Leader: Community centres

THE battle to save Colinton Mains Community Centre may offer some invaluable lessons in the months ahead.

The council's plan to save 120,000 by axing it and five other centres is, after all, likely to be just a taste of cuts to come as central and local governments balance budgets.

Such cuts are never going to be pleasant or popular, and those in Colinton Mains who fought to keep their community centre open can congratulate themselves on a hard-won victory.

Their petition showed just how many local people were opposed to the closure and that will undoubtedly have swayed the opinion of councillors. Lobbying has also helped save Gorgie War Memorial Hall and, after a fashion, Longstone.

But as protesters draw up their plans against future cuts in their local services they should consider most carefully the key part of the Colinton Mains campaign which changed the council's mind.

The centre's management committee – a group of well-meaning volunteers – themselves found a way to save 5,000 a year by directly employing a cleaner.

It's not a lot of money, and it's not exactly rocket science – but it is the kind of creative thinking we'll need more of in difficult times.

Ups and downs

THERE'S mixed news for the future of Edinburgh to be found in the pages of the News today.

First there's the good news, in the form of a sneak preview of the upcoming Edinburgh Sparkles campaigns, which have so far worked well in selling the Capital to the world and pulling in tourists.

In these difficult economic times it would be easy to pull the plug on marketing – and a close eye does have to be kept on every penny spent to ensure it doesn't just go on spin.

But like private companies which need to get their message to customers to ensure their long-term survival, our city must continue to battle hard to look more attractive than rival destinations.

The bad news for the promotion of the city is the resignation of Gordon Dewar as chief executive of Edinburgh Airport. A son of the city, he took an obvious pride in living and working here.

We wish him well and hope his plans continue not just for more airport business, but also for the "Team Edinburgh" he intended would help lead the city forward.