In a bid to encourage people to bin their rubbish anyone in Edinburgh – visitor or resident – can talk a photo of their rubbish being binned and upload it to the LitterLotto app.

This is a trial project being run with Keep Scotland Beautiful and everyone who takes part will have a chance of winning £100. There are LitterLotto stickers on council bins and participants have to download the app first.

Cllr Stephen Jenkinson, Convener of the Transport and Environment Committee, said: “Our street cleansing teams are committed to keeping Edinburgh looking at its best. They are out tidying up the city 24/7 but we really need residents to help us by binning their litter appropriately when out and about enjoying our stunning Capital city.

“LitterLotto is a new fun initiative we are trialling to help nudge people to bring about positive behaviour change while at the same time some lucky person will win a cash prize every month. It’s easy to enter and so we’re delighted to be teaming up with Keep Scotland Beautiful on this.

“I’d like to thank everyone who already bins their litter appropriately as well as the hundreds of volunteers who help us each year giving up their precious time on various litter picks throughout the city.

“There are also many other ways residents can help us to keep the Capital clean. Always use the correct bins to dispose of household waste and if you have larger items book an appointment at one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres or organise to have a special uplift collection at your home.”

David Landsberg, founder and CEO of LitterLotto, said: “We’re proud to partner with Edinburgh City Council to inspire cleaner public spaces through engaging incentives that make binning litter rewarding. Working together really is making a difference – let’s keep binning and keeping your neighbourhood free of litter.”

Jacqui from south west Edinburgh, winner of the November draw, said: “It wasn’t until lockdown that I really noticed how much litter people drop – perhaps folk don’t realise that those sweetie wrappers or cigarette butts wash down the drain, into the river and out to sea. So, I decided to do something positive and bought myself a litter picker and it went from there. I still head out on my own but each month I join fellow Water of Leith Conservation Trust volunteers trying to prevent plastic pollution travelling downstream – it’s so satisfying knowing that we are making a difference. Winning the random cash prize with the Council and LitterLotto was amazing – I never win anything!”

People can enter as many times as they like, as long as it is different litter each time being deposited into a City of Edinburgh Council street bin.

As well as a monthly Edinburgh cash prize, entrants will be entered into the weekly national £1,000 draw. The winners will be chosen at random by LitterLotto.

Lost Shore Surf Resort opened recently and is Europe’s largest inland surfing destination. It stretches over 60 acres. Make no mistake, it is impressive and the resort claims to offer a surfing experience “for all abilities, experience and ambition”.

The pool is three times the size of Wembley football pitch and the state-of-the-art technology can generate up to 1,000 waves an hour.

It is also claimed to have green credentials as it consumes less energy than a single chairlift at a ski resort.

The website blurb says: “We are ambitious and intend to change the landscape of Scottish tourism by establishing Scotland as the go-to destination for adventure.”

Lost Shore sits on the outskirts of Edinburgh near Ratho, 25 minutes from the centre of Scotland’s Capital, and adjacent to the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena.

The centrepiece pool has two halves and, in each side there are two surfing areas, the bay with whitewater waves for beginners, and the reef with green waves for more advanced surfers.

It also boasts luxury accommodation, a waterfront bar, café and restaurant plus surf schools, a surf shop, The SurfSkate Academy and well-ness treatments.

Bosses also claim that this is a world-class facility and will bring an iconic sport to a new inland home.

Waves can be tailored for everyone and there were a number of hardy surfers riding the waves, some more successfully than others, in the biting west wind which blew across the extensive area which is being landscaped.

Lessons are from £60 (£50 for a child) and were told they last 90 minutes. Surf sessions are from £55 (£45 child) and they are designed to “maximise your experience”.

We preferred to watch from inside the canteen – offering breakfast, lunch and dinner – which serves delicious pizza, yet is was top class, and Mexican, which was not on the menu during our visit.

We plumped for a slice of margherita (marinara, mozzarella, buffalo mozzarella, and basil), wild mushroom (vegan mozzarella, mixed wild mushrooms, truffle oil and basil) and civerinos (double marinara, pepperoni, Italian sausage, rosemary, black pepper, parsley and garlic oil)

The resort has 53 luxury accommodation units from Hilltop Lodges (six fully accessible) and sleeping up to eight people.

Overall, it took my breath away and so did the biting west wind which blew over the site. Certainly worth a visit, even without your wet suit.

Address is 11 South Platt Hill, Newbridge EH28 8AY

MAIN PICTURE: The two ponds at Lost Shore. Picture Nigel Duncan

General view of the Canteen (on the right), some of the accommodation and the pool. Picture Nigel Duncan

CANTEEN VIEW: Eat pizza or Mexican food and watch the action. Picture Nigel Duncan

CLOSE UP: View of the pool-side chalets. Picture by Nigel Duncan

A by-election is being held in Colinton/ Fairmilehead on 23 January to fill two vacant councillor positions and today the council has announced those who are standing.

The by election was announced after two resignations – one by Marco Biagi the SNP councillor elected in May 2022 who has joined the government as a special adviser, and the other was Louise Spence the newly elected Liberal Democrat councillor who resigned after just six days. Ms Spence had advised of her impending move to Dubai but the party suspended her as she would not have been able to fulfil her duties.

The cost to the council of holding a by-election is around £80,000. Cllr Jason Rust the Conservative councillor who is now the sole remaining councillor in the ward has asked for a full breakdown of the expenses incurred.

The candidates standing for election are:

• Bonnie Prince Bob, Independent
• Mev Brown, Independent
• Mairianna Clyde, Scottish National Party (SNP)
• Neil Cuthbert, Scottish Conservative and Unionist
• David Henry, Independent
• Nick Hornig, Independent
• Grant Lidster, Reform UK
• Richard Crewe Lucas, Scottish Family Party
• Daniel Aleksanteri Milligan, Scottish Greens
• Mark Ney-Party, Independent
• Peter Alexander Nicholson, Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Conor Savage, Scottish Labour Party
• Marc Wilkinson, Independent

Returning Officer for the City of Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence, said: “With nominations now closed and just over a month remaining until polls open, residents of the Colinton/Fairmilehead ward can start considering who they will vote for in the upcoming by-election. It’s important to make sure you’re registered to vote by 7 January 2025, to make your voice heard.

“Councillors play a key role in our democratic system, making crucial decisions that impact our city. I encourage as many residents as possible to take part in this by-election.

“The election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, where voters rank candidates in order of preference by assigning numbers rather than just marking a single cross. You can choose to vote for as many or as few candidates as you wish.”

Poll cards will be delivered to registered voters in the area from tomorrow (Wednesday 18 December) including further information on when and where to vote.

If you live in the Colinton/Fairmilehead ward you must register to vote by 7 January and anyone wishing to vote by post can sign up for a new postal vote up until 8 January 2025.

You can also apply for someone to vote on your behalf via proxy, with the deadline for new proxy vote applications on 15 January 2025 (for registered voters). 

A cash-strapped council is to introduce overnight stays for motorhome users in one of its country parks to raise funds.

Midlothian councillors are to open up spaces at Vogrie Country Park for a fee as part of a pilot project which could see the scheme expanded to other destinations in the county.

The move was this week welcomed by councillors who supported the ‘entrepeneurial’ trial which could bring much needed money in.

Councillor David Virgo welcomed the plan saying: “I view it as the first baby steps on a course of new entrepreneurial exploration within Midlothian.”

A meeting of the council was told the scheme would use the overspill car park at Vogrie and offer a single overnight stay to users with a fee.

A report on the scheme said: “Midlothian has a number of award-winning destinations on its doorstep from world. The pilot project will open
up new opportunities for more visitors to experience much of what is on offer within Midlothian.

“It is evident that a growing form of tourism brings not only challenges but
opportunities for stakeholders who live in and visit Midlothian. The pilot project will consider the impact of establishing overnight motorhome parking on nearby residents, landowners, community councils and other visitors.”

Elected members were told that no fee had been agreed yet but other areas charged between £10 to £17 for an overnight stay. If successful the council will look for other areas to include in the scheme moving forward.

Councillor Colin Cassidy said: “I wholeheartedly welcome this, it will be a great money generator for Midlothian Council and will use land that is doing nothing at the moment.”

And Councillor Dianne Alexander said: “As someone with a motorhome, it gives an opportunity of a safe overnight park up for people to explore a local area.”

Councillor Stephen Curran said: “It is an excellent opportunity for the council to give more exposure to the fantastic facility that Vogrie Park is as well.”

The council unanimously backed the pilot project giving officers to go ahead to set a fee and introduce it at Vogrie.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

On Monday 16 December 2024, police officers from the South East Response Unit deployed alongside the National Motorcycle Unit and the DVSA to Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh as part of a pre-planned operation.  

During the course of the operation five -prohibitions issued by DVSA restricting the use of defective vehicles until the relevant issues are corrected were detected. 

One male was reported for driving whilst without valid insurance and MOT, with a vehicle in a dangerous condition. This vehicle was seized.  

One male was reported for driving with tyre tread below minimum standard, defective lighting and failing to wear a seatbelt. 

Four conditional offers were issued to drivers of vehicles with no MOT and driving with an insecure/dangerous load.  

Four vehicle rectification scheme requirements issued to drivers of vehicles with defects (lighting and steering fault).  

A police spokesperson said: “Police Scotland will continue to proactively target offenders with the aim of positively influencing driver behaviour, making roads and communities safer.” 

The group currently running the minority administration in Edinburgh is divided over whether they should continue to do so.

A meeting on Monday was inconclusive over backing their newly elected group leader, Cllr Jane Meagher, as the Labour candidate for Council Leader. The group has just 10 councillors out of 63 positions. There are two vacant roles which will be filled in January after a by election in Colinton/Fairmilehead.

It is possible that the leadership of Edinburgh Council may not be decided at all this year, although formal steps towards appointing a leader will begin this week.

There is a full council meeting on Thursday when most of the 61 councillors will convene at the City Chambers or they will join the meeting virtually.

A report by the Chief Executive has been lodged in council papers which will allow candidates for the position of council leader to be nominated as replacements for Cllr Cammy Day who resigned last week.

The proposals put forward by each party group may either be written or made verbally at the meeting.

This will depend on the detail of what each political group is proposing. For example, if there is a proposal to put a whole new administration in place of the existing one, then best practice is that these proposals are made in writing. This is what happens each May in a non-election year when the council usually rubber-stamps the current administration, but these are unusual circumstances.

By late afternoon on Wednesday 18 December each of the opposition parties is likely to put forward a formal amendment to the Chief Executive’s report. So what are the proposals they might make?

LABOUR GROUP

Edinburgh Labour met on Sunday and chose Cllr Jane Meagher as their group leader. It would be usual that Cllr Meagher is also the group’s candidate for council leader, but at a meeting on Monday The Edinburgh Reporter understands that half of the Labour group do not want to continue to lead the administration at all. The group are said to be divided equally over continuing in administration, and it is in doubt whether the group will put forward any candidate for leader or any other plans for leadership of the council.

It is open to Labour to try to continue to lead the council as a minority administration of 10 councillors which they had been doing under Cllr Day’s leadership, beginning however with 13 councillors in May 2022 – but it goes without saying that they would need support from other parties.

It is clear that Cllr Kevin Lang the Liberal Democrat group leader is pleased with the choice of Cllr Meagher as Labour group leader. On X he wrote: “I want to congratulate Cllr Jane Meagher on her election as Labour’s new group leader. Thanks is also due to Cllr Mandy Watt who stepped up in what I know was an incredibly difficult set of circumstances.

“Looking ahead, the Liberal Democrat group think it’s important to provide stability at the Council, especially as we look to agree a new budget. We’ve worked well with Jane Meagher in the past, particularly on tackling Edinburgh’s housing emergency. So we are looking forward to hearing more from Jane on her plans and priorities ahead of Thursday’s Council meeting.”

The Edinburgh Reporter has asked Cllr Meagher for comment on her group’s policies with her as leader, but has not received any response as yet.

The Edinburgh Reporter has asked Cllr Lang for comment and has, as yet, had no reply from him.

SHELTER

Cllr Jane Meagher is currently Housing and Homelessness Convener, but only this last week has had an encounter with housing charity Shelter Scotland.

Scotland’s housing and homelessness charity, Shelter, demanded at the end of last week that Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Housing Regulator intervene against The  City of Edinburgh Council after the local authority voted “in favour of stripping homeless households of their basic rights”. This was an unprecedented demand.

The charity said that at a meeting of the city’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on Tuesday, councillors “voted six to five in favour of proposals to strip people experiencing homelessness of their right to adequate housing through the provision of suitable temporary and permanent housing”. 

What happened at the meeting was that councillors voted 6-5 against an emergency motion lodged by Green councillor, Ben Parker.

This asked that the Housing Convener would do a u-turn on a letter sent previously by the former council leader and the Housing Convener asking the government to relax three separate pieces of legislation relating to homelessness rights.

In the motion, the Green group requested the Convener to write again to the Government confirming that the council did not wish to “downgrade the rights of homeless people” but should instead seek additional funding from the Government in order to “ensure that all homeless people can be treated with dignity and respect, in the way the law intends”.

So, on the face of it, the council voted against protecting people’s rights. However, thanks to an SNP amendment, councillors did agree that if the Government were to agree any relaxation in the rules protecting homeless people, policy changes at a local authority level would need to be agreed at a committee meeting.

Cllr Ben Parker said: “It is shocking that Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative Councillors were unwilling to support my Emergency Motion and it is right that Shelter have raised concerns about the rights of homeless people being rolled back.

“The way through the crisis in homelessness is not to change the goalposts and engage in a race to the bottom on human rights, but is to review the existing Council approach to tackling the Housing Emergency and to make the case to governments for additional funding and support. It was wrong for the Council Leader and Convener to send this letter in the first instance, and it was wrong of committee to ignore the voices of advocates for dignity and respect in the housing system.”

The council had already confirmed last month they had been placing homeless households in unlicensed HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupancy) properties as temporary accommodation. There is also the question of “unsuitable” accommodation – housing which is not in the best repair for example.

Alison Watson, director of Shelter Scotland said: “It should outrage everyone in Scotland that officers and elected members within a local authority have unilaterally decided to strip people in the capital of a fundamental human right. 

“Edinburgh’s homelessness crisis is partly of the Council’s own making, but instead of showing compassion and seeking to help some of the most disenfranchised people in our society, they have chosen instead to punish them in this inhumane way by taking away hard-won rights.

“Shelter Scotland has lost confidence in the leadership of the City of  Edinburgh Council to do the right thing and uphold the rule of law. The leadership has systematically failed homeless people for years and is now stripping them of their rights to cover up their own failures.

“I have written to the First Minister John Swinney MSP, urging him to use his powers to call in the council’s homelessness strategy for scrutiny. It is our belief that this will highlight that the current strategy is not only unfit for purpose and cannot guarantee the rights of people at risk of homelessness but is in fact in breach of the law.

“The Scottish Government must do more to fully fund local services through the upcoming budget. However, more money won’t work if the wrong decisions are being taken locally on how to spend it.

“I have also written to the Scottish Housing Regulator as recent assurances provided by the council leadership in their annual statement clearly do not hold up to scrutiny. Elected and unelected members have shown themselves to be incapable of following the rule of law. They must reverse the committee’s decision or else immediately step aside.”

The council argued that this was factually incorrect, and the decision was not a “roll back of rights but that they had written to the government asking for a dispensation to use unlicensed HMOs as long as there was a “focus on the property as being safe to occupy”.

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

The Liberal Democrats had a meeting last week when nothing was decided about their plans – they appear to be adopting a “wait and see” approach. Any enquiries to the group leader Kevin Lang for any further information by The Edinburgh Reporter have not been answered.

According to The Herald, the Liberal Democrats preferred Cllr Jane Meagher for Labour leader and as shown above from Cllr Lang’s comments on X he does appear to back her, and is looking to discuss plans with her. Whether she has a mandate from her group is further complicated by the fact that she is on holiday in Tanzania this week visiting family.

The Liberal Democrat group does not appear keen to work in some kind of coalition with the SNP.
In addition the LibDems do not appear keen to step up to form a minority administration under their current leader Cllr Lang either, which has attracted open criticism of him. Cllr Lang works as Executive Director for External Relations at The Law Society of Scotland, and is part of the Society’s senior leadership team.

Labour backbencher, Cllr Katrina Faccenda, has been openly critical of the Liberal Democrats. She said on X: “It is really disappointing to watch a party which polls 10% support nationally on a good day, with only 4 MSPs set the agenda for Edinburgh council, without stepping up to lead administration and even getting away with direct intervention in who should lead the Labour Group.”

INDEPENDENT Councillors

Cllr Ross McKenzie left the Labour Group dramatically during a budget debate in February 2023 when Labour voted with the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives. He now sits as an independent councillor, and while his vote could be important in getting a party into power or someone into the position of leader at Thursday’s meeting, he is clear that he will not rejoin the Labour group. Cllr McKenzie has also confirmed that he will not be standing as a candidate for council leader.

His defection from the Labour group reduced the elected 13 members to just 12 at the time. The number of Labour councillors reduced further when former councillor Scott Arthur became an MP in July 2024, and then last week when Cllr Cammy Day was administratively suspended by Scottish Labour the group was reduced to just 10 elected members.

Cllr McKenzie told The Edinburgh Reporter he does not see any sign of the voting “bloc” changing. He said: “My position, since the story about Cammy came out in the Sunday Mail, is that by Thursday 19th, Labour would be considered too toxic to put into administration. I have always ruled out the status quo from the outset. There are competence issues and numbers issues, but I also think that this small group are now tainted.”

Considering the possibility of the council making no decision at all about council leader, Cllr McKenzie agreed that if the decision is simply continued to January or even early February then that is a real possibility. He too was critical of the Liberal Democrats saying that if the group leader “sits on his hands and lets the SNP and Greens in” which he believes is a genuine possibility at this point.

Cllr McKenzie said: “Everyone is trying to second guess what is in Kevin Lang’s head. He is playing a very elaborate game. It does not seem to me that the Lib Dems have spoken to Labour to get them to support a LibDem led administration.

“They have played a weird game about trying to choose the Labour leader instead.”

Cllr Cammy Day is also sitting at present as an independent councillor.

SNP GROUP

Leader of the SNP group, Cllr Simita Kumar said they are due to have “multiple meetings before Thursday”.

She said: “We are trying to engage with everyone because no one has a clear majority, and the council is in total chaos right now, and it’s unstable. My job, really is to find a way to provide stability, to provide really good, strong leadership and direction.

“We have good things coming up like the Transient Visitor Levy – that budget will be huge. Unless we have good cross party engagement, collaboration and understanding we won’t be able to achieve anything for the city. That’s my worry.

“So we are trying to reach out to all parties if possible. Some are easier than others because we have lots of policy similarities with say the Green Party and we are far away policy-wise from the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats have told us it’s a no go and that is a shame because they are still trying to support labor by sort of really dictating who their leader should be, which is unfair for the city.

“Labour has 10 people and they have more roles to fill than they have people. I think in all of this, there’s a strong responsibility that falls on the SNP, but equally a strong responsibility that falls on the Liberal Democrats who can very easily form a minority administration, but are choosing not to.

“The Accounts Commission said that the political balance is so delicate in the council. Could we possibly even afford to have a Labour administration where they’re not a united front, they’re not a group of Councillors who absolutely agree with each other, or even are unifying at this stage. We know it’s going to sow further discord and further instability in the council, and that’s what we’re trying to avoid.

“As the SNP we are the biggest group but nowhere near the majority and so to get real policies through we have to speak to people.

“We want to be able to engage. We want to be able to say to folks, you know, what is the best way for what is the best outcome for Edinburgh, not for groups, not for parties, but what is the best outcome for Edinburgh?

“Nobody knows what will happen on Thursday.”

It is likely that the SNP will put themselves forward as a minority administration suggesting Cllr Kumar as Council Leader and other councillors as Conveners. That may mean cutting a deal with the Greens – but nothing will be clear until the papers are lodged on Wednesday.

EDINBURGH GREENS

A members meeting will be held on Tuesday night when the various options will be examined. In the case of the Green group the local branch has to ratify any moves towards a coalition, for example.

In May 2022 the Greens and the SNP had worked up a plan to form a coalition, but ultimately did not have the votes in the room to get that passed.

At the time it was proposed that Cllr Adam McVey (SNP) would be Leader of the Council and Cllr Steve Burgess (Green) would be Co-Depute Leader of the Council along with Cllr Claire Miller (Green) as Co-Depute Leader of the Council.

It could be that something similar is proposed this time, with different names of course, but it will require sufficient votes.

Cllr Chas Booth, co-convenor of the Edinburgh Green councillors, said: “The events of the last week have led to a crisis for the council, and it appears new allegations surface every few days. There are clearly questions for Labour about what they knew and when, and what action they took in response to allegations.

“Unlike other parties, Greens have not tried to dictate to Labour who they appoint as group leader – that is a question for Labour councillors. However given doubt over the integrity of the Labour group in response to allegations about the former leader, and questions over the competence of such a small group to run the council, it’s clear that Labour no longer have either a democratic or moral mandate to speak for the City of Edinburgh. This means it’s difficult to see how we could possibly support Labour continuing in office regardless of their choice of leader. 

“Greens have called an additional branch meeting on Tuesday where we hope to present a proposal for a progressive alternative to Labour to our members – who will ultimately decide what Green Councillors will support. In the meantime we are continuing to have dialogue with all parties in the council about the best way forward for the city which responds to the growing threat of climate change, the housing emergency, and the social care crisis.”

After the Labour Group elected Cllr Jane Meagher as their group leader, a spokesperson for the Greens said: “This means it’s difficult to see how we could possibly support Labour continuing in office regardless of their choice of leader.

“Having chosen a Councillor to lead them who just this week has been publicly criticised by one of Scotland’s leading housing charities saying they have no faith in her ability to steer the Council through the homelessness crisis, it seems that Labour agree with us that they are not fit to lead.” Read more on the row between Shelter and Edinburgh Council here.

CONSERVATIVES

The Conservatives are probably not in a position to take power, as they number only 9 councillors, but they could of course be influential in whoever does take over the leadership.

Cllr Iain Whyte, Leader of the Conservative Group, said: “The situation remains confused while we are all made to wait for Labour to sort out their very public ‘internal squabbles’ and the Lib Dem Leader clings to his well-paid job rather than step up and take responsibility.  In the meantime, the Conservative Group will continue to consider all the options to break the impasse.

“Our aim is to do the right thing for the people of Edinburgh. They may not always appreciate the Conservative brand in elections, but surveys and Council consultations regularly show they support what we put forward in the Council and agree with our aim to concentrate on improving core Council services.  We will support whatever outcome gives us the most influence to do that.  Once others get their act together, and we know what is possible, we will come to a decision.” 

Scenarios

There are several possible scenarios and it is difficult to predict which will prevail. But there is also a possibility that no decision will be taken on Thursday and Depute Leader Cllr Mandy Watt will continue as nominative figurehead meantime.

The political make up is finely balanced, with no two parties able to combine sufficient votes to have a majority.

The papers for Thursday’s meeting are here with details of how to watch the webcast either live or as a recording. These papers will be updated early evening on Wednesday with alternative suggestions from the various opposition groups.

Planning permission has just been granted for the £4 million redevelopment of West Pilton Park.

Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT) will now lead the redesign work along with SLR landscape architects and The City of Edinburgh Council, beginning in 2025.

There will be a new community growing space, a play park, skate and bouldering areas. ELGT say they aim to “reinvigorate the public space encouraging more people to use the park, which in turn will help improve their health and wellbeing”.

Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker, said: “Following consultation with the local community, I’m very excited that the West Pilton Park development will be taking the next steps towards creating a welcoming green space for the community, in partnership with Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT). 

We are fortunate to have 144 parks and green spaces across the city and 38 Green Flag Awards – so it’s easy to see why we’re considered the UK’s greenest city.

Our parks have a positive impact on people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing by providing space for exercise, relaxation, social contact with friends and family, and opportunities for children and young people to play. I look forward to seeing the space at West Pilton Park take shape for our community and the development of new play areas and growing opportunities for locals and organisations.” 

Chief Executive of Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, Charlie Cumming, said: “I am delighted with the plans to make improvements to West Pilton Park, with thanks to our funders and the City of Edinburgh Council. The new amenities will provide an opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing of local residents as well as helping them to reclaim the park as a welcoming community space.

“The new play facilities will help meet the needs of the local children now and for future generations and will encourage greater use of the park for local families. The local community were at the centre of the consultation process, and it was their responses that ultimately guided the designs. Everyone deserves access to modern amenities and it’s important to have high quality greenspaces that people of all ages can enjoy. It also provides an opportunity to reconnect with nature and help to mitigate against climate change and biodiversity loss. It has been great for ELGT to lead on this project so far and we look forward to breaking ground soon and delivering this park for the local community.”

Green Projects Manager, North Edinburgh Arts, Val Moodie said: “We are looking forward to enjoying the rejuvenated park in West Pilton. The plans will create an improved space which will be a welcome addition to the quality greenspace across the community, bringing multiple benefits to local people and to local nature.”

ELGT say the redevelopment will also “help to mitigate against climate change, local flooding, and wildlife loss. This will include the creation of a seasonal wetland area, woodland restoration, meadow creation, and the planting of hundreds more trees across the park. This will provide a boost for wildlife and build climate resilience, as well as providing a visually attractive landscape for people to live their daily lives”. 

The council has an investment plan for the council owned play parks in the city and that is set to be improved by a promise of more money in the Scottish Budget.

The government budget is still in draft form and will not be approved by parliament until the New Year, but as it stands it contains a significant amount of funding to improve play facilities.

Cllr Finlay McFarlane, the SNP councillor for the City Centre, is keen to keep moving forward with investment in play which he said leads to “mental health, physical health, social cohesion and overall wellbeing benefits for the city’s young people”. He is calling for an updated report from council officers at Thursday’s full council meeting.

It is almost five years since The Scottish Government established a five-year capital funding programme to ensure that children have access to quality play parks.

Cllr McFarlane explained that at the time of the last council report there was no indication whether any further grant funding would be allocated after 2025 and he said: “This is why the draft budget £10million was welcome.”

The last time this matter was discussed was in February 2024 at the Culture and Communities committee. The papers are at this link:  Item 7.5 – Playparks Investment.pdf. Appendix 1 details the Edinburgh share and Cllr McFarlane concedes the city has actually done quite well in previous years.

Funding for play parks was allocated as

• £0.419m 2023/24
• £1.216m 2024/25 and
• £2.027m 2025/26

Appendix 2 details the parks that the council is or has been upgrading and these include the three most expensive projects – £312,172 for Montgomery Street Park, £219,875 for Princes Street Gardens and £200,000 for Burdiehouse Valley Park.

Cllr McFarlane said: “From the newly renovated Montgomery Street Park to the fabulous inclusive play equipment installed in Princes Street Gardens we are really seeing the value of the SNP Scottish Government’s multi-million pound investment in young people here in Edinburgh.

“With the draft budget committing a further £10million to councils around Scotland I am excited to see even more playpark projects delivered to boost our communities.

“In the City Centre Ward I represent, young people and their families have been engaged in a consultation to imagine what a fully refurbished play park would look like in Dumbiedykes and I am truly excited to see their feedback become a reality.

“Of course – for this money to be allocated to Edinburgh, alongside the welcome boost in funding for council services, MSPs will have to get behind the SNP budget in February.”

The Italian restaurant on the High Street which was opened by Gordon Scott in 1982 is to continue trading under new owners.

Merchant Leisure bought the business which claimed to be “the heart of Italy in the heart of Edinburgh” for an undisclosed sum after Gordon retired recently.

Jim Tullis the owner of Merchant Leisure is a close friend of Gordon’s who was such a High Street presence for so many years – and says they will keep the restaurant exactly as it is for the time being. Gordon’s will continue to “serve up authentic Italian cuisine made with passion and the finest ingredients”.

Merchant Leisure owns bars & restaurants across the city including The Newsroom, The Piper’s Rest, Burgers & Beers Grillhouse and The Railbridge. Their speakeasy venue Jackson the Tailor, located at the top of Leith Street and inspired by the speakeasy culture of the early 20th century, was recently shortlisted for a prestigious design award by the British Institute of Interior Design. 

Arthur Mustard, Managing Director at Merchant Leisure Ltd, said: “We are very excited to announce our ownership of Gordon’s Trattoria. It’s such an honour to take over an Edinburgh establishment with such rich history and loyal customers. Our plan is to keep the venue as it is for now, serving authentic Italian food in the heart of Edinburgh. We look forward to welcoming new customers, as well as meeting the locals who make this restaurant so special.” 

Gordon’s Trattoria is the sixth venue which will operate under the Merchant Leisure umbrella.

Edinburgh Integration Joint Board

The organisation responsible for delivering health and social care meets today with what are potentially some difficult decisions to make.

At the last meeting the board proposed making £4.5 million of cuts in grants to third sector bodies. This threat (which amounted to £750,000 in year) was averted and funding was to be found until the end of March. Third sector bodies include organisations such as the Health Agency in Wester Hailes who get about £170,000 in core funding and also at the other end of the scale the Portobello Older People’s Project which gets about £14,000. These organisations are embedded in the community and as you will read here can actually save the NHS and other organisations from other expenditure.

It looks as though the can might be kicked even further down the road at this meeting rather than any decision being taken (although it is difficult to know what will happen), and there is still a deficit on the EIJB books of £51million.

In the main report about Third Sector Organisations this is what the EIJB say:

“Considering concerns raised by EIJB members and Third Sector Organisations (TSOs) on 1 November 2024
regarding the cessation of the grants programme, it was intended by officers to
consider any revised proposal alongside other savings proposals in March 2025.
Feedback from TSO representatives was that it would be preferable for EIJB members
to consider the 3 month extension in December so that they had greater certainty and
more time to make the necessary preparations. Officers committed to supporting
discussions with the Council and NHS Lothian in how the whole system supports Third
Sector Organisations rather than working in silos and submit a paper for the
December EIJB meeting requesting a 3 month extension.”

A member of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) former councillor, George Gordon, has lodged a proposal that the matter of third sector grants is shelved for a further six months to September 2025.

Full set of papers and a link to the webcast for the meeting – either live or afterwards as a recording here.

Grange Association talk this evening

For this month’s Grange Association talk, on Tuesday 17 December, Ian McHaffie, former teacher of Classics and Religious Education at George Watson’s College, will be talking about ‘The Athens of the North: Greek Inscriptions in Edinburgh’ – a fascinating dip into the history of our city, where ancient Greek influences in architecture and culture can be found all over the place.

As if this weren’t enough, your Committee have decided that in the spirit of the season, we will be offering mince pies at the event – and not just any mince pies but from Kate’s Café on Causewayside. Anyone who has been there will know how good they are.
As ever, the talk will take place at St Catherine’s Argyle Church, Grange Road, commencing at 7.30 pm. Doors open at 7.00 pm and tea, coffee and the mince pies will be available from then. This event is free for members, and £5 for non-members. (For anyone who wishes to join the Association, it will be possible to do so at the event).

More information here.

Stand by your beds!

Scottish veterans’ charity, Erskine, has received a major donation from retailer, Scotmid.

The charity, which provides care to veterans in Scotland in their residential homes, activity centres and a Veterans’ Village, has received a £50,000 donation, which will be split between Erskine’s East, North and West locations.

A share of the funding will go towards providing 28 new beds in Erskine’s Gilmerton home in Edinburgh. The purpose built home provides 24-hour care for 40 members of the ex-Service community with nursing needs as well as those living with dementia. 

The new beds will replace the current ones that have been in use since 2000. They’ll have a much less clinical feel, with special features such as full-length side rails to provide additional comfort and safety.  Quality furnishings are integral in allowing Erskine to cultivate an environment where veterans can relax and really feel at home, whilst accessing the services they require. The Erskine care homes focus on maximising the wellbeing of residents and Scotmid is honoured to be able to play a part in ensuring that this is achieved.

Read more here

Books books books

Scottish Book Trust has announced that it will gift books to children and families visiting food banks this winter including Community One Stop Shop (3 Broomhouse Market) as well as Edinburgh Children’s Hospital, and also primary school children.

The charity has been inundated with requests, from food banks and local authorities across Scotland, to support more vulnerable children and families facing challenging circumstances. 

While the cost of living crisis continues, over a million people in Scotland are already living in poverty, a quarter of which are children.¹ Too many children are growing up without books and the impact of this lasts a lifetime. Children and young people who don’t have a book of their own are twice as likely to have lower mental health.

Over the past three years, the charity has given over 290,000 books to children in need of our support and living in areas of deprivation through food banks, community hubs and other charities. 

Funds raised from the appeal will enable Scottish Book Trust to give books to families, via food banks, other charities and community hubs, and deliver more of its life-changing work. Some examples of its programmes include specialist support for young families facing significant challenges through Bookbug for the Home, providing tactile books for children with additional support needs and supporting those living with dementia and the people who care for them.

To learn more about Scottish Book Trust’s Christmas appeal, visit scottishbooktrust.com/donate.

Drylaw/Telford Community Association

The Drylaw/Telford Community Association in Edinburgh is just one of the organisations which has received a grant from the Scottish Building Society to “enhance services that support vulnerable older adults”.

Paul Denton, Chief Executive of Scottish Building Society, said: “As a mutual organisation, we are committed to strengthening communities across Scotland. The charities supported through this round of funding reflect the incredible work happening on the ground to tackle issues such as isolation, mental health, and youth development.

“All of these charities support fantastic causes, and for many people, community groups and charities serve as a vital lifeline. We understand their impact, and with the support of our members, we are committed to continuing our part in helping them thrive and make a lasting difference.

“These grants will empower them to continue making a positive difference, and we are proud to be part of their journey.”

Applications for the next round of funding will open in March 2025. Charities across Scotland are encouraged to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to power their initiatives and make a lasting difference in their communities.

For more information on the Scottish Building Society Foundation or to apply for funding, click on the link: www.scottishbs.co.uk/scottish-building-society-foundation

During this festive period, Foysol Choudhury, Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian raises awareness around the prevalence of spiking.

Spiking can take various forms, including but not limited to someone adding drugs or alcohol to your drink or by way of injection. Drink
spiking is the most prevalent form of spiking, which can take place in private or social environments like bars and nightclubs.

Safer Scotland reminds us that: “Being spiked is never the fault of the victim.”

Ensuring that the public remains safe from spiking is a communal responsibility, and I would reminds you to look out for each other during this festive period, when spiking is often more prevalent. Safer Scotland’s information campaign on spiking reminds us there are
things we can do to make sure we socialise safely.

If you have been spiked, signs appear suddenly and can include, but are not limited to, rapid changes in intoxication levels, confusion, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, and disorientation. Safer Scotland reminds us that if we see someone experiencing these
symptoms, it is important we know what to do: “If you, or someone you know, has been spiked and is feeling unwell, please phone NHS 24 on 111 for advice. If you suspect someone requires urgent medical assistance after being spiked, please phone 999.”

“In all cases where you think you have been spiked, or have witnessed someone being spiked,
contact the police on 101 to report the incident.”

I intend to monitor the situation in the city and look to ask questions in Parliament.
But I will also continue to raise public awareness around spiking – remember it’s never the victim’s fault, and we need to support those who have been wronged. I encourage everyone to safely enjoy the festive period.

Widely regarded as Scotland’s greatest basketball player, Bill McInnes, who died in 2017 aged 71, is again to be remembered by his former Boroughmuir Blaze Club and others with a festival of the sport in his name at the end of this month (December).

The “Bill McInnes Festival of Basketball” was launched last year but such was the success organisers have added an extra day at the Craigs Leisure Centre in Edinburgh’s Pleasance.

On 27 December there will be a clinic for coaches and the following day a seniors tournament will be held featuring the host club, old friends Gloucester and Paisley.

The Festival concludes with an under-18 3×3 tournament.

Bill McInnes, former chairman of Basketball Scotland, was awarded an OBE for services to basketball in 2000.

He gained 172 international caps for either Great Britain and Scotland mostly as captain but is credited with always remembering his sporting roots at Boroughmuir, serving as player, chairman and coach.

Ally Reid, who has held a variety of roles at Blaze including team manager for both the men’s and youth outfits but currently chairs the club’s charitable wing called “We Play Together” says:
 “It’s extremely important we continue to remember Bill who is still sorely missed and was ‘Mr Boroughmuir’ without a doubt.

“Besides his outstanding playing credentials he certainly wasn’t above coaching all age group teams.”

It is partly Bill’s legacy the Boroughmuir Blaze are now only 20 short of a capacity membership of 500 with players ranging in age from 10 years upwards.

Bill McInnes was also well known to those attending both Meadowbank and Wester Hailes sports centres where he worked in management capacities.

The veterans’ charity, Erskine, has received a major donation from Scotmid which will make a difference to the lives of their residents in Edinburgh.

The charity, which cares for veterans in Scotland at its residential homes, activity centres and a Veterans’ Village, has been boosted with a £50,000 donation, which will be divided between Erskine’s East, North and West locations.

A share of the funding will go towards providing 28 new beds in Erskine’s Gilmerton home in Edinburgh. The purpose built home provides 24-hour care for 40 members of the ex-Service community with nursing needs as well as those living with dementia. 

A spokesperson for Erskine explained the difference this will make: “The new beds will replace the current ones that have been in use since 2000. They’ll have a much less clinical feel, with special features such as full-length side rails to provide additional comfort and safety.  Quality furnishings are integral in allowing Erskine to cultivate an environment where veterans can relax and really feel at home, whilst accessing the services they require. The Erskine care homes focus on maximising the wellbeing of residents and Scotmid is honoured to be able to play a part in ensuring that this is achieved.”

Ian Cumming, Chief Executive at Erskine said: “The support received previously from Scotmid has been invaluable to the health and wellbeing of the incredible ex-Service men and women we have the privilege of caring for and supporting. We are honoured to be receiving this additional funding, which will help us hugely in improving the quality of our facilities and the rest and respite of our residents.’

Lynne Ogg, Head of Membership & Community Engagement at Scotmid, said:  “We have always deeply valued the work that Erskine does for members of our communities who have played a vital role in safeguarding the safety and democracy of our country. We are delighted to give back in this way and make a meaningful difference in their lives today.”

Established in 1916, Erskine’s mission is “To offer Veterans their best possible future – through the best possible care & community support”.

Plans for 11 luxury holiday golf lodges have been given the go ahead despite failing to secure support from the course next door.

Haddington-based developer David McMillan appealed after planners initially rejected his proposal for the holiday homes on green belt land at South Melville.

Described as ‘golf lodges’ the case for the holiday housing was made on the assumption that a relationship would be built up with the local course.

However a report to councillors said Melville Castle Golf Club had supported planners decision to refuse permission and one local member who regularly plays the course added it was not likely to attract an international market.

Councillor Douglas Bowen told fellow elected members he was a long time patron of the course.

He said: “I am quite cynical about the approach that this is going to attract golfers particularly to golf at Melville, because much as I like golfing at Melville it is not really going to attract American or Japanese tourists to play it, unless they are complete beginners I suppose.”

A report to Midlothian Local Review Body this week revealed planners had initially refused permission for the holiday lodges because it was on green belt land.

However an appeal to the review body described the site as green belt ‘in name only’ and questioned what other use the area could have.

Councillor Derek Milligan raised concerns that allowing the building on the green belt was against the local authority’s policy and said he could find no reason to support the appeal.

He was backed by Councillor Dianne Alexander who voiced concern allowing the holiday homes could lead to more permanent housing on the site in the future.

However Councillor Bowen and Councillor Colin Cassidy, argued the field in question offered very few alternative uses describing it more as a place where ‘things have been burned and dumped.”

Councillor Cassidy said: “The land does not look as if it could be used for much else.”

The review body supported the appeal allowing the lodges to be built by a majority of four to two.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Hibs Women’s final home match of 2024 ended with a four-goal win against Motherwell at Meadowbank. 

Eilidh Adams flicked effort saw the Hibs take a fine first-half lead, before Rosie Livingstone registered a second goal seconds after the restart.  

Kathleen McGovern and Siobhan Hunter netted late on amidst some difficult, windy playing conditions in Edinburgh.  

Grant Scott was full of praise for “excellent” Motherwell, who gave his Hibernian Women side a tough battle. 

“We huffed and puffed. Motherwell were excellent, particularly in the first half,” Scott told HibsTV following the match. 

“They put us under a lot of stress. At times we did not help ourselves. I’m not convinced it was a 4-0 game. 

“But we have got to be happy with the girls executing some chances. As we got our noses in front, the confidence grew and we looked more like ourselves. 

“We did not look our usual composed selves on the ball. We went backwards quite a lot. Credit to Motherwell and energy they came at us with. 

“We reset at half-time and encouraged the girls to play. We let ourselves get frantic and we went too long too soon in the game. We should have done better managing that.” 

After describing Rachael Boyle as a “class player” following her late introduction off the bench, Scott also singled out players at both ends of the pitch for their solid performances throughout the tricky fixture. 

“I was delighted for Noa [Schumacher] coming in. Another clean sheet for her in her first game after a wee period out injured.  

“The girls in the front area, particularly Kathleen [McGovern] and Eilidh [Adams] had a tough job in the first half when they were not getting any service. 

“Doing the dirty bits is what we need the girls to do sometimes, which is what they done today. 

“I’m delighted Kathleen got there in the end and got her goal – which was thoroughly deserved.” 

Kathleen McGovern was “delighted” to have won the match after a tricky start to the match. 

“We knew it wasn’t good enough in the first half,” McGovern admitted to Hibs TV. 

“We just had to keep prodding away. I thought in the second half, as soon as we kicked off, we were flying. 

“Rosie scored very early on which just gave us that boost. 

“I felt after that we really kicked on. We changed a bit of shape. 

“We got [Hunter] and [Papadopoulos] on and, after that, we looked comfortable in the 4-4-3. I’m delighted to win 4-0.” 

Housebuilders Cala have lodged plans for a huge mixed use site on farmland next to Straiton just weeks after plans for a £22m development on neighbouring land was rejected.

Cala have revealed plans for private and affordable housing as well as retail units on land stretching from Old Pentland to the west of Straiton down to Pentland Main Farm.

Their Pre Application Notice comes just weeks after Pentland Marine Park Ltd saw their bid for housing, including a care home and mixed units, rejected by Scottish Ministers on appeal.

The site proposed by Pentland Park bosses was between the new proposed Cala land and the A701.

Cala Homes (East) said it spublitted the application along with Allanvale to propose a plan that would consist of private residential homes, affordable homes allocation and well as commercial space, on land at Pentland Road, Loanhead.

The number of houses proposed in the new plan have not been set with Cala saying it is too early in the process to say how many units would be needed on the site. If approved the PAN will lead to a 12-week public consultation on the proposals.

Gordon Johnson, Area Land Director, Cala Homes (East), said: “Following on from engagements with the neighbouring community councils we have submitted a Proposal of Application Notice to Midlothian Council for the proposed site.

“This commences our public consultation phase which will include two public events early next year. We are still at very early stages – and want to hear from the community and stakeholders to help shape and inform our proposals.”

The PAN is available to view on Midlothian Council’s planning portal.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Police are appealing for assistance in tracing 22-year-old Santra Saju who has been reported missing from the South Gyle area.

Santra was last seen about 8.30pm on Friday, 6 December, 2024 in the Burnvale area of Livingston.

Her current whereabouts are unknown and her friends and family are becoming increasingly concerned.

She is described as being 5ft 6 inches tall, Indian ethnicity, slim build, short black hair and last seen wearing a black jacket with a fur hood.

Inspector George Nisbet from Corstorphine Police Station says “Santra has not been seen for a number of days now and this is completely out of character for her.

“Her current whereabouts are unknown and her family and friends are becoming increasingly concerned about her.

“If you believe you have seen Santra or have any information please contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 3390 of Sunday, 15 December 2024.”

A map which shows where Scottish Water is monitoring waste water overflows and recent overflow activity is now online.

Members of the public can now access near real time data to show how the waste water network is performing in their neighbourhood. The new monitors will also help the utility company avoid flooding and plan any future investment.

The utility company now has a 15 strong national team using the information to prevent both flooding and pollution incidents. This is a response to a call from Environmental Standards Scotland for greater transparency on overflows in the system to protect homes and businesses.

Last week Scottish Water announced it has installed 1,000 new sewer monitors in the waste water system which is part of a £500 million programme of investment.

Professor Simon Parsons, Scottish Water’s Director of Environment, Planning and Assurance, who has led the delivery of the Improving Urban Waters routemap, said: “The new online service will allow people in Scotland to be better informed with an easy-to-use map to fully understand where and when sewer system overflows are occurring. 

“It’s been important to Scottish Water to ensure that the development of this service has taken our customers’ view into account. We’ve worked with several external groups on the design and the supporting information, so I’m pleased this has been a really collaborative process.”

The new interactive map can be accessed on the Scottish Water website.

Users can search using a postcode or local authority area.

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.

The Scottish Secretary has chosen his official Christmas card, designed by 12 year-old Amelia Marchenko from Ukraine who now lives in Edinburgh with her family.

Amelia is from the Donetsk region and her family had to flee the conflict both in 2014 and in 2022.

The Edinburgh branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) ran a competition amongst the children and young people who attend activities in the Ukrainian Community Centre. Mr Murray met many of the young people who use the centre when he visited earlier this year.  

Amelia was among dozens of young Ukrainian artists who submitted entries to the competition. Her winning design features a cherub with golden hair set against a backdrop of traditional Ukrainian and Scottish symbols, bringing together both cultures in a festive celebration.

Mr Murray said: “As we gather to celebrate this festive season, I am absolutely delighted that we are sharing this special Christmas card featuring artwork by the very talented Amelia Marchenko. All the designs submitted by the Ukrainian children were fantastic, but hers definitely edged it.

“Having visited Edinburgh’s Ukrainian Community Centre’s teens club in August, I was inspired by their creativity, resilience and spirit. Amelia’s beautiful design represents not only the joy of the season, but also the warmth of Scotland’s welcome to those Ukrainians who have made our country their home.

“I wish everyone a peaceful Christmas and a bright New Year.”

The Christmas card competition is the first run by the Scotland Office and children were invited to submit their artwork in any medium capturing the essence of Christmas and the spirit of peace and goodwill.

The competition was open to children aged 5-16 who attend the UkrainianCommunity Centre. Participants were encouraged to incorporate elements of both their Ukrainian heritage and their new Scottish home in their festive designs. The judging panel, which included Mr Murray and representatives from AUGB Edinburgh, were particularly impressed by the creative ways the young artists blended both cultures in their artwork.

Electronic versions of the card with the winning design will be sent by Mr Murray to organisations and stakeholders across Scotland. Amelia received a congratulatory letter and certificate from the Secretary of State, and her original artwork will be framed and displayed in the Scotland Office. 

The Edinburgh branch of AUGB was founded in 1947 and has provided a social and cultural place to meet for the Ukrainian diaspora. Since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, AUGB has worked closely in partnership with community and voluntary sector partners which have welcomed and supported displaced people from Ukraine that have called Scotland their home since the Russian invasion. 

The Ukrainian community centre in Edinburgh provides a vital community hub, offering many services from language classes to cultural activities and support services.

The Ukraine Club in Edinburgh supports more than 500 people each week. The Ukrainian youth work partnership and the cultural programme at the Ukrainian community centre is funded by the UK Government and the National Lottery Community Fund. The National Lottery Community Fund is supporting the project with a £116,930 Improving Lives grant.

Amelia painted a separate image of a Santa hat and sleigh which Scotland Office Minister, Kirsty McNeill will use on her official card.

Head coach Neil Critchley said he was “stunned and shocked” by the performance of his players as ten-man Kilmarnock edged Hearts 1-0 at Rugby Park to leave them marooned at the bottom of the 12-strong William Hill Premiership.

The English-born coach (pictured by Nigel Duncan) told BBC Sport Scotland: “I’ve not seen that from this group in my time here. That was miles away in every department.”

The Jambos have 13 points from 17 games with St Johnstone above them on 14 points. Ross County are tenth with 15 points, the same as ninth-placed Hibs but jubilant Killie move up to eighth with 17 points from the same number of games.

Above them are Dundee on 19 points but that six-point gap going into a heavy Festive programme could weigh heave on Hearts who made poor decisions during a game in which the Rugby Park side played a man down for around 90 minutes.

It was a brave effort from Derek McInnes’ men but a disappointingly poor showing from Hearts who entertain Petrocub from Moldova on Thursday before fellow-strugglers, St Johnstone, visit on Sunday (15.00) in another crucial league clash.

Earlier, Kilmarnock made two changes as did Hearts with crocked Frankie Kent and the suspended Lawrence Shankland on the sidelines.

Critchley indicated pre-match that Kent will be absent for some time and would be a big miss in the dressing-room and on the pitch. He was a big miss at Rugby Park as the Jambos toiled and Kent will now see a specialist and surgery has not been ruled out.

His counterpart, Derek McInnes, was looking for a quick tempo to capitalise on Hearts being in action at Copenhagen on Thursday in the UEFA Europa Conference League and he wanted his men to ask questions.

Or course, Killie won 2-1 at Tynecastle in late October, another disappointing result for the Jambos, and McInnes was looking for a double but his plans were turned on their head in the early minutes when a Blair Spittal corner and found Musa Drammeh who hit post from close in and then Kenneth Vargas was floored by defender Robbie Deas.

Referee Don Robertson was sent to the pitch side screen and the yellow became red after 5min 38sec leaving Killie with ten men.

McInnes was forced into a switch, Bobby Wales going off after 11 minutes on his first league start, with another midfield player, David Watson, introduced, but Hearts surged forward with Vargas feeding Spittal. As he was preparing to shoot when he was robbed by Killie midfielder Brad Lyons.

Kilmarnock hit back and a ball was sent into the box and James Penrice lifted his foot on Joe Wright who ended up on the deck at the by line. Robertson pointed to the spot. VAR was consulted and the penalty kick given with Bruce Anderson netting down the middle after 17 minutes for his fifth goal of the campaign.

Hearts surged upfield and were awarded a free-kick just outside the box on the right hand side when Musa Drammeh was brought down, but it was wasted. Forrest then fed Craig Halkett who had crept into the box and his shot was blocked.

The match went from end to end at this stage and Hearts’ goalkeeper Craig Gordon has to be in top form minutes later when Kye Rowles misdirected a clearance to Marley Watkins. The ball was scrambled away for a corner and Wright sent a header just wide.

Surprisingly, Kilmarnock appeared the better side, despite being a man short, but Daniel Oyegoke tried to put Forrest through, but the former Livingston failed to make contact and, at the other end, Corrie Ndaba was found at the back post, but he shot tamely at Gordon.

Watkins had a fleeting chance which was smothered and the Jambos broke to earn a corner and Spittal’s ball was headed wide by Halkett. The teams withdrew with the scoreline against the Jambos and with Critchley having work to do in the dressing-room.

Hearts brought on Jorge Grant and Yan Dhanda for Malachi Boateng and Forrest in a bid to open up Killie, but it was the visitors who were on the defensive following a swift raid from Watson and Gordon had to save low down before Rowles cleared the danger.

Vargas departed for James Wilson and Blair Spittal was replaced by Liam Boyce eight minutes into the second period, but Killie broke and Liam Donnelly had a great chance only to see the ball deflected for a corner by Rowles.

Hearts were struggling, but Wilson had a chance from close in after Devlin fought for a ball on the byline and sent it towards goal, but the goalkeeper was equal to the task.

Critchley’s changes, however, failed to spark Hearts who were kept at long range by the determined Rugby Park side and there was little evidence that the visitors could claw their way back into the game.

Dhanda chipped the ball into the box but it was inches high for Wilson at the back post and McInnes then replaced Watkins with Innes Cameron.

The Men in Maroon were feeding on scraps up-front but Dhanda fed Penrice who shot quickly and the Killie goalkeeper dived to his left to parry. This was better from Hearts and they continued to press. Boyce had a chance at the back post as Hearts tried to inject more much-needed urgency into their play.

McInnes replaced Liam Donnelly with Rory McKenzie but it was Hearts who were next to threaten as Grant sent a header wide.

Desperate Critchley then rolled the dice for a final time with Adam Forrester injected into the play and Dhanda curled in a free kick from the right. Halkett got his head to the ball but it was grabbed comfortably by the goalkeeper.

Then Dhanda threatened with a high ball which cannoned off the crossbar but that was it for Hearts as Kilmarnock took the points leaving Critchley’s men at the bottom of the table.

The Edinburgh Labour group has chosen Cllr Jane Meagher to be their new leader.

Cllr Meagher was elected first in May 2022 as a councillor for Portobello and Craigmillar, but has had experience in the council as she used to work for former Council Leader Andrew Burns in his office at the City Chambers.

She was appointed Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work in the minority administration set up two and a half years ago under the leadership of Cllr Cammy Day. Cllr Day resigned as Council Leader last week.

Cllr Meagher will not necessarily be the Labour administration’s nominee to stand for appointment as council leader when the council convenes on Thursday morning at a meeting of the full council.

Any changes will now have to be ratified on Monday night at the normal Labour Group meeting, and also any proposals for political change by the Edinburgh Labour Local Government Committee and the Scottish Executive Committee (SEC) who have to approve any political deals.

She is currently visiting family in Tanzania meaning that today’s vote was held virtually. It is understood she will also join the council meeting virtually. The papers are here. All candidates for council leader must make their stance clear by Wednesday lunchtime, and further papers will be published later that day.

Whether the Labour group can command authority to run the council with only 10 current councillors will remain to be seen.

Political response

There are no two political groups on the council which can make up a majority administration.

The political make up is finely balanced, with no two parties able to combine sufficient votes to have a majority.

A spokesperson for the Edinburgh Green group said after Cllr Meagher was elected group leader: “This means it’s difficult to see how we could possibly support Labour continuing in office regardless of their choice of leader.

“Having chosen a councillor to lead them who just this week has been publicly criticised by one of Scotland’s leading housing charities saying they have no faith in her ability to steer the Council through the homelessness crisis, it seems that Labour agree with us that they are not fit to lead.”

Before the result of the vote was announced, SNP Group leader, Simita Kumar said that her group were trying to engage with everyone in a bid to find “stability, strong leadership and direction”. But she thought that Cllr Day’s resignation did not lend itself to the Labour group being stable enough to run the council, and she also mentioned the “serious questions” raised by Shelter only this week about the temporary accommodation issues in Edinburgh.

Cllr Kumar said: “Could we possibly afford to have a Labour administration when they are not a united front, and they are not a group of councillors who absolutely agree with each other, or are even unifying at this stage? We know it is going to sow further discord and further instability in the council and that’s what we are trying to avoid.

“The Depute Leader of the council, Mandy Watt has told me that she has a mandate from Scottish Labour, but I have asked over and over what is in the best interests of the city of Edinburgh and the people of Edinburgh.

“We and the Liberal Democrats are the two biggest political groups on the council. Ideally you would have the two biggest parties working together but the Liberal Democrats have told us that is a no go. They are still trying to support Labour by dictating who their leader should be which is unfair for the city. Labour have 10 councillors but they have more roles to cover than people, so I think in all of this there is a strong responsibility which falls on the SNP – but equally on the LibDems who could very easily form a minority administration but choose not to.”

SHELTER MAKE UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND

Scotland’s housing and homelessness charity, Shelter demanded this week that Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Housing Regulator intervene against The City of Edinburgh Council after the local authority voted “in favour of stripping homeless households of their basic rights”.

The charity said that at a meeting of the city’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on Tuesday, councillors “voted six to five in favour of proposals to strip people experiencing homelessness of their right to adequate housing through the provision of suitable temporary and permanent housing”.

What happened at the meeting was that councillors voted 6-5 against an emergency motion lodged by Green councillor, Ben Parker. This asked that the Housing Convener would write again to the government seeking additional funding and confirming the council did not wish to “downgrade the rights of homeless people”. However councillors agreed if there were to be any policy changes these would be agreed at a committee meeting.

The council had already confirmed last month they had been placing homeless households in unlicensed HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupancy) properties as temporary accommodation.

Alison Watson, director of Shelter Scotland said: “It should outrage everyone in Scotland that officers and elected members within a local authority have unilaterally decided to strip people in the capital of a fundamental human right.

“Edinburgh’s homelessness crisis is partly of the Council’s own making, but instead of showing compassion and seeking to help some of the most disenfranchised people in our society, they have chosen instead to punish them in this inhumane way by taking away hard-won rights.

“Shelter Scotland has lost confidence in the leadership of the City of Edinburgh Council to do the right thing and uphold the rule of law. The leadership has systematically failed homeless people for years and is now stripping them of their rights to cover up their own failures.

“I have written to the First Minister John Swinney MSP, urging him to use his powers to call in the council’s homelessness strategy for scrutiny. It is our belief that this will highlight that the current strategy is not only unfit for purpose and cannot guarantee the rights of people at risk of homelessness but is in fact in breach of the law.

“The Scottish Government must do more to fully fund local services through the upcoming budget. However, more money won’t work if the wrong decisions are being taken locally on how to spend it.

“I have also written to the Scottish Housing Regulator as recent assurances provided by the council leadership in their annual statement clearly do not hold up to scrutiny. Elected and unelected members have shown themselves to be incapable of following the rule of law. They must reverse the committee’s decision or else immediately step aside.”

The council argued that this was factually incorrect, and the decision was not a “roll back of rights but that they had written to the government asking for a dispensation to use unlicensed HMOs as long as there was a “focus on the property as being safe to occupy”.

Unlawful HMOs

Before the Housing Committee on 3 December the Housing Convener, Cllr Meagher explained that the use of B&Bs which did not have HMO licences had begun during lockdown and the public health emergency.

The council’s legal team had since advised that the use of any premises without such a licence was unlawful and had to stop by 30 November. There was a flurry of activity by landlords to get licences for their premises.

All of these licensing applications were heard at an emergency meeting of the licensing board on 29 November – and were granted – but some for a restricted period, and others subject to making repairs noted by council inspection officers.

Some of the missing items in these properties relate to basic fire safety – and in several cases the term “intumescent strip” was referred to. This is the strip inside a door jamb which allows inhabitants around 30 minutes to escape from a fire. These were not the worst omissions, and a pattern of lack of maintenance emerged during the meeting when landlords were quizzed by councillors.

Cllr Meagher, said ahead of the meeting: “We’ve always known the use of unlicensed HMOs had to stop and we had actions in place to reduce our dependence on them, however at the same time we’ve also got homeless presentations which continue every day. We never really get on top of the situation.”

The council also brought back around 500 empty homes owned by the council into use for temporary accommodation – 200 of those in the fortnight before the deadline. There was a threat of having to move around 700 people living in unlawful temporary accommodation out into any properties which could be found. The Edinburgh Reporter understands that this was largely averted by the deadline.

Cllr Meagher said it was not for the council to take steps to grant licences but up to landlords to apply for them. It was only when the council said they would stop paying for the bed and breakfast accommodation that some of the landlords acted.

Some landlords offer accommodation to homeless people at a cost to the council of £80 a night. In the case of one property at Marine Drive in the north of the city we compute that the landlord is being paid in the region of £84,000 per week.

The number of people who live in temporary accommodation in Edinburgh now exceeds 5,000 which is an increase of around 1,500 people since the first lockdown almost five years ago. A housing emergency was declared in the city in November 2023.

Troy Sides – sommelier and wine manager at Divino Enoteca – recently crowned Best Italian Restaurant at the prestigious Scottish Italian Awards, offers his top 10 wines to enjoy this Christmas.

Whether you’re hosting an intimate dinner or a grand gathering, these wines promise to impress your guests and elevate the Christmas dining experience.

Divino Enoteca is a cosy, rustic wine cellar setting ideal for festive celebrations with friends, family, and colleagues. The restaurant’s festive set menus showcase delectable Italian-inspired dishes with a Scottish twist. Diners can indulge in mouthwatering options like merlot-braised beef cheek, fragrant roast stuffed turkey, and creamy sage and walnut gnocchi.

Or, for Edinburgh locals and visitors, head along to the cosy wine cellar venue to try these prestigious wines under Troy’s guidance from their unique self-serve Enomatic machine. This innovative feature allows guests to embark on personalised wine tastings throughout the evening, adding an element of fun and discovery to any gathering.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Valdipiatta, 2019 – Red
Extraordinary aromatics from an extraordinary, 5-Star vintage for the Montalcino area, full-bodied and complex as hell.

Barolo Rocche di Castiglione, Sordo, 2004 – Red
Rocche di Castiglione is a single vineyard within the Barolo zone held in such high esteem it is commonly ranked in the top 5 vineyards of the whole region; from a top year by a top producer and a satisfying 20-year maturity right now.

Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale, Selvapiana, 2020 – Red
There are some wines that transport you, whether to a good memory or to the place where it was made; this wine does both.

Brunello di Montalcino, Il Poggione, 2019 – Red
Power, finesse, structure, and layers upon layers of flavour are descriptors that do not begin to do this wine justice; a 5-star vintage and one of our best values in the whole building.

Adarmando Umbria Bianco, Tabarrini, 2016 – White
Troy’s favourite white wine of 2024; 100% Trebbiano Spoletino, 100% mind-blowing in its complexity, nuance, balance, and depth.

Cervaro della Sala, Castello Della Sala, 2022 – White
One of the best white wines in Italy year after year and probably the most famous single wine from Umbria, this is Chardonnay expanded by adding a bit of Grechetto, an indigenous Umbrian varietal.

Etna Bianco, Planeta, 2022 – White
It was very cheeky and ambitious of Planeta to pair Mount Etna’s famous, volcanic and mineral freshness with a bit of oak aging, but they nailed it: beautifully integrated and complex stuff.

Barolo Riserva, Giacomo Borgogno, 1967 – Red
In the category of age-worthy wines, few names are as famous as Giacomo Borgogno, a traditional estate famous for the large amounts of bottles it sets aside to mature for decades and decades; this 1967, a 5-Star year, is worthy of any special occasion.

Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido, 2018 – Red
Revolutionary and regal, Sassicaia’s Cabernet Sauvignon blend is a true Italian legend, embodying history and elegance in every sip.

Ornellaia, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, 2006 – Red
The top wine that Antinori, a blockbuster name in the Italian winemaking world, ever produced, from a blockbuster vintage. A captivating Bordeaux-style blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon that demands a special occasion, beautiful company, and your utmost attention.

For more information, or to book a table, please visit www.divinoedinburgh.com

Passengers are delayed at Edinburgh Airport this afternoon as a result of an IT failure.

The airport advised on X at 3.54pm that “due to an IT issue with Air Traffic Control no flights are currently taking off or landing. Engineers are working to resolve the issue. Passengers should check their flight status with their airline before travelling to the airport”.

An update was then posted at 4.30pm to say that “Engineers are continuing to work on the IT issue currently affecting Air Traffic Control. Passengers should continue to check their flight status with their airline before travelling to the airport.”

According to an eye witness at the airport every available car parking space is taken, passengers are everywhere in the terminal trying to find a place to wait for more information. But some are also hailing Ubers to Glasgow Airport which remains open. In particular some Easyjet customers said they had no information from the airline and were prepared to pay £80 for a taxi to Glasgow rather than wait until tomorrow morning for a flight.

Police in Dundee have issued a new image of 39-year-old Craig Taylor, reported missing in the city.

He was last seen around 8.45pm on Friday, 22 November, 2024, in the Menzieshill area of the city.

He is described as white, 5ft 7ins, slim, very short black hair and facial hair. When last seen he was wearing a black jacket, black gilet, blue jeans and black Nike trainers.

Craig is also believed to visit Perth, Fife and Edinburgh on occasion.

Extensive enquiries are ongoing to trace Craig, including door to door and CCTV reviews.

Inspector Robb said: “It is unusual for Craig not to be in contact with his family for this length of time and we are growing increasingly concerned for his welfare.

“We are asking people to look out for him and let us know if you see him or know where he might be.

“Craig, if you see this appeal, please let someone know you are safe and well.”

Anyone who can help is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 3574 of Monday, 9 December, 2024.

Police Scotland update: Owner traced and do reunited

Officers in Edinburgh are appealing for information to trace the owner of a dog found on South Gyle Broadway, Edinburgh, around 10.25am on Sunday, 15 December, 2024.

Anyone with any information should contact Drylaw Police Station, or call 101 and quite incident ref 1212 of Sunday, 15 December.

Last week I visited the Custom Lane Gallery Space in Leith for the launch of WXC, a one-of-a-kind spirit drink that blends Scotch whisky with Colombian single-origin coffee.

From the award-winning contemporary Leith whisky studio Woven, known for its fresh approach to whisky, they’ve partnered with Assembly Coffee in Brixton to launch WXC, exploring the intersection of whisky and coffee cultures, and bringing two worlds of ritual, flavour, and craftsmanship into this very moreish drink.

The collaboration brings together the expertise of Woven’s Whisky Maker and Co-founder, Pete Allison and Assembly’s Head of Quality, Claire Wallace, who placed third in the World Barista Championship 2023. It marries the artistry of Woven’s whisky blending techniques with Assembly’s meticulous coffee roasting and sourcing philosophy.

The result is a flavour profile in which both components interact harmoniously for a serve that is bold yet balanced, fresh yet familiar – with neither whisky or coffee presenting as an afterthought.

The final product combines a proprietary blend of whiskies, leaning on fruit forward Speyside malts, and a particularly silky grain whisky that pairs beautifully with Assembly’s single-origin El Vergel Guava Banana, which boasts bright notes of pineapple and strawberry. Cold-brewed and expertly balanced, the coffee infuses the whisky with a juicy, tropical depth, resulting in a liquid which is equally at home in a cocktail or served neat, or adds a special touch to an old fashioned or espresso martini.

The spirit is designed to reflect an evolving whisky culture, where traditional consumption habits are being increasingly influenced by other categories and occasions. The rise of speciality coffee culture has created a roadmap for whisky to navigate new serves and drinking occasions that appeal to a curious, educated audience who value quality products as well as interesting flavour experiences.

Pete Allison was on hand to explain more about their latest creation. “WXC celebrates the shared complexity and processes associated with both whisky and coffee, offering a spirit that invites both whisky enthusiasts and specialty coffee aficionados to discover an entirely new taste experience. In the same way that the traditional boundaries about where, and when, and by who these drinks are consumed are dissolving, the two brands hope to blend their communities through WXC.

“We’re seeing a shift in the way people enjoy drinks, moving between categories like coffee, whisky, natural wine and craft beer. WXC is our response to this evolving landscape, perfect for “in between places” that seamlessly transition from morning coffee to evening cocktails. It’s about finding common ground between different drink cultures and creating something new and exciting around which people can converge.”

With just 1,500 bottles of the spirit available, WXC is as rare as it is unique. Non chill filtered and bottled at 44.5 ABV, with less than 1% sugar, WXC features 69.83% whisky and 29.47% coffee.

WXC is available to purchase at wovenwhisky.com and in-store at Assembly Coffee in Brixton, as well as from specially selected retailers, including Margiotta Food and Wine stores in Edinburgh, at an RRP of £40.

Hibs striker Dwight Gayle admitted that the result was the most important thing as Hibs got back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Ross County yesterday. 

Despite a poor start – which saw Hibs concede within the opening three minutes the team came from behind to win thanks to goals from Gayle, Elie Youan and Josh Campbell. 

The result lifted Hibs off the foot of the table and up to eighth in the William Hill Premiership table.  

Speaking to Hibs TV after the game, Gayle said: “It wasn’t our best performance, we know we can play a lot better than that.  

“We were very frustrated to concede from a set-piece early doors, which made the start of the game very difficult for us. 

“But we dug in, showed good character and came back from 1-0 down. The result was the most important thing today and we were very happy to get that.” 

Gayle’s goal in the final minute of the first half proved to be a key turning point in the match – giving the team and the crowd a much-needed lift before half-time. 

“I am happy to help the team whichever way I can, luckily today I was on the scoresheet but for us, it is all about three points. 

“Football is about momentum and mentality at times. The fact that we came in at half-time at 1-1 gave us a lift and gave us the confidence to go into the second half and create more chances.  

“We did exactly that, as scored two more goals which was great for the team. 

“We have always been a confident group. We haven’t quite got the results this season, but hopefully, this result gives us the belief to go into the festive period get a few more wins and pay back the fans for their support.” 

Edinburgh Trams will run free all-night services to help tens of thousands of partygoers enjoy themselves at Hogmanay in the city centre.

The move has been successful in previous years and the tram operator will again run between Edinburgh Airport and the West End stop and between Picardy Place and Newhaven – there will be no trams to Princes Street or St Andrew Square stops while arrangements for the street party are in place.

To keep the city moving, the service frequency will be up to every 10 minutes from midnight until 2 am, then up to every 20 minutes until approximately 9am on New Year’s Day. 

The timetable for 30 and 31 December and throughout the night will be as below. Customers can also check Edinburgh Trams social media for any live updates.

Jon McCulley, Operations Manager, said: “We are delighted to be able to play our part by making sure crowds can gather across town to welcome 2025 in high spirits.”

As part of this year’s Hogmanay, rock legend Texas will headline the concert in Princes Street Gardens in the run-up to the Bells. Further information about this and other events can be found here.

Jon added: “With trams running around and beyond the city centre, those planning to visit their families or friends for a more intimate celebration can also rely on us to go back home wherever they decide to call it a night!”

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The Labour group of 10 councillors meets online today to choose a new group leader to replace Cllr Cammy Day who was “administratively suspended” by Scottish Labour last weekend. The person chosen might also become Council Leader when that is considered later this week.

The group which runs the local authority administration already met earlier in the week, but failed to reach a consensus. One of the candidates, Cllr Jane Meagher, the Housing and Homelessness Convener, is visiting family in Tanzania. Apparently she is the “favourite” of the Liberal Democrat group who have been criticised for getting involved in the selection of the Labour group leader from the sidelines.

It is understood that the candidates for leader include Katrina Faccenda, Jane Meagher, and possibly Lezley Marion Cameron. The current Depute Leader, Cllr Mandy Watt, is not believed to be standing.

Cllr Faccenda confirmed her position on Bluesky on Saturday night. She said: “Tomorrow (Sunday) the Edinburgh Council Labour Group will meet to elect a new leader. Any member of the group can nominate themself and I will be standing up to give the group the fresh start the Labour Group desperately needs.

“Local government in Edinburgh has a unique political landscape with 3 political groupings needed for a majority. This is the time for courageous and innovative thinking on how power is distributed across the council and its committees.

“And it can only be done with a Labour leader who is ready for the challenge, committed to doing the best for the people of Edinburgh and who will hold fast on core Labour values.”

Another member of the Labour Group, Cllr Margaret Graham, has been critical of Liberal Democrat councillors.

She said on X: “A couple of off the wall options. Greens step up and form a rainbow coalition. Liberals change leader to one who has time to be Council Leader.” Liberal Democrat Group leader, Cllr Kevin Lang, has a full time job as a member of the senior leadership team at The Law Society of Scotland, and there has been no suggestion of the Liberal Democrat Group taking over the administration.

Cllr Lang has been asked for comment.

Cllr Graham has also said on X that “Working cross party is the inevitability of the current party structure in the city. All parties have been working this way since 2022, It is not unique to Labour”.

Cllr Iain Whyte, Leader of the Conservative Group, said: “The situation remains confused while we are all made to wait for Labour to sort out their very public ‘internal squabbles’ and the Lib Dem Leader clings to his well-paid job rather than step up and take responsibility.  In the meantime, the Conservative Group will continue to consider all the options to break the impasse.”

Cllr Ross McKenzie who is an Independent councillor told The Edinburgh Reporter he thinks the Labour group should not form the administration going forward. He said: “My position since the story about Cammy came out in the Sunday Mail, is that by Thursday 19th, Labour would be considered too toxic to put into administration. I have always ruled out the status quo from the outset. There are competence issues and numbers issues, but I also think that this small group are now tainted.”

The political make up of The City of Edinburgh Council is finely balanced, with no two parties able to combine sufficient votes to have a majority.

The Edinburgh Reporter understands that Cllr Lezley Marion Cameron may also be a candidate and Cllr Cameron has been contacted for comment.

Cllr Day resigned as Council Leader on Monday following allegations of inappropriate behaviour, some reported through the council’s Safecall whistleblowing system.