Judge demands apology from Edinburgh councillor – Council meets this week – TERLive! event with Chief Superintendent Mark Williams – Surgeon’s Hall Museum – Best video of Edinburgh
According to a story in The Daily Record, Councillor David Walker wrote to a judge in support of a non-custodial sentence for a security firm boss convicted of torturing a young man described by the judge Lord Turnbull ‘as vulnerable.’ The problem for the councillor is that he used council notepaper to do so, earning him a scathing response from the law lord who demanded an apology.
Councillor David Walker represents the Portobello/Craigmillar ward for the Labour Group since his election in May 2012.
You can read the whole story here.
Judge demands apology from Labour councillor David Walker after he asked for a convicted torturer to… | @scoopit http://t.co/VhXnb2nfpP
— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) December 8, 2013
***
In other council related news it appears that we are to get a room at the City Chambers to work from…. Well not just us actually, it will be apparently open to all members of the press, if the following motion lodged by Councillor Nick Cook is passed at this week’s council meeting:-
“By Councillor Nick Cook – External Media Provision in the City Chambers “Council:Notes that a desire has been expressed by local media for provision of a ‘press room’ based within the City Chambers and understands that such a facility has previously existed within the building.
Notes that the Capital Coalition’s ‘Contract with the Capital’ makes an express commitment at 4.3 to “…further improve the quality, accountability, openness and fairness of the Council’s operations”
Agrees that consistent, convenient and open access between media representatives and elected members/officers is an essential component of Council operating in the most open and transparent way possible.
Instructs Council officials to allocate a suitable room for use as a modestly provisioned, dedicated ‘press room’ within the City Chambers from which local reporters and other external media can operate from when working on relevant news coverage.”
The papers which are available for the upcoming meeting can be read here.
***
Next Monday evening we will be hosting an online live chat with the Local Police Commander of Edinburgh City Division of Police Scotland, Chief Superintendent Mark Williams.
CS Williams has worked in several areas of the city including Wester Hailes and Corstorphine before moving out to East Lothian for a time. He is in overall charge of the police in the capital and will be ready to answer any questions you may have next Monday 16 December just after 5:00pm.
You will find this event in our TERLive! section, and can join in using the hashtag #askthecommander or by emailing us any questions you have in advance. theedinburghreporter@gmail.com
He would especially like to talk about the policing plan, and what you think of community policing and the changes being introduced with a new shift system.
***
The proposal to upgrade the museum at Surgeon’s Hall has been given some parliamentary recognition. Local city centre MSP Marco Biagi has laid down a motion to record the funding which will allow the work to be carried out.
S4M-08514 Marco Biagi: Funding Boost for Surgeons’ Hall Museum—That the Parliament congratulates Surgeons’ Hall Museum in Edinburgh on its £2.7 million funding award from the Heritage Lottery Fund; understands that visitor numbers have increased over the last four years; believes that high quality displays such as the Burke and Hare exhibition have led to these recent successes; commends the plan to double the number of objects that can be shown to the public, and considers that a sympathetic restoration of the Playfair building will give this hidden gem of a museum the exposure that it truly deserves.
***
This is easily the best video of Edinburgh you are going to see this year……
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
