Council elections 2022 – Neil Ross – Morningside Ward

• Neil Ross
• Liberal Democrat candidate for Morningside Ward

I am a Chartered Accountant, having been in public practice in Edinburgh for over 30 years.  I have been the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Finance and sat on the council’s Finance & Resources, Regulatory and Pensions Committees during the last administration.

My party’s focus for this election campaign is standing up for Edinburgh. 

We want a Council that gets the basics right, has the environment at its heart, gives children a world-class education, listens and gives power to the people and delivers a fairer and more equal city.  Personally I want to improve funding to local schools, make basic services fit for purpose, promote sustainable travel options in consultation with local residents and protect Midmar Paddock from unwanted development.

The Lib Dem group has held the SNP/Labour Council administration to account on the provision of basic services, the need for meaningful consultation with residents, particularly with regard to the Spaces for People project, and the desperate need for fair funding of the Council by The Scottish Government.

Our group has achieved a number of individual successes, for example on short term lets, extending garden waste collections, restrictions on the sale or use of fireworks, tackling crippling parking costs for carers, the funding of flood prevention measures and action on the regulation of amplified buskers and raising standards on HMOs. 

I would add to that list my request for the Council to set up a trial of simplified zebra crossings for side streets.  Although it is yet to be taken forward, it is now on the Council’s agenda and, following my motion to full Council, the Transport Convener wrote to The Scottish Government to seek agreement in principle.