CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
CEC election 2017 (May 4th)
(1269 posts)-
Posted 7 years ago #
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@chdot re Craigentinny/Duddingston: indeed. Scottish parties still very bad at balancing first preferences between multiple candidates. Scottish voters still very bad at voting the whole way down the ballot eg 40%ish of the eliminated LibDem candidate's votes went unredistributed in C/D last time. Presume Labour are standing 2 (I haven't checked). Prediction: 2 SNP, 1 Labour, tossup between Tories & LibDems for last seat (the Tories will need a healthy lead on 1st prefs to survive the elimination of the unsuccessful Labourite.)
Posted 7 years ago # -
"Scottish voters still very bad at voting the whole way down the ballot"
Used to be the case (still?) that ballot paper listings where alphabetical by surname (or do I just mean for multiple candidates of each party?).
This resulted in cases where 'best' candidate/existing councillors didn't always get elected.
I'm sure most people don't understand (or care about) the intricacies of the voting system (or, perhaps, more importantly how the vote transfers actually work).
I presume most people understand that they can just vote for the party(ies) of their choice(s) as well as/instead of voting for people/parties in order of preference.
There must be plenty of people who don't vote for a second candidate in their normal party of choice because they don't like the person!
No voting system is perfect, but this one isn't bad - both for people with a single party allegiance and those with (for instances) views on Independence so that they only vote SNP/Green OR anyone but those two.
At this election (in Edinburgh) it seems unlikely that any party will have a majority, and (in my view) difficult to predict which two (or more) parties will be able/willing to form a coalition - so even more reason than usual to look at the views/promises of individual candidates in each voter's ward.
I doubt if any party will explicitly say 'we won't continue with 10% for cycling', but worth asking candidates if they support it (or any other issue that's important to you).
Posted 7 years ago # -
Headline: "Edinburgh households to pay £600 more in council tax rise"
True, I suppose, but only if your house is in Band H.
Those in the "average" Band D get an increase of £35 (3% increase, after how many years of a freeze?)
Posted 7 years ago # -
Council Tax has been frozen since 2007 I think.
So, even though inflation has been relatively low over that period, had CT increased in line with inflation instead of being frozen, the Band D households in Edinburgh would be paying £1531 in 2016, instead of the £1169 they actually paid. So to pay £1204 in 2017 is, relatively speaking, a bargain and does not reflect the costs of delivering council services presumably having risen over the past nine years.
Of course SNP ministers claimed that the CT freeze was "fully funded" but it's not at all clear whether this is the case. Getting rid of some ring-fencing of central government funding helped councils in the early days of the freeze, but in recent years we have seen the return of ring-fencing, and even effectively sequestration/withholding of funds e.g.. the new Attainment Fund for schools, which basically reallocates funding away from councils (and local democratic oversight) and gives it directly to head teachers to spend, based on centrally determined criteria.
Posted 7 years ago # -
From today's Transport Committee:
@edinreporter
Cllr @CllrNickCook thinks council can't afford to ringfence 10% for cycling although 'Conservatives have good r'ship with @SpokesLothian
Wee glimpse of the Conservative manifesto there.
The same Nick Cook who believes Edinburgh can afford to subsidise drivers through free parking.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"
Maurice Golden MSP (@mgoldenmsp)
20/01/2017, 8:08 am
@andywightman we have already committed to urban consolidation hubs, air quality monitors for schools, more cycle lanes with more to follow"
Posted 7 years ago # -
"
Maurice Golden MSP (@mgoldenmsp)
20/01/2017, 09:27
@CyclingEdin @andywightman @GrahamSMSP leading on Council manifesto. We are committed to more cycle routes to though."
Posted 7 years ago # -
I suppose for morningside they need a conservative type person
Posted 7 years ago # -
It should be one of the safest seats to hold for Labour given it's become their Edinburgh / Scottish power base and tactical anti-SNP voting appears to be relatively well co-ordinated in Edinburgh South(ern). I don't think it's a ward where the People's Front of Momentum hold much sway, but that's just twitter hearsay.
<insert joke about Red Morningside here>.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Am I missing something? The ward is Meadows and Morningside; why the focus on Morningside throughout the article?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Marchmont folk vote Green?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Looking forward to Miles Briggs MSP demanding that active travel is front and centre of the Conservatice local council manifesto:
"The Health & Sport Committee has been taking evidence in advance of the strategy and it is clear that it also must offer a joined up approach which works across education, local government and transport as well as the health portfolio."
Posted 7 years ago # -
Candidate for Meadows and Morningside has been named as Mandy Watt, not the Momementum-approved candidate.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Labour candidates announced.
http://www.edinburghlabour.com/2017_candidates
Anyone seen anything similar for the other parties?
Posted 7 years ago # -
"Anyone seen anything similar for the other parties?"
Greens did theirs ages ago.
Posted 7 years ago # -
PG not selected for Labour (probably not a surprise), but is standing as an independent.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"probably not a surprise"
Anything's possible these days...
Posted 7 years ago # -
Greens (not sure if they have decided on the remaining 6 candidates yet)
http://www.edinburghgreens.org.uk/site/councillors/candidates-2017/
Posted 7 years ago # -
"not sure if they have decided on the remaining 6 candidates yet"
Ah, just for the seats they have a chance(?)
Thought they'd done the lot.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Not yet.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Thought they'd done the lot.
They are currently looking for volunteers to stand in the wards where they know they are not likely to win anything.Posted 7 years ago # -
The question is about Westminster not CEC, but the 'voting intention' swap between Tory & Lab in only 2 years is likely to mean something!
"
What Scotland Thinks (@WhatScotsThink)
05/02/2017, 1:54 pm
Here's how Westminster vi in today's @Panelbase @Sun_Pol_Scot poll compares with the company's previous polls. http://bit.ly/2lbF5c7
"
Posted 7 years ago # -
Official messaging from Edinburgh Greens:
A green future for our great city
Green Councillors in Edinburgh have helped residents in Slateford fight demolition of housing, battled to secure public rights to green space at the Astley Ainslie hospital, and ensured people in Leith and other areas have a say over how budgets are decided. We have a proud record of getting things done that includes fighting against cuts to public services, championing local businesses, and making sure the city is a welcoming place for all.
With more Green councillors we can do so much more to give our great city the green future it needs. More Green councillors means action on priorities like:
- Helping people have warm, safe homes by reducing rents and bringing empty homes back into use
- Valuing the workers who care for our children and loved ones, with a “living wage plus” of at least £9.20 an hour
- Making our city healthier, safer and easier to get around with free public transport days.
With your help, we can together give our great city of Edinburgh a green future for everyone who lives, works and visits us. Vote Green [1] on 4 May.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Edinburgh Green Councillors proposals for amendments to CEC budget 2017-21.
http://www.edinburghgreens.org.uk/site/wp-content/files/Green-Budget-motion-2017-FINAL.pdf
Posted 7 years ago # -
"
Senior SNP councillor Stefan Tymkewycz has announced he is to stand down at the local elections in May after ten years representing Craigentinny-Duddingston ward.
He said he now lived outside the Capital and believed councillors seeking to represent communities should be based in the area. But he said he would not be giving up politics altogether.
"
Posted 7 years ago #
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