Just say YES! Michael

Can't say I'm currently much of a Michael Gove supporter, especially when it comes to his education policies ...

... but - they don't apply here in Scotland - and after today's news, if he comes out in favour of AV I think I may just have to get a small supporters-club up and running North of the Border ;-)

Committee division?

Supplementary agenda now out for next Tuesday's Policy and Strategy meeting - here - and the specific report on the tie/TEL appointment of a permanent Chair can be found here ...

... I do expect that this report will generate most debate next week?

Not sure I can remember the Lib-Dems and SNP (who jointly run the city supposedly) dividing at an actual Policy and Strategy Committee meeting but I suspect they may do so on this issue next week :-(

Tax lapse

Glad to hear that an apology was eventually forthcoming from the Finance Secretary this afternoon ... it was the right thing to do.

Mind you, the tone of the debate was as robust (from all sides, it has to be said!) as I think I've heard it throughout this whole Parliamentary term and couldn't have helped any calm consideration of what's gone wrong here :-(

Let's hope that tempers calm-down in the next few days and that a proper investigation can get under way to ensure this can't happen again.

Policy and Strategy papers out

Well, most of the reports for next Tuesday's meeting are out - main agenda here, and individual reports can be found via CPOL as usual ...

... the reports that are most likely to generate significant debate are still marked 'to follow' but they should be up on CPOL in the next day or so.

I'll be sure to post further when they are ...

Neighbourhood Partnership meeting

Main Edinburgh South West Neighbourhood Partnership meeting this evening ...

... very low turnout from members of the public, and one can't help wonder if the removal of 'Committee Services' support from the Neighbourhood Partnership is already showing a negative dividend?

I'm convinced that it was a completely false economy and won't help, only hinder, the development of neighbourhood working :-(

It's all Westminster's fault??

I really think that this 'defence' just won't wash with most people in Holyrood ...

... frankly, I think its an uncharacteristic misjudgement by the Finance Secretary and that he really should just accept that nearly two-thirds of people in Scotland voted for the Parliament (not the Executive!) to have a tax-varying power and that the Parliament should therefore have been informed of its lapsing.

Last time I checked, budgets (and all other taxation matters) need the approval of the Holyrood Chamber and are not in the gift of the 'Executive' ... the Scottish tax-varying power surely falls into the same category?

Policy and Strategy meeting next Tuesday

Policy and Strategy Committee meeting coming up next Tuesday (30th) - last one before the end of the year, and I expect a few significant reports to be up for debate ...

... specifically, there should be further information on the permanent appointments for tie/TEL and Lothian Buses: don't forget that all the fuss last week was over mere 'interim' appointments :-(

I can see this whole issue running for a long time yet!

Campaigning Day

No rugby, or dancing, flights of fancy today ... very sadly :-(

... just endless leaflets, letters and envelopes instead!

Still, looking on the bright side, it's now less than 18-months to the May 2012 local elections and then there could be no further election for another 2-years thereafter ;-))

Scotland defeat the World Champions!

After last week's woeful performance, who would have thought it ... Scotland have just defeated the current Rugby Union World Champions.

Mind you, was just as well that Dan Parks was on form!

... all we need now is another stunning performance from Kara Tointon later on this evening ;-)

Luckily its a campaigning-day tomorrow, so back to reality with a vengeance :-(

COSLA

COSLA Leaders' Meeting this morning ... sadly (no laughing at the back please!) I don't actually get to go to the Leaders' bit, but just the pre-meetings :-(

... anyhow, there was a pretty robust debate around the offer on the table from the Scottish Government, to Local Government; and I reckon the subsequent main meeting may well have been fairly lively!

I suspect there'll be more in tomorrow's press - and the Scotsman clearly had a taster of the debate-to-come in print earlier this morning ...

... the whole situation really is a grim low-point for Scottish Local Government as far as I'm concerned :-(

It's not so much the financial-side of the settlement --- but the way its been given as a complete 'take it or leave it' package with truly punitive consequences for any refusal: 'agency-model' indeed :-((

"No choice" for Edinburgh

Mentioned the so-called 'spending review' yesterday ...

... well, this is not something I say too often, but I agree completely with Edinburgh's Convener of Finance!

Local paper reports this afternoon that:

Finance Secretary John Swinney told councils they had a choice between a 2.6 per cent funding cut under an agreement to deliver government objectives or a 6.4 per cent cut if they decided not to sign.

The Government said councils which opted out of the deal, announced as part of Mr Swinney's budget yesterday, would effectively have to raise council tax by around 18 per cent.

Edinburgh's finance convener Phil Wheeler said: "That's not really a choice, is it?"

What can I say - it really is 'gun-to-your-head' territory ...

... and is as clear an indication as you'll ever get, of the level of respect that local government currently has in modern Scotland :-(

Full Council report ...

Hard to know where to start, with what turned out to be the most farcical Council Meeting I think I've attended in my 11-years on the Local Authority :-(

First of all, the rumours were true and the local Administration changed their minds and decided to vote to keep Blindcraft open - I welcome that.

What I cannot welcome is the appalling way this has been handled over recent weeks ... with the report being published; the clear recommendation being closure; staff being formally briefed on this likely outcome; and the press being allowed to believe that closure was indeed going to happen.

To reverse all of this at the last minute is, yes, welcome, but cruel indeed in the way it's been managed --- or I should say mismanaged. The Evening News seemed to know of the deal - they go to print before 10am remember! - before the Council Meeting even started ... it really is no way to treat some of the most vulnerable people in Edinburgh :-(

Anyhow, well done to all the campaigners who made sure their voice was heard on this issue - I'm entirely convinced that without their input the factory would have been closed today.

So --- on to bus/tram appointments (report here) and, as mostly expected, there wasn't really any great difference of view on the actual appointments, but to help the Nats avoid voting for the Chair of tie the Lord Provost made a complete dogs breakfast of handling the issue ...

... have a look at the Council's Standing Orders here - check out paragraph 32 in particular, which reads:

"TAKING A VOTE

32. After the Head of Legal and Administrative Services has started to take the vote, no member will be allowed to offer an opinion, ask a question or interrupt the proceedings until the result of the vote has been announced."

Well - the Lord Provost had started taking a roll call vote on the appointments within the report, and Councillor Ewan Aitken had actually even verbally voted, when the Provost summarily stopped the meeting for a 5-minute recess??

When we returned he tried to suspend Standing Orders (having realised his mistake I assume - or someone having told him!) but didn't have the required 2/3rds of Council ... and Labour/Tories/Greens left the Chamber in protest at the blatant abuse of Standing Orders.

Frankly, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh cannot start a Council vote and then suddenly decide to stop the vote because he'd spotted possible difficulties with the outcome!

It was a truly outrageous abuse of Council Standing Orders and the fact that all 29 Labour, Conservative and Green Councillors left the Chamber in protest underlines the seriousness of this abuse of local democracy.

So:

• good day for Blindcraft
• bad day for consultation/communication
• very bad day for adherence to basic local democratic standards

Things can only get worse as we approach next May :-((

Full Council Meeting today

Full Council Meeting today - mentioned the likely main issues last week, and no reason to believe they won't still be so ...

... blogging may well be light for the rest of the day, but I'll try and report back on the two main topics of 'Blindcraft' and 'Bus/Tram Appointments' as soon as feasible after the meeting ends.

Blindcraft to stay open?

Very strong rumours swirling around the City Chambers this evening that Blindcraft will potentially not be closed and the Lib-Dem/SNP Administration will back the alternative three-day a week option (details in the report here) ...

... if that turns out to be true, then it is surely to be welcomed; but why on earth was the report allowed to be made public (and Blindcraft staff formally briefed!) still containing the clear recommendation that outright closure was on the cards??

It is just no way to run a capital city.

Scottish Spending Review?

Actually, it's not a 'spending review' at all; but merely another 12-months allocation of finance ...

... okay, significant for its reduced stature, but to have dressed this all up as a 'spending review' is stretching credibility to the limit.

And, as for the deal on the table to Local Government:

• a 2.6% funding cut if you say yes to all our conditions
• or a 6.4% funding cut if you say no to ANY aspect of our conditions

So much for partnership and parity of esteem.

It still astounds me that the very Party of Independence has taken that very thing away from the tier of government for which it is currently responsible ...

... you can just see local authorities queuing up to agree that 6.4% cut, eh?

Royal boredom

As a committed republican, I have to say I'm already thoroughly - and deeply - bored of the endless Royal newsfeed of the last 24-hours ...

... there are surely more intrinsically important issues to report from today's world :-(

Accompanying all the news furore, has been the inevitable political speculation about what it may all do to the landscape of politics in the coming 9-months?

Well, the last such big event made hardly any political impact whatsoever, as this 1981 graph illustrates ...

... shame that ;-)

Cross-over

I know I shouldn't get too excited, but there is a slight feel of a 'turning-point' in the latest polling figures out today ...

... will be very interesting if the same pattern is repeated one-month after the Scottish Government's own 'spending review' moment: coming up tomorrow, of course.

And needless to say, our Government here has a much smaller chronological-buffer between decisions it has to make now, and its required need to next seek election.

Tynecastle Parent Council meeting

Tynecastle High School Parent Council meeting this evening ...

... lots of ongoing, constructive developments happening at the school and a very positive feel to the meeting. HMIE Inspectors back soon, and I do hope they pick up on all the good progress.

And all such a pleasant contrast to current meetings held in the City Chambers ;-)