In May Green councillors published a new report on a Green Recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic, continued to argue for a few specific community centres to open for the sake of food distribution only given the theft of food intended for distribution, and made sure that council policy is that people who are abused should be considered above the abuser when considering housing needs.
Councillor Susan Rae highlighted an new report on poverty in the city during the pandemic – read more here: Build back better to tackle poverty.
Councillor Alex Staniforth exposed the fact that holiday lets were getting access to business grants at a time when there is widespread concern about the growth of AirBnb: Edinburgh council leader would ‘not have chosen’ to give Airbnbs business support grants after Greens ‘dismayed’ by decision.
Claire Miller was successful in working with officers, councillors across other parties and active travel experts in bringing in a programme of pop up spaces for walking, wheeling and cycling with backing and funding from the Scottish Government. If you have suggestions of footways that need widening, pavement clutter that needs to be removed, space for travelling by bike, and other support such as bike storage spaces, then please send in your specific suggestions to Claire.
Locally councillors continue to field casework, with overflowing litter bins and collective bins being a regular issue in the city. Gavin Corbett has started developing the case for a new footbridge over the Water of Leith linking Chesser and Longstone.