City Council Elections: candidates announced

Details have been announced of the 120 candidates standing across Edinburgh’s 17 wards in the Local Government Elections on 4 May. Nominations for candidates closed yesterday.

The nominated candidates for each ward are listed in full below and on the Council website:

1: Almond (4 councillors to be elected)

FRASER, Daniel – Scottish Libertarian Party
HUTCHISON, Graham – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
INGLIS, Otto – UKIP
LANG, Kevin – Scottish Liberal Democrats
LONGSTAFF, John – Independent
MCKINNON-WADDELL, Iain – Scottish Green Party
MITCHELL, Pamela – Scottish National Party (SNP)
WHITEHEAD, Bruce – Scottish Labour Party
WORK, Norman – Scottish National Party (SNP)
YOUNG, Louise – Scottish Liberal Democrats

2: Pentland Hills (4 councillors to be elected)

BRUCE, Graeme – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
FARTHING, Emma – Scottisih Liberal Democrats
GARDINER, Neil – Scottish National Party (SNP)
HENDERSON, Ricky – Scottish Labour Party
NOREIKIENEk, Ernesta – Scottish National Party (SNP)
WEBBER, Susan – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
WESTON, Evelyn – Scottish Green Party

3: Drum Brae/Gyle (3 councillors to be elected)

ALDRIDGE, Robert Christopher – Scottish Liberal Democrats
BRIDGMAN, Claire – Scottish National Party (SNP)
BROWN, Mark – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
KEIL, Karen Ann – Scottish Labour Party
MEYER, Phyl – Scottish Green Party

4: Forth (4 councillors to be elected)

BIRD, Eleanor – Scottish National Party (SNP)
CAMPBELL, Jim – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
DAY, Cammy – Scottish Labour Party
GORDON, George – Scottish National Party (SNP)
MACKAY, Gillian – Scottish Green Party
PUGH, Heather – Scottish Labour Party
ROSS, Nicola – Independent
WIGHT, Tim – Scottish Liberal Democrats

5: Inverleith   (4 councillors to be elected)

BAGSHAW, Nigel – Scottish Green Party
BARRIE, Gavin – Scottish National Party (SNP)
DALGLEISH, James – Scottish Labour Party
LAIRD, Tom – Scottish Libertarian Party
MITCHELL, Max – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
OSLER, Hal – Scottish Liberal Democrats
WHYTE, Iain – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
WOOLNOUGH, Tina – Independent

6: Corstorphine/Murrayfield (3 councillors to be elected)

DOUGLAS, Scott – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
GLOYER, Gillian – Scottish Liberal Democrats
NEVENS, Kate – Scottish Green Party
NISBET, James – UKIP
ROSS, Frank – Scottish National Party (SNP)
SCOTT, John Ferguson – Independent
WHITELAW, June – Scottish Labour Party

7: Sighthill/Gorgie (4 councillors to be elected)

DIXON, Denis – Scottish National Party (SNP)
FULLERTON, Catherine – Scottish National Party (SNP)
GRACZYK, Ashley – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
HAYTER, Simon – Scottish National Party (SNP)
HEAP, Dan – Scottish Green Party
SCOBIE, Devin Scott – Scottish Liberal Democrats
SMITH, Carmel – Scottish Labour Party
STRANGE, Calum – Scottish Libertarian Party
WILSON, Donald – Scottish Labour Party

8: Colinton/Fairmilehead (3 councillors to be elected)

ARTHUR, Scott – Scottish Labour Party
DOGGART, Phil – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
LEWIS, Richard John – Scottish National Party (SNP)
MARSDEN, Sara – Scottish Green Party
RUST, Jason – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
WALKER, David Richard – Scottish Liberal Democrats

9: Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart (3 councillors to be elected)

CORBETT, Gavin – Scottish Green Party
JOHNSTON, Andrew – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
KEY, David – Scottish National Party (SNP)
LANG, Jenni – Scottish Liberal Democrats
SUBRAMANI, Rojan – Independent
WIMBERLEY, Anne – Scottish Labour Party

10: Morningside (4 councillors to be elected)

COOK, Nick – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
HOWAT, Sandy – Scottish National Party (SNP)
LAND, Chris – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
MAIN, Melanie – Scottish Green Party
ROSS, Neil – Scottish Liberal Democrats
WATT, Mandy – Scottish Labour Party

11: City Centre (4 councillors to be elected)

DORAN, Karen – Scottish Labour Party
MILLER, Claire – Scottish Green Party
MOWAT, Jo – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
RANKIN, Alasdair – Scottish National Party (SNP)
SIDOR, Peter – Scottish Libertarian Party
STEVENS, David – Scottish Liberal Democrats

12: Leith Walk (4 councillors to be elected)

DONALDSON, Marion – Scottish Labour Party
GARDNER, Nick – Scottish Labour Party
JACOBSEN, David Don – Socialist Labour Party
MARGA, Cristina – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
McNEESE-MECHAN, Amy – Scottish National Party (SNP)
MELVILLE, Alan Gordon – Independent
RAE, Susan – Scottish Green Party
RITCHIE, Lewis – Scottish National Party (SNP)
TOBERMANN, Harald – Independent
ZAPOROZCENKO, Vita – Scottish Liberal Democrats

13: Leith (3 councillors to be elected)

BOOTH, Chas – Scottish Green Party
DIJKSTRA-DOWNIE, Sanne – Scottish Liberal Democrats
McVEY, Adam – Scottish National Party (SNP)
MUNRO, Gordon John – Labour and Co-operative Party
PENMAN, Paul – Scottish Conservative and Unionist

14: Craigentinny/Duddingston (4 councillors to be elected)

CAMPBELL, Ian – Scottish National Party (SNP)
GRIFFITHS, Joan – Labour and Co-operative Party
HADFIELD, Patrick – Scottish Liberal Democrats
LUNN, Alex – Scottish National Party (SNP)
MARTIN, Lyndsay – Labour and Co-operative Party
MCLELLAN, John – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
STANIFORTH, Alex – Scottish Green Party
WADHWA, Mridul – Scottish National Party (SNP)

15:  Southside/Newington (4 councillors to be elected)

BURGESS, Steve – Scottish Green Party
DICKIE, Alison – Scottish National Party (SNP)
FARTHING, Dan – Scottish Liberal Democrats
PERRY, Ian – Scottish Labour Party
ROSE, Cameron – Scottish Conservative and Unionist

16: Liberton/Gilmerton (4 councillors to be elected)

CAMERON, Lezley Marion – Scottish Labour Party
HOWIE, Derek – Scottish National Party (SNP)
KNOX, John Christopher – Scottish Liberal Democrats
MACINNES, Lesley – Scottish National Party (SNP)
NICHOL, John – Scottish Green Party
POGSON, Tim – Scottish Labour Party
SMITH, Stephanie – Scottish Conservative and Unionist

17: Portobello/Craigmillar (4 councillors to be elected)

BRIDGMAN, Mike – Scottish National Party (SNP)
CAMPBELL, Kate – Scottish National Party (SNP)
CAMPBELL, Mary – Scottish Green Party
CHILD, Maureen – Scottish Labour Party
LAIDLAW, Callum – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
LESLIE, Callum – Scottish Liberal Democrats
WALKER, David – Scottish Labour Party Continue reading City Council Elections: candidates announced

Holyrood says aye, but Westminster says it’s not the time

Who blinks first? Something’s got to give as governments set on collision course

The Scottish Parliament has backed SNP plans to pave the way for a second independence referendum. MSPs voted 69 – 59 in favour, with the Greens supporting the SNP against Tory, Labour and Lib Dem opposition. Continue reading Holyrood says aye, but Westminster says it’s not the time

Craigie’s Elaine is Scotland’s Employability Champion

Craigroyston Community High School teacher Elaine Gray has been chosen by Career Ready as the Santander Employability Champion 2017 for Scotland. The award recognises Elaine’s commitment to improving the employment prospects of her students, and she’s been praised for her ‘magnificent leadership and energy.’ Continue reading Craigie’s Elaine is Scotland’s Employability Champion

New £1 coin becomes legal tender

The new 12-sided coin is being rolled out across the country to help tackle the rise of counterfeits

New £1 coin becomes legal tender
New £1 coin becomes legal tender

This is the first new £1 coin to be introduced in more than 30 years and will be the most secure of its kind in the world – highlighting the UK’s position as a world leader in innovation.

The new coins are being produced by The Royal Mint, in South Wales, at a rate of up to four million per day. The public can now expect to find them in their change in the coming days and weeks.

Around 1.5 billion new £1 coins are being produced by The Royal Mint and these will be distributed to banks and retailers over the next 6 months. Round £1 coins will be returned to The Royal Mint – some of which will be reused to make the new coin.

Commercial Secretary to the Treasury Baroness Neville-Rolfe said: “This is a giant step forward to help stamp out counterfeit coins and save businesses and the taxpayer millions of pounds every year.

“Today marks the start of the six-month transition period, so I’d urge everyone to make sure they spend, return or donate their old round pounds before 15 October. We have been working hard with businesses over the last three years to help make this changeover as smooth as possible.”

Adam Lawrence, chief executive of Royal Mint, said: “It’s an historic day for UK coinage, and one that The Royal Mint has been working towards, together with businesses and industry, for a number of years. From today, the public will start to encounter for themselves the most innovative and secure coin ever produced by The Royal Mint.

“It’s been designed to be fit for the future, using security features that aim to safeguard our currency, and currencies around the world, for years to come. Staying ahead of sophisticated counterfeiters remains a constant challenge and this coin helps in that battle.”

David Smith, Head of Public Affairs and Research at the British Parking Association, said: “The BPA has been working closely with The Royal Mint and HM Treasury to ensure that its members, who include local authorities, parking operators, and parking machine manufacturers, are ready to accept the new £1 coin wherever possible at launch. Most of the major parking machine manufacturers are positive they will be able to manage the upgrade in a timely manner, having begun upgrades over 12 months ago.

“Evidence suggests a significant number of motorists prefer using cash and they should feel confident that they can pay for parking wherever they choose to park when the new £1 coin is launched.”

The Royal Mint and HM Treasury have been working with businesses for the past three years to help them prepare for the change. Although many will have upgraded their machines to accept the new coin from 28 March, not all machines will accept the new coin from the date of introduction.

The new 12-sided £1 is highly secure and looks very different. New security features on the one pound coin include a hologram-like image that changes from a ‘£’ symbol to the number ‘1’ when the coin is seen from different angles. It also has micro-lettering and milled edges.

It is important that all round £1 coins are returned before 15 October 2017 when they lose their legal tender status. People will still be able to return old coins to their bank after this time.

Businesses, as well as members of the public, wishing to find out more information about the support on offer should visit the official new £1 website

 

EVOC: Localities event and annual survey

Wednesday 29 March: Dialogue – Citywide organisations and localities.

EVOC are holding a discussion for citywide organisations and their role in the new localities model. This event is to understand the concerns of organisations and to talk about next steps.

For information and to book your place:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dialogue-citywide-organisations-and-localities-tickets-32950656300

And there’s still time to respond to EVOC’s annual survey:

What does Edinburgh’s Third Sector look like?

We would like to hear from you, your voice matters!

Please fill in our Compact Voice 2017 Survey