Dawe begins push to find economy boss

Earlier this year, council leader Jenny Dawe revealed she is hoping to appoint an official as head of economic development.

The new Liberal Democrat/SNP coalition has already created a committee whose main role will be ensuring it has good relationships with businesses and other agencies that allow the Capital to prosper.

The committee is chaired by SNP councillor Tom Buchanan.

A meeting of the recruitment committee will be held on Wednesday at the City Chambers, when the list of candidates for the new job will be whittled down. It is around two years since the post was last filled.

In a recent speech, Councillor Dawe said: "This post had been left unfilled for far too long and had sent out the wrong message.

"The gap seriously compromised the city's ability to promote sustained economic growth.

"It limited the development of a strategic forward vision. We are now actively addressing this and before too long we should have in place a postholder."

Councillors have already approved the appointment of Edinburgh's new head of city development.

Dave Anderson, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian's senior director of operations, is to start his new post in the spring.