East Edinburgh residents propose second meeting about council’s privatisation plans
A meeting to discuss the City of Edinburgh’s far reaching plans to privatise services was well attended last night. Almost 100 people went along to Meadowbank Sports Centre to obtain more information about the proposals. They asked Councillors and Unison representatives for details of the timetable for the scheme and asked for examples of privatisation initiatives which had actually benefited local people. Many people expressed dismay at the lack of transparency over the proposals to date and the way such changes would remove council services from any kind of democratic control.
Fiona Menzies, who chaired the meeting, said:- “We appreciated the presence of LibDem councillor Gary Peacock and Cammy Day Labour Councillor for Forth Ward who stepped in for Ewan Aitken who is on holiday. However we were disappointed that Stefan Tymkewycz, our local SNP councillor, was unable to attend or send a representative from the SNP to the meeting.”
The East Edinburgh Group intends to continue pressure on the Council for full details of the scheme and precise dates for decisions on these issues. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday August 2nd at 7pm at Meadowbank Sports Centre. Everyone is welcome to attend.