BROUGHTON 2001 BY-ELECTION - Questions by Pilrig Residents Association

Replies by IAN MOWAT, Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party (9 October 2001)

Biography

Ian Mowat is your Scottish Conservative & Unionist candidate for the Broughton Ward By-Election on Thursday October 11^th.

Ian is a 35 year old court solicitor, who lives in nearby Dublin Street .A native of Edinburgh, he read History at Cambridge and taught English before embarking on a legal career. He has been involved in local politics since joining Edinburgh North & Leith Conservatives in 1996 and contested the Granton ward in 1999. He stood for Westminster against Robin Cook in the recent general election. Ian is married with one cat and lists his interests as history, railways and dining well in the company of friends.

Ian Mowat,s answers to Pilrig question

PILRIG PARK & PLAYGROUND

I would lobby the council to provide more litter bins and poopascoop facilities

I would urge a partnership between council and community, encouraging gardening talent from the community to improve attractiveness asking council to match funding which I would try & raise locally and particularly from developers

The best playground I have ever seen is at Garnethill, Glasgow. Although its quite a run down area a superb environment has been created with child friendly woodchip play area floor, high quality slide, climbing frame, and why not a commando type rope slide, as at Biggar which I have enjoyed as an adult I would try and import all these ideas.

SHRUB PLACE

It’s a difficult site but I am concerned present proposal is too high. I would urge more consultation with residents

PILRIG ST TRAFFIC

I THINK THERE IS A GRAVE DANGER WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT WILL LEAD TO TRAFFIC INCREASE. There are not enough bus routes, in fact this is a problem all over broughton ward. I would like to see more small single decker s going through residential areas rather than round them, and a big yes to through ticketing if you need to change. Carnets should be purchasable at local shops to avoid inconvenience of trying to find 80p. all this would increase bus use and cut down on congestion. A pedestrian crossing at Dryden place would help slow traffic, as would a well advertised speed camera

URBAN DESIGN

Bland design can never be justified! I would lead high profile campaigns v dismal development and invite architects such as Ben Tindall to come up with designs that would add value. I am very keen that developers should have to include shops & even cafes in their plans and provide seedcorn finance for them.

I think the most pressing issue for Pilrig is to achieve balanced urban development, with amenities to match the new homes so a real community is created. I think the key is to make it a condition of development that corner shops & cafes be included where potentially viable, that local concerns be invited to tender to run them , and that the developers pay seedcorn finance. Also there should be more gardens, suitable for childrens play rather than "token" strips of green.

PUBLIC SERVICES

I SUSCRIBE TO YOUR WELL-SET OUT Principles WITH ONE CAVEAT, new technology should only be used when it really will meet needs of citizens, not for its own sake, and low tech solutions often are good value.