It is all go on the political front even in the last week before Christmas – and notice of a public meeting being held on Monday evening.
This week at the council there are several things on the agenda as set out below.
This simple list contains a lot of important decisions to be made in the last full week of council business this year.
Tuesday, 17 December, 2024
- 9.30 am Licensing Sub-Committee17/12 – Virtual Meeting – via Microsoft Teams
- 10.00 am Edinburgh Integration Joint Board17/12 – Hybrid Meeting – Dean of Guild Court Room, City Chambers / Microsoft Teams – City Chambers
On Tuesday there is a meeting of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board – the joint NHS and council body which runs the health and social care in the city.
At the last EIJB meeting there were several deputations from Third Sector organisations which would be affected by proposed cuts of around £4.5 million. That threat has been averted for now – at least until the spring, although the EIJB still has a deficit of around £50 million to address.
There is just one deputation noted in the papers for this week’s meeting from FENIKS who say:
“On behalf of Feniks. Counselling, Personal Development and Support Services Ltd.
(Feniks), Sikh Sanjog, and Multicultural Family Base (MCFB) —anchor organisations within
their communities—we submit this deputation to express our concerns about the significant
impact the proposed changes to the EIJB’s grants programme and broader financial strategy
will have on ethnic minority communities across Edinburgh. These changes risk profound
implications for our communities, the workforce, and the EIJB’s statutory obligations. As
organisations working directly with Polish, Ukrainian, Sikh, South Asian, refugee and other
ethnic minority groups, we aim to highlight the potential risks, challenges, and the EIJB’s
obligations to ensure equality, reduce inequalities, and protect the most vulnerable.”
Wednesday, 18 December, 2024
- 10.00 am Development Management Sub-Committee18/12 – Dean of Guild Court Room – City Chambers
At this planning sub-committee the most important application is for a new car-lite 20 minute neighbourhood on the former north south runway at the airport. Elements Edinburgh is recommended for approval.
Thursday, 19 December, 2024
- 10.00 am – 5.00 pm City of Edinburgh Council19/12 – Main Council Chamber – City Chambers
There will be a debate on choosing a new Council Leader on Thursday at a meeting of full council – which at the moment is 61 councillors. Read more here.
Holyrood Park Public Meeting
This evening Lorna Slater MSP is convening a public meeting from 6.30pm to 8pm at the Greyfriars Charteris Centre.
Tickets which are free can be booked on Eventbrite.
A spokesperson for Lorna Slater MSP said: “This is the first meeting of its kind following the General Election and release of Historic Environment’s Scotland Strategic Plan or the park. Our office are hoping to facilitate and support the beginning of a ‘Friends of Holyrood Park’ type group that can help push on HES’ objectives and local issues in and around the park.”
Leith Chooses
This is a participative budgeting process which allows local people to decide how a pot of money is spent in their area.
Deliberation
You can find the list of 24 projects here, and you have about 6 weeks to browse through all these projects and think about which you would like to vote for when the time comes. Remember to tell your friends, family and colleagues to have a look too.
Voting
Voting will open on Saturday 18 January 2025. You can come along to the Leith Community Centre on that day, and meet all the project applicants in person, and place your votes in the ballott box there and then.
Then there will be a further 2 weeks of online voting. If you didn’t manage to get to the in-person day at the Community Centre, you can vote online. If you DID vote at the Comunity Centre, you can ALSO vote once online.
Please remind your friends, family and colleagues to vote, too. Everyone who lives, works, volunteers or studies in Leith is eligible to vote.
Voting closes on Monday 3rd February 2025.
At St Cuthbert’s this week
On 19 December The Parish Church of St Cuthbert’s on King’s Stables Road will hold a Community Carol Service – and everyone is invited. It takes place at 12.30pm.
Wester Hailes Library
This community building remains closed for maintenance – and there will be a further update in January 2025.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
