Bringing life to the Union Canal
Social enterprise needs to be at the heart of the economic vision for a new canal quarter, says Gavin Corbett. I was at the council’s petitions committee this week, this time to speak in support of a petition which had been brought by local resident and community activist, Jane Jones, backing local social enterprise Reunion Canal Boats.…
Taking pride in our carers
Carers need much greater recognition, argues GAVIN CORBETT IT’S no exaggeration to say that the benchmark of a civilised society is how it cares for its oldest and youngest citizens. Yet, it’s an aim that is proving hard to achieve here in Edinburgh. Every week in the city, 5000 hours of social care go unmet.…
A budget for schools, social care and children
Green councillor Gavin Corbett explains why Green councillors are giving priority to schools, social care and vulnerable children in this week’s budget. This week is budget week for City of Edinburgh Council. Setting the budget is the single most important decision the council takes each year. But this year, it has heightened significance, for two…
City Council Complacent on Air Pollution
The City Council needs a lot more urgency on air pollution argues Chas Booth. Figures released yesterday (11 January) following a BBC Scotland investigation into air pollution show a woeful complacency on the part of Edinburgh Council to this serious problem. The figures come from a BBC documentary, due to be shown on 13 January,…
Cherishing the city’s voluntary sector
The city needs to cherish its home-grown voluntary organisations, argues GAVIN CORBETT “Darling”, she whispered, as she traced a delicate white finger across his mane of golden locks: “Tell me again about… co-production”. I dare say this is a sentence which won’t appear in many Christmas gift novels. Not unless Adrian Mole has started writing…
Light on the horizon for Lorne Street?
There is light on the horizon for the tenants of Lorne Street according to GAVIN CORBETT I’ve met the tenants of Lorne Street, off Leith Walk in Edinburgh, a couple of times now. The first time was a few weeks back, with a small group, then again this week, when 50 or so came to a…
Standing firm on no compulsory redundancies
Gavin Corbett says the council should stand firm on its No Compulsory Redundancies pledge.
Weed control and glyphosate
Green environment spokesperson Cllr CHAS BOOTH asks whether it is time for the city to end the use of glyphosate. The condition of our streets matters to a lot of people in the city. People feel dismayed if they see streets where weeds are sprouting from every crack in the pavement and from walls: it…
Cherishing the city’s oldest buildings
Much more focus is needed on the city’s older buildings, argues Gavin Corbett. Edinburgh is an old city. Just how old was re-inforced starkly at a recent Economy Committee when the depute mayor of Shenzhen talked about her city, growing out of fields in 1980 to a population of 15 million today. That is a…
Duncan Place Resource Centre: new gym and nursery, but community space still to resolve
Chas Booth reflects on today’s decision by Edinburgh Council education committee around Duncan Place Resource Centre. I’m delighted that Edinburgh Council education committee has given the green light to demolish the rear half of Duncan Place Resource Centre and build a new gym and nursery for Leith Primary on the site. This is great news…
Bright future for community renewables in Edinburgh
Chas Booth heralds the launch of Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative. I was delighted to attend the launch this morning of Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative. This is a new venture which aims to put solar panels on the roofs of 25 council buildings around the city, to both cut carbon emissions and to create a community…
Public services or private profit?
Green Finance spokesperson Gavin Corbett laments the revival of proposals to privatise management of council facilities. It’s about haggis, isn’t it? Five years ago, before I became a councillor, the city council was on the cusp of handing over the running of schools, community centres, offices, depots and so on to the private sector. The…
IndyRef: one year on
On this day one year ago, people in Scotland woke to find out the result of the independence referendum. Thousands of them chose to channel the energy of the debate, and their the political engagement they felt after the result, into the Scottish Green Party.
Changing the way housing is “done”
Edinburgh needs to change the way housing is “done” argues STEVE BURGESS This week voters go to the polls in the Leith Walk by-election. I’m sure votes will be cast on many different grounds. On schools or on transport. On the state of the streets or on local services. Perceptions of the candidates will come…
Putting people in charge of budgets
It’s time for “participatory budgeting” to move up a notch argues SUSAN RAE. I cannot ever imagine a time when participatory budgeting will be sexy. I’d love to see a march on the city chambers with banners declaiming “We demand participatory budgeting! Now!”. But I concede I might wait a while. It’s a pity, in…
Leith Walk is unique!
Green candidate for the Leith Walk by-election, Susan Rae, argues that there is nowhere quite like Leith Walk. As a local resident, naturally, I think Leith Walk is unique. Nowhere else has quite the same mix of people, local businesses and community groups in such a compact area. Now the council ward of the same…