March 2012
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Council elections May 3

[updated 29 April]  The Council elections on May 3 are vital to future cycling policy in Edinburgh and other councils around Scotland.   We’ll keep you updated how to help make Edinburgh even more cycle-friendly …

1. Official info
2. Social media
3. Topics
4. Hustings
5. Party manifestos and websites
6. Candidates [including Spokes members]
7. Other info

OFFICIAL INFO

Local Councils – all have election web pages, though some seem aimed more at party officials than at the ordinary voter.  Ideally they should list all candidates, wards, and how to check you are registered to vote – the deadline is Weds 18 April.   The Edinburgh site seems one of the best.

Edinburgh Council election website
East Lothian Council election website
Midlothian Council election website
West Lothian Council election website

The voting system used (STV) – how it works.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter hashtags…
#votecouncil12   All Scottish council elections
#voteedin12   Edinburgh council election

TOPICS TO RAISE WITH CANDIDATES

In January we issued a Spokes Manifesto to all parties currently represented on Edinburgh Council, in the hope that some of the points would be included in party manifestos.

Since then, Edinburgh Council has passed the 2012/13 budget with its ground-breaking decision on cycling investment, so please ask all your candidates if they and their party will maintain that new council policy throughout the period of the next council.  If you live in another council check out the same web link for our ideas on how you could suggest similar funding policies to your own candidates.

HUSTINGS

Go along and ask questions that concern you about cycling and transport issues.

Apr 18 Wed Federation of Small Businesses + Evening News hustings 6-8pm, the Penthouse, Point Hotel, 34 Bread St.  Mainly for questions relevant to small business.  May need to book in advance.
Apr 19 Thu City Centre ward hustings  7-9pm, City Chambers, High St, chaired by Lesley Riddoch.  See web link or phone  558 3545.
Apr 19 Thu Leith Walk (ward 12) hustings  7–9.15pm,  Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church, Bellevue Crescent.
Apr 25 Wed City Centre (ward 11) hustings Time and place as for Leith Walk ward above.
Apr 25 Wed Portobello/Craigmillar (ward 17) hustings.  7-9pm Portobello Town Hall, organised by PB Community Council [no web link yet found for further details of the meeting, but it sounds like it is definitely on].

The Edinburgh Evening News is seeking questions to put to local party leaders, to publish in the newspaper…    Email your question to:  edelect@edinburghnews.com.

PARTY MANIFESTOS & WEBSITES

We list party election websites and manifestos as soon as we know of them.  Please inform us if anything below needs updated – manifestos are published at different times, and some parties may not issue local manifestos at all.

Edinburgh City Council – party websites & manifestos
Conservative  website [national website, with candidates list]  manifesto [pdf 2.1MB] [Can’t find an Edinburgh Conservative website]
Green  website  [with candidates list] manifesto [pdf 220K]
Labour  website [see link on left for candidates]  manifesto [pdf 566k]
LibDem  website [with link to candidates] manifesto [411k]  We were also in advance sent the full transport wording – [doc 32K]
SNP website [with link to candidates]  manifesto [pdf 2.9MB]

East Lothian manifestos:  Conservative [pdf 1.8MB]
Mid Lothian manifestos:
West Lothian manifestos:

ELECTION CANDIDATES

For lists of all candidates for all councils in Edinburgh and Lothian, see Official Info above.  For lists of candidates by party [not all councils] see party websites above.

Very useful:  Information on all Edinburgh candidates has been put online by The Edinburgh Reporter.  This should make it easy for you to contact all or most candidates in your ward – remember to say you are a local voter in their ward.

Spokes does not advise who to vote for, but below we list candidates who…

  • [code S] are Spokes members [excluding any who joined very recently]
  • [code C] have been very pro-active in understanding and pushing cycling initiatives although they are not Spokes members

EDINBURGH CITY
Ward 2 – Pentland Hills[S] Sheila Low, Conservative
Ward 5 – Inverleith[S] Tim McKay, LibDem
Ward 9 – Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart –  [C] Andrew Burns, Labour
Ward 10 – Meadows/Morningside – [S] Melanie Main, Green
Ward 13 – Leith –  [S] Chas Booth, Green;   [S] Gordon Munro, Labour
Ward 15 – Southside/Newington – [C] Steve Burgess, Green;  [C] Gordon Mackenzie, LibDem;  [S] Cameron Rose, Conservative
Ward 16 – Liberton/Gilmerton –  [S] Joan Carter, Green
Ward 17 – Portobello/Craigmillar – [S] Maureen Child, Labour

MIDLOTHIAN
Bonnyrigg ward[S] Ian Baxter, Green
Penicuik ward[S] Gary Bell, Green

OTHER INFORMATION

Please tell us about other local-area hustings in Edinburgh or Lothians, any candidates we have missed who are Spokes members, or other information which could usefully be added to this page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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