Leith and Leith Walk Greens

Report to Edinburgh Branch June 2022 AGM

By Mariusz Cebulski (outgoing co-convenor)

Meetings

The Leith and Leith Walk sub-branch have continued to meet monthly online, but
for this AGM the group successfully tried to run a hybrid meeting i.e. with
members being able to join online or in person.

The 2022 sub-branch AGM was held online and face to face at the Leith Community
Centre on 09/06/2022, it was attended by eleven members. At the AGM it was
confirmed that following members will take up roles in the sub-branch:

∙ Mariusz Cebulski will continue as convenor and take up role of co-liaison to
the Edinburgh branch.

∙ Ian McCormick will continue as membership secretary (Ian was elected after
last AGM).

∙ Dirk Nols will take the role of ordinary member.

∙ Damian Sefton will take the role of ordinary member.

∙ James Paton will take the role of secretary and co-liaison to the Edinburgh
branch.

Finances and Membership

Finance

The sub-branch main expenditure was booking of Leith Walk Police Box for setting
up a campaign stall for Local Elections (£50) which was reimbursed as part of
the campaign budget. Next biggest spend was the booking of Leith Community
Centre for the first hybrid meeting (£15).

Membership Update

August 2020 – 278

September 2020 - 305

January 2021 – 299

April 2021 – 311

May 2021 – 346

June 2022 – 390

Elections

Local Elections

Members from across the sub-branch supported our two councillors – Susan Rae and
Chas Booth as well as neighbouring Forth ward candidate Kayleigh O’Neil in the
Local Elections to City Council.

The campaign was very active with weekly canvassing sessions, setting up stalls
and material delivery (newsletters, letters to first time voters, campaign cards
and eve of poll cards) and window poster campaign. The sub-branch has sent
volunteers to Forth ward to support our candidate there.

Within the wards the sub-branch also coordinated A-Boards on election day.

The results were very good, with Chas and Susan gaining a bigger percentage of
the vote than in the last elections, and the party gained it’s first councillor
in Forth.

Other activities

Monthly green discussions – the branch has setup a monthly online meeting to
discuss various topics, chosen by branch members.

Councillor Update

Councillors discussed the current atmosphere in the City Council after the
formation of Labour minority administration supported by Liberal Democrats and
Conservatives.

While disappointing with the result of the vote to form an administration,
councillors are not giving up and will continue to serve the city and pass green
legislation where possible.

Our experienced councillors are also training and showing the ropes to the newer
members of the party in the City Chambers.

Plans for the upcoming year

● Continue to meet monthly with more hybrid meetings and in different spots.

● Increase membership and member engagement.

● Organise more events, both social gatherings and local campaigns. For any
further details please contact leith.leithwalk@scottishgreens.org.uk