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I WORK PART-TIME for Circularity First – a
UK company specialising in helping companies
address the carbon footprint of their IT estates
and build sustainability.
Prior to coming back to the UK on January
1st 2019, I worked in Asia for 26 years, living
and working in Macau, The Philippines,
Indonesia and Hong Kong. This was a
wonderful experience and gave me many
insights into how other societies address and
manage the challenges that they face. I hope to
be able to bring a different perspective into
looking at the many challenges we face in
North Edinburgh.
How do you usually spend your Sundays?
Before getting elected in May, Sunday mornings
would kick off with a two-hour tennis session
with the teams at David Lloyd in Newhaven,
followed by relaxing with my wife Rosanna.
Since the election, Sundays increasingly mean
working on constituents’ issues or other
ward matters.
Tell us about your taste in music,
poetry, film or books
I don’t really have a favourite musical genre,
I guess anything that draws on blues and
rock roots. One of my favourite authors is
Thomas Kenneally, an Australian whose
collected works cover a wide range of
subjects, all with deep sensitivity and insight.
My absolute favourite movie is The Seven
Samurai by Akira Kurosawa.
Tell us about the ward you represent
Forth Ward has such an important history and
role in the development of Edinburgh.
From the Great Michael, the largest ship in the
known world at its launch as the flagship of
King James IV in 1511 and remembered with
the Great Michael Rise street name in
Newhaven) and then considering Newhaven
itself which is a longstanding fishing
community along the waterfront which was so
important in industrial Edinburgh. Then there
is Granton where the Maldevic Car Factory still
stands – the first car factory in the UK and the
builder of the first ever electric car in 1898.
There is a magnificent plan to invest
around £1.3 billion in the Granton Waterfront
Development.
But alongside that investment, it is
imperative that investment also flows into
West Pilton, Granton, Royston, Wardieburn
to ensure that these longstanding communities
also benefit.
Which council committees are you a
member of and what would you like to
achieve in that sphere?
I am on the Housing, Homelessness and Fair
Work Committee. The challenges are significant
in Edinburgh.
The main issues I see are to do with mixed
tenure, in that so many former council flats
were sold off and are now in the hands of
private landlords, that it is very difficult to
manage the old council blocks and ensure a
good quality of home and environment for
residents in these areas.
The increase in people living in poverty and
increased mental health issues after so many
years of austerity have resulted in broken
communities.
I am keen to see how we can build up our
communities again, engender local resident
activism and encourage local communities to
agitate for change. I see myself as an advocate to
support local communities.
I am engaged in encouraging participation
in our Community Councils and where
I can, supporting local residents to formresidents associations.
In my opinion, too many residents in our left
behind communities feel disenfranchised and
with no control over their living environment.
I want to help people challenge that.What is your primary reason for
getting into politics?
Coming back to Edinburgh to live after so many
years overseas, seeing the rampant
homelessness, the widespread use of foodbanks
and the lack of security in zero hours contracts
in what purports to be the fifth largest economy
in the world is to me an absolute outrage and a
fundamental failure of the political system.
I also believe that England is politically as
well as culturally on a very different track from
Scotland – hence my joining the SNP.
Initially my thought was to work at Branch
level towards Independence but when the
opportunity arose to get involved as a
Councillor to impact positively on peoples lives
now, I jumped at it.What is your worst fault... or if you have
none then your best quality!
Obviously I am not going to tell you my worst
fault! However, I would offer that I have dogged
determination. I take being told that something
cannot be done merely as a challenge to be
proved wrong.
After my years in Asia, the main thing that
I miss is the fantastic food that I was privileged
to experience.
So to relax, one of my hobbies is to try to
replicate as authentically as possible many of
my favourite dishes from India, Indonesia,
Thailand CPU and of many of the regional
Chinese cuisines. In fact, one of my favourite
little restaurants in Edinburgh it the Macau
Kitchen (in St Leonard’s St) which offers
tantalising taste memories of four wonderful
years in Macau.
[email protected]AFTER LEAVING school Cllr Hyslop
worked in sales and fundraising all over
Scotland for national charities and
eventually opening his own direct
marketing firm. He left it behind to
go travelling in 2015 and studied for
an OU degree in Politics, Economics
and Philosophy.
He said: “On returning to Scotland I
worked at Forthview Primary School and
Ferryhill Primary School as a Pupil Support
Assistant before starting work as a Support
Worker at Dean and Cauvin Young People’s
Trust supporting care-experienced young
people in Edinburgh.
“I opened a café in November 2021 with
my partner. Running a small business in
the community complements my work as a
local Councillor. I’ve always loved working
with people, and having a customer facing
role allows me to build relationships with
individuals and groups in the community.
Not least the Corstorphine Trust with
whom we share a building and work
closely with. For example, this winter in
the midst of the cost of living crisis, we
are collaborating to open a warm space
for the community.”
He explained why living in West
Edinburgh suits him. He said: “I live in Drum
Brae/Gyle Ward with my partner and our
two-year-old son. It’s very much my home. I
love being at the western and northern
gateway to Edinburgh. Quick access north
or west to our national parks is a big bonus
for me as I like climbing, hiking and
camping. On top of that you’re also close to
the City Centre (it’s just a 30 minute cycle to
the City Chambers) and we have some of
the best, most picturesque bus routes
anywhere in the city.
Cllr Hyslop is on the Planning Committee
and Finance & Resources Committee. He
said: “I’m passionate about protecting
green space and tackling the housing crisis
in Edinburgh. Planning policy is the best
place to meet these issues head on.
“Finance and Resources gives you a
broader picture of what’s going on in
different committees across the Council. It’s
also where decisions are made that can
help alleviate some of the financial
struggles that residents are going to face
with rising inflation and a looming cost of
living crisis. We need to make sure we as a
Council are using all possible avenues to
alleviate these pressures on residents of
Edinburgh where we can.”
Asked why he got into politics in the first
place the answer was very simple: “Scottish
Independence”.
[email protected]PROFILE: Cllr Euan Hyslop
(Scottish National Party)
PROFILE: Cllr Stuart Dobbin (Scottish National Party)
Live Edinburgh News