Tag: democracy

Council election candidates confirmed

143 candidates will contest Edinburgh’s 17 wards in the Local Government Elections on Thursday 5 May.

Nominations for candidates closed om Wednesday 30 March. The nominated candidates for each ward are listed in full below and on the Council website:

Ward 1 – Almond

  • Workers Party of Britain – BAILLIE, Annemarie
  • Scottish Green Party – BROUGH, Andrew
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – GEDDES, Stewart
  • Scottish Labour Party – HESSLER, Fred
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – HILL, James
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – LANG, Kevin
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – WORK, Norrie
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – YOUNG, Louise
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – YOUNIE, Lewis James

Ward 2 – Pentland Hills

  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – BRUCE , Graeme
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – CHAPPELL, Michael William
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – FETTES, Richard
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – GARDINER, Neil Thomas
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – GILCHRIST, Emma
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – GLASGOW, Fiona
  • Scottish Labour Party – JENKINSON, Stephen Philip
  • Scottish Green Party – MULLER, Ross
  • Scottish Libertarian Party – ROWLANDS, Louis

Ward 3 – Drum Brae/ Gyle

  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – ALDRIDGE, Robert Christopher
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – BROWN, Mark
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – HYSLOP, Euan
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – JOHNSTON, Eileen
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – OKORO, Nkechi
  • Scottish Green Party – SCOTT, Anne
  • Scottish Libertarian Party – SMITH, Gary
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – THORNLEY, Edward John

Ward 4 – Forth

  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – CAMPBELL, Jim
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – CAMPBELL, Linda Lenora
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – DAY, Cammy
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – DIJKSTRA-DOWNIE, Sanne
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – DOBBIN, Stuart
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – GOOCH, Carrie
  • Women’s Equality Party – HEATHCOTE, Kerry Elizabeth
  • Scottish Green Party – O’NEILL, Kayleigh

Ward 5 – Inverleith

  • Scottish Green Party – BANDEL, Jule
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – HERRING, Stuart
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – HOLDEN, Phil
  • Scottish Libertarian Party – LAIRD, Tam
  • MCNAMARA, Stephen
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – MITCHELL, Max
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – MUNRO-BRIAN, Mhairi
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – NICOLSON, Vicky
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – OSLER, Hal
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – WOOD, Malcolm Alexander

Ward 6 – Corstorphine/ Murrayfield

  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – BEAL, Alan Christopher
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – COLVILLE, Norman David
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – DAVIDSON, Euan Robert
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – FINDLAY, Hugh
  • Scottish Green Party – HUGHES, Connal
  • Scottish Labour Party – PARKER, Richard
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – ROSS, Frank

Ward 7 – Sighthill/ Gorgie

  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – DIXON, Denis
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – FULLERTON, Catherine
  • Independent – GRACZYK, Ashley
  • Scottish Green Party – HEAP, Dan
  • Alba Party for independence – HENRY, David
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – HOOLEY, Mark
  • Scottish Labour Party – MCKENZIE, Ross
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – SCOBIE, Devin

Ward 8 – Colinton/ Fairmilehead

  • Scottish Labour Party – ARTHUR, Scott
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – BIAGI, Marco
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – CUTHBERT, Neil
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – LUCAS, Richard Crewe
  • Scottish Green Party – MCCABE, Helen
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – RUST, Jason
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – SPENCE, Louise Watson

Ward 9 – Fountainbridge/ Craiglockhart

  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – COWDY, Christopher
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – GRAHAM, Fraser John Ashmore
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – KEY, David
  • Scottish Libertarian Party – MASSON, Gregor
  • Scottish Green Party – MCHANEY, Megan
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – RAMSAY, Fraser Kenneth
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – WALKER, Val

Ward 10 – Morningside

  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – CLYDE, Mairianna
  • Alba Party for independence – GUNN BARRETT, Leah
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – MUNRO, Marie-Clair
  • Scottish Green Party – PARKER, Ben
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – ROSS, Neil John
  • Scottish Libertarian Party – SIDOR, Peter
  • Scottish Labour Party – WATT, Mandy Helen

Ward 11 – City Centre

  • Independent – BOB, Bonnie Prince
  • Independent – CARSON, Pete
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – FOXALL, Andy
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – GRAHAM, Margaret Arma
  • Independent – ILLINGWORTH, Kevin
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – MCFARLANE, Finlay
  • Scottish Green Party – MILLER, Claire
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – MOWAT, Jo
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – MWIKI, Marianne
  • Independent – PAKPAHAN-CAMPBELL, Maria
  • Independent – PENMAN, Paul R.
  • Independent – ROWAN, Norrie
  • Alba Party for independence – SHAW, Kevan

Ward 12 – Leith Walk

  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – CALDWELL, Jack
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – DALGLEISH, James
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – DEEPNARAIN, Niel
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – FOMBO, Bonus
  • Socialist Labour Party – JACOBSEN, David Don
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – MCNEESE-MECHAN, Amy
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – MUNN, Rob
  • Freedom Alliance. Real People. Real Alternative – PULLMAN, Jon
  • Scottish Green Party – RAE, Susan
  • Women’s Equality Party – RENTON, David
  • Communist Party of Britain – SHILLCOCK, Richard Charles
  • Alba Party for independence – SMITH, Joe

Ward 13 – Leith

  • Scottish Green Party – BOOTH, Chas
  • Scottish Labour Party – FACCENDA, Katrina
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – ISSERI, Jacqueline Mary
  • Independent – MACKENZIE, Andy
  • Alba Party for independence – MCGLYNN, Euan
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – MCVEY, Adam
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – PERCHARD, Teresa
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – REA, Robin Thomas

Ward 14 – Craigentinny/ Duddingston

  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – ASTON, Danny
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – BROWN, Shelly-Ann
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – FORD, Elaine Ruth
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – GRIFFITHS, Joan
  • Scottish Green Party – STANIFORTH, Alex
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – WHYTE, Iain

Ward 15 – Southside/ Newington

  • Scottish Green Party – BURGESS, Steve
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – FLANNERY, Pauline
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – KUMAR, Simita
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – POGSON, Tim
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – ROSE, Cameron

Ward 16 – Liberton/ Gilmerton

  • Labour and Co-operative Party – CAMERON, Lezley Marion
  • Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life – CHRISTIE, James Demare
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – DOGGART, Philip
  • Scottish Socialist Party – FOX, Colin
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – MACINNES, Lesley
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – MATTOS COELHO, Martha
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – MEASOM, Ishrat
  • Alba Party for independence – MERON, Abu
  • Scottish Green Party – NICHOL, John
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – PLANCHE, Madeleine Rani Frances

Ward 17 – Portobello/ Craigmillar

  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – CAMPBELL, Kate
  • Scottish Conservative and Unionist – JONES, Tim
  • Independent – MCDONALD, Andrew
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – MEAGHER, Jane Elizabeth
  • Scottish Green Party – MUMFORD, Alys
  • Labour and Co-operative Party – PUGH, Heather
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats – REILLY, Jill
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) – SHEDDEN, Simon Clark
  • Alba Party for independence – TODD, Anne

Andrew Kerr, Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council and Returning Officer for Edinburgh, said: “If you haven’t yet registered to vote in these Local Government Elections, it’s not too late. The deadline for registration is midnight on 18 April.

“Remember, due to changes to polling places to ensure we keep as many schools open as possible, you might have a different polling place this time. Check your polling card carefully or use the online tool to find out where to vote on 5 May.”

Find out more on where, when and how to vote.

Supporting participation: Open Government Action Plan published

Public to participate in decisions on health and climate change

Openness, transparency and citizen participation are at the heart of a new National Action Plan to strengthen co-operation between government and wider society.

Scotland’s Open Government Action Plan 2021-25, has been drawn up with Scotland’s Open Government Network – a coalition of citizens and civil society organisations.

It will focus on involving people in decisions on making data open and accessible across key areas of government and understanding how public finances work.

It will also allow people to participate in decision making on tackling the climate emergency and improving health and social care.

A key first step in this Action Plan is the publication of the Institutionalising Participatory and Deliberative Democracy (IPDD) Working Group report.

It was set up to respond to the need for new infrastructure and processes to make sure people can routinely be involved in government decisions and to set up new Citizens’ Assemblies.

The Working Group recommendations include identifying how participatory processes have impact, independence and accountability; and providing guidance on how to design and run Citizens’ Assemblies.

Minister for Parliamentary Business and Co-Chair of the Open Government Steering Group, George Adam said: “This Action Plan sets out our most ambitious commitments yet to create an open, transparent and accountable government, strengthening public trust in our institutions, producing better public services and a better quality of life for everyone.

“I am confident the commitments in the plan will continue to drive improvement to ensure decision-making is open and accessible to the people of Scotland and that we enable meaningful public scrutiny.

“Tackling the climate emergency and improving health and social care are huge challenges faced by government and I believe that working in partnership with wider society and the people of Scotland will help improve these vital programmes of work.

“I also welcome the publication of the IPDD Working Group report, which will help us deliver on this Action Plan and other commitments we have made to putting people at heart of everything we do. We will now carefully consider its recommendations before publishing our response in due course.”

Civil society Co-Chair of the Open Government Steering Group, and member of OGP International Steering Committee, Lucy McTernan said: “Accountability and trust in our government has never been more important, as we see it undermined around the world.

“I am delighted the Scottish Government and COSLA officials, civil society partners and people across Scotland have contributed to the development of this plan.

“Retaining this spirit of collaboration and partnership working throughout the delivery of the plan will be crucial to its success and we look forward to developing these relationships over the next four years.”

Willie Sullivan, Senior Director of Electoral Reform Society Scotland, said: “Scotland is already pioneering important ways to give people more of a say in the decisions that affect them, such as through citizens’ assemblies.

“We are part of a small group of countries leading the way in exploring how to move beyond the creaking democratic institutions of the 20th century and how to break through into a new era of revitalised and invigorated democracy. 

“This report sets out the plan to lay strong foundations for the future of Scotland’s democracy; for the old to give birth to and nurture the new.”

report-institutionalising-participatory-deliberative-democracy-working-groupDownload

The Scottish Government’s Open Government Action Plan 2021-25.

Spokes announce Election Hustings

Spokes Council Election Hustings, Mon 28 March, 7.30-9.30

Transport Policies, with particular reference to Cycling

Local Council elections take place on 5th May.  The Spokes hustings on March 28 will challenge representatives of the main parties represented on Edinburgh City Council to explain and defend their transport and cycling policies for the next 5 years.  All speakers are candidates in the election.

Each speaker will have 5 minutes to outline their transport and cycling policies for the next 5 years, after which there will be a one-hour QA during which speakers will face searching questions from the online audience.

Website article … www.spokes.org.uk/2022/02/thurs-5-may-2022-council-elections

Tweet … twitter.com/SpokesLothian/status/1506737466547609602  

Hashtag #SpokesMtg

Practicalities

Date/Time : Monday 28 March 7.30-9.30

Registration : Register in advance – the link is in the above website article and tweet

PANDEMIC ERA SEES HUGE RISE IN CYCLING

Campaigners have highlighted new Government figures which show that people will cycle if it feels safe, and if car traffic is low. The new stats also reveal the huge public handouts to the bus industry through the pandemic.

The data was published today in Scottish Transport Statistics, and covers 2020/2021 when there was a huge drop in traffic due to Covid-19 restrictions. 

The figures show a 63.5% increase in cycling in 2020-2021, while all other forms of transport showed marked reductions due to Covid-19 restrictions. 

Figures show that the bus industry in Scotland received £340m in funding from local or central government in 2020-21. Passenger revenue for the same period was £131m. Effectively, the taxpayer subsidised 72% of the industry. 

Meanwhile, bus fares in Scotland have increased by 6% (adjusting for inflation) over the past five years, while the increase for Great Britain as a whole was 3%. 

The statistics also show:

 • Public transport journeys fell by 70%, with 153m public transport journeys made in 2020-21. For comparison, in 2019-2020, there were 502m public transport journeys recorded.


 • 83% of public transport journeys were made by bus, 9% by rail, 5% by air and 3% by ferry.


 • The number of bus journeys fell by 65% in 2020-21. While this was the result of the pandemic, it also follows the trend of long term decline in bus passenger numbers. There were 458million bus journeys in 2009-10 but this had fallen to 363 million by 2019-20



Transport is Scotland’s largest source of climate emissions and levels have barely changed since 1990. 

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Air Pollution Campaigner Gavin Thomson commented: “These statistics confirm the huge increase in cycling we witnessed over the first year of the pandemic.

“People will cycle if they feel safe, whether that means fewer cars on the road or segregated cycle lanes. As we head into the elections, all local council candidates need to recognise there are huge benefits to their area of making it safe and easy to cycle.

“These figures show just how much the public purse is subsidising the bus industry. But politicians have failed to get value for money. Fare rises far above the UK average, constant route cuts, and a complete lack of control or accountability. Councils need to use the new bus powers to take control of our bus network; if we’re paying for it, we should control it.

“This data is a snapshot from the first year we faced huge societal changes due to Covid-19. We still don’t know what the world will look like on the other side of this pandemic, but there are opportunities to deliver on those early promises to build back better and greener. Councils have a range of powers at their disposal to make it safe, easy, and cheap to travel sustainably.”

Zoom no more as Drylaw Telford Community Council meets face-to-face

Two years to the day Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the UK’s first lockdown, Drylaw Telford Community Council meets in person again tonight.

February’s community council trialled face-to-face meetings and, with restrictions being lifted, it was agreed that Drylaw Telford will continue to meet in public.

Tonight’s meeting, at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, starts at 7pm.

While much has changed in the last two years – whoever heard of Zoom pre-Covid? – some issues remain the same:

Notice of Local Government Election published: nominations are now open

Nominations open today (Tuesday 15 March) for candidates to stand in the forthcoming Local Government Election.

The Election will take place on Thursday, 5 May, when people living across Edinburgh will elect members to the City of Edinburgh Council.  

The Notice of Election was published yesterday for Edinburgh’s 17 wards where three or four councillors will be elected in each ward to represent residents. 

In 2017, 63 councillors were elected to represent the City of Edinburgh Council, with a 50.5% turnout for the city – up from 42.6% in 2012.

In order to stand as a candidate, individuals must submit nomination papers, by 4pm on Wednesday 30 March.  

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF A POLITICAL PARTY TO STAND FOR ELECTION !!


 Andrew Kerr, Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council and Returning Officer for Edinburgh, said: “The Notice of Election signifies the official start of the election period. The forthcoming election will enable the city’s residents to have their say, and I would take this opportunity to urge all citizens to make sure they are registered and use their vote.

“There are a range of options for casting ballots – in person, by post or by appointing someone trusted to vote in your place, known as a proxy.

“The local councillors elected make important decisions on provision of public services, including education, social care, waste management, libraries, planning and much more on behalf of Edinburgh residents.

“Preparations are well underway to ensure a successful election with plans for any additional restrictions required due to the ongoing pandemic. We’re keen to continue the enthusiasm demonstrated by voters during last year’s Scottish Parliament Election when we had the same range of safety measures in place.” 

Find out more about voter registration and elections.

Key dates and times:

  • Register to vote by midnight on Monday 18 April
  • Register for postal or proxy vote by 5pm on Tuesday 19 April
  • Apply for emergency proxy votes by 5pm on Thursday 5 May
  • Vote in person at polling places between 7am and 10pm on 5 May
  • Ballot papers will be counted on Friday 6 May
  • Voters can obtain more information about the elections and how to vote at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voter

Welcome to Your Vote Day!

New Scots urged to register to vote in May elections

The Electoral Commission is running a Welcome to Your Vote Day, today Thursday 10 March, to raise awareness amongst New Scots about their right to vote ahead of the upcoming council elections.

In 2020 the Scottish Parliament voted to extend the franchise for Scottish Parliament and council elections to include anyone aged 16 or over who is resident in Scotland, regardless of their nationality. This means that the upcoming elections will be the first opportunity for many New Scots to vote in Scottish council elections. 

Anyone who wants to vote in the Scottish council elections on 5 May must be registered by midnight on 18 April.

Andy O’Neill, Head of the Electoral Commission in Scotland said: “Welcome to Your Vote Day aims to raise awareness that New Scots have the right to register to vote and have their say on 5 May.

“We have information to help new voters understand the voting process in various languages on our website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voter.

“You can’t have your say in the council elections taking place this May unless you are registered to vote, which you can do online now at www.gov.uk/registertovote.”    

The Electoral Commission is also working with organisations across Scotland to ensure that recently-enfranchised voters have the tools they need to confidently cast their vote on issues that affect their day to day lives.

This includes providing resources which community groups and other organisations can use to raise awareness amongst New Scots they work with and run their own registration events.

Luis, who is a member of JustRight Scotland’s JustCitizens Panel and came to Scotland from Mexico in 2014, said: “This year I am going to vote, after living here for a couple of years. I feel like I belong and I would like to think that I have the power to shape the society I live in.” 

Mira from the Just Citizens Panel, who is originally from Poland, said: “I voted in Scotland for the first time in 2017 at the local council elections and, emotionally speaking, it was quite an emotive and powerful event.

“It felt like, even though I had already lived in Scotland for seven years at that point, it really felt like I was part of the society and like I was taking an active role in what was happening to the city that I live in.”

Organisations and individuals who want to raise awareness about the right to vote for New Scots can access the free resources from the Electoral Commission website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/democratic-engagement-resources.

Scotland’s youngest petitioner to give evidence to MSPs this morning

The Scottish Parliament’s youngest petitioner, 7-year-old Callum Isted, will give evidence to MSPs on the Citizens Participation and Public Petitions Committee this morning.

Callum, who is a pupil at Dedridge Primary School in Livingston, submitted a petition to the Committee calling on the Scottish Government to replace disposable water bottles in Scotland’s primary schools with a sustainable, reusable option.

At it’s meeting today (Wednesday 9 March), the Committee will hear about the success Callum had in raising money to buy reusable water bottles for his own school and what action he would like to see taken on the issue.

Convener of the Committee, Jackson Carlaw MSP said: “Creating a public petition lets the Parliament know about the issues that are most important to people across Scotland.

“At 7 years old Callum is our youngest ever petitioner and he’s already campaigned for – and brought about – positive change in his own school.

“Now he wants to see that change extend across the whole of Scotland. I look forward to hearing more from him today and what he hopes we can do to help his campaign achieve wider success.”

Callum’s petition was also raised with the First Minister last week, when the Convener’s Group questioned her on issues around Covid-19 recovery and net zero.

Callum said: “I am going to Parliament on 9th March 2022. I am going to ask the Committee for two things:

  • to give every primary school pupil in Scotland a Klean Kanteen;
  • 2 to fix the broken taps in schools so that we can use the bottles properly.

“I am feeling confident and excited to be able to speak to the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee and maybe Nicola Sturgeon.”

The meeting will be broadcast live at 09.30 am and the Committee will also consider a number of other petitions including taking evidence on protecting Scotland’s native woodland.

HELP! Community Councils umbrella body funding appeal

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils appeals to members for financial support

The Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC) is making a one-time appeal for funds.

Like community councils, we need to pay for a website, video-conferencing and meeting facilities, and help with documenting meetings etc. 

Unlike community councils, we are not receiving financial support from either the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) or the Edinburgh Partnership, the higher level body to which both CEC and EACC belong.

Why is this? Community councils are statutory bodies and EACC is officially recognised by CEC as representing them in Edinburgh. Until a few years ago, EACC were getting a grant, similar to those given to individual community councils. This was authorised by Edinburgh Partnership, but paid by CEC from its community services budget. 

Paul Lawrence, CEC Director of Place, has told us that funding hasn’t been provided to EACC since 2017-8. Inevitably there are conflicting explanations of why. We asked Paula McLeay, CEC Head of Policy and Insight, if the grant could be reinstated, but the answer was no. 

EACC is unique among Edinburgh Partnership members in being totally voluntary and unfunded. This is unsustainable and we will continue to negotiate for the grant to be restored. 

In the meantime we have no money, so we are launching this appeal for funds from Edinburgh’s community councils. (As a guide we are hoping to raise about £500 to maintain basic services.)

If you are willing to support EACC, we would be very grateful if you could send us funds by bank transfer:

Account number              30120430
Sort code                         82 68 00
Account name                  Edinburgh Association of Community Councils

Or, by cheque, by post to:

Mrs J Wightman
17 Bonnington
Kirknewton
Midlothian
EH27 8BB

Simon Holledge, Secretary
Judy Wightman, Treasurer

Council budget to ‘boost frontline services and community improvements’

‘For two years now, we have demonstrated incredible resilience as a Council’ – Finance Convener Cllr Rob Munn

A budget ‘designed to support residents through the cost-of-living crisis and invest in local communities’ has been set by the City of Edinburgh Council.

Agreed by elected members on Thursday (24 February), millions of pounds from the Council’s annual budget for 2022/23 will be spent towards shaping a more sustainable, fair and thriving future for Edinburgh post-pandemic.

A fair city?

Councillors have agreed to direct an extra £1.1m towards easing the cost of living crisis for the city’s most vulnerable and £150 for 33,000 low-income households across the city at a total cost of £4.95m. This is on top of national cash grants announced by the Scottish Government.

Alongside this, an extra £100 will be provided for every child within a low-income home (identified via free school meals qualifications) and an additional £450k will be made available by the Council in crisis grant funding.

Frontline services will continue to be protected and the Council’s rent freeze for tenants will remain in place for another year.

Together with the Council’s ongoing £2bn programme to build 5,500 sustainable, quality Council homes and invest £1.3bn over the next 15 years in a new, green, well-connected neighbourhood at Granton Waterfront, around half a million pounds will be spent to provide social care adaptations to people’s houses to allow them to live more independently in their own homes.

£112k has been earmarked to make sure every school in the city is equipped with a life-saving defibrillator, and the Council will continue to invest £454m in capital investment for new school facilities across the city over the next ten years, together with an annual £48m to help families access 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare.

The roll out of 40,000 digital devices to school pupils across the city to close the digital divide will also continue, thanks to investment of nearly £18m. In recognition of pressures faced during Covid, £1m of additional funding will be provided for Children’s Services, while a further £2m will be invested adopting the recommendations of the Tanner review.

A welcoming city?

A one-off £1.1m ‘deep clean’ will remove graffiti and address street cleansing in the city centre and local wards, while quarter of a million pounds will see a new, Neighbourhood Action Team created to tackle hot spot areas of unkept land and deal with issues like overgrowth and fly tipping.

An extra £1m will be set aside for road and pavement maintenance to improve movement around the city and £450k will help to improve park facilities, creating even better green spaces in every ward and improved lighting. Meanwhile an extra £325k will be invested in playparks and £130k in expanding provisions for food growing across the city.

There will be £200k invested towards temporary toilets in select parks – repeating successful arrangements from summer 2021 – and £60k will be set aside to provide seasonal improvements and rangers to Pentland parks. An additional £60k will be contributed towards works to complete the restoration of the Portobello Kilns.

This is alongside £150k to be spent regulating and monitoring short-term lets in Edinburgh and related issues of anti-social behaviour.

A thriving and sustainable city?

An additional half a million pounds will support Edinburgh’s Net Zero ambitions, accelerating the city’s One Million Tree City programme, and £200k will be invested in Energy for Edinburgh, the Council’s publicly owned ESCO, to allow a zero-carbon energy project to move forward.

Up to £100k will be spent through Participatory Budgeting, supporting local communities to be involved in the running of the city, and £200k will be used to support local community festivals, including Edinburgh’s Diwali and the Leith Festival.

A commitment of £60k will support the re-opening of the city’s libraries after use as Covid testing facilities and the new Meadowbank Sports Centre will open later this year.

Spend of £160k will be directed towards taxi regulation and enforcement; £180k of funding will be set aside to cover potential costs relating to the temporary Hostile Vehicle Mitigation arrangements protecting the city centre; and £50k will be used to upgrade the ForeverEdinburgh website to further drive footfall to local businesses as Edinburgh recovers from the pandemic.

Finance and Resources Convener SNP Councillor Rob Munn said: “This Budget signals a more sustainable, fair and thriving future for Edinburgh post-pandemic.

“For two years now, we have demonstrated incredible resilience as a Council and as a City, banding together to support those who have needed extra help.  We have been at the forefront throughout and as life finally – and thankfully – starts to return to normal, we will continue to safeguard our services and focus on getting things back up and running.

“Our city centre and local high streets have suffered through lockdown restrictions and due to the cost of living, families on low incomes are struggling to make ends meet. The decisions we’ve made today aim to challenge these disadvantages and help our City and communities thrive in the year ahead.

“We’ll direct £1.1m each towards a ‘deep clean’ of the city centre and local areas and improving roads, helping to make Edinburgh a more welcoming place to be, and a further £1.1m will address poverty and inequality to create a fairer future.

“These are just a few of the very welcome spending decisions we’ve been able to make and I’m grateful to members in all parties for shaping these plans, but we do need to remain prudent. Times are hard and we know that the impact of Covid on our budget will continue into future financial years and significant savings will have to be made.”

Vice Finance and Resources Convener Labour Councillor Joan Griffiths said: “This Budget is about giving Edinburgh the chance to recover and grow as we safeguard our frontline services.

“The impact the pandemic continues to have on residents, on businesses and in our communities is clear. We’re now facing a cost of living crisis and it’s vital that we prioritise support for those who need it most.

“As we recover from everything the last two years have brought, investment enabled by a modest increase in Council Tax rates will help people in every single one of our communities, with the extra money raised used to maintain critical frontline services.

“We’re determined to use this budget to help us close the poverty gap, and we’ve also committed to keeping rents frozen this year for Council tenants. We’re putting more money into crisis grants, into new schools and new homes – while spending millions on community improvements.

“All of this will go towards making Edinburgh the most welcoming, thriving, and sustainable place it can be.”

This will be the SNP-Labour ‘Capital Coalition’s’ last budget before May’s council elections.

New Council Tax rates will be brought into effect on 1 April 2022 as follows:

Council Tax Bands 2022/23

A: £919.17

B: £1,072.36

C: £1,225.56

D: £1,378.75

E: £1,811.52

F: £2,240.47

G: £2,700.05

H: £3,377.94

Further details can be found at edinburgh.gov.uk/budget-finance.

Internal market creates tension in devolution settlement, MSPs find

The Scottish Parliament’s Constitution Committee has concluded that the UK’s Internal Market Act (UKIMA) places more emphasis on open trade than regulatory autonomy, when compared to the EU Single Market.

In a new report out today, the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution Committee has concluded:

·  There are significant challenges in managing the tension which exists in any internal market between open trade and regulatory divergence, and that the UK internal market has significant economic benefits;

·  In resolving this tension within the UK internal market, it is essential that the fundamental principles which underpin devolution are not undermined;

· The fundamental basis of devolution is to decentralise power so as to allow policy and legislation to be tailored to meet local needs and circumstances;

· Policy innovation and regulatory learning are one of the key successes of devolution.

The Committee also reports that it is essential as recognised by the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in 2017 that devolution outwith the EU continues to provide “as a minimum, equivalent flexibility for tailoring policies to the specific needs of each territory as is afforded by current EU rules.”

The Committee will invite the UK Government to explain how, in its view, UKIMA will provide for this equivalent flexibility.

The Committee’s report also noted that Common Frameworks in certain policy areas may ease this tension by managing divergence on a consensual basis. This could be achieved through creating opt-outs from UKIMA, allowing for divergence in certain areas.

However, the Committee has voiced concerns that because Common Frameworks are agreed between the UK and devolved governments, there is a lack of Parliamentary oversight and public consultation.

The Committee is working with counterparts in other parts of the UK as it seeks to press the Governments to open up the Common Frameworks process towards greater consultation and scrutiny.

Speaking as the report was launched, Committee Convener, Clare Adamson MSP, said: “We believe that policy innovation – being able to pass laws that are tailored to the situation in Scotland – is one of the key successes of devolution.

“As a Committee, we believe it is essential that outside the EU, devolution continues to provide at least the same level of flexibility.

“However, we have found that UKIMA places more emphasis on open trade than autonomy for the Scottish Parliament compared to the EU Single Market.”

Ms Adamson continued: “While the Common Framework process may resolve the issues between UKIMA and devolution, we have concerns about how these are created between UK and devolved governments, as well as their operation.

“Our view is that there needs to be a much wider public debate about how to deliver appropriate levels of parliamentary scrutiny and public engagement at an inter-governmental level.

“At present, we are concerned that lack of processes in place mean less democratic oversight of the Executive, and a less consultative policy-making process.”

Ms Adamson concluded: “The UK internal market has created tensions. We will seek answers from the UK and Scottish Governments on issues raised in the report, as well as continuing to work with our counterpart Committees across the UK.”

A copy of the report is attached.