Boundary changes update

6/9/06

Margaret Smith, MSP for Edinburgh West, recently met with George Lyon, the Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, and discussed the changes to the electoral boundaries proposed by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. She made robust representations to him regarding the proposed breaking up of the community of Davidsons Mains and Silverknowes.

Margaret says:

“I have fully briefed the Minister on this and he has asked me to supply more information on the impact of refusing the Commission’s plans to split the greater D Mains area into three different wards. The impacts will be different depending on whether only D Mains and Silverknowes or D Mains/Silverknowes and Corbiehill are kept together so I will be supplying him with information  on both options. Making sure that this community continues to have unified representation is an important issue. I’m delighted that over 400 residents have made representations to the Executive and I hope the Ministers will take these representations on board.

“I still think this is a fight we can win and I will continue to do everything possible to try to make sure that the Boundary Commission’s ridiculous decision is reversed.”

Meanwhile Margaret has welcomed Edinburgh City Council’s decision to accept a Liberal Democrat motion on the boundary changes and to write to the Minister pushing for Davidsons Mains and Silverknowes to stay together.

Margaret says, “I’m very pleased that the other parties accepted the motion. It was disappointing that the Council weren’t able to take a united position earlier in the process, when this was suggested, but I’m delighted that they have now.“