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Evening News (Edinburgh)

May 16, 2007, Wednesday

Ex-church minister is city's new Provost

Brian Ferguson City Council Reporter

FORMER church minister George Grubb is to be Edinburgh's next Lord Provost.

The 71-year-old fought off a challenge from fellow Lib Dem councillor Marilyne MacLaren to win the support of colleagues.

He was voted through unopposed at a group meeting in the City Chambers last night after Councillor MacLaren agreed to withdraw.

Her consolation prize is the post of Edinburgh's education leader after the key posts in the new council administration were thrashed out last night.

Councillor Grubb's appointment is expected to be approved tomorrow after the Tories agreed to support the creation of a Lib Dem-SNP administration.

They are expected to abstain from a vote on the position of Lord Provost.

Council leader-elect Jenny Dawe and her SNP coalition partner Steve Cardownie, who will be the deputy council leader, agreed in advance to share out the jobs.

Other senior positions agreed by the Lib Dem and SNP groups will see former Nationalist councillor Rob Munn become Deputy Lord Provost.

Phil Wheeler has been handed the transport brief, Paul Edie will be health and social care leader, Gordon Mackenzie is in charge of finance, and Robert Aldridge is the city's new environment leader.

The new head of planning will be Jim Lowrie, the only member of the Lib Dem group with previous experience of the committee.

Leith councillor Marjorie Thomas will head the city's licensing board, while taxi and HMO licensing will be the responsibility of the SNP's Colin Keir, who is currently employed as a bus driver. Former soap actress Deidre Brock will be in charge of culture and leisure, while fellow SNP councillor Tom Buchanan will be economic development leader.

Although all 58 councillors will come face to face for the first time since the election tomorrow, only Cllr Grubb's position will be formally confirmed.

The others are expected to be approved in the next fortnight. Cllr Grubb will follow in the footsteps of Labour's Lesley Hinds, Lord Provost for the last four years.

Cllr Grubb, who is married to wife Liz and has two children and six grandchildren, said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to win the group's nomination to be Lord Provost.

"I'm particularly pleased as it's going to be the first ever Liberal Democrat Lord Provost in Edinburgh's history in the first administration the party has formed in the city.

"You have aspirations when you are elected as a councillor to hold high office one day and they don't come any higher than the Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

"Eric Milligan and Lesley Hinds both brought very special gifts to the role in recent years and I will do the same myself. There will be a particular challenge in chairing the meetings in the City Chambers, but it's one I'm looking forward to."

Councillor Dawe said: "One of the reasons why I put George's name forward for Lord Provost is I know he will command the respect of all the political parties in the council chamber."

Cllr Dawe added that she had tried to match councillors to positions based on experience of portfolios in opposition.

"It's been quite tricky as we only had nine of our previous councillors returned and only two of the SNP's 12 councillors have any previous experience of the council at all," she said.

"However, we have got a lot of talent in place."

Councillor Cardownie said: "I'm delighted for George. He is a very statesmanlike figure and is a pretty affable bloke. I don't think you'd find anyone that has a bad word to say about him."

THE LEADERS

Children and Families

Lib Dem Marilyne MacLaren, who was born in Yorkshire, is a former teacher, who was elected to the Meadows/Morningside ward in the new council.

A previous member of the police board, she has stood for election to the Scottish Parliament and Westminster.

Planning

Jim Lowrie, elected to the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart ward on the council, previously represented Davidson's Mains.

He is a retired physics teacher who has served on the planning and licensing committees. In recent years he was Lib Dem education spokesman.

Culture and Leisure

SNP councillor Deidre Brock was born in Australia, where she carved out an acting career.

She moved to Edinburgh 11 years ago and was parliamentary assistant to MSP Rob Gibson. She represents Leith Walk.

Transport

A former banker, Phil Wheeler is one of two Lib Dems the party had returned in the new Corstorphine ward.

In the past few years he has been group spokesman on transport.

Economic Development

SNP's Tom Buchanan represents the Liberton/Gilmerton ward. He was previously vice-convener of Liberton Community Council and as a board member of Gracemount Youth and Community Centre.

Lord Provost

Lib Dem George Grubb, who retired as minister of Craigsbank Parish Church, Corstorphine, in 2001 after 30 years, was born in Edinburgh. He trained as a Methodist minister in Leeds, before switching to the Church of Scotland. He served as a chaplain in the RAF for eight years
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