The Labour councillor, Katrina Faccenda, who was first elected in 2022, has not been reselected by the local party as a possible candidate.
In the same round of appointments to the list of possible candidates, the councillor for Colinton/Fairmilehead, Conor Savage, who was elected on 23 January 2025, has not been selected.
The local government committee is made up of members of the council group and affiliate bodies.
Both Cllr Faccenda and Cllr Savage were interviewed by the committee who then recommend candidates who may go forward for selection.
On this occasion the local committee has decided not to recommend Cllrs Faccenda or Savage as one of the candidates. We understand that at least part of the reason in one case is the number of times Cllr Faccenda has broken the whip, which is said to run into two figures.
Cllr Faccenda told The Edinburgh Reporter: “I am extremely disappointed that information from an internal selection process has been leaked in an attempt to preempt the appeals process and that includes inaccurate information about my disciplinary record.
“I remain committed to serving the people of Leith and know I have strong support within the community which I was elected to serve.”
Suspensions and censures
At the very first meeting of the new council to appoint the 13 councillor minority Labour administration in June 2022, Cllr Faccenda, and Cllr Ross McKenzie, who had also been elected as a Labour councillor, both abstained on the vote. They said they were unhappy at the apparent unofficial coalition with the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives who were awarded convenership positions which carry a larger salary.
At that point the two Labour councillors were suspended from the political group for eight weeks “with immediate effect”. Cllrs Faccenda and McKenzie had to move out of their Labour group offices and were made to sit apart from their original group as independents during several council meetings.
At that time the two suspended councillors said in a joint statement: “We respect the outcome of the disciplinary process which has been conducted in good faith. But collective responsibility requires internal democracy and accountability.
“We will continue to fight for a Labour Party that respects the views of its members and affiliates. It’s now up to those in leadership positions to show how this Labour minority administration can make a positive difference.”
Cllr McKenzie then left the Labour group and has since joined the Green Group on the council.
In December 2024 after council leader, Cammy Day, had stepped down, and Cllr Jane Meagher had agreed to become leader in his place, councillors voted to allow the Labour Party to continue running the council as a minority administration by 32 to 28.
The alternative option on the table was an SNP/Greens coalition – something the two parties could not agree upon following the 2022 election.
Cllr Faccenda broke the whip in December 2024, abstaining in the vote, saying that she thought the administration had failed over the two years since the election and had “turned a blind eye to dishonesty”.
She said that many councillors had put their own interests ahead of residents, and that the administration had failed to actively promote core Labour values or principles.”
By the time this vote was being taken, the Labour group had decreased to 10 as Cllr Cammy Day was under investigation and suspended by the Labour Party.
Cllr Faccenda had said that the former council leader (who was investigated by Police Scotland without any charges being brought or arrests made) was an “absolute disgrace”.
Although Cllr Faccenda can appeal the decision on selection, The Edinburgh Reporter understands that a date has not yet been arranged for any hearing.
The Edinburgh Reporter has been informed that Cllr Conor Savage – who had to step down as Convener of the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board making way for Cllr Lezley Marion Cameron to take over – has become employed during his time as a councillor. He had originally wanted to remain as a Convener, but give up other responsibilities as a councillor.
When he was first elected to the seat previously held by Dr Scott Arthur who is now an MP, he was currently unemployed having been made redundant from a previous position. He is a Marine Biology graduate and worked in sustainable finance. In 2024 he stood unsuccessfully in Shetland as a candidate against long time MP, and former Secretary of State for Scotland, Alistair Carmichael.
After the by-election in November 2024 in the Colinton/Fairmilehead Ward when the Liberal Democrat candidate, Louise Spence, won convincingly, she was forced to resign after her plans to represent the ward while moving to Dubai caused the party to suspend her.
Cllr Savage has been contacted for comment.
