The Edinburgh Reporter invited all newly elected councillors to tell us a little about themselves.
Euan Hyslop is the energetic new SNP councillor for Drum Brae/Gyle who combines the civic role with a young baby and a business.
His day job is owning and running a café along with his partner. He said: “After leaving school I started working in sales and fundraising, traveling the length and breadth of Scotland on behalf of national charities and eventually opening my own direct marketing firm. I left it behind to go travelling in 2015 and started an OU degree in Politics, Economics and Philosophy.
“On returning to Scotland I worked at Forthview Primary School and Ferryhill Primary School as a Pupil Support Assistant before starting work as a Support Worker at Dean and Cauvin Young People’s Trust supporting care-experienced young people in Edinburgh.
“I opened a café in November 2021 with my partner. Running a small business in the community complements my work as a local Councillor. I’ve always loved working with people, and having a customer facing role allows me to build relationships with individuals and groups in the community. Not least of those is the Corstorphine Trust with whom we share a building and work closely with. For example, this winter in the midst of the cost of living crisis, we will collaborate to open a warm space for the community.
He works at the café over the weekends and when he is not working he loves the Midnight Organ Fight album by Frightened Rabbit. He admits that he has not truly been able to listen to the album in full since Scott Hutchison took his own life in 2018. But if he was to take anything with him to a desert island then it would be this album.
Representing Drum Brae/Gyle he recognises there are positives in the location where he lives and works. He said: “I live in Drum Brae/Gyle Ward with my partner and our two-year-old son Angus. It’s very much my home. I love being at the western and northern gateway to Edinburgh. Quick access north or west to our national parks is a big bonus for me as I like climbing, hiking and camping. On top of that you’re also close to the City Centre (it’s just a 30 minute cycle to City Chambers) and we have some of the best, most picturesque bus routes anywhere in the city.”
He is a member of two council committees – the Planning Committee and Finance & Resources Committee – both of which are fairly weighty topics.
These committees will take an amount of his time so while Euan admits to being “chronically disorganised” his positive outlook will stand him in good stead.
He explained that he likes being a part of both for different reasons: “I’m passionate about protecting green space and tackling the housing crisis in Edinburgh. Planning policy is the best place to meet these issues head on.
“Finance and Resources gives you a broader picture of what’s going on in different committees across the Council. It’s also where decisions are made that can help alleviate some of the financial struggles that residents are going to face with rising inflation and a looming cost of living crisis. We need to make sure we as a Council are using all possible avenues to alleviate these pressures on residents of Edinburgh where we can.”
And there are only two words as to why he got involved in politics – no surprise that these are “Scottish independence”.
The other two councillors in Drum Brae/Gyle are Cllr Edward Thornley and Cllr Robert Aldridge both of whom are members of the Scottish Liberal Democrat group – although Cllr Aldridge is also Lord Provost and in that role he is non-political.
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