Community councillors: get your nomination papers in NOW!

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The deadline is fast approaching for local people taking part in this year’s community council elections in Edinburgh – nominations close on Monday (26 September).

This year, nominations are being sought for 44 community councils. By becoming a member, local residents are given the opportunity to influence what happens in their area. Members can get involved in a wide range of activities, comment on planning and licensing applications, take part in community campaigns and work with others to improve the local area.

Community councils are made up of local residents and community groups such as youth forums, parent councils and student bodies. Each one is represented on the Neighbourhood Partnership for their area, where they work with local elected members, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, NHS Lothian and the voluntary sector to identify and deliver local priorities.

The first community councils were established in Edinburgh in 1980 in Merchiston and Longstone, and there are more than 500 community councillors across the city.

Cllr Maureen Child, Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee Convener, said: “Community councils are an ideal way to support communities to thrive. They allow people of all ages and from all backgrounds to meet and share ideas and to make change happen. They are a fantastic way of making public sector agencies aware of the needs of local areas, and can really help to make changes for the better.

“With only three days left until nominations close, I’d like to encourage anyone who’s interested in local democracy to get involved – be part of something great.”

People aged 16 years or older who are registered to vote can join. The nomination period for the community council elections runs until 4pm on Monday 26 September 2016. Elections, where required, will take place on Thursday 27 October 2016. Residents can apply as an individual or as a local interest group, such as a Parent Council, Friends of Parks or sports club.

Nomination forms are available on the City of Edinburgh Council’s website.

You can find information on each individual community council, including maps, on the Neighbourhood Partnership website, telephone 0131 469 3838 or email community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk  

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Karen Lloyd
0131 469 357

Your community needs YOU! – be part of something great!

Community Council nominations open on Monday

A4 Posters (online)-page-0

Nominations for Edinburgh’s community councils open on Monday (5 September) and the city council is calling on people passionate about their area to play an active role and be part of something great! Continue reading Your community needs YOU! – be part of something great!

Male, pale and stale? Reinvigorating Community Councils

ELREC (Edinburgh & Lothian Regional Equality Council) and Granton & District Community Council have organised an event to encourage more BME residents to get involved in neighbourhood activities through Community Councils …

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You are invited to an event:

Celebrating Diversity in Community Councils

Thursday, 11 August, 6 – 8.30pm

Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, 11 Pilton Drive North

The key aim of the event is to increase the representation of BME communities in community councils and  hosted jointly by ELREC- Diversity in Public Life project and the Granton & District Community Council.

Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) has been working on Diversity in Public Life project since last year, aiming to increase the participation of the BME community in public life and in the democratic process. The project works with the diverse communities and it is funded by the Scottish Government. Under this project, a special scheme, Public Life Champion (PLC) has been launched to provide advice, training and mentoring to BME individuals who live/work across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Community council triennial elections will take place in Sept-Oct 2016. In the wake of oncoming election, the event will provide useful information (i.e.: nomination/registration process) and practical advice for those who are interested to stand as a community councillor. This event will also help establish a link between community councillors and the prospective BME candidates.

If you are interested to represent the views of your local community to the local authority and other public bodies, then joining the community council would be an ideal vehicle as well as an entry point to get into public life.

See details about: what is community council

The event is open to BME residents lived across Edinburgh & Lothians and community council members. Tea/Coffee and refreshments will be provided. Booking is required to give us an estimate for the catering service. Please let us know if you have any special requirements. Please circulate among your contacts/networks who might be interested on this.

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To book your place online, please click here

For more information, please contact us by email:publiclife@elrec.org.uk or Tel: 0131 556 0441

West Pilton West Granton Community Council meets on Tuesday

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Please find attached the agenda for our next meeting, Tuesday 2nd August at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.
We are inviting Councillor Vicki Redpath as our Community Council’s Returning Officer to speak to us (Edinburgh’s community council elections take place this September).
Speakers will also be in attendance from the Housing Planning Department to present and outline the housing proposals for West Pilton Grove and Crewe Road Gardens.
Hope to see you there,
Barbara Robertson

Election results: Edinburgh

Edinburgh results in full:

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EDINBURGH CENTRAL

RUTH DAVIDSON (CON) 10, 399

Alison Dickie (SNP) 9789

Sarah Boyack (LAB) 7546

Alison Johnstone (GRN) 4644

Hannah Bettswoth (LD) 1672

Tom Laird (SLD) 119

Majority 610

CONSERVATIVE GAIN

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EDINBURGH EASTERN

ASH DENHAM (SNP) 16,760

Kezia Dugdale (LAB) 11 673

Nick Cook (CON) 5 700

Cospatric D’Inverno (LD) 1 264

Majority 5087

Turnout 56.3%

SNP HOLD

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EDINBURGH NORTHERN & LEITH

BEN MacPHERSON (SNP) 17,322

Lesley Hinds (LAB) 10 576

Iain McGill (CON) 6 781

Martin Veart (LD) 1779

Jack Caldwell (IND) 1344

Majority 6746

Turnout 55.2%%

SNP GAIN

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EDINBURGH PENTLANDS

GORDON MacDONALD (SNP) 13, 181

Gordon Lindhurst (CON) 10 725

Blair Heary (LAB) 7 811

Emma Farthing-Sykes (LD) 1 636

Majority 2456

Turnout 60.4%

SNP HOLD

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EDINBURGH SOUTHERN

DANIEL JOHNSON (LAB) 13, 597

Jim Eadie (SNP) 12 474

Miles Briggs (CON) 9 972

Pramod Subbaraman (LD) 2 216

Majority 1123

Turnout 64.2%

LABOUR GAIN

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EDINBURGH WESTERN

ALEX COLE-HAMILTON (LD) 16, 645

Toni Giugliano (SNP) 13 685

Sandy Batho (CON) 5 686

Cat Headley (LAB) 3 750

Majority 2960

Turnout 64.5%

LIB DEM GAIN  

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LOTHIAN LIST MSPs (7)

Jeremy Balfour (Con)

Miles Briggs (Con)

Kezia Dugdale (Lab)

Neil Findlay (Lab)

Alison Johnstone (Grn)

Gordon Lindhurst (Con)

Andy Wightman (Grn)

6am Election Update

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State of the Parties at 6am

SNP 57 (+ 6)

CON 6 (+4)

LD 4 (+ 2)

LAB 3 (-12)

Three constituencies still to declare. SNP needs 65 seats for an absolute majority.

First of the List Votes counts to be declared shortly

MAIN POINTS

  • SNP on course for historic third victory
  • Absolute majority still in the balance
  • Lib Dems take Edinburgh West
  • Party leaders Willie Rennie, Nicola Sturgeon and Ruth Davidson win their constituency seats but Kezia Dugdale loses out in Edinburgh Eastern.
  • Jackie Baillie and Iain Gray hold on to their seats and Daniel Johnstone wins Edinburgh Southern the only highlights on a bad night for Labour, who are wiped out in Glasgow

And now … the only poll that counts

SNP landslide predicted

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The polls have closed. The exhausted candidates and their campaign teams have done all they can. They’ll fret and wonder if they’ve done enough. Could we have chapped more doors? Delivered more leaflets? Attended more events? It’s too late now – the polls have closed, and the voters have made their minds up. Continue reading And now … the only poll that counts