Results in so far:
ALMOND: Paterson (Con), Work (SNP) and Shields (LD) elected.
DRUMBRAE/GYLE: Cairns (SNP), Aldridge (LD) and Keils (Lab) elected. Labour gain.
CORSTORPHINE/MURRAYFIELD: Balfour (Con), Edie (LD) and Ross (SNP) elected.
State of play: SNP 3, LD 3, Con 2, Lab 1.
NOTE: Congratulations to independent candidate Professor Pongoo (not pictured, that’s a penguin) who gained over 400 votes in Pentlands, beating one of the mainstream parties!
Following on from the previous post, my predictions for the two local wards are:
FORTH:
Labour to return two councillors, SNP one (Steve Cardownie) and Conservative Allan Jackson will also be successful. The Lib-Dems to lose out.
Labour almost returned two Forth councillors (Billy Fitzpatrick just lost out) at the 2007 local council elections and can do so this time if the traditional vote has come out – turnout is pretty poor, though.
INVERLEITH:
Currently has one each of Labour, Conservative, Lib-Dem and SNP, but both the Tories and the SNP are adopting the risky strategy of fielding two candidates.
This could backfire – my prediction is that the Green’s Nigel Bagshaw will pick up a seat – whether that’s at the expense of one of the SNP pair, Lib-Dem Tim McKay or Conservative Iaian Whyte is difficult to say.
More later …
A celebration has been held to mark the opening on 15 new affordable homes and a church centre in Boswall Parkway by Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA).
The Association bought the Granton United Church site in 2010 and was committed to providing a centre for a local congregation as part of its building plans. The development, built with £1m funding from the City of Edinburgh Council, has been shortlisted for a Scottish Home Award for Community Partnership of the Year.
There are two one-bedroom, 10 two-bedroom and three three-bedroom flats in the Boswall Parkway development . More than two-thirds of the properties feature solar thermal heating provided by panels located on the roof.
An opening ceremony was held at the Granton United Church last week and was attended by around 30 people including PoLHA representatives, contractors and tenants, as well as local MSP Malcolm Chisholm.
Cathy King, Head of Housing and Regeneration at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This development is a great example of the council and Port of Leith Housing Association working in partnership with the local community to deliver much-needed affordable homes. The existing building has now been transformed into 15 energy-efficient flats and a purpose-built church hall which everyone will be able to benefit from.”
Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of PoLHA, said: “This site, incorporating a church, is one that’s completely unique for us and we’re delighted to have been able to develop a centre as part of our plans. Creating communities in which people want to live is more than simply providing a roof over people’s heads: it’s providing good-quality, energy-efficient housing people are proud of, and it’s supporting individuals, families and local groups to help bring people together and be a community.”
Granton United Church has around 35 members. Treasurer Ted Wallace said: “The members all seem happy with the new centre and we’ve settled in.”
Resident Paula McVay added: “Our new home is great and we’re really happy with the energy-efficient measures.”
A celebration has been held to mark the opening on 15 new affordable homes and a church centre in Boswall Parkway by Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA).
The Association bought the Granton United Church site in 2010 and was committed to providing a centre for a local congregation as part of its building plans. The development, built with £1m funding from the City of Edinburgh Council, has been shortlisted for a Scottish Home Award for Community Partnership of the Year.
There are two one-bedroom, 10 two-bedroom and three three-bedroom flats in the Boswall Parkway development . More than two-thirds of the properties feature solar thermal heating provided by panels located on the roof.
An opening ceremony was held at the Granton United Church last week and was attended by around 30 people including PoLHA representatives, contractors and tenants, as well as local MSP Malcolm Chisholm.
Cathy King, Head of Housing and Regeneration at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This development is a great example of the council and Port of Leith Housing Association working in partnership with the local community to deliver much-needed affordable homes. The existing building has now been transformed into 15 energy-efficient flats and a purpose-built church hall which everyone will be able to benefit from.”
Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of PoLHA, said: “This site, incorporating a church, is one that’s completely unique for us and we’re delighted to have been able to develop a centre as part of our plans. Creating communities in which people want to live is more than simply providing a roof over people’s heads: it’s providing good-quality, energy-efficient housing people are proud of, and it’s supporting individuals, families and local groups to help bring people together and be a community.”
Granton United Church has around 35 members. Treasurer Ted Wallace said: “The members all seem happy with the new centre and we’ve settled in.”
Resident Paula McVay added: “Our new home is great and we’re really happy with the energy-efficient measures.”
You’ve had your say and the count of votes cast in yesterday’s local council elections is now underway at Meadowbank Stadium, where Edinburgh will elect 58 councillors.
Early indications are that voter turnout is not as bad as first feared – there were gloomy predictions of 30% or even less in some areas yesterday. The political parties certainly can’t blame poor weather if the turnout is low – yesterday’s weather was fine.
The composition of the outgoing Council was: Lib-Dem 16, Labour 15, SNP 13, Conservative 11 and Green Party 3. Following that last council election in 2007, the Lib Dems and SNP entered into a coalition to form the administration, and despite directly opposing views on Edinburgh’s controversial tram project, the partnership held firm for the full five year term.
Last night’s results from England show a resurgent Labour party, but this is unsurprising given Labour started from a very low base, having been drubbed in the previous council elections down south. The current Conservative/Lib Dem coalition at Westminster is also particularly unpopular just now; party managers will claim the local election results are ‘mid-term protest votes’ – they usually do!
In Scotland, there is a different dynamic with the rise of the SNP and the party’s historic victory in last year’s Holyrood election. The challenge for the Nationalists is to maintain that momentum, or was last May the high-water mark?
Here in Edinburgh, it’s hard to tell what impact, if any, the trams fiasco had on the way voters cast their ballots. It does appear likely that the Lib Dems will pay the price for both being a partner in an unpopular Westminster government and, locally, the main party heading up a weak and indecisive administration.
What will happen to the Lib Dem vote if, as some predict, it collapses? Hard to say, but it could be the Green Party who are the main beneficiaries of disaffected Lib Dems.
Whatever the turnout, the result will be very tight and before the count no-one really knows how this is going to play out. If forced to make a prediction, I would say Labour will finish as the biggest party with perhaps sixteen councillors. The Greens in particular, the SNP and the Tories could all also pick up a seat or two at the Lib-Dems expense; my guess – and it is a guess – is that the Lib Dems could lose six seats.
One thing for certain is that no one political party can have an absolute majority in the City Chambers, and after the count (or perhaps even before!) the horse-trading begins. We will know the composition of the new Council by late this afternoon, but we may have to wait a while longer to find out who will be running our city.
NEN’s Thomas Brown will be ‘tweeting’ from Meadowbank throughout the course of the day
A contract worth an estimated £80m to build around 800 new homes in the Pennywell/Muirhouse area of Edinburgh has been advertised by the City of Edinburgh Council. The contract is part of the project for the second phase of the Council’s 21stCentury Homes programme which aims to build up to 1,400 mixed tenure homes for sale and rent across the Capital over the next eight years.
At least half of the homes in Pennywell will be affordable with the remainder for sale and rent in the private sector. Construction on the site is due to start in 2013 with the new homes being ready to be lived in by 2014.
Mark Turley, Director of Services for Communities, said: “This is an exciting time for the people in Pennywell. The development is a housing led regeneration opportunity which will boost the local economy by providing new jobs in the construction industry as well as supporting local businesses.
“As part of the procurement process, the successful developer is also being asked to provide training opportunities and apprenticeships for young people during the course of the construction project. This will be a hugely important contribution to the regeneration of this area.
“The development provides the Council with the opportunity to unlock private investment, provide a mix of new housing and create a sustainable development for the area. ”
The successful developer will be required to comply with the existing planning permission in principle secured by the Council as well as the Pennywell/Muirhouse Design Guide, which sets the blueprint for design quality, energy-efficient new homes, roads, footways and high quality public space.
City of Edinburgh Council
With the local council elections tomorrow (Thursday 3 May), the City of Edinburgh Council is reminding voters what they need to know to have their say on polling day:
City of Edinburgh Council
A team of local firefighters will set out to cycle the length of the country to raise funds for Oaklands School this week. The officers from Crewe Toll’s White Watch plan to pedal from Lands End to John o’ Groats – a distance of 845 miles – over nine gruelling days.
The firefighters hope their efforts will raise enough sponsorship money to purchase at least one specialised Petra Running Bike, which give children a totally new experience of freedom when they use them, for the school.
David Dourley, who was White Watch commander, explained: “We have a team of ten cyclists, plus two support drivers who are retired colleagues, and we set off down south on Thursday. We decided to support Oaklands because we have a very good working relationship with the school – being on Ferry Road it’s very close to the Fire station and we’re regular visitors. Some of the children and young people at Oaklands have severe and complex additional support needs and we know the staff do a really fantastic job here. When we heard Oaklands needed support to raise money for these amazing bikes we were delighted to offer our services. I hope we’re all still feeling the same way after the trip!’
Colleague Ali McKay added: ‘We’ve got all levels of experience in the team – some guys cycle regularly, while one of our blokes only bought a bike a couple of weeks ago! We’ve been training, but none of us have done anything like this before – eight to ten hours per day for nine days – so it will be a real challenge. It’s for a great cause though and we’re really looking forward to it – honestly!’
Good luck, White Watch. We’ll let you know how the guys get on.
Forth councillor Cammy Day opened West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre’s new food co-operative yesterday. The Fabby Food Store offers quality fresh produce at competitive prices and the West Pilton Grove location is convenient for local shoppers.
Cammy Day said: ‘People will remember Barri Grubb, the food co-op based at the Health Project, had to close because of council cuts. That project is a real loss so I am delighted to see this new resource – a partnership between the city council, Community Learning and Development and local people – open here today. I hope many local people will use the new shop and I wish the venture every success’.
He went on to present a basket of goodies to local woman Johann Boyle (pictured below), who won the competition to name the new co-op – Fabby Food Store.
Fabby Food Store opens on Tuesdays from 10am – 2pm. For further information call West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on 551 3194.
Tick tock, tick, tock … It’s been 110 years since Hibs won the Scottish Cup – and Hearts fans reckon you can make that 111! As they see it, it’s going to be Gorgie glee and not sunshine on Leith come 5pm on 19 May.
Hearts have the upper hand in derby encounters over recent seasons – the unbeaten run now stretches to ten games and you have to go back to three long years to find the last time Hibs tasted victory in an Edinburgh derby through a Riordan penalty. There are good reasons for that Hearts dominance.
When it comes to the big occasion, Hearts players rise to the challenge where Hibs seem to wilt and wither under the pressure. Hearts seem to want it more and even seem to expect it now – there’s a superiority, a swagger and a confidence when Hearts face Hibs. And in the lead-up to the most talked about Cup Final in living memory, Hearts have better players than Hibs all over the pitch.
Take the respective defences. The Hearts defence is settled, reliable and packed with experience. Hearts goalkeepers have also made the headlines for the right reasons – unlike poor old Hibs: Malkowski or Makalambay, anybody? Hearts have nothing to fear from a powder puff Hibs attack.
In midfield Hearts also hold all the aces. While Hibs’ engine room is full of lightweight players who flatter to deceive with fancy flicks and nice touches – which seldom come off – in Ian Black Hearts have a combative wee warrior (Hibs fans call him other things) who will boss, bully and dominate the centre of the park. Games like these need a grafter, a battler. Hibs don’t have one – Hearts have Ian Black.
Up front, Hearts have the edge too. Big game player Rudi Skacel has a fine record against Hibs and in Craig Beattie Hearts have a fine striker with all the attributes you need to win games. He’s sharp, has a fine shot and is good in the air. When chances come, he takes them. Hibs defence has tightened up over recent weeks, but they are still prone to the odd error and you can be sure that any weaknesses will be exposed on Hampden’s wide-open spaces. Both Hibs full-backs like to get forward but leave space at the back – and when Hearts wide players get in behind them there will be opportunities aplenty. Hearts will create chances and, with the firepower available at Gorgie, Hibs will be punished.
Yes, Hearts have had better seasons but given the ongoing wages problems and persistent reports that all is not well financially, that’s hardly surprising. Having said that, Hearts have still had a better season than their old rivals! In Paulo Sergio Hearts have an astute young manager and, if he’s left alone to do his job without interference from ‘on high’, he’s already shown that he can get results and Sergio has a fully fit and highly motivated squad to choose from. Unlike the Hibs, Hearts have not been involved in an end of season dogfight and have had a perfect preparation in the build-up to the Cup Final.
And there’s no doubt about it, Hearts got to the final on merit – they took on Scotland’s best team by far, and not only matched Celtic but deservedly beat them. Celtic had no excuses, and how many of the current Hibs squad would get a place in that Celtic team?
Hearts face their oldest rivals on 19 May full of confidence. Better players, better form, better manager, great recent record against Hibs, fine performances at Hampden behind them – everything points to a comprehensive Hearts victory, and the sweetest cup win of them all.
