Andrew Burns: Fountainbridge / Craiglockart

Andrew Burns was first elected to local Government in May 1999. He spent one year as a backbencher before joining Edinburgh Council’s newly formed Executive in June 2000. In June 2001 he took over the Transport portfolio and, after 5 very challenging years, spent 9-months at the Education brief, until moving to the Opposition benches following the local elections in May 2007.

In June 2008, Andrew became Leader of the principal Opposition Group on the Council … a position he still currently holds.

Andrew gained his first degree from the University of Ulster in 1984 and has had a wide-range of employment experience. He has a professional background in personnel and training, and worked for several years in a variety of personnel and training roles in both manufacturing industry and the service sector. Andrew became a Graduate of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in 1990 and, in 2003, gained Full Member status of the CIPD.

In December 2008, Andrew became Chair of the Electoral Reform Society, a Non Governmental Organisation that campaigns to change the way we choose our politicians. Andrew remained Chair throughout 3 extremely busy years, for electoral reform, until September 2011.

In addition to these professional and political interests, Andrew is also a keen outdoor enthusiast and in a previous incarnation even spent a few years working in the outdoor pursuits sector.

Andrew is 48 years of age and lives in Edinburgh with his wife and one child.

Andrew's contact info, including a link to his blog and his Twitter stream, is on our Edinburgh Labour People page.

Ricky Henderson: Pentland Hills

Ricky has been a Councillor in Edinburgh since 1999, previously representing the Parkhead ward until being elected to the Pentland Hills ward in 2007.

He served as Executive Member for Sport Culture and Tourism and Executive Member for Transport in the Council Administration 1999 - 2007. Since 2007 he has filled the roles of Labour spokesperson for Transport, Education, and currently holds the Finance portfolio and is Deputy leader of the Labour Group.

Married, with two grown up, student children, the impoverished Mr Henderson lives in the Chesser area. Ricky's favourite pastime is working on behalf of his constituents, but he can sometimes been found cooking, listening to music, on the golf course or following Hearts.

Surgery times & venues

• Clovenstone Community Centre - 1st Monday at 6pm
• Currie High School - 1st Monday (during school term) at 7pm
• Ratho Community Centre - 3rd Monday (during school term) at 6pm
• Balerno High School - 3rd Monday (during school term) at 7pm

Ricky's contact info, including a link to his blog, is on our Edinburgh Labour People page.

Karen Doran: City Centre

Karen Doran is Labour's candidate for the City Centre.

Karen was born and brought up in Edinburgh, and has lived here all her life. She was educated at Tollcross Primary School and James Gillespies High School. She is 50 years old and lives with her husband and two children aged 18 and 23. She has worked as an office manager for Malcolm Chisholm MSP and Mark Lazarowicz MP for nearly twenty years.

Karen's contact info is on our Edinburgh Labour People page.

Nick Gardner: Leith Walk

Nick Gardner is one of two candidates for the Leith Walk Ward.

Nick was born in Watford, and educated in Hertfordshire. He graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1983 with an MA(Hons) in English Literature and History.

Nick has lived in Edinburgh since 1985, where he has worked as a youth & children's worker, and later in the mental health field, as a development worker and advocate.

Currently Nick is a self employed web developer, and part-time community care worker. He is chair of an Edinburgh Mental Health charity. Nick is single, and lives in the Leith Walk area.

Nick's contact info is available on our Edinburgh Labour People page.

Tom McInally: Corstorphine / Murrayfield

Tom was born in Glasgow in 1960 and followed his father into Strathclyde Police, joining at the age of 18. In 1984 he transferred to London (Metropolitan Police) before returning to Scotland and transferring to Lothian and Borders Police in 1989.

Tom was posted in East Lothian and Edinburgh and has worked in numerous departments  in the service including Community Safety, Recruitment, Diversity Unit and completed an attachment to the Children and Families Depatment of Edinburgh City Council (Youth Justice). He retired from the service as an Inspector in 2009 and now works as the Constituency Office Manager for Thomas Docherty MP.

Until recently Tom was a Trustee of Revive MS Support and is a keen organiser and participant in charity events. In 2009 he rode a motorcycle round the world raising £27,000 for Capability Scotland (based in Murrayfield). This year he rode a bicycle from Edinburgh to Paris to raise funds for a police charity.

Tom is married to Pam, a school teacher in Edinburgh, and has two daughters who are both attending university. Maria is studying Medical Sciences at Edinburgh and Louise Dentistry at Dundee.

When not working he is a keen photographer, cyclist and motorcyclist.

Tom's contact info, including a link to his blog, is available on our Edinburgh Labour People page.

Maureen Child: Portobello / Craigmillar

Maureen Child has been an Edinburgh councillor since 1995.

She was first elected for Milton Ward in Edinburgh East and represented Portobello/Milton for over four years. She is a very active and well-known local councillor, across the whole area. She served as lead councillor on Finance and Sustainability for nine years.

Maureen was the Labour Group's spokesperson on Environment and Sustainability from May 2007 until this year, when she took on the Health and Social Care role.

Maureen's contact info is available on our Edinburgh Labour People page.