In the transport portfolio, Claire Miller has been working with local active travel proponents to help them with feedback on the temporary segregated cycle lanes on Lanark Road which are at risk of being scrapped. A concerted campaign against Spaces for People cycle lanes has been successful in some neighbourhoods, and so it is important for people who want to see temporary cycle lanes retained to engage with the council and provide positive feedback.
In the City Centre ward, Claire has been handling a large amount of resident feedback in the New Town about proposals to standardise household waste and recycling services, and has been working with council officers to make sure the changes include ways to reduce and reuse waste before considering recycling household waste.
At Finance Committee, Gavin Corbett led on support for a co-housing bid for the council-owned Comiston Farmhouse. Unfortunately, councillors from all other parties backed a commercial bid from the highest bidder.
At ward level Gavin Corbett organised a walk round of the potential green spaces in Hutchison for improvement, at the end of which Hutchison Community Greenspace Association was formed.
Mary Campbell used the last full council meeting before recess to push for community centre summer opening, and for a further report into how the council could work more effectively with the volunteers who run community centre management committees.
Over the recess, Mary Campbell worked in Portobello/Craigmillar on a variety of local issues – trying to get council action on an unsafe school street, supporting a potential growing space for children in Craigmillar, and feeding in to the council changes needed for the planned CPZ in Portobello.
At full Council Steve Burgess asked the Council Leader to about the vote at the Pensions Committee blocking a proposal for a report into divestment from companies contributing to climate change. Steve also represented the Green Group at a meeting with End Poverty Edinburgh where it was agreed to continue work together to tackle Poverty.
In Southside-Newington ward, Steve is working with local residents on the introduction of street trees in their area to create a more residential feel, discourage speeding and contribute to tree planting in the city.