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Report on the year 2004-05 by Pippa Leary Rather than look back, the Committee feels it is important to look ahead this year, and outline two proposals that will have a major impact on the Inverleith area. Only sketchy details are available at present, but it is important to start thinking about the proposals, which can then be discussed further at the AGM. New Voting System for next Council Elections The Executive in the Scottish Parliament has decided to introduce proportional representation for Local Councils and has chosen the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system. Much bigger areas of about 24,000 electors will elect four councillors to represent the whole area. The Inverleith area is proposed to be in one large ward bounded to the north by Ferry Road, stretching from Warriston in the east to Blackhall in the west. At the time of writing, the proposed ward configurations are apparently out for public consultation by the Boundary Commission, although the Society has not been consulted. We are indebted to Councillor Jackson for this information, though any errors or omissions are ours. Community Council Representation It would seem we are left with three choices: to become our own Community Council; to join Stockbridge Community Council; or to join Trinity Community Council. The issue of Community Council status has been raised at previous AGMs, but has never been greatly explored and never with urgency. The Society's Committee members individually prefer to constrain their roles to that of amenity society members. Given the low level of interest in undertaking the role of Community Councillor the first option - establishing an Inverleith Community Council - does not seem viable. Given the new ward boundaries, the least-worst option, the Committee feels, would be for the entire area to ask to join Stockbridge Community Council. However, this is a major development and the Committee feels it should be discussed at the AGM.
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