Portobello and Craigmillar is another council ward which is very economically diverse. Under the last administration a new school was built and opened. Our photograph shows it when it was still under construction.
Now it occupies part of Portobello Park and the old school is being demolished. In Craigmillar there is a brand new library and new housing being built too.
This is the 2017 map of the Portobello/Craigmillar ward.
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Open in new tab The current councillors for the Portobello/Craigmillar Ward are :
Maureen Child – Scottish Labour Party
Mike Bridgman – Scottish National Party (SNP)
David Walker – Scottish Labour Party
This is now a four member ward as part of the modernisation of councils which means there will be 63 councillors in future rather than 58.
4,750 people in this ward were assessed as in employment in 2016.
2017 Candidates are :
BRIDGMAN, Mike (Scottish National Party (SNP))
CAMPBELL, Kate (Scottish National Party (SNP))
CAMPBELL, Mary (Scottish Green Party)
CHILD, Maureen (Scottish Labour Party)
LAIDLAW, Callum (Scottish Conservative and Unionist)
LESLIE, Callum (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
WALKER, David (Scottish Labour Party)
Mike Bridgman SNP
Mike was raised in Bingham and educated at Portobello High School. He has been a Councillor since May 2007 and was formerly an Insurance Broker.
Since being elected he has sat on many Committees and was the Convener of Lothian & Borders Fire & Rescue Service and Chaired the SNP Group for 7 yrs. He currently is Convener of the Regulatory Committee.
His wife Clare is standing as a council candidate too – in a separate ward!
Kate Campbell SNP
Kate is a first-time candidate, standing for Portobello/Craigmillar. Now working for Tommy Sheppard MP, she spent her twenties in insecure employment.
Her priority is social justice. That means tackling poverty by supporting an economy that creates decent jobs, building quality affordable homes and putting power in the hands of ordinary people.
Mary Campbell Green Party
Scottish Green Party candidate is Mary Campbell. Mary grew up in Portobello and returned to live there after her son was born.
She has worked across Edinburgh in its schools and libraries, particularly enjoying her time working in Craigmillar. She is active in various community groups, including the Save Bellfield Campaign, Village Fair Committee, Portobello Timebank and her local residents association. Currently working part time while looking after her two small children, Mary enjoys gardening, reading, and archery sessions at Magdalene Community Centre.
Maureen Child Labour
“I think the Local Development Plan that Edinburgh produced needs to be reviewed and revised. I think people both accept that Edinburgh is a growing city, and that is a good thing for the city and for the economy, but I think that the density of some of the proposed developments particularly in this ward is causing some concerns, both from an infrastructure point of view and also just the environment.”
Questioned about the possibility of revising the plan when it took so long to put together in the first place, Laidlaw replied: “It is something which could be unpopular with some councillors, but I think we need to look at it. Edinburgh has changed since the plan was first put together, and I would like to see 250 years on from the New Town being built a really visionary plan for Edinburgh.”
Asked about the ways in which the waste collection system might be revolutionised since he described it as a failing system in the capital he explained: “We do need to look at it carefully. It is failing. What that looks like I think needs to reflect the change in the ways people live. There are single families, people living on their own. They have different waste requirements to larger families. A lot of people have talked to me about garden waste which is a bigger issue in the city centre. So I think that addressing different people’s needs in different parts of the city is what we need to do and not a one size fits all approach.
There are a couple of local issues that I am quite passionate about. Here we are on the beach at Portobello and one of the issues that I have heard about from local people are dogs out of control; professional dog walkers, people with potentially dangerous dogs. Although the council impose dog control notices, I ‘d like to see that changed.
Also public toilets. Here is a beach which has had a surge in popularity, but we need to have those facilities so that people can enjoy a day out and not worry about where they go to the loo!”
Callum Leslie Liberal Democrats
Callum has been a candidate in several elections since the age of 17. Born and brought up in Kirkcaldy politics runs in the family as his mother was, or perhaps still is, a councillor. He is a freelance broadcaster.
David Walker Labour
David Walker has 20 years’ experience of voluntary work, community regeneration and the functions of local government. He was one of the founder members of Craigmillar Credit Union and helped develop it into the Thistle Foundation, with over 1,000 members and over £250,000 in assets. First elected in 2012 he declares on the council website that he is paid by Dalkeith Citizens Advice Bureau.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
