Day 24

The day begins with the official opening of the new council offices. Its Princess Anne that's been invited to do the unveiling of the plaque. I have to swallow my republican views, shake her hand and welcome her to the building. Its part of the job and so needs to be done properly but its still a bit strange to be in that situation.The last Full Council is a strange affair. In amongst the end of term feeling is the Meadowbank controversy. I have proposed a motion that I think goes at least some way to meeting the aspirations of the protesters who come on a delegation, (and present themselves really well, I have to say, clear and focused). By working with the other parties and accepting parts of their amendments, I manage to create something that has all party support. ( are we all trying hard to practice for coalitions, I wonder?). It creates a working group with local representation and an independent convener at look at the whole issue and report back. I am unsure of the response of the protesters to there being no debate. I am pleased to get all party support but in some ways I would liked to have been able to make a couple of points. I am still getting e-mails suggesting that I am not wanting any sports facilities built at meadowbank which was never the case and some folk are suggesting that what I was bringing to the Council presupposed the demolition of Meadowbank which was simply not true. It may be their interpretation of my words but having written the motion I know what I meant, that having decided on the sporting requirements, the group should then look at how to best deliver them, and if that meant a refurbished Meadowbank then that would be fine. I know I can’t control how people interpret things but its a pain when it is so far from what I intended.