Green councillors elect a new co-leader
Councillor Kayleigh Kinross-O'Neill, who represents Forth ward, will take over from Councillor Susan Rae, who stepped down after a year in the post.
Cllr Kinross-O'Neill said: 'I'm very excited to have been elected as Green co-convenor of our Edinburgh Councillor group.
'As a strong progressive party in opposition it is more important than ever that we see diverse voices represented in leadership. I'm hoping to speak for people in the city whose voices are silenced or ignored by decision makers in the Council.
'We know that disabled people, trans people, migrants and refugees, those on lower incomes or in poverty, need more than shallow promises, delay and denial from our current administration in Edinburgh.
'Greens will always stand up for those who need it most and continue to scrutinise, develop policy or facilitate grassroots action that tackles the horrific impacts of the climate crisis.'
Cllr Kinross-O'Neill has been elected for a two-year term, while Councillor Chas Booth will stay on as the Green group's other leader for one more year, after also being returned in the election.
The Edinburgh Green group elects two co-conveners, unlike the city's other political groups which each have one.
Cllrs Booth and Kinross-O'Neill will each earn £30,686 per year, with other group leaders earning £40,027.
Cllr Booth said: 'I'm delighted that Edinburgh Green Councillors have selected me to continue as Co-Convener of the group.
'As the chaos of the extreme minority Labour administration continues it is vital that we have a strong Green voice in opposition.
'I would like to pay tribute to Susan Rae who has been my fellow Co-Convener over the past year and who it has been a joy to work with.
'Susan's tenacity, passion and keen political instincts have been invaluable to the Edinburgh Green Councillors and helped us secure many wins for people across the city.
'I'm looking forward to continuing that legacy with Cllr Kinross-O'Neill and my Green Councillor colleagues.'
Green councillor Alex Staniforth stood against Cllr Booth, who was first elected as a Green group co-leader last year.
Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter
Like this:
Like
Related
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
20 minutes ago
- BBC News
Bassetlaw District Council backs call to limit small HMO conversions
A council has backed a call to tighten planning rules for smaller houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in an area of District Council held a meeting on Thursday after local party leaders raised concerns that more were appearing in the the current planning framework, changing a home to a small HMO is classed as "permitted development", meaning planning permission from the council is not McFarland, Reform UK group leader at the council, has proposed a motion calling for the introduction of Article 4 Direction, which would restrict permitted development rights at the council. Data held by the authority suggests there were 169 HMOs of all sizes in the district - making up about 0.3% of homes in claimed residents "are fed up with inaction" on HMOs, adding that many people attended the council meeting demanding proper regulation."Reform UK brought this motion forward because communities have had enough," he added. Motion was passed The motion also asked for a three-month deadline for council officers to report back to the cabinet and full council with detailed recommendations and a draft Article 4 Direction for formal consideration and of the meeting, McFarland told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "It would give full public consultation and control back to local people where HMOs are located, the amount in an area and more of a say in the future."The council's ruling group, Labour, proposed an amendment to the motion, which essentially concluded the same request to introduce an Article 4 motion read: "It has not been appropriate to delay the work that is already ongoing to manage the development of HMOs for an extraordinary council to be convened."The amendment also removed the three-month deadline in the original motion and stated the council had already been working on managing new HMO development."The use of planning powers, including an Article 4 Directive are already on the Forward Plan and Article 4s have been to pre-scrutiny," it amended motion was passed by the council, beginning the process of an Article 4 Direction being introduced to remove permitted development rights for people wishing to make small HMOs "in areas of Bassetlaw where evidence shows significant growth or concentration of HMOs".It would mean that before an HMO is made, where an Article 4 Direction is in place, a planning application would need to be submitted to the council for a decision to be passed motion will also see the mapping out of current HMOs and assessing their local a statement, Bassetlaw's Labour MP Jo White said she was "very concerned" about the growth of HMOs in the district."The Article 4 Direction will restrict permitted development rights and give residents the opportunity to have their say on the location of new HMOs through the usual planning processes."
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Community council by-election in Portskewett and Pontypool
Conservative candidate Lisa Dymock triumphed in the by-election to Portskewett Community Council which is the third consecutive week the Tories have defeated Reform candidates in elections to the volunteer councils in Monmouthshire. Cllr Dymock, who already represents the Portskewett ward on Monmouthshire County Council, was congratulated on her victory in the village's Leechpool ward by the party's leader in the Senedd, Darren Millar and the UK party's deputy chairman Matt Vickers MP. The Welsh Tory chief posted on social media platform X 'Another cracking by-election result for the @Conservatives here in Wales!' while shadow cabinet member Mr Vickers posted congratulations and: 'Smashing result from the @WelshConserv team!' They shared a post from the party's account that showed the Conservative's had taken 83.9 per cent of the vote compared to just 16.1 per cent for Reform in the contest that featured only two candidates. In total there were 52 votes cast for Cllr Dymock who was listed as a 'Local Conservative' on the ballot paper, while Reform's Thomas Kenneth Crawley received 10 votes. The total electorate is only 181 and the 62 votes cast amounted to a 34 per cent turnout. The result was announced less than 10 minutes after the polls closed. Despite Reform's failure to win any of the Monmouthshire community council seats it contested in July the party still has a chance of making a breakthrough at the Goytre ward by-election to Goetre Community Council on Thursday, August 7 which will also feature a Conservative and two unaffiliated candidates. The Leechpool ward was previously held by the Conservatives, the only political party represented on the 10 member council. In neighbouring Torfaen Reform took a seat previously held by Labour, on Pontypool Community Council. Though community councils aren't run on party lines Reform will see candidate Sarah Lang's victory in the Trevethin ward as significant. It forms part of the Trevethin and Penygarn ward the party won from Labour in a by-election to Torfaen Borough Council in February, the first time a Reform candidate had won an election standing for the party in Wales. Reform's Ms Lang received 263 votes to defeat Labour candidate Chris Peploe, who had 131 votes, in the community council by-election. Reform now has two members on Pontypool Community Council, after Stephen Senior who was elected as a Conservative in February, defected to the party. Labour remains the largest party on the council with 16 members while the Conservatives have three councillors. Reform UK newly elected community councillor for Trevethin Sarah Lang with supporters including borough councillor Stuart Keyte (left). At next year's Senedd elections Monmouthshire and Torfaen will be combined to form one constituency, electing six Senedd Members, using a proportional voting system and though the recent by-elections are only a small sample the results may suggest Reform's core support is in Torfaen rather than Monmouthshire. The candidates standing in the Goytre ward by-election to Goetre Community Council are Andrew Michael Butler (Local Conservatives); Neil James Parry; Martin John Stevens (Reform UK) and Maureen Catherine Willcox. Anyone aged 16 or over is entitled to vote in council elections and there is no need to show voter ID or bring a polling card to the polling stations which will be open from 7am to 10pm. Results Portskewett Community Council, Leechpool Ward Thomas Kenneth Crawley (Reform UK) 10 Lisa Claire Dymock (Local Conservatives) 52 Elected Spoilt papers: 0 Turnout: 34 per cent Pontypool Community Council, Trevethin Ward Sarah Lang (Reform UK) 263 Elected Chris Peploe (Welsh Labour) 131 Spoilt papers: 0 Turnout: 15.5 per cent
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Chancellor: Public will reject Corbyn's new party like they rejected him before
The Chancellor launched an attack on the former Labour leader personally as well as his new party, saying 'the bloke's got a big ego'. Ms Reeves told an audience at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that Mr Corbyn had 'tried to destroy my party' during his leadership in which he lost two general elections, one in 2017 and one in 2019. She was asked about the left-wing party during an appearance on the Iain Dale All Talk show on Saturday. Mr Corbyn launched the new political party with former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, which still does not appear to have a name but is marketed as 'Your Party'. Mr Corbyn vowed it would 'take on the rich and powerful'. Asked about whether the new party could eat into Labour's support by becoming a 'Reform of the left', the Chancellor said: 'Jeremy Corbyn has had two chances to be prime minister and I think the country gave their verdict, most recently in 2019 when Labour had its worst result since 1935. 'If he wants to give it another go, be my guest. I think the voters will have the same reaction.' Asked by Mr Dale if Labour was being complacent about the new political group, she said: 'It's not being complacent. He tried to destroy my party and he can now go set up his own party. 'The country has rejected him twice. The bloke's got a big ego. He can have another go but I think the country will have the same verdict.' It's time for a new direction in politics. #YourParty — YourParty_UK (@ItsYourPartyUK) July 27, 2025 The Chancellor's comments saw some of the biggest cheers of her chat with Mr Dale, which lasted around one and a half hours. Mr Corbyn has said that more than 500,000 people had signed up to the movement in less than a week. The figure was dismissed by Ms Reeves who told the crowd in Edinburgh that her sister Ellie Reeves, a serving Labour MP, had received an email stating she had signed up to the party. Speaking at the same event, the Chancellor said Reform UK was now Labour's main rival, describing the Tories as 'irrelevant'. But she warned that Nigel Farage offered 'simple solutions' that amounted to a 'mirage'. Mr Corbyn has been approached for comment.
