Green councillor calls for children in closed Edinburgh schools to be given free access to swimming pools and historic sites
School pupils displaced by the Edinburgh PPP schools crisis could be given free access to Edinburgh Leisure Centres and pools, exhibitions at the Museums and historical sites run by Historic Environment Scotland. That is the call from Green Councillor Melanie Main who leads on education issues for the Greens in the capital. Cllr Main says…
Edinburgh PPP school fiasco: Greens say private finance failures need exposed
Green councillors and candidates are demanding that a root and branch review is carried out after a private consortium admitted that it cannot guarantee the safety of 17 schools it built and manages in the capital. On Friday the City Council took emergency measures to close 17 schools on Monday 11 April after the private…
Green Candidate Blasts School Repair Fiasco
A Green candidate for the Scottish elections has hit out angrily at breaking news that 17 Edinburgh schools and a community centre are to stay closed on Monday rather than re-opening after the school holidays. Only yesterday (7 April), the City Council had said that all schools would re-open on Monday 11 April. However, it…
Carers: Greens Pledge Living Wage Plus
Responding to publication of Scottish Care’s Agenda for Care manifesto, which calls for extra funds for staff wages, Alison Johnstone, Health and Social Care spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP candidate for Lothian, said: “Carers are undeniably underpaid. Having served Edinburgh and Lothian as a councillor and an MSP I know from speaking to…
Greens Confirm Lothian Candidates For Holyrood Election
The Scottish Greens tonight (1 April) confirmed the lists of MSP candidates being fielded in Lothian for the Scottish Parliament election on 5 May. In addition to standing on the regional lists, the party is contesting three first-past-the-post constituencies, including Edinburgh Central, where Alison Johnstone, Green MSP since 2011, is standing. The Scottish Greens are…
Greens: fair funding for public services
Scottish Greens today (29 March) published proposals for fairer funding for public services, by replacing the discredited Council Tax with a progressive property tax, and using new devolved powers to cut income tax for lower earners while ensuring higher earners pay a fairer share. The Greens’ proposals follow recommendations from poverty advisors, Scottish Government tax…
Lothian MSP urges community support for parents and children
Alison Johnstone, Lothian MSP and health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has last week visited the 6VT Youth Cafe to learn about the importance of community support for Edinburgh’s young people. Alison joined in the ‘Terrace Tots’ coffee session, where young parents and their children can get together, socialise and seek advice and support. Some…
Pothole problems: Greens pledge to redirect roads budget
Alison Johnstone, Health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Lothian, will tonight (21 March) tell an audience of cycling campaigners that with more Green MSPs Scotland can improve public health and the economy by redirecting the roads budget to tackle the nation’s pothole backlog. Alison, who is due to take part in the…
School Closures: Greens Demand Answers
Following the emergency closure of Oxgangs Primary School in Edinburgh on Tuesday the city council has now closed a further 3 schools: Firrhill High School, St. Peter’s Primary and Braidburn Special School amid concerns about wall construction safety. Cllr Melanie Main, education spokesperson for Edinburgh Greens, said: “Safety must be the top priority, of course,…
Audit Scotland report: Wightman urges real council reform
Andy Wightman, Scottish Green Party local government spokesperson and MSP candidate for Lothians, has responded to an Audit Scotland report, highlighting that the key to tackling councils’ budget crisis is to reform local democracy. The report, “An overview of local government in Scotland 2016”, says that councils should not tackle the challenges they are facing…
Land reform: Green candidate Wightman on tax dodgers and derelict sites
Scottish Greens are stepping up their campaign for bolder action on tax dodgers, derelict land and farming tenancies as the Land Reform Bill heads for a final vote in parliament tomorrow (16 March). Today, Andy Wightman, land reform spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP candidate for Lothian, has published a blog revealing that companies…
Green MSP meets street footballers: match and work ready
Alison Johnstone, Lothian MSP and Scottish Green Party Spokesperson on Health, Wellbeing and Sport, joined two groups of young people from Street League Edinburgh as they had a “friendly” match at Spartans Community Football Ground. The young people have been taking part in Street League’s employability and personal development programmes over the last few months. …
Greens: Johnstone Hails Young People Guarantee
Alison Johnstone, Health and Sport spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Lothian, closed the first day of the party’s Spring Conference in Edinburgh with a rallying call for activists to “leave our effort out there” in what promises to be a very competitive election for regional votes. The Scottish Greens have been polling…
Green councillor hails “Grant a Grand” scheme success in South West Edinburgh
A new “participatory budgeting” scheme in south west Edinburgh has been hailed as a big hit after more than 600 young people voted in “Grant a Grand” for £1,000 each. At the finale on Friday 26 February, attended by the city’s Lord Provost and Government minister Marco Biagi, the 10 winning projects were announced out…
Edinburgh audit: Green candidate says local powers vital
Responding to a report published today (25 Feb) by the Accounts Commission, which says the City of Edinburgh Council has made progress towards balancing its books after facing a £67 million gap, Andy Wightman, Communities spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP candidate for Lothian, said: “The Accounts Commission may well be praising Edinburgh for…