Members of the Power to the People group are calling on local groups and individuals from North Edinburgh to join them at a lobby of the full council meeting on Thursday 21 January to protest against what Unison describe as the “worst cuts in living memory”. Continue reading SOS – Save Our Services!
Royston Wardieburn-based community group Power to the People has urged Forth councillors to push to extend the Edinburgh Budget Challenge consultation period to allow more time for ‘proper public debate’. Continue reading Community group urges councillors to delay damaging decisions
Lead the Way campaign consultation ends soon
This is the last chance to tell us what issues are important to you!
We’re creating a 2016-2021 Youth Manifesto, so we can lead#thewayto2021.
Time is running out, so give us your views on education, rights, the environment and more today! Your response will make it into our manifesto, so we can campaign on the issues that matter to you.
Take a minute to fill out our survey now:
‘Scotland is crying out for some big, transformative ideas’ – Common Weal’s Robin McAlpine
Common Weal Director Robin McAlpine will join over 100 Common Weal supporters from across Edinburgh and The Lothians to launch the Common Weal ‘A Book of Ideas’ at City of Edinburgh Methodist Church on Friday evening. Continue reading A Book of Ideas for Scotland
An invitation to a community Open Space discussion event for Northern Edinburgh and Leith
Tuesday 1 December McDonald Road Library 6 – 9pm
I would like to draw your attention to a community-focused event coming up shortly which I think will be of interest to you and to your contacts living and working in Northern Edinburgh & Leith. Continue reading Change is coming …
Leith Walk will be represented by new SNP and Labour councillors following yesterday’s double by-election.
The councillors were elected using the Single Transferable Vote system – the first time this method has been used to elect two members.
SNP’s John Lewis Ritchie was elected at Stage One of the voting process, while Labour’s Marion Donaldson had to wait considerably longer to learn of her success … she was finally elected at Stage Ten.
The result strengthens the Labour – SNP Capital Coalition’s grip on power at the City Chambers.
The double by-election was brought about by the resignations of Deirdie Brock, who became an MP in May’s general election, and Green councillor Maggie Chapman, who is bidding to become an MSP in North East Scotland at next year’s Holyrood elections.
Returning Officer, Andrew Kerr, said: “I would like to welcome the two newest Councillors to the City of Edinburgh Council and look forward to working with them on matters affecting the Leith Walk Ward and the city as a whole.
“I also want to thank our elections team for all the work they have put into ensuring this by-election ran smoothly.”
The turnout was a disappointing 25.1%
For further details of the results and the Leith Walk By-Election, visit the Elections section of the Council website.
The last few doors have been knocked, the final leaflets have been posted through letterboxes … now it’s up to the voters of Leith Walk:
Leith Walk constituents will go to the polls to elect two councillors for the ward tomorrow (Thursday 10 September).
There are 25,526 Leith Walk residents registered to vote in the election, which takes place in one of the most densely populated areas in Scotland.
Under the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system – a form of Proportional Representation – voters use numbers to rank the 10 candidates in order of preference rather than just using a single cross. Voters can express ‘preferences’ for as many or as few of the candidates as they wish.
This will be the first time in Scotland that an STV by-election has been needed to fill two vacancies in the same ward.
Andrew Kerr, Returning Officer for The City of Edinburgh, said: “This by-election will allow the residents of the Leith Walk ward to play a part in Edinburgh’s democracy, choosing two elected members to represent them and their interests on the City Council. I look forward to working with the electorate to make sure the process runs smoothly.
“Voters should remember that STV allows them to vote for as many candidates they like, numbering choices in order of preference.”
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on 10 September. There are 11 polling places in the ward, details of which can be found on polling cards and the Council website.
Votes will be taken to the Council HQ where the candidates and their agents will watch them counted electronically as soon as the polls close at 10pm.
Full details of candidates are also available on the Council website.
Find out more about the Single Transferable Vote system.
Leith Walk By-Election: In numbers
11 polling places
19 polling stations
3996 postal votes issued
2 councillors to be elected
10 candidates
25,526 eligible voters – about 7% of the city’s electorate
210 books of ballot papers (100 in each)
40 polling staff, including presiding officers and poll clerks.
ELREC wants your views
ELREC (Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council) has launched a project, funded by the Scottish government, that aims to increasing representation of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in public life and the democratic process in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
The first step of the project is to identify the barriers which limit the participation by conducting a survey which will be then used to plan & design the next phase. We would like to request that you to complete the survey online; it will take around 15-20 minutes.
Your view is really important in order to determine further steps to be taken.
Please find the survey link here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/elrec
If you would like a hardcopy of the survey by post please get in touch. For any inquiries, please contact me by email: mrahman@elrec.org.uk or telephone 0131 556 0441. For more information see the project brochure by clicking here.
Thank you in advance for helping us with this project.
Mizan Rahman
Equality Engagement Officer
Edinburgh and Lothian Regional Equality Council (ELREC)
14 Forth Street, Edinburgh EH1 3LH
Tel: 0131 556 0441
Email: mrahman@elrec.org.uk
Edinburgh West SNP MP Michelle Thomson now holds a surgery at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre (writes JAMES McGINTY)
FRIDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 10.30 – 11.30am
Our newly elected MP in Westminster is back in Scotland after an extensive introduction to Westminster parliamentary procedure, whilst juggling her duties here in Scotland in her constituency.
Many of us have followed Michelle’s exploits via her reports in the Evening News. and Michelle now starts her promised General Surgery here in the Centre (see above).
Come along, no appointment necessary (open door). The surgery will take place in the cafeteria area but will have private space available if required.
