City-wide updates:
At this month’s Full Council Steve Burgess raised the failure of COP26, the UK Government’s double-speak on climate, and the need for cities like Edinburgh to forge ahead with their plans to reduce climate-changing pollution.
Meanwhile within the Council, Claire Miller has been leading on our response to an independent enquiry led by Susanne Tanner QC into serious abuse perpetrated by a former council employee. The intention is that the lessons learned and changes to practices will mean such abuse can’t remain hidden or unchallenged ever again.
Claire has also been successful at the Transport & Environment Committee this month with agreement to involve stakeholders to set more ambitious targets for increasing walking and cycling in the city’s transport strategy. The targets are open to refinement now and will come back to the committee in the new year.
In Education, Mary Campbell has been meeting with the new head of Education, Children and Families to discuss Green Group priorities in this area, particularly expanding outdoor learning, climate education, and inclusion.
At the last Full Council, Alex Staniforth put forward an amendment to make sure tenants’ rights were at the heart of any improvement to HMO standards and successfully negotiated with the proposer of the original motion to incorporate that into the motion.
In planning committee, Chas Booth has been pushing the council to introduce cycle parking technical guidance for new developments to ensure safe and secure cycle storage.
In the wards:
In Craigentinny & Duddingston ward Alex has been working with council officers on the Northfield Grove improvement project – helping with the live on-site consultation and then working with them on the results of that consultation.
In Portobello/Craigmillar, Mary worked with Duddingston Primary parents to successfully request a continuous advert for a school crossing guard until the post was filled. She has also been working on getting improved signage to alert residents to a broken sewer pipe on Portobello beach next to Figgate Burn.
In the City Centre ward, Claire is pleased to welcome the news that the City Centre West-East Link (CCWEL) segregated cycle way will begin construction in January after many years of hard work and engagement.
In Southside-Newington ward Steve has been supporting Southside residents who are suffering from noise and odours from the nearby Holyrood distillery and is facilitating a meeting between all parties with the aim of reducing impacts in the area.
In Leith, Chas has been pursuing fly-tipping issues in Seafield and other parts of the ward.