Spoke too soon! I find I have missed two crucial presents - brother in law and grandson...so it's out again to the shops - a nightmare...
The Labour Group meeting this afternoon was, as usual, a protracted affair (hands up, I'm as guilty as the rest for wanting my worth of tuppences) - three and a half hours though: we're definitely in for the long haul.
Tomorrow is the Economic Development Committee - I have received a couple of communications from Margaret Smith MSP complaining about the process used by officials in the Newbridge situation - she makes a series of pretty serious allegations about lack of due process and deliberate manipulation of the facts by officials...it's pretty unheard of and I'll be interested to know how Andrew Holmes will respond to the criticism.
Finally, the newly weds invited us to dinner last night and very pleasant it was too...
Monday, 17 December 2007
Saturday, 15 December 2007
Christmas
A great birthday yesterday though slightly spoiled by a car crash (more a bump) which upset my mum and knocked what was anyway shaky composure on a difficult day into something worse. Then the little b who was responsible drove away without leaving his details ...but I got his registration...and unless he was driving a stolen car he will be traced.
I see the story of the £400 million black hole in the capital budget has hit the headlines...at somepoint the administration will have to dump its NIMBY attitude to development, irrespective of the impact on local councillors in their local areas, otherwise our capacity to act will really shrink to £23 million.
Also, had a good meeting with Colin Hunter at WEL last week - really pleased to see things moving along steadily and competently. He is a good man and an able officer. The Board should be delighted to have him.
Today, I'm off for the very last of those 44 presents - the credit card had burned and bombed. I'll be glad to stop spending...at least for a wee while.
I see the story of the £400 million black hole in the capital budget has hit the headlines...at somepoint the administration will have to dump its NIMBY attitude to development, irrespective of the impact on local councillors in their local areas, otherwise our capacity to act will really shrink to £23 million.
Also, had a good meeting with Colin Hunter at WEL last week - really pleased to see things moving along steadily and competently. He is a good man and an able officer. The Board should be delighted to have him.
Today, I'm off for the very last of those 44 presents - the credit card had burned and bombed. I'll be glad to stop spending...at least for a wee while.
Thursday, 13 December 2007
It's hard work
Pleased to hear Dave Anderson has secured the top development job in the city - he is a good man and is very practical. It will be interesting to see how he rises to the challenge.
PEP's pantomime went well - 93 paying customers and another 40 or so in the cast or helping - a very busy evening and my deputy manager, Helen, is entitled to feel very pleased with herself - a minor triumph. Only 1 more PEP event...the Christmas dinner and party ...oh blimey it slips off the tongue easily enough but man! It's hard work.
My birthday tomorrow and the fourth anniversary of my dad's death. Time has moved quickly but he remains, sharp in my mind. I miss him.
PEP's pantomime went well - 93 paying customers and another 40 or so in the cast or helping - a very busy evening and my deputy manager, Helen, is entitled to feel very pleased with herself - a minor triumph. Only 1 more PEP event...the Christmas dinner and party ...oh blimey it slips off the tongue easily enough but man! It's hard work.
My birthday tomorrow and the fourth anniversary of my dad's death. Time has moved quickly but he remains, sharp in my mind. I miss him.
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Meadowbank
Excitement at Trinity Community Council last night when we learned, tantalisingly, that no land will be sold to facilitate the upgrading of Meadowbank Stadium...but resources will be found 'elsewhere' which presumably means selling off other assets...now, I wonder what that could be?
Sunday, 9 December 2007
Aaiee: I am dead!
Can't believe my last post was Wednesday - just shows how time flies.
On Thursday we had a gathering of Labour Party members for a Christmas get-together and a house fire: microwave burst into flames, belching smoke - amusing for the guests and certainly a topic of conversation - me, I'm not so amused...been painting ever since but the house stinks of acrid smoke...as the Germans used to cry in the Victor when they had been mortally wounded, 'Aaiee, I am dead.' That's precisely how I feel...the living dead.
Only one crumb of comfort: at least Wendy Alexander, with her manoeuvre on the constitutional debate, has managed to leave the SNP isolated on a big political issue, rather than us - the anti-Labour alliance has been pretty robust since May...maybe, just maybe, she has insinuated Labour a little nearer to the heart of the agenda...but with all this 'donorgate' stuff still rolling on, it is difficult to see her getting out the mire.
On Thursday we had a gathering of Labour Party members for a Christmas get-together and a house fire: microwave burst into flames, belching smoke - amusing for the guests and certainly a topic of conversation - me, I'm not so amused...been painting ever since but the house stinks of acrid smoke...as the Germans used to cry in the Victor when they had been mortally wounded, 'Aaiee, I am dead.' That's precisely how I feel...the living dead.
Only one crumb of comfort: at least Wendy Alexander, with her manoeuvre on the constitutional debate, has managed to leave the SNP isolated on a big political issue, rather than us - the anti-Labour alliance has been pretty robust since May...maybe, just maybe, she has insinuated Labour a little nearer to the heart of the agenda...but with all this 'donorgate' stuff still rolling on, it is difficult to see her getting out the mire.
Wednesday, 5 December 2007
NEETs falling through nets
It's just gone 6pm and my feet have not touched the ground today...meeting after meeting and not finished yet. Once more to go, Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre have asked me to join them at their committee meeting to discuss their recent visit from Marilyne Maclaren, Convenor of Children & Families. Obviously they are concerned her visit portended doom...I will be interested to hear their account of her visit.
Today I was at another local meeting looking at employment for local people. Much of the discussion centred on the situation for young people whose lives (and their community) are blighted because they are without training or employment. Sometimes I think we make it too complicated...it seems a relatively easy thing to ask schools to release the names of anybody aged 14-16 who is not attending school and who is at risk...then you assign them mentors who have the responsibility to engage with the young person either individually or in small groups. Instead we have large numbers of kids (I have asked to have the numbers quantified for North Edinburgh) who drop out and though huge effort is expended by many agencies, it is too late.
This is as frustrating for me now as it was when I was Education Convenor. I heard all about 20:20 and this strategy and that strategy...the point is, the kids are still falling through the net and we seem powerless to really do anything about it.
Today I was at another local meeting looking at employment for local people. Much of the discussion centred on the situation for young people whose lives (and their community) are blighted because they are without training or employment. Sometimes I think we make it too complicated...it seems a relatively easy thing to ask schools to release the names of anybody aged 14-16 who is not attending school and who is at risk...then you assign them mentors who have the responsibility to engage with the young person either individually or in small groups. Instead we have large numbers of kids (I have asked to have the numbers quantified for North Edinburgh) who drop out and though huge effort is expended by many agencies, it is too late.
This is as frustrating for me now as it was when I was Education Convenor. I heard all about 20:20 and this strategy and that strategy...the point is, the kids are still falling through the net and we seem powerless to really do anything about it.
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
A leper colony, almost
Been a busy old week and set to get busier. I have looked at my diary and there is no free night or weekend till 22 December. I promise I will wilt long before then.
Sunday was the day before Mike's 57th birthday so it was a celebratory brunch for the family who almost overstayed their welcome.
Yesterday was PEP, constituency surgery then taking me old ma out to do her Christmas shopping...didn't get home till after 8pm so it was a long day.
Today, more PEP then a West Pilton/West Granton Community Council tonight. That was an interesting meeting: Allan Jackson managed to get a TIE, city development and planning official all into the same room at the same time in order that the community could quiz them about the access road. He deserves a medal for perseverance (I bet he was a BB when he was a lad).
The upshot is that TIE hasn't yet agreed to the amendment in their business plan that's needed to allow the access road to stay open permanently. Understandably, this caused a furore. Without the access road the West Pilton community is coralled through bad streetscape design within tight narrow boundary roads - effectively cut off from all main arterial routes and no direct way into the new waterfront. A leper colony, almost. And that's just plain wrong and needs to be designed out.
At my suggestion TIE has agreed to come back within the month with a cost tag to amending the current proposal and transport has agreed to come up with a 'community appraisal' that looks at what happens in terms of community and environmental impact if the access road isn't kept open. I haven't given up on the possibility of changing minds - when a cause is right then right thinking people can generally be persuaded to support it.
Sunday was the day before Mike's 57th birthday so it was a celebratory brunch for the family who almost overstayed their welcome.
Yesterday was PEP, constituency surgery then taking me old ma out to do her Christmas shopping...didn't get home till after 8pm so it was a long day.
Today, more PEP then a West Pilton/West Granton Community Council tonight. That was an interesting meeting: Allan Jackson managed to get a TIE, city development and planning official all into the same room at the same time in order that the community could quiz them about the access road. He deserves a medal for perseverance (I bet he was a BB when he was a lad).
The upshot is that TIE hasn't yet agreed to the amendment in their business plan that's needed to allow the access road to stay open permanently. Understandably, this caused a furore. Without the access road the West Pilton community is coralled through bad streetscape design within tight narrow boundary roads - effectively cut off from all main arterial routes and no direct way into the new waterfront. A leper colony, almost. And that's just plain wrong and needs to be designed out.
At my suggestion TIE has agreed to come back within the month with a cost tag to amending the current proposal and transport has agreed to come up with a 'community appraisal' that looks at what happens in terms of community and environmental impact if the access road isn't kept open. I haven't given up on the possibility of changing minds - when a cause is right then right thinking people can generally be persuaded to support it.
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