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Councillor report

Green councillors’ report for June 2020

Green councillors remained working from home over the course of June.

Diaries continue to be busy with online meetings and constituent case work. That includes the first ever full council meeting online right at the end of the month. Among the highlights over the last month are:

  • Successfully proposing a motion to ensure that the council reflected Black Lives Matter messages through work in schools.
  • Raising concerns about the very limited form of “blended learning” initially put forward for schools in August and leading from the front in striking the right balance between public safety and offering greater engagement for school pupils.
  • Welcoming a landmark report on the central Green policy of Universal Basic Income in which Edinburgh was one of four partner councils, following a Green proposal
  • Successfully proposing that Edinburgh re-instate parking charges to head off increasing congestion
  • Publishing a report on a Green Recovery for Edinburgh.
  • Highlighting concerns about mass gathering, litter and toilet hygiene in parks and greenspaces
  • Highlighting safety concerns at the ageing Torness nuclear power station
  • Pressing to ensure that homelessness gains are sustained post-pandemic
  • Supporting various community centre management committees to gain access to their buildings, in the context of extreme reluctance on the part of the council.
  • Leading on making sure that there is delivery on additional funding for people to walk, wheel and cycle more safely

Finally, nationally, at the councillor group AGM, Mary Campbell handed over the reins to Claire Miller as the Green representative at COSLA, where the Greens participate in the leaders meetings on issues affecting all local councils across Scotland.