September 2025 news from Councillor Kevin McKay

In the Chamber

At the full council meeting on 28th of August I made my first speech to second an amendment to the ‘Motion for the Ocean’. I spent most of my working life cleaning up effluent for discharge into the environment, so it is a subject close to my heart. A similar motion has been passed around the UK but this was the first for Scotland. In essence the formal declaration commits local authorities to promote and prioritise ocean recovery during the United Nations’ Decade of the Ocean. 
Other successfully passed motions included one proposed by my fellow Lib Dem Councillor Neil Ross who asked the Council to enhance their communications around road and pavement repairs and improvements.

He explained why;

“The single most popular subject residents contact me about is roads and pavements, covering repairs and resurfacing and roadworks too. Residents want to know what’s happening, and when and where as well.”

Lib Dem councillors have consistently supported a doubling of the annual roads budget over the past three years and the result of that extra spending has been a significant reduction in the Roads Condition Index.

Word from the Ward

Harrison Road Update

No further updates from the engineers. I take that as good news as they continue to draw up plans to have Harrison Road re-opened early next year. 

Lockharton Parking Update

Stage 1 of the statutory Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process for the Lockharton PPA was completed on the 15 August with no comments received. It is hoped that Stage 2 - public advertisement will be completed by the end of this year. Any likely objections will be received at stage 2 and these will need to be presented to elected members of TRO Sub-Committee for approval before the PPA would be able to proceed to the ‘Made Order’ stage.  It would be at this point an implementation timeline would be developed.  
NOTE: The Lockharton PPA (TRO/24/30) is scheduled as part of Phase 5 of the Council’s Parking Review. Reports for objections in TRO for Phase 3 & 4 are being prepared now for consideration by the committee early next year. So it is unlikely anything will happen before early summer 2026 with implementation much later. 

Polwarth Roundabout Redesign 

Merchiston District Community Council has been working with the City Council on proposed designs for the Polwarth Roundabout. The existing roundabout would be completely removed and replaced with a T-junction that prioritises the existing east-west bus route, substantially widens footways, significantly enhances pedestrian crossing points, and aims for better management of speeding traffic. A public consultation ends on 21 September. 

Find out more here https://merchistoncc.org.uk/projects/the-polwarth-pavement-project/ 

Firrhill woods Greenbank

At a Meeting of residents (both West and East) – it was agreed to set up a ‘Friends’ group and separately a steering committee with the view to take over the woods outlined in my previous e-news. For more details contact Paul Pai, Chair of the Greenbank residents association. 

The Union Canal

Scottish Canals has been felling some potentially dangerous trees along the canal near Allan park area and towards Harrison road. I contacted Scottish Canals on behalf of concerned residents. According to Scottish Canals Although no new trees are to be replanted adjacent to the felled ones, trees will be planted in the network but set back from the canal. Scottish Canals have indicated they are willing to come and discuss the plan to remove hazardous trees. More details to follow. 

Coming Up

I have now been appointed to the Policy & Sustainability Committee. I am quite pleased about this because it will allow me to push for policies to create a great place to live and improve our environment. 

At the end of the month there is a Full council meeting. 

And Another Thing…

I would like to think of myself as a responsible pet owner; cleaning up after Millie, our elderly pet Labrador, when she does her business and the odd spare poo which another owner has accidentally missed. 

However In Spain. responsible dog owners not only clear up after their pooch -they are now obliged to carry a squirty bottle of water for neutralising their pet’s pee. You can read some more HERE

Given that 2025 has ‘almost certainly’ been the hottest summer on record and our street cleaning rain notably absent…I am wondering how long it will be before this is adopted in Edinburgh?