Cllr Gavin Corbett is to resign on 7 November as Green councillor for Fountainbridge-Craiglockhart and will become a special adviser to the Green Scottish Government ministers, Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie.
The canal champion has been a councillor for nine years, and has a background in housing, most recently for charity Shelter Scotland a role which he will also leave, and housing will be his main role in advising the ministers. He has been part of the Finance Committee and also the Education, Economy and Transport & Environment Committees.
Co-Convener of Edinburgh Greens Councillor Group, Cllr Claire Miller said “Gavin will be missed in the councillor group and by residents in his council ward. However, the opportunity to work with the first-ever Green ministers in government anywhere in the UK is an exciting one and I am delighted Gavin will be bringing his experience to the team there. Meantime, as a branch we have already set wheels in motion to select a new Green candidate for Fountainbridge-Craiglockhart for next May and I am confident that candidate will be able to win support and build on Gavin’s track record.”
Gavin said: “In lots of ways it is a wrench to leave my councillor role and I’ve been looking forward to completing various projects in the area over the next six months and then being part of a larger Green group of councillors next May, taking the next step up. I’ll also miss working with lots of fantastic people and groups on canal projects and indeed throughout the south west of the city.
“However, after working in housing policy and campaigning for 34 years and in the Greens for 32 years, sometimes there are opportunities which are genuinely chances of a lifetime. This is one such and so much to get my teeth into, supporting Patrick and Lorna, and the wider team of ministers and advisers.”
As the councillor’s resignation is within six months of the next council elections in May, there will be no by-election.
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