The Ripple community project may take EIJB to court

The Ripple Project is threatening to take Edinburgh Intergation Joint Board to court over this year’s controversial funding process.

The Restalrig-based community hub believes the EIJB’s consultation process was too short, key information was withheld and responses were not adequately considered.

They maintain the EIJB’s 2025–2028 Strategic Plan was approved after ‘an unfair and unlawful consultation process’. 

THE RIPPLE STATEMENT:

The Ripple Project has formally written with a pre-action letter to the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board to challenge the way its 2025–2028 Strategic Plan was approved. We believe the consultation process was too short, key information was withheld, and responses were not properly considered.

We have asked the Board to withdraw the decision and re-run a lawful, transparent consultation — and we hope they will do so without the need for court action.” 

The EIJB has until 27 August to reply. The Ripple would prefer the EIJB to withdraw their decision and ‘run a fair, lawful consultation without going to court’ – but if the Ripple Project finds the EIJB’s response unsatisfactory, they may then lodge a petition for judicial review at the Court of Session. 

The date of the EIJB’s next meeting does not currently appear on the organisation’s website.

THE RIPPLE’s PRE-ACTION LETTER TO THE EIJB IN FULL:

Ward 14 Question Time

Monday 10th February at 6.30pm

On Monday 10th February at 6:30pm, members of The Ripple project and residents of Ward 14 will get the chance to speak to their local councillors.

Have you ever seen Question Time or even better Debate Night? If the answer is yes, then you know how important a local event like this can be.

If not, then read the quick explainer on the event below.

Members of The Ripple project and the wider community of Ward 14 will have the opportunity to put questions to our local representatives. After a question-and-answer session each councillor will have the opportunity to detail their priorities for the upcoming year or make any other address they deem appropriate.

Tristan Green, The Ripple Community Action Worker who will be chairing the evening said: “‘I am delighted that all four of our local councillors committed to this event with such enthusiasm.

“Events like this can help reduce the barriers that make it so hard for regular people to engage with politics at a local level. It is a groundbreaking evening for this ward and I am looking forward to some healthy debate’.

Rachel Green, Director added: ‘Genuine engagement by elected members is becoming essential at a time when more and more is being asked of the third sector and local communities. 

” Only by knowing what is important to local people can our councillors serve the communities who elected them”.

Local people can submit any questions they would like to ask on the night using this form https://forms.office.com/e/FBVRMy2wFi

Four councillors currently represent the Craigentinny/Duddingston Ward:

  • Danny Aston, Scottish National Party (SNP)
  • Joan Griffiths, Scottish Labour
  • Alex Staniforth, Scottish Green Party
  • Iain Whyte, Scottish Conservatives 

This meeting is taking place ahead of the City of Edinburgh Councils budget announcement for 2025/26.