The Labour Group will confirm at their meeting tonight that the new Lord Provost will be a councillor with 13 years’ experience at the City Chambers. Donald Wilson, councillor for Sighthill/Gorgie Ward, is the group’s sole nominee, and will therefore sit in the big chair at the first council meeting of the new administration on 17 May. He will also be the person responsible for handing over the keys of the capital to The Queen when she visits in July, as The Lord Provost also becomes Lord Lieutenant of Edinburgh. (That means he is also responsible for getting you an invitation to the garden party at Holyrood….)

So what else happens now at the City Chambers? The election result last week gave a clear lead to the Labour Group, and they have now signed a formal coalition document with the SNP group, agreeing that they will run the council for the next five years in tandem, but all the various positions of responsibility still have to be filled.

Perhaps the most important position is that of council leader, and that will fall to Andrew Burns, Labour Group Leader.  As he was in the last administration, Councillor Steve Cardownie, will again be Deputy Leader, although the administration will have a different make-up.

Councillor Burns claims to be absolutely delighted with his new job, and said to The Edinburgh Reporter:-” I am thoroughly excited about the whole prospect of it.

“As for the other jobs we still have to agree the division of responsibilities with the SNP. On 17 May, the positions of Leader, Deputy Leader, Provost and Deputy Provost will then be ratified. Our group has a meeting tonight about this. Donald is our sole nominee for this position, having been a Bailie for five years and a councillor for 13 years.

“Although the division of responsibility will have to be thrashed out with the SNP in the next few days, each group will go through the nomination process to decide on the actual people who will take up each job which will then be formally ratified on 24 May. The Labour Group will meet next Tuesday to try and sort those positions out.

“If you look at the two manifestos, then I think it is hard to put a cigarette paper between the vast bulk of the policies. There are differences of course, but there is about 80 plus per cent of commonality.  It won’t be a problem delivering on that – there is a difference between Labour and SNP on national issues, but this will not be a problem for us at local level.”

One matter The Reporter is keeping a close eye on is the council newspaper Outlook, which is most probably for the chop. Burns said:-“Obviously this is not a done deal, but it is presently our intention to make good on our manifesto commitment to look at more effective alternatives.” The cost of running the paper, nicknamed Pravda by some, is reportedly around £200,000 per annum.

One other matter which both groups claimed during their election campaigns to have in their sights, is road repair. But it will take a few weeks to get the people in place before the new council can make any moves in any direction.

The Art of Italian Wine

Though not exactly a sommelier, I like my wine, and I think over a number of years my nose for wine has matured.  When offered the chance to go wine tasting at Le Di-Vin, with such an established and interesting winery as Masi, I jumped at it.

The set up of the evening was refreshingly simple; we were given a sheet marked with the order of wines, and Raffaele Boscaini of Masi winery mingled between us budding viticulturalists chatting about his wines. It was incredibly interesting, and we dissevered that Masi is a distinct family run winery from Northern Italy that is most notably famous for their Amarone.

Raffaele’s grandfather resurrected the ancient art of wine making by using the Roman technique, and a number of the Masi wines are produced using this ancient method of drying the grapes. Removing the water from the grape means that there is a higher concentration of glycerine giving the wine a richer flavour and you can certainly tell, specifically in the Amarone which is produced from 100% dried grapes.

Right, on to the wine tasting….

Our first Wine was the Levarie (£18.50), a white made from the Soave grape. A lovely light wine which we all agreed was fresh, light and very easy to drink.

Next we had the Masianco (£25), another white but this time a Pinot Grigio. The Masianco was much more golden in colour than the easy drinking Levarie and you could instantly tell a big difference. The Masianco was produced using about 25% dried grapes and this was clear as it was a much sweeter wine. The guide for this wine mentioned the flavours of wild flowers and honey, and this certainly shone through during the tasting.

Our 3^rd wine and first red was the Bonacosta (£23.50); a Valpolicella. This wine is a great little red. It was thoroughly enjoyable and easy to drink. The Bonacosta was very dry but with only 40% dried grapes it wasn’t too heavy.  This was the winning wine for me, and I could easily have drunk it all night (but with another 4 wines to go I am glad I only had half a glass!) (Thank goodness! Ed.)

The 4^th on our list was the Brolo Di Campofiorin (£30). This was a nice strong wine at 14%vol and again had about 40% dried grapes.  If you were just wanting a nice glass of red after a hard day at work, this would be the one for you! I wouldn’t have been able to handle more than a glass, as it was very rich, but it was also easy to drink and a typically sophisticated smooth red.

At this stage it seemed the reds were getting deeper and deeper and our table was becoming an Aladdin’s cave of half drunk wine glasses, but we soldiered on to number 5 which was the Tupungato Passe Doble (£30). The Passe Doble was a Malbec so it had gone through the double fermentation process before they had partnered it with the Corvina to make up the Passe Doble. This wine consisted of 25% dried grapes and was a blend of both the Masi Italian grapes and grapes from their vineyard’s in Argentina; 1000m above sea level.  The Passe Doble was a great wine, again very strong, but also easily drinkable.

The penultimate wine was Celia’s favourite;  the Grandarella Appassimento (£45) and grand it certainly was! This was seriously strong at 14.5% and is made from 100% dried grapes. It would have been perfect with a steak, and it actually left me hungry for one!

Last but not least was the infamous Amarone. We had been warned about this wine all night and at £55 a bottle and 15.5%vol this certainly was ‘the big boy’. Amarone is produced using 100% dried grapes and trying it certainly was an experience. I enjoyed the Amarone and Raffaele kindly talked us through the process. I understood the wine to be most similar to the sorts of wine the Romans drank and although this ancient style of wine was lovely, I don’t think I could handle more than a glass!

Celia and I loved the Masi wine tasting experience, and the friendly venue of Le Di-Vin made the night even better. I shall certainly be looking out for Masi wine in future, and if you want to try some Le Di-Vin is the best place to start!

Le Di-Vin, 9 Randolph Place, Edinburgh  0131 538 1815

The Reporter Food reviewer, Holly Jones, is a partner in The Lifestyle Company Scotland  You can follow the company and their lifestyle tips on Twitter

A range of books and resources to help young people cope with mental health issues is being launched at Oxgangs Library tomorrow to coincide with International Children’s Mental Health Day.

The event is aimed at promoting books and other resources to help children, young people, parents and carers who are dealing with problems such as anxiety, depression, bullying and eating disorders.  Libraries & Information Services staff from The City of Edinburgh Council have joined up with NHS Lothian to provide the resources, which are being launched on International Child Mental Health Day.

The list of books offers information, greater understanding and practical advice on a range of mental health issues. As well as being available through libraries, the books can also be borrowed by children at their school library.

Some of the books are written by those who have experienced difficulties themselves, and some are written by experienced mental health professionals.

Edinburgh Author Nicola Morgan, who has written “Blame my Brain” – one of the recommended titles on the list – will be speaking at the launch about teenage mental health issues.

Liz McGettigan, Libraries & Information Services Manager, said:-“Understanding how to deal with mental health issues can be very challenging especially when it involves young people. We hope that providing access to this information will help support families and carers.

“With our free online reservation service people can also reserve one of these books from the discretion of their own homes, collect it from a local library and issue it to themselves through our self issue service.”

Cathy Richards, Lead Clinician, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, (CAMHS), NHS Lothian said:- “In Lothian we offer a range of mental health services for children and adolescents including these specially chosen healthy reading books and other resources which are an excellent and additional resource in helping children, young people and parents access reliable information and self-help about common mental health issues.”

Nicola Morgan said:- “My favourite topics are the teenage brain and teenage books, so to be able to speak about both at the same time is a real treat. I also firmly believe that books are therapeutic – both relaxing and stimulating – so I love the idea of this project.”

PETER MOORE RETAINS HIS EDINBURGH WHEELCHAIR TENNIS TOURNAMENT TITLE

Peter Moore from Glasgow retained his title at the second Edinburgh Wheelchair Tennis Tournament in a hard fought rematch of last year’s final.  Peter fought back from one set down to eventually beat Keith Thom (Dumfries) in a third set match tie-break.  Keith can be very proud of his performance as he pushed Peter a lot closer than last year, no doubt Keith will be hoping for third time lucky in 2013.

Keith got his revenge in the final of the doubles when he teamed up with Steve Crompton (Southampton) to beat Peter Moore and James Shaw (Nottingham). Steve Crompton (Southampton) won the ‘B’ Division singles beating James Shaw (Nottingham) in the final.

Wheelchair players from Southampton, London, Preston, Nottingham & Birmingham joined players from throughout Scotland in a great weekend of wheelchair tennis held at Craiglockhart Tennis Centre in Edinburgh last month.  The players would like to say a big thank you to Edinburgh Leisure, Awards For All, Tennis Scotland, Activcity, Highland Spring and the Tennis Foundation for supporting the event.

Thanks also to Linda Birrell of the East Of Scotland LTA for refereeing and to Dan Maskell’s daughter, Robin Charlton for presenting the prizes.

Wheelchair tennis sessions are held every Sunday at Craiglockhart and there are now regular sessions in Glasgow, Stirling and Aberdeen.  Please contact David Hogg or Andrew Raitt for more details

davidhogg472@gmail.com  or 07835222533.

Andrew.raitt@tennisscotland.org or 07908091820

Lothian and Borders Police can now confirm the identity of a man found dead on a walkway in Edinburgh following a motorcycle collision yesterday (Monday 7th May).

He is 20-year-old Daniel William Baird from Bingham Way, Edinburgh. Mr Baird was discovered at 5.45am on Monday 7th May lying next to a motorcycle on the walkway running from the old ‘Big W’ car park at the Milton Link to The Jewel.  He sustained serious head injuries, and despite the best efforts of ambulance crews, he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

An 18-year-old man who had been on the motorcycle with him also sustained serious leg injuries.

Police believe the motorcycle may have collided with a tree but have yet to trace anyone who may have witnessed the incident. A police spokesperson said: “While the two men were discovered at 5.45am, we have yet to determine exactly when the incident took place. We are keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or who may have seen two men riding a motorcycle in the area in the early hours of bank holiday Monday 7th May. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident, however we need to fully establish the circumstances.

“We would appeal to anyone who may have any information about the incident to contact us immediately.”

Information can be passed to Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131 or Crimestoppers in complete confidence on 0800 555 111.

CHAS Reaching for 50,000 Voucher Target

The Edinburgh fundraising office of Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) are calling on all Tesco shoppers to donate their Tesco ‘schools and clubs’ vouchers to the charity.

Last year CHAS supporters collected a staggering 44,000 Tesco vouchers which were used to provide a range of creative toys and musical instruments for the CHAS at Home service, helping families in their own home and the charity’s two children’s hospices Robin House and Rachel House. This year the charity hopes to receive 50,000 vouchers. One Tesco voucher is issued for every £10 spent in store.

Fundraising Manager Pippa Johnston said:- “The musical instruments funded by the vouchers last year provide fun activities and sessions for the children on home visits, at social events and when we use our mini bus as a travelling sensory studio.
“This year we’d like to provide even more equipment for the children and families to enjoy and hope that our supporters will help us reach our target by Sunday 20 May.”

The vouchers can be handed in to the fundraising office at Canal Court, 42 Craiglockhart Avenue or posted to Debbie Mooney, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland, 2^nd Floor, Buchanan Tower, Cumbernauld Road, Stepps G33 6HZ.

Wave energy company, Aquamarine Power employs a large workforce here in Edinburgh, in Orkney and in Belfast. The company is working hard on its second generation wave energy converter, Oyster 800 at the EMEC centre in Orkney, and their CEO, Martin McAdam has issued this statement today about the recent moves by electricity and gas market regulator, Ofgem.

“Last week Ofgem announced (very quietly, under the cloak of the local government elections) their intent to retain locational charging as a principal element in the way in which generators pay to use the UK’s transmission network.

This is a real disappointment for all renewable energy projects in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, and presents a real challenge to Aquamarine Power – and the UK’s nascent marine energy sector.

It is a bitter pill that Ofgem, despite months and indeed years of debate and lobbying, has directed the industry panel (which will work out the details of the proposal) to continue to penalise renewable generation on Scotland’s islands – home to some of the best wind, wave and tidal resources not just in Britain, but in the world.

Our company has a 40MW wave energy project off the west coast of Lewis, in pole position to be the world’s largest fully consented wave farm.

All the elements are falling into place – we have a 40MW lease from seabed owner the Crown Estate; we are about to sign terms with the community-owned Galson Estate for the shore-based power plant; we have applied to regulator Marine Scotland for offshore consents, and are about to apply to local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar for planning permission.

That is why this decision is so disappointing.

Ofgem has not given any clear figures in its recommendation, but previous modelling suggests an annual charge of £77 per KW, which along with the annual connection costs will equate to over £3.5million each and every year for our 40MW Lewis project. This is a massive penalty for an early stage technology.

To put this in context, a renewable energy project the same size in southern England would pay just £40,000 a year. But we cannot choose where the best waves are – we have to put our projects at the periphery of the UK.

The economics of these first wave energy projects are challenging enough – and we have all the other arms of government, from DECC to the Scottish Government, Marine Scotland and local councils, doing their bit to help this industry get off the ground.

It is a big disappointment that Ofgem’s proposals are so out of kilter.

We will continue to engage constructively with the industry to find a way ahead, and we would urge the Scottish and UK Governments to continue to work together to find an equitable solution for Scotland’s islands.”

The Scottish Government has declared its aim to generate 100% of gross annual electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020.

HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay has just arrived at the EICC to give the keynote address to the World Fisheries Congress 2012.

The Duke of Rothesay addressed the conference on sustainability in His Royal Highness’s capacity as the founder of The Prince’s International Sustainability Unit (ISU). Established in January 2010, the ISU works to build consensus on how to resolve some of the key environmental challenges facing the world, specifically those concerning food security, ecosystem resilience and the depletion of natural capital.  The ISU works with governments, the private sector and non-governmental organisations with the aim of building partnerships to help address these challenges.

Council coalition formed – HRH in town today – Tickets on sale today for Edinburgh Castle Olympic event – Yester War Memorial – Community Council news 

The council have finally decided how they will run the city for the next five years. There is to be a Labour- SNP coalition which will give them a convincing majority of 38 (out of 58 Councillors). You can read more about this here.

The key pledges in the SNP manifesto are as follows:-

• Financial Responsibility. Edinburgh Council has gone from brink of collapse in 2007 to a situation where all council departments have balanced budgets and reserves are high. This resulted in the council investing an extra £2 million towards vital services at the end of the last financial year. The SNP Government also provided Edinburgh an additional £22m. We will continue to maintain a financially responsible and secure council.
• Setting up a Consultative Board made up of Group Leaders to discuss decisions of strategic importance to the city. This will put the interests of the city before party politics.
• Continue to build more homes under the 21st Century Homes project and strengthen enforcement action against bad landlords.
• Protecting Lothian Buses and continuing to roll out low-emission and electric vehicles in the Council’s fleet. Any other form of transport should complement the performance of our award winning bus service. We will ensure that Edinburgh is never held to ransom over a transport project like the Trams unless the people of Edinburgh support it.
• Pledge to introduce the Living Wage for all Council employees.
• Increase the road repair budget to £20 million to achieve higher standards of road maintenance.
• Appoint a Care Champion to represent carers and their interests and ensure that they have a strong voice at the most senior levels in the Council. The Scottish Government Change Funds will be used to provide better older people’s services.
• Strengthen early years services and extend the programme of activities available to young children.
• Administer the establishment of a “Business Partner” for every secondary school in the city to create and foster a relationship between them as a springboard for positive outcomes for school-leavers.
• Increase investment for cycling with a view to increase the percentage of people getting to work by bike.
• Work with the Scottish Government to deliver its £500m programme of preventative spending to reduce anti-social behaviour and the underlying causes of crime. We will continue to invest in Council-funded police officers who work jointly with the Council’s Environmental Officers.
• Devolve decision-making powers to Club Sport Edinburgh over the awarding of grants from the City of Edinburgh Council Sports Small Grants scheme. We will continue to invest in sports facilities including the provision of further small-scale skate parks across the city.
• Examine the introduction of “low emission zones” to drive down Edinburgh’s carbon footprint and improve air quality.

The Labour manifesto is set out by way of reminder here:-

Moving Edinburgh Forward Together

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HRH The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Rothesay is in Edinburgh today for a conference and will then take the salute tomorrow after a parade down the High Street.

First on his agenda a speech at the EICC. The world’s fisheries community will gather in Edinburgh today to discuss the future of sustainable fishing at the 6^th World Fisheries Congress.

Organised by The World Council of Fisheries Societies, the congress will address “Sustainable Fisheries in a Changing World”. The event draws leading international figures influential in driving debate and shaping global policy on fishing.

The Duke of Rothesay will address the conference on sustainability in His Royal Highness’s capacity as the founder of The Prince’s International Sustainability Unit (ISU). Established in January 2010, the ISU works to build consensus on how to resolve some of the key environmental challenges facing the world, specifically those concerning food security, ecosystem resilience and the depletion of natural capital. The ISU works with governments, the private sector and non-governmental organisations with the aim of building partnerships to help address these challenges.

On Wednesday, The Duke of Rothesay, accompanied by The Duchess of Rothesay, will take the salute from Abbey Strand to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, as a parade of Armed Forces personnel and Royal British Legion members marches past. Their Royal Highnesses will then review the Parade on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, before hosting a reception for Armed Forces personnel in the Picture Gallery.

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Tickets are available this morning from 9 a.m. for the free party at Edinburgh Castle on 13 June 2012 when the Olympic Torch arrives in town.

The glittering celebration will enable thousands of people to enjoy a variety of entertainment staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – Coca-Cola, Bank of Scotland and Samsung – with support from the City of Edinburgh Council.

The three Presenting Partners will each provide 20 minutes of exciting and stimulating entertainment for the event. Emeli Sandé, presented by Coca-Cola, will headline the celebrations followed by stunning acrobatic performances brought by Bank of Scotland and dance performances staged by Samsung.

The Council will also present two ten-minute slots of locally-programmed entertainment during the evening celebration. The BIG Project’s Youth Choir will be joined onstage by some of Scotland’s finest musical talent, including Kim Edgar and Karine Polwart, to reprise a selection of songs from their recent Celtic Connections and Usher Hall performances. The second, ten minute slot will bring the evening event to a close.

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An Edinburgh solicitor, Alastair Shepherd, has researched the war dead on the War Memorial in Yester, East Lothian. He has set up a website and also published a booklet to record his findings. This must lead us to wonder who the individuals are who are mentioned on the many memorials and boards throughout Edinburgh who perished in the 20th century World Wars. Perhaps Mr Shepherd will expand his work further afield  to tell us about the many other residents who might otherwise be forgotten.

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Gorgie/Dalry Community Council have written to advise of their meeting dates over the coming months.

GDCC 3 Poster 2012

West End Community Council has also been in touch. They are meeting tonight and have sent us a copy of the agenda and the minutes of the last meeting which are set out below for you.
agenda 20120508

minutes 20120402

Labour Party and Scottish National Party form historic coalition at the City of Edinburgh Council.

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision that occurred in the Magdalene area of the capital this morning.

Two men were discovered by a passing cyclist at 5.45am, lying next to a motorcycle on the walkway running from the old ‘Big W’ car park on Milton Link to The Jewel.

An 18-year-old man had sustained leg injuries, while his 20-year-old companion was discovered with serious injuries.

Both men were taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, however the 20-year-old man was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police believe the motorcycle may have collided with a tree but have yet to trace anyone who may have witnessed the incident.

Anyone with any information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Racecourse of the Year Award Makes Hat Trick for Musselburgh

Musselburgh Racecourse has been named Racecourse of the Year in the betting industry’s leading awards, making it a hat-trick of awards in the past year. The East Lothian course was voted the top track, pipping York and Haydock courses to the post, in the Betview Awards 2012 which recognises excellence, innovation and creativity across the UK and Irish betting trade.

Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth, said: “Our strategy is to try to add value to the betting industry and for punters as we recognise they are our most important customers. We have done that by introducing a raft of new valuable high-worth races at our New Year’s Day meeting, the Easter Festival of Racing and also the Edinburgh Cup meeting which we aim to develop in to a £100,000 race.

“This Betview award acknowledged the hard work put in year in year out by my very supportive team at Musselburgh and confirms that we try wherever possible to put the racegoer and betting industry first.

“I would also like to pay tribute to retiring chairperson of the Musselburgh Joint Racing Committee, Councillor Sheena Richardson, who has made a valuable contribution to the management of the racecourse over the last two years.”

Betview judges said Musselburgh prides itself on the experience it gives racegoers and places itself at the heart of the local community. They said: “Great emphasis is also given to their relationship with local bookmakers and they ensure a good working partnership through their on-course betting committee.”

Justin O’Regan, editor of Betview magazine, added: “Musselburgh truly represents the best that the betting industry has to offer. The betting sector which continues to provide much-needed economic growth and jobs the length and breadth of the country and we hope that by showcasing this latest crop of outstanding individuals and firms through the Betview Awards, we will help to inspire other people to achieve their own business success.”

Musselburgh is the only Scottish racecourse with a VisitScotland 5 Star visitor attraction status and in the last year has also won the Racecourse Association Showcase Award for Operational Excellence and the Neil Wyatt Groundstaff of the Year Award.

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for information to help trace a man who has gone missing in Midlothian.

David Cairns was last seen within his home address in Kevockvale Park, Lasswade around 1.30am on Saturday 5th May. After leaving the property, the 48-year-old has failed to make contact with family or friends and concern is now growing for his welfare.

Anyone who believes they have seen David since the early hours of Saturday morning is now asked to come forward.

He is described as white, 5ft 8ins tall with a slim build, short brown receding hair and a fair complexion. He has a bull face tattoo on his left pectoral, an Ace of Spades playing card on his right forearm and his left nipple is pierced.

David is believed to have been wearing a black speckled woollen hat, black Levi jeans, green long sleeved top and tan-coloured rigger boots.

A police spokesman said: “It is very unusual for David to fail to return home following this length of time and as such we are keen to trace him as soon as possible. Anyone who believes they have seen him over Saturday night or Sunday should contact police immediately. Similarly, we would urge David to get in touch to let us know that he is safe and well.”

Anyone with any information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Scotland’s Capital is set to host an unmissable free party on Wednesday 13 June 2012 at Edinburgh Castle as part of the Olympic Torch Relay.

The glittering celebration will enable thousands of people to enjoy a variety of entertainment staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – Coca-Cola, Bank of Scotland and Samsung – with support from The City of Edinburgh Council.

The three Presenting Partners will each provide 20 minutes of exciting and stimulating entertainment for the event. Emeli Sandé, presented by Coca-Cola, will headline the celebrations followed by stunning acrobatic performances brought by Bank of Scotland and dance performances staged by Samsung.

The Council will also present two ten-minute slots of locally-programmed entertainment during the evening celebration. The BIG Project’s Youth Choir will be joined onstage by some of Scotland’s finest musical talent, including Kim Edgar and Karine Polwart, to reprise a selection of songs from their recent Celtic Connections and Usher Hall performances. The second, ten minute slot will bring the evening event to a close.

Prior to and during the show, the audience will have the opportunity to participate in a number of activities courtesy of Coca-Cola, Bank of Scotland and Samsung. These include having your photograph taken with the London 2012 Torch and other Olympic-related activities.

Towards the end of the two-hour show, the last Torchbearer of the day will light a celebration cauldron on stage at the event which will enable the Olympic Flame to be seen by the audience.

Lynne Halfpenny, Head of Culture and Sport for The City of Edinburgh Council, said; “This will be a truly special free event showcasing some of the best local talent that Scotland, and Edinburgh, have to offer. With the spectacular backdrop of Edinburgh Castle for the celebrations, this will be an unmissable event and a fantastic way to welcome the Olympic Torch to Scotland’s capital.”

Seb Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said:- “The evening celebrations give the whole family a chance to share the excitement of the Olympic Games as we countdown to the Opening Ceremony.

“The event in Edinburgh is set for an exciting line-up, including performances from talented local people who will give each celebration a distinct feel. I am looking forward to the series of 66 evening celebrations showing how diverse the UK’s cultural life is as the eyes of the world turn our way.”

James Williams, Director, Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola: “We are thrilled to be taking some of the nation’s best loved and most exciting up-and-coming musical talent on the road for an incredible 66 night tour to give young people across the country the chance to Move to the Beat and participate in the magic of London 2012. We’re encouraging everyone to join us in celebrating the Coca-Cola Future Flames who have carried the Olympic Flame through their communities by finding out more about their local events, and by getting tickets to the massive finale celebration concert in London’s Hyde Park by visiting www.ticketmaster.co.uk/coca-colacelebrations“

Sally Hancock, Director, 2012 Partnership and Group Sponsorship at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “As the only National Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay we’re encouraging everyone to celebrate with Bank of Scotland as the Flame passes their front door. To find out how you can join in the celebrations with Bank of Scotland in your community and how local residents at each evening celebration site can win tickets to London 2012, please visitwww.bankofscotland.co.uk/london2012”

Andy Griffiths, Managing Director, Samsung UK and Ireland said: “We are delighted to be supporting the 66 Evening Celebrations during the Olympic Torch Relay. Samsung’s ambition is to make London 2012 everyone’s Olympic Games and for these celebrations we have created opportunities for as many people as possible to take part in what we’re sure will be an unforgettable experience.”

Tickets will be free of charge to the public and are limited to six per household. A small postage fee of around £0.80 will apply to each ticket.

Tickets can be obtained through www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by calling 08444999990 from 9am on Tuesday 8 May.Doors for the evening celebration will open at 5pm with the show starting at 6pm.

The Olympic Torch Relay will start at Land’s End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land’s End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them.

Last month the council gave the green light for five metre Olympic rings to be sited at The Mound for several months this summer.

We have  mentioned CitizenRelay before,  but yesterday The Edinburgh Reporter went along to their training session to see what the project is doing with the budding reporters who have already signed up. They were being coached in video by Adam Perry from MediaTrust who was helping with reporter training over four days in Inverness, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The group was using the University of Edinburgh’s wonderful Inspace facility in George Square which is so modern, hip and cool we want to move in…just look at the bean bags…

http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=109615

CitizenRelay will use citizen reporting to tell the stories behind the Olympic Torch relay journey as it passes through the UK. The torch comes to Edinburgh in June and there is apparently going to be a big bash at the Castle, featuring locally sourced music and entertainment. From 7 June 2012 when the Olympic Torch starts its Scottish journey, CitizenRelay will be following it in their bus, and will be using local reporters to upload stories to their website in multimedia format.

It is not too late for you to join in, and you will get details of how to do so on the website.  And here is a video which explains more…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF-LjAA1hwc]

New Council – Victory Bus – Office space –  Royal Bank – Book for your Kindle – 

The council elections are over but there is still some talking to be done. Labour emerged with most seats, but the SNP group are close behind, trailing only by two seats. The Green Group have doubled their presence and now have six councillors across the city and the LibDems are left with only three councillors, Robert Aldridge, Paul Edie and a new councillor, Alastair Shields who was elected in Almond Ward.

We eagerly await the outcome of the discussions as to whether the Labour Group will run the city from a minority or in some kind of formal coalition with another group or groups. There has also been some comment about who the new Lord Provost might be. The Lord Provost is chosen from the 58 councillors. Who do you think it should be? It is of course up to the other councillors to choose the figurehead who also becomes Lord Lieutenant of Edinburgh, and at least two of the Labour Group have already had the honour bestowed upon them in the past, but it is an interesting topic! The former Deputy Provost Rob Munn lost his seat at the election, as reported in The Edinburgh Evening News. 

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Lothian Buses have told The Daily Record that they have had to set up a raffle for the privilege of driving the bus carrying the Scottish Cup Winners on their victory parade after the cup final on 19 May 2012. No matter who wins it will be an Edinburgh team! It seems that many of the Lothian Buses drivers would like to be there in the midst of the celebrations. We can’t think of anything worse than driving a double decker with loads of people stamping around upstairs….!

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The Quartermile Development at the old Edinburgh Royal Infirmary site has been a success according to the latest report in The Sunday Herald which claims that two new tenants are planning on moving in along with 200 workers who will all be able to sample the delights of working in a central location with good eating facilities nearby, the delights of The Meadows on a sunny day and a new bookshop.

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Meanwhile The Scotsman reported that plans have been lodged with the council to redevelop the Royal Bank’s former HQ in St Andrew Square into a hotel, a shop or even houses. There are no documents yet lodged on the public planning portal that we can see, so we shall have to wait for more information to become available. Meantime plans have been lodged in Leith to turn a pub into a coffee shop at 21-25 Duke Street. Sign of the times?

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Edinburgh-based Smashing Press has just published a novella which is only available in digital format.

Colin Galbraith’s second crime book of 2012 is an action-packed novella based on the Greek island of Rhodes, and is called Greener is the Grass.

When Jamie Tosh takes a summer job as a holiday rep on the Greek island of Rhodes, he has high hopes of changing his life for good. But paradise turns to hell, when days before his fiancee is due to fly out to meet him, a young girl is murdered in the hotel grounds — and he’s the top suspect. With no way off the island and almost nobody to turn to, Jamie discovers that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Greener is the Grass is Colin Galbraith’s second crime offering in 2012. A novella inspired by an event on a family holiday in Rhodes, it is the quintessential read for all holidaymakers heading off this summer with their Kindle packed to go with them.

“The idea for ‘Greener’ came to me while on holiday in Rhodes a couple of years ago,” explains Galbraith. “We experienced an earthquake that hit 6.3 on the Richter Scale, and one evening at the hotel a small child went missing for over an hour. One thing led to another and the book was born before I even left the island.”

“It’s the perfect book for your Kindle or e-reader if you’re planning on going away this year,” insists Galbraith. “It’s an exciting read, and because it’s located in the type of place many Brits will be flying out to, it’ll be like living the book as it unfolds.”

When asked why the new novella will only be available as an ebook, Galbraith said: “With the publishing industry expanding further into the word of ebooks, I’m delighted to continue connecting with more of my readers through digital formats.”

The highly regarded Edinburgh 5-piece finally release their debut single ‘Low Winter Sun’.

After setting local venues ablaze with their refined yet rugged offerings, this release successfully transfers their unique atmospheric sound to record without losing an ounce of their sonic energy in the process.

Lead singer Aaron Dennington’s vocals initially intertwine with some metric drums and drifting guitars before opening out to expose the richness of his voice. He sings of that familiar melancholy that is both beautiful and Scottish.

An added layer of strings helps bridge the emotions of the track, shifting the mood as Dennington proclaims:- “Don’t know if I believe/In your Kingdom Come/It doesn’t matter now/Now the deed is done”.

The band continue to corral through the gears as ‘Low Winter Sun’ swings from lament to resurgence – continually enthralling, continually telling its tale.

Ultimately they sound how Britain feels.

Scotland has seen a somewhat musical renaissance of late with The Dark Jokes primed to step out of this winter sun and join the ‘Scottish Spring’.

The Dark Jokes are playing the ‘Low Winter Sun’ launch party on 10th May at The Jam House. Main support comes from the hotly-tipped The Litigators. Free Entry.

‘Low Winter Sun’ is released digitally and on CD on 10th May at www.thedarkjokes.com

Follow the band on Twitter @TheDarkJokesEH

Last night there was a Supermoon….

It is actually a bit of an optical illusion which the BBC Science department explain far better than we could here… but we knew enough about photography to realise that we would be better off outside the city away from the orange glow. So we headed for a hilltop in East Lothian just as the moon was coming over the southern horizon… We leapt out of the car and set up the tripods, and even in those couple  of minutes it had cleared the line of hills.  If you have any photos then please add them to our Flickr group  or email them to us and we will add them to this article later today!

Police are appealing for help in tracing a teenage girl who has gone missing in Edinburgh.

Samantha McConnell (15), from the Sighthill area of the Capital, has been missing since April 18.

While she is in contact with her family on a semi-regular basis, she has not been seen by them since that date.

Samantha is described as 5ft 5ins tall, with dark hair.  When last seen she was wearing black leggings, a black long-sleeved top, and white trainers.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: “While there are no immediate concerns over Samantha’s safety, her family are now anxious to be reunited with her.

“Anyone who has any information regarding Samantha’s whereabouts should contact police immediately.  Similarly, anyone who has seen or heard from her in recent days should also contact police.”

Anyone with any information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.

We use the improvement in the Green Party fortunes to explain what happened in the local election, the results of which were announced today.

The Greens used to be the smallest group with only three councillors, but they have been replaced by the LibDem group who now have only three seats, most of their candidates having lost out, including their group leader,and former council leader, Jenny Dawe.

There are big changes afoot in the City Chambers. Labour have emerged from the count today with 20 councillors, which means they are the largest single party. But as there are 58 councillors making up The City of Edinburgh Council it is clear that they will have to amalgamate with another party to form an administration. Such discussions will take place over this weekend.

The Edinburgh Greens fielded 17 candidates, one in each Ward, and had already said that they wanted to return to the High Street with at least 6 Green Councillors. Well they got what they campaigned for. They gained a 100% increase today in the number of Greens who will represent the city, and now have six councillors across the city.

Green candidate Nigel Bagshaw ousted LibDem councillor Tim McKay in Inverleith Ward with a 14.9% share of the vote coming second only to Labour’s Lesley Hinds who looks set to become Transport Convenor in the new council administration.

Green Gavin Corbett, a former Community Councillor, was widely predicted to be successful, and he is now representing Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart along with Labour Leader Andrew Burns and the SNP’s new man, David Key.

Melanie Main has been elected to serve as councillor for Meadows/Morningside where the shock result of the day was that former council leader, Jenny Dawe, was not re-elected. Dawe had switched from Drum Brae and Gyle in an effort to stay on.

Councillor Maggie Chapman returns to serve another term in the Leith Walk Ward, where the turnout was a low 36.2% down by 17.1% on last time round in 2007. The new councillor for Leith Walk is Nick Gardner who is the Labour Party representative. Meanwhile SNP’s Deidre Brock, another existing councillor, led the charge with 22.1% of the vote.

Chas Booth has been voted in to represent the Leith Ward where he campaigned on the Save Leith Waterworld ticket. The surprise here was that former Deputy Provost, Rob Munn, was not re-elected, although former councillor Labour’s Gordon Munro has been. The other new councillor in this Ward is SNP Adam McVey.

Steve Burgess is the Green Group leader and has been restored to his seat in the Southside/Newington Ward. He got 20% of the vote and will represent this area along with the SNP’s Jim Orr, Labour’s Ian Perry and Cameron Rose who is the Conservative councillor.  The surprise in this 4-councillor ward was that Transport Convenor, Gordon Mackenzie was not re-elected.

So it seems that this election has been all trams, roads……and penguins…

In Pentland Hills Mike Professor Pongoo Ferrigan stood as a penguin and won 444 votes…..more than the LibDem candidate, Stuart Bridges..

This all makes for a new look on the council, new faces and new voices which we hope to bring you over the coming months.

In the meantime we have a few interviews on Audioboo with many of the people we met today which you can listen to here. George Ward was also helping out with election coverage today and he has published his audio on Soundcloud.

Four councillors have been elected for this Ward.

The successful candidates are

Norma Hart Labour elected at Stage One with 1941 votes

Tom Buchanan SNP elected at Stage Four with 1780 votes

Bill Cook Labour elected at Stage Two with 1768 votes

Nick Cook Conservatives elected at Stage Eight with 1111 votes

The candidates were as follows:-

Norma Austin Hart – Scottish Labour Party 1941 votes

Tom Buchanan – Scottish National Party (SNP) 1780 votes

Joan Carter – Scottish Green Party 469 votes

Nick Cook – Scottish Conservative and Unionist 1111 votes

Bill Cook – Scottish Labour Party 1768 votes

Colin Fox – Scottish Socialist Party 228 votes

Derek Howie – Scottish National Party (SNP) 1084 votes

John Christopher Knox – Scottish Liberal Democrats 687 votes

The 2007 results for this Ward were as follows:-

2007 CE 16 Liberton-Gilmerton Result

Three councillors have been elected for this ward.

The successful candidates are:-

Chas Booth Scottish Greens elected at Stage Five with 1181 votes

Adam McVey SNP elected at Stage Seven with 1104 votes

Gordon Munro Labour elected at Stage One with 2010 votes

Chas Booth – Scottish Green Party 1181 votes

Irvine Wallace McMinn – Liberal Party in Scotland 71 votes

Adam McVey – Scottish National Party (SNP) 1104 votes

Rob Munn – Scottish National Party (SNP) 926 votes

Gordon Munro – Scottish Labour Party 2010 votes

Nicola Ross – Scottish Conservative and Unionist 405 votes

Marjorie Thomas – Scottish Liberal Democrats 565 votes

The 2007 results for this Ward were as follows:-

2007 CE 13 Leith Result

Four councillors have been elected for this Ward.

The successful candidates are:-

Steve Burgess Scottish Greens elected at Stage Two with 1869 votes

Jim Orr SNP elected at Stage Six with 1717 votes

Ian Perry Labour elected at Stage Four with 1851 votes

Cameron Rose Conservatives elected at Stage Eight with 1565 votes

The candidates were:-

William Black – Scottish Anti-Cuts Coalition 87 votes

Steve Burgess – Scottish Green Party 1869 votes

Margaret Lea – Liberal Party in Scotland 71 votes

Gordon Mackenzie – Scottish Liberal Democrats 1308 votes

Gordon Murdie – Independent 892 votes

Jim Orr – Scottish National Party (SNP) 1717 votes

Ian Perry – Scottish Labour Party 1851 votes

Cameron Rose – Scottish Conservative and Unionist 1565 votes

The 2007 results for this Ward were as follows:-

2007 CE 15 Southside-Newington Result

Four councillors have been elected to represent this ward.

The successful candidates are:-

Angela Blacklock Labour elected at Stage One with 1674 votes

Deidre Leanne Brock SNP elected at Stage One with 1735 votes

Maggie Chapman Scottish Greens elected at Stage One with 1593 votes

Nick Gardner Labour elected at Stage Eleven with 937 votes

Angela Blacklock – Scottish Labour Party 1674 votes

Miles Briggs – Scottish Conservative and Unionist 637 votes

Deidre Leanne Brock – Scottish National Party (SNP) 1735 votes

Maggie Chapman – Scottish Green Party 1593 votes

Nick Gardner – Scottish Labour Party 937 votes

John Hein – Liberal Party in Scotland 69 votes

John McArdle – Scottish Anti-Cuts Coalition 109 votes

Jimmy McIntosh – Independent 91 votes

Jamie Paterson – Scottish Liberal Democrats 400 votes

Seumas Ross Skinner – Scottish National Party (SNP) 502 votes

Alex Wilson – Independent 109 votes

The 2007 election results were as follows:-

2007 CE 12 Leith Walk Result

Three councillors have been elected for this Ward.

The successful candidates are:-

Joan Griffiths Labour elected at Stage One with 2174 votes

Alex Lunn Labour elected at Stage Eight with 886 votes

Stefan Tymkewycz elected at Stage One with 2180 votes

The candidates were as follows:-

Kevin Ferguson – Scottish Anti-Cuts Coalition 150 votes

Joan Griffiths – Scottish Labour Party 2174 votes

Jason Lingiah – Scottish Conservative and Unionist 866 votes

Alex Lunn – Scottish Labour Party 886 votes

John Palmer – Scottish Green Party 590 votes

Gary John Peacock – Scottish Liberal Democrats 673 votes

Stefan Tymkewycz – Scottish National Party (SNP) 2180 votes

Colin Williamson – Scottish National Party (SNP) 937 votes

The 2007 results for this Ward were as follows:-

2007 CE 14 Craig en Tinny Dud Dings Ton Result

Three Councillors have been elected to represent this Ward.

The successful candidates are Mike Bridgman SNP elected at Stage Six with 1477 votes.

Maureen Child Labour elected at Stage One with 2645 votes

David Walker Labour elected at Stage Eight with 784 votes

The candidates were as follows:-

Mike Bridgman – Scottish National Party (SNP) 1477 votes

Maureen Child – Scottish Labour Party 2645 votes

Henry Thomas Christian – Scottish Conservative and Unionist 523 votes

Norrie Davies – Independent 213 votes

David Alistair Manson – Scottish National Party (SNP) 837 votes

Peter McColl – Scottish Green Party 615 votes

Martin Veart – Scottish Liberal Democrats 137 votes

David Walker – Scottish Labour Party 784 votes

The 2007 results for this Ward are shown below:-

2007 CE 17 Portobello-Craigmillar Result

Three councillors have been elected to represent this ward.

The successful candidates are:-

Karen Doran Labour elected at Stage Six with 1080 votes

Joanna Mowat Conservative elected at Stage One with 1402 votes

Alasdair Rankin SNP elected at Stage Two with 1264 votes

Iain James Coleman – Scottish Liberal Democrats 402 votes

Karen Doran – Scottish Labour Party 1080 votes

Karen Michelle Hetherington – Liberal Party in Scotland 51 votes

Julita Mazurek – Scottish Green Party 864 votes

Joanna Mowat – Scottish Conservative and Unionist 1402 votes

Alasdair Rankin – Scottish National Party (SNP) 1264 votes

The 2007 election results were as follows:-

2007 CE 11 City Centre Result