The Declaration of Results includes the names of all successful elected members who will be duly elected to community councils when the new term commences from 28 March 2025.
An update which includes details on the number of valid nominations received for each community council and the number of valid Local Interest Group nominations can be found below.
When nominations closed, 39 community councils received sufficient valid nominations to establish.
Insufficient nominations were received to establish 8 community councils:
Craigmillar
Davidson’s Mains and Silverknowes
Firrhill
Hutchison / Chesser
Muirhouse/ Salvesen
Old Town
Portobello
West Pilton/ West Granton
A second call for nominations will be issued for the 8 community councils who did not achieve sufficient nominations to establish. Nominations will open on 31 March 2025 and will close at 4pm on 21 April 2025.
The city council’s webpages will be updated in due course with further information.
TODAY (Friday 28 February), more than 300 elected Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) aged 11-18 will represent the views of their peers and hold debates on a range of topics.
Young people from across the UK, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will return to the House of Commons Chamber today for the annual sitting of UK Youth Parliament.
The debated motions will include:
16- and 17-year-olds should be allowed to vote in all elections and referendums, accompanied with more political education throughout school.
That the National Minimum Wage for every worker under 22 be raised, to match the National Living Wage for those over 22.
All public transport should be free for young people.
All young people in the UK must have access to a standardised level of political literacy and democratic education to improve engagement in politics on a local, national and international level to develop critical thinking skills.
To establish period dignity, there should be free, accessible, good quality period products available in public spaces for everyone.
The debate areas are part of the UK Youth Parliament Manifesto for 2024-2026 ‘Shaping Our Future, Today Not Tomorrow’ which was created by the MYP’s at their Annual Conference in October 2024, drawing on the views and issues raised by young people from across the UK.
For the first time in the House of Commons, an MYP will use British Sign Language to deliver his speech. A BSL interpreter will communicate this via a microphone in the Commons Chamber.
Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said that he is “very proud that this sitting of the UK Youth Parliament will be the most inclusive and exciting yet.
“I cannot wait to hear the thoughts and views of young people from across the UK, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown Dependencies, on the issues that matter to them.”
Leigh Middleton, OBE, CEO, National Youth Agency: “Youth voice is a central tenet of youth work and the UK Youth Parliament provides young people with a valuable opportunity to debate the issues which they have identified as being important whilst gaining first-hand experience of the political process.
“The Annual Sitting really is the highlight of the UK Youth Parliament calendar when we get to see the young Members of Youth Parliament shine in the prestigious setting as they deliver their impassioned speeches and arguments for reform.”
The debates will be streamed live (with an approximately 20-minute delay) on parliamentlive.tv and YouTube.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY
IT’S looking increasingly likely that many areas across Edinburgh will not have active community councils following the current election process.
With just ONE DAY left before nominations close:
NINETEEN (of 47) Community Councils in Edinburgh have reached the minimum number of elected members numbers needed to formbut28 Community Councils still require more elected member nominations to form.
Muirhouse/Salvesen, West Pilton/West Granton and Davidsons Mains/Silverknowes are among eight areas across the city to have received NO nominations at all so far.
At time of writing no elections will be necessary in any community council area. Elections would only be necessary if more local people came forward than there are places available.
Community Councils are an important element in local and national community planning structures, but lukewarm support at best – and complete apathy at worst – will be a disappointment to those who hoped to see a renewed appetite for community participation.
The city council is currently reviewing community planning in Edinburgh.
Election organisers continue to urge members of the public to play a part in improving their local neighbourhoods – andthere’s still time to submit a nomination form by the closing dateat 4pm TOMORROW – Thursday 27 February 2025.
If you choose to return by hand or by post please ensure you have allowed sufficient time for the nomination form to be received before the deadline at 4pm on Thursday 27 February 2025.
Example completed nomination forms are attached – see below. All sections that must be completed are highlighted in yellow.
Nomination form – further clarification
We being persons residing in and appearing on the electoral register for the area of’ – ‘area’ means the community council area that you are being nominated for. Please ensure that you include the correct name of the Community Council and not the constituency or ward information. You can check the name of your community council on our website.
An individual can be both a single proposer and a single seconder, e.g. They could propose Individual A and second Individual B. They cannot propose or second any other individuals.
A nominees family member (e.g. Wife, husband, brother etc.) can propose or second them in compliance with the point above.
Please only submit 1 nomination form via 1 method of submission e.g. via email OR by hand OR by post. Please do not send multiple copies of nomination forms to the Governance Team as this creates additional administrative pressures.
Since nominations opened we have received a number of nominations which have been assessed as not valid. All candidates have been provided with advice on how to rectify and re-submit by the closing date of 4pm on Thursday 27 February 2025.
Common ‘not valid’ reasons
Below are common reasons why nomination forms have been assessed as not valid:
The nomination form does not detail the name of the Community Council area that the candidate has been nominated for.
The nomination form has not been signed in ink by the proposer, seconder and candidate.
The nomination form has not been dated by the proposer, seconder and candidate.
Photo of nomination form and signatures must be legible.
Below are common reasons why Local Interest Group nomination forms have been assessed as not valid:
The LIG nomination form has not been signed in ink by the President/Chairperson and Secretary/Treasurer.
A copy of the LIGs constitution has not been supplied.
The LIG nomination does not include the name(s) of the Community Council.
If you need any assistance with completing a nomination form then please do not hesitate to contact the Governance Team at community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk
Need advice, support, or just a friendly chat? Drop into our Community Hub Morning this Friday 10am – 12:30pm for a cuppa and connect with local organisations that can help.
Meet experts from:
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) – money, benefits & housing advice
Manor Estates & Tenants Federation – tenant support & housing help
Community Police – safety & local issues
Energy Advice & Home Energy Scotland – energy-saving tips
…and more!
You can also find out about how you can support your local community by becoming a Community Councillor.
Community Council recruitment is underway across the capital and Drylaw Telford’s returning officer Cllr Vicky Nicholson – who was a member of the local community council before becoming a city councillor – will be available to provide information and answer your questions
No appointments needed – just drop in! Come along, bring a friend, and let’s build a stronger community together!
It’s been over half a century since community councils came into existence in Scotland in 1973 – and in that time, we’ve seen over 1,200 established across the country (writes Culture and Communities Convener CLLR VAL WALKER).
These bodies are groups of residents who are passionate about their communities and play an important role in grassroots democracy.
Here in Edinburgh, the election period for our community councils has begun. Last week nominations opened to stand for election as a community councillor, this closes on 27 February. Following that we’ll hold an election only if there are more people nominated than places on the community council.
This is your chance to take a lead in your local area and make your community a better place. From campaigning on key local issues, organising meetings, chairing debates, looking out for vulnerable individuals and groups, to liaising with local and national representatives and much more – the life of a community councillor in the Capital is never ordinary.
I’m continually inspired by the stories I come across of community councils. In Lady Nairne, the Northfield and Willowbrae Community Council worked tirelessly to ensure that a solution was found when the previous 69 supported bus service ceased operations several years ago.
Following extensive engagement with ward councillors and Council officers a new route was implemented just in time for Christmas last year, which I know was a welcome gift to those residents who had long campaigned for its reinstation.
We’ve also seen Longstone Community Council lead a campaign to erect a new bridge to link their community to the Hutchison/Chesser community, as part of a new active travel project.
Initially a bridge was not part of these plans but following successful meetings with their ward councillor, Council officers and the developer some £170,000 worth of contributions were earmarked to support the delivery of the bridge. This will now go to consultation as part of the as the Longstone Link project.
These are just a couple of the many examples of the excellent work community councils are doing across our city every day. I’d encourage all residents to consider standing as a community councillor.
“From Pilton to Portobello, Muirhouse to Morningside and beyond, Edinburgh draws its strength from its people, and we need their views, ideas and expertise to move forward together.
Find out more about community councils and how to stand for election on CEC website.
The Notice of Election to community councils in Edinburgh was published yesterday (Wednesday 5th February).
Community councils are groups of elected local residents who care about their communities. These councils play an important role in the democratic process and act in the interests of their local areas.
The nomination period runs from today until 27 February. During this time you can nominate yourself to stand for election as a community councillor.
An election will only be held in a community council area if there are more people nominated than places on the community council. Should this be necessary the election date will be 27 March.
The new community council term will start on 28 March and will last four years. The next community council elections are planned for 2029 though this may be subject to change.
Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said: “Community councils remain an integral part of the social and democratic fabric of our city. In my experience as a ward councillor, I truly value my relationship with community councils and the excellent work that they do.
“From campaigning on key local issues, to organising meetings, chairing debates, liaising with local and national representatives and much more – the life of a community councillor in the Capital is never ordinary.
“This is an excellent opportunity to take a lead in your local area and make your community a better place. I’d encourage all residents to consider standing as a community councillor. Edinburgh draws its strength from its citizens, and we need their views and ideas to move forward together.”
Secretary of Edinburgh Association of Community Councils, Ken Robertson said: “You have a community council voice in city life, by right.
I have now been in post as CEO with EVOC for 25 days (on 22/1), though it sometimes feels like a lot longer! I have had a whirlwind of an introduction, and my feet have hardly touched the ground, which has made it exciting.
I have met a lot of great people from across the sector and our partner organisations, including the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government. I have been made to feel welcome and have learned a lot from a diverse mix of individuals.
I have heard of the challenges different organisations are facing right now, and these conversations are shaping my understanding and giving me insights that I will be distilling, with colleagues, into our future planning.
We are currently seeking the views of members and voluntary organisations in Edinburgh to tell us about their needs and the challenges that they are facing in 2025 and beyond. To increase the number of people who can contribute, we are using a survey that will be circulated to our members.
Please take a few minutes to complete it to ensure we consider the needs of more organisations in shaping how we work in future and what our priorities will be.
This month we are preparing for our Annual General Meeting at 4pm on Wednesday 26 February which will be held on Zoom. We will report on the year 2023/24 and give a flavour of our plans for the future.
We are looking for new individuals with business skills to be elected to the board of EVOC to join a committed group of volunteers who are interested in the development of EVOC as representatives to serve third sector organisations in Edinburgh. You can find how to apply to join the Board of Directors here.
Separately we are seeking a new Convener to chair the board and provide leadership to the organisation and directors. We’re looking for somebody with integrity good governance, leadership, finance and change management experience. If you are interested in this role, please see the details here.
We are spending a great deal of time currently in seeking ways to support those organisations affected by the impending cuts to the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) grants scheme which is a partnership between the NHS and the City of Edinburgh Council.
In recent months we have increased our engagement across the sector, so that we are better able to represent the views and interests of voluntary organisations in strategic forums such as the EIJB and the Edinburgh Partnership.
We are doing this as we strengthen our culture of service, to our members and to the sector.
Scotland’s councils continue to face severe financial pressures. The need to consult with communities, clearly communicate the impact on local services, whilst working together to shape and deliver urgently needed transformation, is more important than ever.
Councils closed a budget gap of £759 million during 2023/24, but this required them to make further and deeper savings.
Reflecting on the state of council finances in that financial year, the Accounts Commission reports many councils made savings or used reserves to deliver services within budget and offset a 3.3% real-terms reduction in revenue and income.
Using reserves to routinely balance budgets isn’t sustainable and risks financial sustainability.
Despite an overall increase in funding in 2024/25 and a further funding increase announced for the year ahead, intensifying demand for services, greater borrowing and depleting reserves pose ongoing challenges.
In 2023/24 councils borrowed more to invest in buildings and infrastructure, whilst Scottish Government money to support capital investment continued to decline. Council borrowing increased by over £400 million and almost all councils now face higher levels of debt and annual interest costs.
This investment is vital, however, in supporting spending on key areas including new schools and housing projects, whilst reducing the risk of buildings becoming unusable and impacting services still further.
Jo Armstrong, Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “Scotland’s councils face a challenging future, with significant financial risks and uncertainties.
“This has been compounded by pressures out with their control, including ever-increasing demand on services and inflation. An expected increase in funding for the year ahead doesn’t cancel out the urgent need for transformation, at a pace and depth we’ve not yet seen.
“With services already being impacted, councils must be clear with communities the scale of financial challenge being faced. Working with communities to deliver differently is vital.”
Still time to sign up for our Community Councils webinar at 6pm on Wed 29 January, when we will get an update on the Democracy Matters consultation from the Scottish Government.
The Democracy Matters engagement process asked communities to consider what the future of community decision making should look like where they live.
On 19 September 2024, COSLA and the Scottish Government published the Democracy Matters National Conversation report alongside a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to this work.
In this session Scottish Government officials will be presenting the process findings and outlining next steps for this important work.
