Author Archives: davidsberry

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About davidsberry

Local ex-councillor, tour guide and database designer. Keen on wildlife, history, boats and music. Retired in 2017.

71: Parliamo Politico III

Posted on February 23, 2011 by davidsberry

Let’s Talk Pencil-Pusher: Lesson III—Disabling Envelopment (Third of a series, translating bureaucrat-speak into what it means for folk in East Lothian) “Enabling Development” is a phrase used by planners in councils to allow things to be built they would not … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Community, Politics | Tagged | 4 Comments

72: Round in Circles

Posted on February 22, 2011 by davidsberry

Starting in 2007, Haddington had a one-way system imposed on the town centre for months while the jewellers was reconstructed. That was barely done last year when the huge John Gray Centre conversion of the historic Sinclair-McGill building and Procurator … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Transport | Tagged | 1 Comment

73: Archaeology of the Mouth

Posted on February 21, 2011 by davidsberry

I was flattered to be asked by Paul, a budding local director, to do a brief Q&A on the whale’s jawbone atop our Law. He had decided that his assignment from Telford’s Digital Media course to document a statue lacked passion and … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Education, Environment | Tagged | Leave a comment

74: Gender Agenda

Posted on February 19, 2011 by davidsberry

One of the strengths of the Scottish Parliament from the outset has always been that it displayed something like gender balance—from matronly competence in Annabel Goldie to ‘lips-made-to-kiss-megaphones’ stridency in Carolyn Leckie. That was already under some threat with five of … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Leave a comment

75: Feel the Beat

Posted on February 19, 2011 by davidsberry

I regard it as a great privilege to chair East Lothian’s License Board, especially as the staff have now steered several hundred premises through the vagaries of implementing the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and its huge differences from the previous … Continue reading →

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Posted on February 19, 2011 by davidsberry | Leave a comment

76: Where There’s Muck, There’s Brass

Posted on February 18, 2011 by davidsberry

Despite still being Europe’s muckiest power station (5m tonnes of carbon p.a.) things have gone quiet around ScottishPower’s proposal to coin more millions for their Iberdrola masters by adapting the coal-fired station at Cockenzie into a CCGT (Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine) … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Community | Tagged | 1 Comment

77: Belters’ Pelters

Posted on February 17, 2011 by davidsberry

There is nothing wrong with exercising a good pair of lungs on behalf of other people; it’s at the heart of democracy and community. Any councillor worth their salt gets it tight on a regular basis, using the ear-drubbing to … Continue reading →

Posted in Commerce, Community, Politics | Tagged | 2 Comments

The latest employment figures continue to show Scotland moving in the right direction through SNP commitment to creating jobs, investing in infrastructure and supporting training. The Government level was complemented by ELC’s budget, restricting internal job losses to empty posts, … Continue reading →

Posted on February 17, 2011 by davidsberry | Leave a comment

78: Hootsmon, It’s Times

Posted on February 16, 2011 by davidsberry

I’ve made no secret of my belief that independence offers the best future for everyone in Scotland, irrespective of their origins. I’m happy to take my lumps in debate on this—and debate there needs to be. But when once-great giants … Continue reading →

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