Edinburgh and Midlothian Greens

This page gives details of special campaigns or initiatives set up or backed by the Greens.

School Closures

The Lib Dem-SNP Administration of City of Edinburgh Council has said that it wishes to close more schools.

On 9 June, the City Council said that it would begin consultation to close 4 primary schools, Fort, Royston, Drumbrae and Burdiehouse.  It has also declined to confirm that the closures would stop there. In advance, the Greens, who have three City Councillors, have published a background paper outlining arguments against closures.  See also our newsletter article from winter 2009-10

We believe that we are the only party in the City Chambers which can be trusted to defend schools.  Labour, which was in power until 2007, closed schools while in office and we do not believe that Edinburgh’s Tories are instinctively at home with state schools.

In summary, the briefing says:

 • We expect to hear about more school closures before the summer of 2009.  Greens oppose school closures on any widespread scale.
• We don’t think that schools are as “under-capacity” as is often claimed; yet this is the main argument used for closures.
• Closing schools will reduce the number of children walking or cycling to school and this is quite at odds with plans to tackle obesity and traffic congestion. 
• Schools are community assets, not just places of learning.  Closing them at a time when church halls and other places are also closing reduces community facilities.
• The state of the economy and the fact that the number of school-aged children is rising suggests that we will need more not fewer schools in the future.

As the City Council decides the fate of the 4 schools we have issued a summary paper for parents. 

To register your support for the Greens’ stance on school closures, or to give us your views, contact schoolclosures@edinburghgreens.org.uk   

Climate Challenge Fund

This section gives information to community groups about the Climate Challenge Fund which was a manifesto commitment in 2007 by Green MSPs and was secured for 2008-09 and beyond by Green MSPs in the budget discussions with the Scottish Goverment.  A presentation by fund manager David Gunn was given to a public meeting organised by Edinburgh Greens on 6 November 2008; while details of the fund are given here.  See here for details of some of the projects funded so far.

In November 2009 we held a follow up meeting to hear from some of the successes in Edinburgh so far.