New Tory and Labour councillors elected in Edinburgh

Edinburgh: The recent by-election brought some new faces to the council. Voters had to head to the polls again after a few councillors stepped down. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the local political scene.

Ballots were supposed to be counted on Friday, but a storm changed those plans. They had to count them overnight instead. The turnout was lower this time, which isn’t surprising given the recent drama.

Scott Arthur, a former Labour councillor, left his seat after becoming an MP. The Liberal Democrats had a big win in November, but their joy was short-lived. Their candidate, Louise Spence, quickly put her home up for sale and planned to move to Dubai, leading to her resignation just days after being elected.

Then, Marco Biagi from the SNP also left to take a new job, which meant two seats were up for grabs. The Lib Dems saw their support drop significantly after the scandal, which was a tough blow for them.

Councillor Kevin Lang from the Lib Dems acknowledged the challenges they faced in this campaign. He expressed frustration over the previous candidate’s actions and thanked their new candidate, Peter Nicholson, for stepping up during a tough time.

The newly elected councillors have a busy day ahead. They’ll be discussing a visitor levy proposal that’s expected to get the green light. Neil Cuthbert, who finally got elected after several attempts, is excited to get started.

He’s focused on transport issues and keeping the beautiful greenspaces in the area safe. Conor Savage, another new councillor, is eager to rebuild trust in local politics and make a real difference for residents.

Paul Lawrence, the returning officer, thanked everyone involved in the election and welcomed the new councillors. He also praised the elections team for their hard work, especially with the last-minute changes due to the storm.