Breaking news

The SNP held Edinburgh North & Leith last night with an emphatic victory and increased share of the vote. 

With 73% of the electorate taking part, the results were as follows: 

In the words of Joni Mitchell, ‘Don’t it always seem to go / that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone?’ 

Well, nobody’s yet talking about extending a car park over the premises, but a really useful and much loved Broughton resource could still disappear if numbers don’t pick up soon. 

Professor James Garden, Edinburgh World Heritage's new chair, marked the organisation’s 20th anniversary with a speech at the French Institute on George IV Bridge last night. 

He outlined a vision for the city, the scale and challenge of a programme to preserve and celebrate it, and made trenchant observations about current development in the Waverley Valley. 

On 6 December, Ediston again consulted the public about Orion Capital Managers’ ambitions for the 5.9-acre former RBS site between Dundas Street and King George V Park. 

Controversy has attended the Edinburgh North & Leith General Election hustings run by the Spurtle on 28 November. That event is reported HERE. 

Spurtle has kept a low profile on Twitter since, hoping the Twitter storm might blow over. It has not.

So, here is a statement to contextualise decisions made by the Editor before and after the event.

HUSTINGS

As you read this, copies of the December Spurtle are already to be found beautifying the barony like a newly washed flock of sheep by night all seated on the ground. 

This month’s issue (and next month’s, come to think of it) begins by bleating on about the indefensible and how it is being defended, continues with the unforeseen effects of stationary vehicles, baas about democracy, then concludes with the underground and a bad fleece day turned strangely good. 

 EDINBURGH NORTH & LEITH 

Over 130 people gathered last night in Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church at Spurtle’s General Election hustings for the Edinburgh North & Leith constituency. 

The event was chaired by Mr Harald Tobermann, a local resident selected by Spurtle for his independent mind, constituency knowledge as Vice Convener of Leith Central Community Council, and bracing firmness of purpose. 

At today’s meeting of the Policy and Sustainability (P&S) Committee, members discussed a Report written by the Chief Executive Andrew Kerr and recently summarised by the Spurtle here. 

The Report examines decision making around the controversial Christmas Market in East Princes Street Gardens, which has been erected and is now operating without planning permission. 

Following an emergency motion by Cllr Joanna Mowat, a report (pp. 282–288) has been published for consideration by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Policy & Sustainability Committee on 26 November. 

Prepared by CEC’s Chief Executive Andrew Kerr, it examines decision making around the East Princes Street Gardens Christmas Market. 

 COUNCIL LEADER DEMANDS ANSWERS AS A MATTER OF URGENCY 

Readers are doubtless aware of the furore over Underbelly’s lack of planning permission for this year’s Christmas Market.

Spurtle has now discovered that Underbelly also lacked planning permission for its previous Christmas Market in 2018–2019.