New chief needs to bring back some civic pride - Iain Whyte
Last week Edinburgh City Council’s “new” chief executive, Paul Lawrence, set out his views in a long Evening News interview.
He gave the usual dire warnings about council finances, which are likely to be ignored by the four leftist parties in the local authority. I won’t hold my breath when any plans to make efficiencies or close buildings meet lobby group outcries. But change is necessary.
I also can’t be as direct as Evening News columnist John McLellan who suggested Mr Lawrence’s interview should be up for a comedy award. Unlike him I’m bound by the councillors’ code of conduct which says I “have a responsibility to project a positive image of the council”.
What I can say is that Mr Lawrence has a real challenge to live up to in improving basic services when many were already under his watch as director of place. He talks positively of doing things better and more efficiently with more input from frontline staff. All things I agree are possible and should help.
However, I’m not sure the public think we have it right on roads and pavement maintenance, park upkeep, bins and litter or the “Day of the Triffids” returning this year in the shape of street weeds. And despite us Conservatives successfully pushing for more money for street cleansing budgets we are yet to see the benefits.
Perhaps most interestingly Paul Lawrence said that: “It’s often the case people go abroad to America, to Europe and compare what they see – the cleanliness in the streets, whatever it might be – and go ‘how come it’s so much better there?’”.
He is right but I also see that far closer to home. Just cross the boundary to East or Midlothian and public spaces are much better kept. It isn’t all about new taxes or powers but priorities. What we need is Civic Pride.
Time will tell, but if being clear of any shackles his old boss imposed allows Paul Lawrence to step up and return that to the Edinburgh, I’ll applaud him. But even he will understand why I’ll join public scepticism until I see results.
Iain Whyte is Conservative councillor for Inverleith