Council by-election - 'A change in leadership is a possibility'

A council by-election won't send many hearts racing, even those beating under the thickest political anoraks. But the one coming up in Edinburgh could be very important indeed.

The political balance has been on a knife-edge at City Chambers since 2007, with the Lib Dem/SNP administration exactly matched by opposition councillors and reliant on the casting vote of the Lord Provost to pass controversial policies.

The only by-election since the election, following the death of Elizabeth Maginnis, saw no change as Cammy Day held Forth ward for Labour. Even if he hadn't, a Lib Dem or SNP win would have just confirmed the administration's dominance.

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But the departure of City Centre SNP councillor David Beckett to Harvard opens up more interesting possibilities. Including, in theory, a change in the council leadership.

The case for this should not be overstated, as there is every chance that even if Labour, the Tories or the Greens took the seat it might suit all sides for the Lib Dems and SNP to potter along as a minority administration for the remaining few months before next May's full election.

Even a row on trams might not be decisive, given the SNP's opposition to the project and the support for the scheme on the other benches.

But every hurdle would become harder for the administration to overcome - the closure of primary schools in 2009, for example, was passed on George Grubb's casting vote, and any vote of confidence, such as on The Gathering fiasco, might end in devastating defeat.

Speculation or not, it is possible that Harvard's gain might be one for political anoraks too.

Signs of trouble

In a country where you are never far from a road, rail or trams crisis, it is tempting to see the idea of an Intelligent Transport System as an oxymoron.

But that is exactly what we are being promised on the roads leading up to the new Forth crossing, at a cost of many millions of pounds.

Efforts to use new technology to improve traffic flows and reduce accident rates around the world have had mixed results, although drivers have welcomed some of the better ones for creating less congestion.

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But doubts have to be raised about the number of signs being proposed between Newbridge and Halbeath, Fife - an average of one every 300 metres over a 13-mile stretch.

Just how many times do we need to be told genuinely useful information - like changes in the variable speed limit or to watch out for roadworks ahead - before it becomes a costly distraction?