Ben Parker

"We crafted an amendment to the administration budget which would have stopped the slum lords, provided more accessible housing and better supported asylum seekers and refugees. It looks unlikely that any of these will be accepted today. Perhaps for Labour that doesn’t matter, I don’t expect them to be here next term either, but for the rest of us and for the city they have chosen to set us up for failure" Cllr Alex Staniforth, Finance Spokesperson

"I think we need to remember the folks drinking lead water, choosing between heating and eating, juggling childcare and work, kids who are developing asthma and life limiting conditions because of the ignorant obsession with cars over active and safe travel. Think of the people on the housing waiting lists, students with additional support needs. I started being happy to second our budget proposal but now end despondent at the state of this administration and chamber." Cllr Kayleigh Kinross-O'Neill, Co-convener

Budget Day in Edinburgh and it seems - as in past years - Labour will be teaming up with the Tories to get their budget passed😒

It's depressing when other parties put their own interests above those of the city, but Green Cllrs will continue to fight for public money to be spent for public good ✊

An image of the Salisbury Crags in Edinburgh with a white text box on top of it saying "A budget for climate, equality, and housing justice. A public diner trial, investing in active travel, reducing rents, free bus travel for asylum seekers, landlord regulation and more. Cllr Alys Mumford explains the Green Councillor budget proposals for climate and social justice." At the bottom is a green band with a white Scottish Greens logo and the word Edinburgh

On Thursday, Edinburgh City Council will be setting its budget - find out what the Green Councillors have proposed in their budget for climate, equality and housing justice: edinburgh.greens.scot/blog/a-budge...

What did I get up to at the end of 2025 and in January 2026? It’s not always easy to find time to shout about all the work we are involved in as Councillors, and sometimes the job can be quite opaque to members of the public.

My latest blog to capture some of my work at the end of last year and January is now published 📝

Lots of speaking engagements and work on public debt, sustainable drainage and Ramadan provisions in temporary accommodation, plus more! 💬💷🌳🏠

cllrbenparker.substack.com/p/what-did-i...

🚨 It's official!

Swift nesting bricks have passed the Scottish Parliament and will now become law.

Swifts are in serious decline across the UK. This will help reverse that trend and make our communities more liveable for birds.

@markruskell.bsky.social and @writerhannah.bsky.social explain 👇

TotalEnergies and the future of fossil fuel sponsors in the Tour de France | The Observer

PS prepare yourself for the possibility of similar frustrating misapplications of the policy by some Cllrs / parties when the Tour de France comes to the city in 2027: observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

There is a report coming to TEC soon which is about new governance models around TfE and I’m hoping we can get agreement on the advertising / sponsorship policy’s inclusion there (though I don’t know if this will be competent / appropriate (yet))

In short, a mess!

raised concerns. @rachaelrevesz.bsky.social did a good write up here: theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2025/09/are-...

Greens asked officers to write to ALEOs to see if they would voluntarily comply with the policy — some said they would, but the trams and buses said no (very frustrating!) …

This is a bit complicated! Trams are an ALEO and the Council advertising win doesn’t extend to ALEOs automatically. Greens (and the SNP) won a position which would have guaranteed the advertising policy applies automatically but this was later watered down by Labour / LD / CON after (some) ALEOs ..

I suspect not, as the preparation of papers for meetings happens months in advance but I will ask about if a short update can be provided setting out next steps

Blue sky and sunshine above a modal filter on the Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route

Several people have contacted me about the Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route given the news this morning of a hearing scheduled around alleged conflicts of interest in the decision making process by some Cllrs ❌

I've written a short update on my blog here: cllrbenparker.substack.com/p/update-4-g...

What a great AGM for Edinburgh Tenants Federation 👏

We heard an excellent speech from @cllrbenparker.bsky.social about the work of ETF & @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social this year. We also honoured our Convenor Betty Stone with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her long-standing commitment to tenants 💐

A view of of a four-way residential junction with two vehicles crossing towards each other as two pedestrians pushing buggies wait at a corner to cross.

View of a four way residential junction with people crossing on foot and a vehicle approaching a stop sign.

View of a four-way residential junction with young people waiting to cross on foot as a taxi approaches a stop sign.

Merchiston Avenue junction improvements - share your views by 10 Jan.

Do you walk, cycle, drive or wheel through Merchiston Ave at Merchiston Pl/ Rochester Terr? We want to propose changes to @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social

Survey at: merchistoncc.org.uk/merchiston-a...

Poster on tree which reads “Banzai Bikes: Free e-cargo bike library”

A group of people with cargo bikes gathering around the new lock up facility by Bruntsfield Links toilets

Drawings by school children which fill the side of the new lock up shed

A great launch for the new @banzaiedinburgh.bsky.social cargo bike library this afternoon — I’ve been pleased to do my small bit to help get this up and running, but a big thanks to the many others involved 🚲📦

If you want to try a cargo bike, get in touch and you can hire one for free 🌟

Breaking. Safe homes for Swifts. MSPs have voted to back a Green amendment to install low cost swift nesting bricks in all new buildings above a certain size.

Swifts are in serious decline, with their UK population falling by 66% since 1995.

Moments ago MSPs backed our amendment to install low cost swift nesting bricks in new buildings.

This small act will make our communities more liveable for birds and help swifts recover.

Edinburgh independent councillor Ross McKenzie joins Greens Edinburgh independent councillor Ross McKenzie has joined the Greens nearly three years after he quit the Labour party.

Locally and nationally, @scottishgreens.org are representing working-class interests and providing a real left-wing alternative - the very things I had hoped to do as a Labour councillor.

I will continue to spend every day trying my very best to serve the people of Sighthill/Gorgie.

Hope to see lots of folk there (and delighted to be ticking off “ribbon cutting” ✂️ from the Councillor bucket list)

A poster on a pale orange background. At the top it says "Have your say on local heating!" There is a graphic of houses of different shapes and sizes, and three people standing on grass. Two are holding hands and one is waving. The poster has a QR code and a link at the bottom: https://bit.ly/Heat-Survey

Two women stand on either side of a small table. They are holding clip boards and pale orange flyers. They are in front of a wooden wall, with a poster with a logo that says 'Porty Community Energy'.

We want Edinburgh to have community heat networks that keep bills low and cut carbon.

To make this happen, we need your input. 👉 Fill in the short survey: tinyurl.com/survey-heat

What is your current experience of heating your home? What needs to change?

You could win £50 in a prize draw!

What did I get up to in October 2025? 5 updates from October 2025

Read the post here 📝
open.substack.com/pub/cllrbenp...

Screenshot of blog post. There is picture of Ben smiling against a backdrop of a hedge. The text above the image reads: Cllr Ben Parker's Blog. What did I get up to in October 2025? 5 Updates from October 2025.

My latest blog post for October 🗓️ is now live, covering:

Council culture 🎭
Supporting migrants and refugees 💚
Environmental concerns with data centres and AI 🌍
Retrofitting homes and issues with Scottish Government funding 💷🏠

and more (!)

People gathering in a busy room for a workshop. There are posters around the room with post it notes added to them. A text overlay reads: What did I get up to in September 2025? 5 updates from September 2025.

My latest blog post is now live covering action and updates on: rogue landlords 🏚️, purpose built student accommodation 🧑‍🎓, artificial intelligence 🤖, BDS 🕊 (and more!)

Subscribe and read my blog here: open.substack.com/pub/cllrbenp... 🗒️

The National. Edinburgh becomes first city in Scotland to boycott Israel. Councillors voted in favour of a Green motion which moves the capital closer to implementing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

This month the Scottish Parliament backed Green calls for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel and companies complicit in the genocide and occupation.

Now it's time to put those words into action at all levels of government.

Find out more about the Astley Ainslie Community Trust here: www.aact.scot

A busy room of people talking / wandering around. There is a map on the floor and posters on the wall with post it notes where people are sharing their ideas.

Lots of folk at the Eric Liddell Centre contributing their ideas for the Astley Ainslie as part of the local place plan development 🗺️📍

What’s on my list? More space for nature, co-operative / co-housing development, accessibility at the forefront and (of course!) protecting the trees 🌳

I’m pleased to be proposing this motion today 🇵🇸

The Scottish Government took a big step forward in supporting BDS calls from Green MSPs, but now they must do the same for Councils ⚖️

New powers need to be granted to local authorities or else the government position is just warm words ❌ 💬 🤷

“In what appears to be pandering to the demands of a small group of CEOs, political parties – and not just Labour – are showing their true colours.” 🟥🟧🟦

Thank you to @rachaelrevesz.bsky.social for this excellent overview of a complex topic ⤵️ 📰

Ben smiling next to a black noticeboard for the Braid Hills. The words "Welcome to the Braid Hills" are visible at the top of the noticeboard in white text. A text overlay on the image reads: What did I get up to in August 2025? 6 updates from August 2025.

A little bit later than usual, but August's blog post is now up 📝

Read on to hear about what I've been doing for tree protection in the Fringe 🌳, local traffic improvements in Marchmont 🚧 🚶‍♀️, tourist tax spending on accessibility ♿ and lots more (!)

open.substack.com/pub/cllrbenp...

Please do submit your views on this excellent project! And for what it’s worth, I support the option advocated by the Community Council ✅

I will ask about this — thanks for flagging!

Absolutely delighted that, at the 3rd time of asking, we have successfully banned arms companies from commercial activity (including testing) in Council parks and greenspace 🌳🚫

Thank you to everyone who wrote into the consultation earlier this year to make your views known .. we did it! 💬📝

This issue is back at committee tomorrow where the new park management rules are being decided 🌳

After the Council's own consultation saw lots of write-in objections to the use of parks by arms companies, we are once again calling for a ban 🚫

Fingers crossed for a better result tomorrow ✅