Transport consultation 9th Jan: date for your diary

Edinburgh Labour has launched its document 'Moving Edinburgh Forward', which is available for review and comment here.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Edinburgh Labour’s transport spokesperson, wants to listen to a range of views and ideas from a variety of groups and individuals to feed them into our manifesto promises. Edinburgh Labour wants you to be part of our vision for moving Edinburgh forward after the elections in May.

With this in mind Lesley has organised a consultation event on Monday 9th January at Stockbridge House, 2 Cheyne Street, Edinburgh (map). The meeting will start at 7pm.

Merry Christmas from Edinburgh Labour

Councillors Burns, Henderson, Hinds, Child and Godzik, on behalf of everyone at edinburghlabour.com, are here to wish you a very merry Christmas:

Just 130 days until the City Council elections on 3rd May 2012 - but still time to send us your views about how we can Move Edinburgh Forward together. Meanwhile, all our very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year!

A Christmas surprise

Come back to edinburghlabour.com on Christmas Day for a special surprise. Councillors are limbering up as we speak. We'll say no more...

Cammy Day: Forth

Cammy Day was born and raised in Edinburgh, and studies at Edinburgh University.

He has spent most of his career working with young people in many of the city's areas of deprivation, supporting young people to challenge social injustices. Cammy was also key in supporting the creation of the city's first independent youth forum in the north of the city.

Elected in November 2008, Cammy is the Labour Group spokesperson for Housing and Homelessness, and is a member of the Education Children and Families Committee and the Licensing Board.

Cammy is a member of the co-operative party, Scotmid and UNISON.

Eric Milligan: Sighthill / Gorgie

Eric Milligan is councillor for Sighthill/Gorgie Ward, in West Edinburgh. He is the Labour spokesperson on the Planning Committee, and a member of the Education, Children and Families and Economic Development Committees. He is also a member of Lothian and Borders Police Board. He lives with his wife Janis in Kingsknowe in the west of the city.

Twice Lord Provost of Edinburgh and a former convener of both Lothian Regional Council and the City of Edinburgh Council, Eric has been conferred with honorary doctorates from Edinburgh Napier University and Heriot-Watt University and is also Honorary Consul for New Zealand in Scotland. He has served as a councillor since 1974.

Norma Austin Hart: Liberton / Gilmerton

Cllr Norma Austin Hart was elected in 2007 as one of two Labour councillors for the Liberton/Gilmerton ward.

She is the group’s spokesperson for Economic Development and also sits on the Culture and Leisure and Personnel Appeals committees.

She has her own training business and specialises in project and programme management.

Eric Barry: Colinton / Fairmilehead

Elected in 2007 to the Colinton Fairmilehead ward in which I have lived for 34 years, I am group spokesman on Liquor Licensing and Fire Board matters.

Wanted to be a councillor to improve the quality of Council services and their value for money to the Council Tax Payer.

After school I worked in retail, the motor trade then after ten years in the Inland Revenue, I decided to risk becoming self-employed. I operate a taxi, a wedding car business and a small accountancy practice.

In hope of a budget consensus

Edinburgh Labour Finance spokesperson Councillor Ricky Henderson looks ahead to the council budget next year, and hopes against hope for consensus politics.

The Council's annual budget setting process is underway again. It's usually a tortuous and laborious exercise and I expect this year to be no different. With cuts raining down from Westminster and Holyrood, Council services are under increased pressure. Add an unfunded Council Tax Freeze to the mix (£7m year on year for Edinburgh) and it's clear that difficult decisions lie ahead.

Donald Wilson: Sighthill / Gorgie

Donald has been a Councillor in Edinburgh since 1999, previously representing the Shandon Ward until being elected as one of the two Labour Councillors in the Sighthill Gorgie Ward in 2007. He has also been a Bailie since 2007.

He served as Executive Member with a variety of portfolios including ‘Business Management and Communications’, ‘ICT and Smart City’ and ‘Educational and Care Standards’ in the Council Administration 1999 - 2007. Since 1999 he has also been the Chair of a number of organisations including the Edinburgh and Lothian’s Tourist Board and Chair of the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

Angela Blacklock: Leith Walk

Angela Blacklock is currently the Labour Councillor for the Leith Walk ward. Her keen interests are equalities and education and she is the Labour group's spokesperson for Equalities and Early Years.

She is Convenor of the Leith Neighbourhood Partnership and she sits on the Education, Children and Families Committee, the Policy and Strategy Committee and the Planning and Personnel Appeals Committees.

Ian Perry: Southside / Newington

I am a full time councillor having previous retired as a lecturer at Stevenson College 2007. I am present opposition spokesperson for the Environment.

I have been a councillor for over twenty year and during that time I have held a number of positions. My first responsibility, when I first entered the council was as vice-convenor of Economic Development. In the following year I was elected to chair the council’s Environment committee.  I served as chair for two terms and was responsible for promoting recycling and introducing the first paper banks to the street of Edinburgh. I also pioneering the containerisation of Edinburgh’ waste which resulted in a measurable improvement to the cleanliness of Edinburgh’s streets.

Joan Griffiths: Craigentinny / Duddingston

I have lived in Craigentinny/Duddingston for over 37 years and have been an active member of my Community for all of that time. I have two children and two grandchildren who live in the area. I have also been a Justice of the Peace for 20 years and an active member of my Church.

I am the Client Relations Officer for Midlothian Council’s Adults and Community Care, and the Chair of the Action Group, a voluntary organisation who work with children and adults who need additional support to live in the community and their families. 

Alex Lunn: Craigentinny / Duddingston

Alex has lived virtually his whole life in South East Edinburgh. His parents came from the Inch and Liberton.

He was brought up in Fernieside, attending St. John Vianney Primary School in the Inch and then Liberton High School. Alex went on to attend Stevenson and Telford colleges.

With the benefit of a great social legacy from a previous Labour Government - Open Learning - Alex was able to work and study at the same time.

Gordon Munro: Leith

Gordon was first elected for the Harbour ward in 2003 winning back the seat from the SNP. Re-elected in 2007 for the new 3 member Leith Ward. Gordon was Housing spokesperson from 2007-2010 and is currently the Culture and Leisure spokesperson as well as Group whip.