Five things you need to know today

Today it is one year since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine

The First Minister wrote an open letter to the people of Ukraine which you can read here. It says a lot of what we hope most people think about the people being sheltered here in Scotland. It opened with the First Minister reassuring any Ukrainians who have come to live here that “Scotland is your home for as long as you need it to be”.

Budget and politicking

On Thursday the scenes at the end of what was a mostly respectful day in the City Chambers were of councillors in disarray. Council tax will go up by 5% and council rents will rise, but according to the Liberal Democrats’ plans for spending, not this of the ruling Labour party.

The minority Labour administration failed to get its own budget passed which is possible a first time in council history. And it spells the end of the years of the council’s no compulsory redundancy policy which has been a mantra under several recent administrations.

Read more here.

This is the Council Leader shortly after the tactical voting by Green group councillors led to the administration budget being defeated. It was a matter of arithmetic – only compounded by the councillor for Sighthill/Gorgie, Ross Mackenzie, resigning on his feet during the debate.

And it all came down to the matter of just under £300,000 in a £1 billion plus budget:

Local Hero Awards

Today the Blackford Bike Bus will be receiving the Local Hero award from Ian Murray, MP for Edinburgh South. Bike buses are organised by parents and cyclists usually on a monthly basis to allow children to cycle to school as “one vehicle”. Parents and others form human barriers at junctions to let the cyclists keep going along the route. The Blackford Bike Bus travels from the corner of Charterhall Road to James Gillespie’s Primary School. There are now several bike buses all over the city.

Here is a flavour of what it is all about – filmed ages ago early one morning. Maybe we will have time to make a new film today…

SPOKES the Lothians Cycle campaign meeting postponed

The meeting to be held tonight by Spokes to discuss all the new transport policies has been postponed.

But meantime you can read what they have to say about the council’s new way forward on transport here.

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