Good news for Gorgie Dalry!
Last week the Council Executive passed a report putting Gorgie Rd. and Dalry Rd. at the top of the list for CCTV. Local people have been voicing their desire for this in recent months including a petition from local businesses. I have been putting the case to the Council for these streets and am therefore delighted to have been so successful that we have ended up at the very top. Between this and the new 'Pub Watch', which was started up a couple of weeks ago by the Council, the Police and local pubs, I am sure this is a welcome and significant step forward for security and quality of life in the area. I have lived most of my adult life in this area and have always been struck by the strong sense of community. The local shops are part of this and this should be a welcome boost for them as it will help to prevent vandalism and malicious damage to shop fronts.

I am delighted to have been selected as one of Labour's candidates to stand in the new multi member ward of 'Sighthill/Gorgie' in the May 2007 local government elections. The ward for which I am presently the Councillor is Shandon but this will cease to exist at the elections in May this year. Shandon will be cut in half with Gorgie (which is part of Shandon at the moment) going into 'Sighthill/Gorgie' and the bit which is actually called Shandon on the map going into Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart (click here for boundary maps). I have been a Councillor for eight years and take great pride in a large number of achievements in my ward such as the renovation of Harrison Park and Council agreement to the brand new secondary school to replace Tynecastle. I bring a proven track record to the new ward but I am very interested in what citizens in this new area (click link above to see boundary map) think about local issues or just in general. For my own part I believe in open green spaces, affordable housing, good, well equipped local schools which offer real opportunities for children and young people and a good local economy (local shops etc.).