New Culture Cttee for Council

Jun 22 2017 | By More

Former provost appointed culture convenor

The City of Edinburgh Council has created a new Culture Committee in the restructuring of its committee system agreed at the first full meeting of the new administration today, Thursday 22 June 2017.

Previously known as the Culture and Sport Committee, the new executive committee will be known as Culture and Communities.

The official remit of the committee will be Communities and Localities; Culture, Arts and Museums; Festivals; Community Justice; and Sport.

Group leaders Councillor Adam McVey (SNP) and Cammy Day (Labour). Pic City of Edinburgh Council.

The convenor of the committee in the new SNP-Labour coalition will be Donald Wilson. The Labour councillor for the Sighthill and Gorgie ward was Lord Provost under the previous administration, so is strongly aware of the significance of culture and festivals for the city.

Vice-convenor will be Ian Campbell, the SNP councillor for Craigentinny and Duddingston who was newly elected to the council on May 4 and lives in Leith. In election materials he said that his top priority is the refurbishment of Meadowbank Stadium.

The new structure of the council’s executive committees reduces their number from eight to six, and changed many of the remits “to ensure a more balanced structure”, according to a report to the council on political management arrangements from council chief executive Andrew Kerr.

Kerr’s report adds: “These committees ensure that there is significant business at all committees to ensure a joined-up approach to Council services but that allows sufficient focus and time to the business of the committee”.

eight-week cycle

Under the proposals agreed by the council, committees will have 11 members – three SNP, three Conservative, two Labour, two Green and one Liberal Democrat. It is recommended that the committees will meet on an eight-week cycle resulting in five meetings a year, each.

Councillor Adam McVey, Council Leader, said: “I am delighted that we have now formed an administration and I look forward to getting to work improving services and providing better opportunities for the people of Edinburgh.

“Our new, improved committee structure will ensure a more joined-up approach to Council services, and by balancing business equally between six committees, it will allow officers and elected members ample time to consider reports, to the benefit of the city’s communities.”

Those already appointed to theCulture and Communities Committee
(The Greens have yet to make their appointments)

Convenor: Donald Wilson (Lab, Sighthill / Gorgie)
Vice Convenor: Ian Campbell (SNP, Craigentinny / Duddingston)
Committee Members:
Kate Campbell (SNP, Portobello / Craigmillar)
Amy McNeese-Mechan (SNP, Leith Walk)
Karen Doran (Labour, City Centre) (previous member of Culture and Sport Committee)
Ashley Graczyk (Con, Sighthill / Gorgie)
Max Mitchell (Con, Inverleith)
Mark Brown (Con, Drum Brae / Gyle)
A Green Councillor
A second Green Councillor
Hal Osler (Lib Dem, Inverleith).

ENDS

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Comments (1)

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  1. Thom Dibdin says:

    The Green councillors on the committee have now been confirmed:
    Claire Miller (Greens, City Centre)
    and
    Alex Staniforth (Greens, Craigentinny / Duddingston).