas ... not only here in Edinburgh, but across the country.

Fairer Scotland eh?

The myth of record debt

First class article on the issue of public sector (Government) debt up on the 'BBC News Magazine' site today ...

... really should be compulsory reading for anyone who doubts that 'you can prove just about whatever you want with statistics' :-(

'Lose-lose' situation

I posted a few days ago about the shelving of the Meadowbank redevelopment plans ... plans that would have seen some £25million worth of capital investment for sport in the East of the city.

... well, it transpires today that some £12million of revenue will now need to be spent due to the shelving of the earlier capital plans!

This is fast turning into a 'lose-lose' situation.

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 ;-)