Hub happenings - Casual observations on the campaign trail....

It's been another good night out campaigning in the ward, with a barrowload of Resident's Surveys being delivered.  With only 9 weeks to go, things are heating up and the late nights are kicking in.

It's important at times though to relax and catch up with the news, either on the telly, web or reading the Edinburgh Evening News for any local stuff.  Today's letters page in the EEN was interesting.

The recent opening of the Drum Brae Library Hub has been a truly fantastic addition to the area - with over 10,000 visitors within the first couple of months. 

The new facility however appears to have caused a stooshie between my Labour opponent Karen Keil and the SNP's Colin Kerr. 



Comments and letters have been published in the Edinburgh Evening News over the last 7 days:

Library ‘does not make up for school’ Published on Thursday 23 February 2012

The opening of the new Drumbrae Library is “too little too late” for the local community, according to activists.

Karen Keil, one of the campaigners that opposed the (Drumbrae Primary) school closure, said: “If Lib Dems had not opposed the Drumbrae Leisure Centre then a library would have been built then as part of this popular sports centre.

“Local people have said to me that Drumbrae Hub does not make up for demolishing Drumbrae school. They are right and it will prove too little too late for the Lib Dems.”

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In return, the SNP's Colin Kerr - still also masquerading as a Councillor until May - had the following letter printed in today's Edinburgh Evening News:

Candidate out of touch with area

I’m astonished by the comments made by Labour candidate Karen Keil (News, February 23) talking down the new Drum Brae Hub and stating it was “too little too late”.

The Drum Brae and Clermiston communities have campaigned for a library for more than 40 years.

Indeed, more than 1300 people attended its opening three weeks ago. I think Karen Keil is not only out of touch with the local community, but she clearly disagrees with her colleagues Malcolm Chisholm and Sarah Boyack, who both praised the £5.7 million project during a debate in the Scottish Parliament.

Mrs Keil has been hostile towards the project from the outset and is now essentially saying it’s not worth it. Her comments are a slap in the face to the many people who will benefit from the new facilities.

The truth is that Drum Brae has benefited greatly from this council administration, with more than £10m investment not only in the Hub but on a brand new care home. I would challenge Labour to back this investment.

Cllr Colin Keir MSP

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Well, it looks like Colin has touched a nerve with Karen judging by the former LibDem voter / supporter-cum-Labour candidate's tweets tonight:

"I don't think Colin Keir likes me very much! And he's sent his apologies for the Gala quiz night too."

"Just in case anyone is in any doubt - I think the @west_team are the best! I'm really glad you are in #Drumbrae and #DrumbraeLibrary is FAB"

Quite.....

I think I'll let the others fight amongst themselves whilst I'm out on the doorstep fighting for the residents of Drum Brae / Gyle.  Sounds sensible enough to me.

Time for bed - another day, another challenge tomorrow. 

Morris stands down - SNP Candidate pulls out of Drum Brae / Gyle election battle

Elaine Morris has decided to stand down as the SNP candidate in Drum Brae / Gyle causing some local activists to voice concern over where the party is in terms of selecting a replacement.

With only 9 weeks to go until d-day, Morris has stood down due to reported 'underlying health issues'.  The party's recent election material, which has just been landing on resident's doormats, was promoting the Forth Ward Councillor's impending move across town. 

Whilst we've not had much time to get to know each other on the campaign trail, Elaine and I locked horns at the end of last year on the panel at the Safety Forum meeting.  I wish Elaine all the best for the future.

Rumours have been circulating that the Nats have been considering their options of standing one or two candidates in the ward.  Blogger Dan Phillips reckons it would be two http://liberalsellout.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/edinburgh-snp-26-candidates-maximum/ but this was before today's news.

I guess we will find out soon enough.  I'll try counting sheep at night so I don't lose any sleep over it.....

"Being dyslexic is nothing to be ashamed of" | Ex-rugby star Kenny Logan at the Drum Brae Hub

I had the pleasure of attending the Drum Brae Library Hub tonight to listen to former Scotland Rugby legend Kenny Logan deliver a passionate and very moving talk about his battle with dyslexia.

Logan, who hails from Stirling, is famous not only for his rugby moves, but his fancy footwork on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. Of course, who can forget that he is married to the lovely Gabby off the telly!

The Hub, which has been able to boast over 10,000 visitors since it's opening a handful of weeks ago, saw one of it's breakout rooms packed to capacity as Logan spoke of his struggle through school to his early 30's to come to terms with his inability to read or write.

The audience, a great mix of kids and adults - several of whom with dyslexia - sat in jaw-dropping silence as the 70 times capped Scotland Rugby star gave a touching and fairly emotional recollection of his childhood years through to him finally recognising he had needed to tackle the condition.

'Being dyslexic is nothing to be ashamed of' - a strong and positive message that Logan made to the 50 strong audience. 

Logan is spot on with his assessment.  Thankfully, with organisations such as http://www.dyslexiascotland.org.uk/ available now, the ability for early intervention is there.

Mrs Logan, the delightful Gabby, told me on Twitter how proud she was of her 'amazing' husband.  And so she should be.  What an incredible journey for Kenny.

A fantastic Q&A session took place afterwards and Logan posed for photos and signed autographs - a remarkable feat in itself, but testament to the stature of the man.

Snippets of what Logan had to tell tonight about his struggle to admit to his condition can also be found in an interview with the Daily Telegraph from February 2008 | Learning to read at 34 Kenny Logan's best win

Kenny Logan's autobiography 'Just for Kicks' is available to hire from the Library.  Well, it might not be for long....

SNP grant cuts force Lothian Buses to put fares up

Bus fares in the capital are being put up and local services being axed as Lothian Buses struggles with cuts in government funding.

Lothian Buses services are being axed after the SNP Government announced plans to cut the Bus Service Operators Grant. The grant was originally intended to benefit bus users and compensate firms for rises in fuel duty and has become a real lifeline to local bus services, particularly in rural areas.

These SNP cuts combined with a new way of calculating the payments, have resulted in fare increases and service withdrawals serving Drum Brae / Gyle.  

The 48 & X48 are being withdrawn and I know that many local people, particularly those who do not drive, rely on these services to travel to work or to visit friends and family.

Bus fares in Edinburgh are going up from March 4th.

The cost of a single journey for adults on Lothian Buses will rise by more than 7% to £1.40, whilst a day ticket will go up from £3.20 to £3.50. The annual price of the Ridacard bus pass is set to go up by £36 to £612.

Student, child, Airlink and night bus fares will not be put up.

The SNP Government needs to get a grip of their priorities and seriously consider reversing these cuts.  Local bus operators are already struggling to maintain services in the face of sky-high fuel prices and a number of other pressures on their budgets.

Whilst this money was originally intended as a means of sheltering local bus firms – and therefore bus passengers – from rising fuel prices, the Scottish Government has broken the link to fuel duty going up, allowing them to introduce cuts such as we are seeing now.

Changes to the mechanism used to calculate payments will also lead to discrepancies between rural and urban areas. Because of the way these payments are made, in some areas the cuts could be nearer to 40%.

It is time the SNP realised the damage these cuts will cause to local communities and reversed their decision.

A statement from Ian Craig, Managing Director of Lothian Buses has been posted on the company's website: "We endeavour to keep ticket prices as low as possible but this is an extremely challenging time for everyone. As with the majority of public transport providers, we have had to review our prices as a result of government funding cuts and rising operating costs."

Four seasons in one canvassing day...

As the old saying goes, "If you don't like the weather in Edinburgh, hang around 5 minutes".

That was certainly the case in Craigmount, Wester Broom and South Gyle today as I experienced hail, snow, sunshine and freezing cold conditions during a positive day on the campaign trail.

It was an interesting and educational day, discussing issues such as schools, elderly care (I was actually horrified at one particular story relayed to me), potholes and parking on pavements with 100's of residents.  I even had one resident tell me that she put a fence round her garden as a result of finding two youths having sex in her garden!! 

It is abundently clear that a lot of people are looking for change at the Council come May 3rd.

Now, I am not as deluded as some to suggest that everyone is voting for me.  That would be foolish and unwise.  Indeed, I still chuckle at the level of activists and candidates who proclaim on Twitter etc to have had a cliche-tastic 'great day on the doorstep'. 

However, with my growing record of action delivered in the ward since my selection, together with more positive outcomes to be announced shortly, I believe that I have made and will continue to make the case to encourage residents to come out on May 3rd and vote Conservative for a change.   

Craigmount Residents Association AGM

Tonight saw the third local meeting in as many nights and it was in the back room of the Mid Yoken pub that the residents of one part of Craigmount Brae met for their AGM.
It was good to see over 25 folk in attendance to discuss matters from fees for the landscaping levy to setting up a No Cold Calling Zone.

Neighbourhood Watch is also in operation and the meeting was informed of a couple of potential door to door scams that been thwarted in the area over the year and also that residents should be careful of online scams in their emails.  Very wise words indeed.  Remember folks, if it's too good to be true - it generally is!!

This kind of community spirit and engagement is to be commended and I'd like to see more parts of the ward and the City form Residents Associations.

West Edinburgh Community Safety Panel

Valentine's Day. 

The old romantic in me couldn't resist the opportunity to head along to the Drum Brae Library Hub for the West Edinburgh Community Safety Panel meeting.

Healthy discussions took place between those in attendance over a host of issues in the wider area.

A couple of things to note:

Neighbourhood Watch and No Cold Calling Zones (NCCZ):  North Gyle was only 20 houses short of securing the Trading Standards quota of 50% + 1 that would see them become a NCCZ.

The majority of residents in the Craig’s addresses of North Gyle have responded positively and the zone is ready to go ahead.

The meeting also heard how the NCCZ in Clerwood works well.

On the Neighbourhood Watch front, it was felt that there wasn't much ooomph in many of the NHW schemes, many were seen 'in name only'. 

It's important that many don't see this as the 'curtain twitchers brigade' but a great way of getting to know what's going on in your neighbourhood.  This can help reduce crime and allow the local Community Police officers to tackle crime faster and prevent it happening.

The meeting also discussed movements at the derelict Rainbow Inn on Drum Brae South.  The word on the street is that it will be reopened as an Indian Restaurant.  There was concern shown that a repeat of alcohol based disorder will return to this licensed premise and wanted to clarify if the restaurant will have a bar facility.   More on this soon.....

Drum Brae Community Council Meeting

Tonight saw me head across the road to the Drum Brae Community Council meeting.  You really get a sense of community spirit here each month.  Another packed room in the Rannoch Centre saw all 3 incumbent Councillors in the one place at the one time.  You'd think there was an election coming up or something....

Anyhoo, here are some of the highlights as featured in my live tweet-a-thon using the #DrumbraeCC hashtag:

Good to hear crime down in #DrumBrae #Gyle ward - good work by local Police. ASB a key focus through youth engagement #DrumbraeCC

Exciting times! Audience interaction. All residents present to jot their policing priorities on a post-it note. #DrumbraeCC

Praise for the #drumbraelibraryhub - great facility and well worth the wait. Official opening this Friday at 1pm. #DrumbraeCC 

Barnton Hotel planning application for extra care assistance living housing - Public meeting at Cramond Kirk on 23/02 #DrumbraeCC 

Irresponsible Landlords a big issue at #DrumbraeCC - concerns over owners renting out to 'undesirables'. Letter to @paul_edie on it's way

Cold Calling a big issue in the area. Call for residents to work to get 51% in their area to respond to set up scheme #DrumbraeCC

When are the Council @west_team going to thin the trees in Drumbrae Park, asks one resident. #DrumbraeCC

That's all for tonight's #DrumbraeCC meeting - off home for Lady B's hame made beef n beer with roasties! #nomnomnom

Cllr Joanna Mowat tells Edinburgh Evening News, "I smell a rat in this budget"

The final budget before the Council Elections was set last Thursday as the LibDem / SNP shooglie-peg alliance delivered a populist agenda of pre-election giveaways.

In today's Edinburgh Evening News, Cllr Joanna Mowat, tells how she 'smells a rat in this budget':

The Lib Dem/SNP coalition has spent four years decrying their inheritance from Labour, castigating Labour for their fiscal irresponsibility, then produce a budget of sweeties and giveaways. When you look at the budget you can see exactly whose leaflets each giveaway will appear in. The coalition has had us make hard choices over the last four years and three months before an election can produce a big give-away budget – frankly I smell a rat.

Whilst it is pleasant to be able to give money away, the question has to be asked – is this a wise use of resources?

The Conservative group would say no it is not. Audit Scotland recommends councils to hold two-four per cent of their revenue budget in reserves – taking the £5.9 million out proposed by the coalition leaves a reserve of 1.2 per cent rather than 1.7 per cent. We proposed to keep the reserves at the higher figure. The reason for this is that while there is a small surplus this year there is a budget shortfall predicted for 2013/14 and 2014/15. There is also a lot of risk facing the council. To name two of the biggest ones – an overspend on the tram budget and costs associated with the statutory repairs disaster which are unquantified at present.

The Conservatives would have invested the surplus in making the council more efficient and ensuring that services are designed to serve the user, not the provider. We would also have invested in the city’s infrastructure, prioritising pothole repairs, reducing the school maintenance backlog and providing more bustrackers and cycling and pedestrian improvements.

Lunch with Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP

This afternoon I attended a fundraiser in the Capital which saw Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP speak as guest of honour.

Rifkind, who was Edinburgh Pentlands MP from 1974 to 1997, spoke regarding the Independence debate where he pointed out with 30 to 40 years of consistent opinion polls giving 33 - 36% support in favour, it is hardly surprising that Alex Salmond is keen to delay the referendum. 

During the event, the MP for Kensington & Chelsea presented Cllr Alastair Paisley a token of appreciation for his services as a Councillor in the Capital (he was elected back in 1996) and flowers to Alastair's long suffering supportive wife, Inez.

Now, Paisley as we all know, is quite a character.  He made the newspapers last July after claiming £2.40 mileage for cycling to meetings  and even made it into Ken Smith's Herald Diary last week:

Edinburgh Tory councillor Alastair Paisley tells us there is much debate about Scots living in England not being allowed to vote in the independence referendum.

 

"Someone worked out," he tells us, "that nine of the 11 players in the Scottish international football team won't be able to vote.

"But not to worry – they're not able to put a cross in the box anyway."

Saturday session - cold but very rewarding as the campaign heats up

Whilst out and about on my travels on Saturday, I visited residents at Balfour Court ahead of the Disabled Parking Bays being put in place later this month.  These parking bays were something I fought for and delighted to have been able to make a difference.    Residents are eagerly awaiting this fantastic addition

Canvassing followed and it was off to the Craigs part of the world.  Casework coming out of speaking to people on the doorstep is part of the buzz of seeking election and I'll be putting pen to paper this week in order to get results for fed up residents. 

After a few hours door knocking, I took a trip to the Drum Brae Library Hub to pick up an application form to join the library (I've not been a member of a library since the I was about 13!) and also to pick up tickets to see Scotland Rugby legend Kenny Logan talk about his passion for rugby and his experiences of dyslexia.

Tickets for the event can be obtained through the contact details here: http://yourlibrary.edinburgh.gov.uk/blogs/2012/02/kenny-logan-drumbrae-library-hub

That was the week that was.....

Well, a week is a long time in politics as Harold Wilson once said.  Well, as I write this exactly one week since my last blog post, to me, this week has flown by!

Since last time, it's been a busy old week.

Tuesday and Wednesday saw over 600 leaflets dropping through the doors of Craigmount.

Thursday saw me scoot round Drum Brae North after work followed by a trip to the Drum Brae Leisure Centre to catch up with the West Neighbourhood Lothian & Borders Police who were hosting a 'raising awareness' open evening.  It was good to chat to the officers in attendance and find out more about what they are doing to keep crime at the welcome low levels in Drum Brae / Gyle.

A well earned Friday night off deliveries but it was off to the HQ to sort out the weekend's workload.

Saturday - yuck! What a wet, cold and miserable morning.  Still, those leaflets don't self-deliver and it was time to hunt out the hat and the fleece before heading to Barntongate.  Thankfully, there were a few tenements to hide in deliver whilst the rain battered off the corrugated stair roof! 

Following a brief de-thaw at Chez Brown, it was back out on the campaign trail, but not before heading to the Drum Brae Library Hub.  The £5.7m building is a fantastic addition to the area and has already been visited over a 1,000 times since it opened on the 31st January.

Least said about the Rugby that followed.....

Sunday saw a mammoth session!  Up early - the roofing contractor coming round to finish putting it back together at 9am following the storms from the start of January - and raring to go.

A staggering (I nearly was by the end - my legs were like lead!) 7 and a half hours of leafletting and door knocking in the ward gave me plenty inspiration as the campaign gets nearer to the business end.

One thing I have noticed though since the beginning of January, the campaign is making the bathroom scales talk nicer to me!

Half a stone off so far leads me to think that I maybe need a campaign slogan....How about "Gain Vote - Lose Pounds".