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 ✅

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 ✅

I remain very concerned about this and will be raising this further - watch this space! 🌳

The Tour de France is coming to Edinburgh in 2027, but sponsors include fossil fuel giants the city should not be advertising. 🚫 ⛽✈️🛢️ 🚫 @cllrbenparker.bsky.social was asked if council rules mean that logos of climate-destroying brands should be removed from the picture when the Tour passes through.

As your Councillor, I hold a monthly drop-in surgery at Morningside Library from 4-5pm on the 2nd Thursday of each month 💬📅📚 There is no need to book — just call in! The library is wheelchair accessible and I'm happy to accommodate any access needs you might have, just let me know how 👨‍🦯🧏

Had a lovely morning doorknocking with Cllr Ben Parker in Marchmont yesterday. Lots of great conversations; gathered some council casework to take forward; and got a few folk registered to vote 💚 @cllrbenparker.bsky.social @edinburghgreens.bsky.social

What did I get up to in June 2025? 🌳🙋‍♂️ Read my latest blog post now and subscribe for future updates: cllrbenparker.substack.com 🖥️📝

Polls are open in Fountainbridge-Craiglockhart! A Green [1] vote can stop a second Tory councillor for the ward, deliver fresh ideas and new energy to Edinburgh council.

I’m so excited for Thursday — fingers crossed we can get @qmanivannan.bsky.social elected! I’d be so excited to work with them in the City Chambers #VoteQ1 🗳️🌱

Edinburgh Council has agreed to evaluate a four day week for our workers after my motion was passed yesterday at our full council meeting “Council to look into giving workers four-day week” www.bbc.com/news/article...

📐🚗🚶‍♀️🚴🏾‍♀️👩🏼‍🦼We have seen draft plans for the new Polwarth junction design, and they look good! We believe these improvements address our community's safety concerns. 🗓️Public consultation starts later in the summer. 🗣️Your voice will be crucial at this stage – we need to show support for these changes!

It's that time of the month again where I share my latest blog post 📝📅 Read on to find out more about work I'm doing on the Tour de France, supporting BANZAI's cargo bike library, Council retrofitting and more! ⤵️ 🚲 🏡 open.substack.com/pub/cllrbenp...

Fantastic evening out in Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart for our great candidate Q‼️ So many people excited on the doors to #VoteGreen1 on the 26th of June💚 I’ve certainly got a good feeling about this one 👀

This was incredibly disappointing 🙅‍♂️ In speaking, I mentioned the inspirational actions of Labour Cllrs in 1986 when opposing apartheid in South Africa ✊ How far Labour has fallen that, now, in the face of a genocide, they refuse to use their power to oppose arms companies testing on Council land 🥀

I'm proud to be bringing forward this motion to the Council's Culture and Communities committee today. Fingers crossed other Councillors support my calls.

Another great session knocking doors in Shandon today for Q Manivannan @qmanivannan.bsky.social ahead of the council by-election in 1 month. Voters are dismayed at the running of Edinburgh Council by Labour propped up by the Tories and Lib Dems. They are ready to have a Green councillor once again!

I’ve always been sad that my neighbouring ward Cllr @gavincorbett.bsky.social stood down at the last election so we didn’t work on cross boundary issues together 🗺️📍 I’m delighted Gavin is endorsing the excellent @qmanivannan.bsky.social who will make a fab colleague instead (!) 🗳️ #VoteGreen

I’m so excited to share that I’m to be the Green candidate for the Fountainbridge-Craiglockhart by-election on 26 June. I want to bring care back into politics, to commit strongly to solidarity, safer roads, tenants rights, and green spaces in our ward. I look forward to the next 6 weeks!

Read my latest blog about what I got up to in April 💭 It was Council recess so a quieter month to usual but still lots going on, from the (long-awaited) Accessible Housing Summit, to meetings with the Student Housing Co-operative and more (!) 🏠 open.substack.com/pub/cllrbenp... ⬅️ 📝

Today, tomorrow and always.

Shockingly, the Council is giving permission to arms companies to test their equipment in Council parks 🌳 I’m asking the Council to change the rules to ban this 🚫 Read my blog and contribute your views via the Council consultation: www.edinburghgreens.org.uk/blog/challen...

Fantastic to see the St Oswald’s team back out and consulting about the future of the space — call in today until 7pm or from 10am tomorrow to give your thoughts! 💭 🙋‍♂️ 🏗️🏫

February was a busy month and I'm only just catching my breath! Read my latest monthly update here: cllrbenparker.substack.com/p/what-did-i... 📝

I’m pleased to be bringing this motion to Full Council tomorrow It’s entirely inappropriate for the Council to be facilitating the testing of equipment by arms companies on public land 🙅‍♂️ Hopefully tomorrow will be the first step to seeing an end to this practice in our parks and greenspace 🌳🚫

Thank you to everyone who joined us today — excellent conversations and ideas for us to take forward 🌬️ ✅

I’m pleased to be sponsoring this excellent event taking place at the City Chambers tomorrow Thank you to pupils and parents across the city who have taken part in the programme — very much looking forward to hearing more about your conclusions around how to improve air quality! 🚫🚗🌳 🌬️

Our city is becoming Rent Control Ready! Thanks to @cllrbenparker.bsky.social's motion at last week's Housing Committee, Edinburgh Council has committed to becoming 'Rent Control Ready'.

Lovely to join Porty Community Energy, @banzaiedinburgh.bsky.social and ECCAN to speak at the launch of the Travel Agents of Change exhibition at the canal — lots of inspiring chat about flight free holidaying 📍🗺️ ☀️ 🌊 Read more here: portycommunityenergy.wordpress.com/travel-agent... ✈️ 🚫

A reminder that I have both my surgeries coming up - tomorrow (3rd) at Kafe Kweer and next Thursday (13th) at Morningside Library .. all welcome! 🙋💬

I’m still writing a monthly blog to update folk on (some of) what I’m working on each month 📝 January’s update is a little late but now uploaded here: www.edinburghgreens.org.uk/bens-monthly... If you’re curious to know more about the role of a Cllr, or what’s keeping me busy, give it a read ✅

Labour's decision to ape the far-right by slashing the aid budget is disgraceful. There is a case for Europe taking more responsibility for its own security, but like all public spending it must be funded by fair tax on the wealthy, not by pushing the poorest people deeper into poverty & desperation

I was very disappointed in the response to my motion at last week's Full Council relating to Shelter Scotland's intervention against the Council on homelessness rights 🏚️ ❌ Read more about the issue here ⤵️ www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinbur...

🏘️ Want to shape the future of Merchiston, Polwarth, Bruntsfield & surrounding areas? Your Community Council needs YOU! 16 positions open for passionate neighbours to make a real difference in our 18,000-strong community. Applications open until 27 Feb! 🧵 More details below

Local to Morningside? Morningside Community Council (MCC) is working on a Local Place Plan, setting out ambitions for the area for years to come 🌳🏡 Complete the short survey to have your say: forms.gle/h6FTtPc8MCEb... 📝 💭

This is a great project — please do share your views!

Greens have on led on ensuring funding goes into the city's housing crisis, and a higher rate would have helped us deliver over 700 homes in the first three years.

Today is a huge day for Greens and for the city. A Tourist Tax, which Greens first raised in 2011, was up for approval at Full Council today for its final vote, after many months and years of work by Green activists, Councillors and MSPs

In an attempt to demystify some of the work Councillors get up to, I’m starting a monthly blog 📝 December’s update covers my work on accessible housing, road safety at Morningside schools, action for biodiversity and more! 🏠👩‍🦼, 🚲 🏫, 🌱🐝 Read it here: www.edinburghgreens.org.uk/bens-monthly...

I'm so proud of series 1 of Better Without Billboards, and equally excited for series 2 (coming to a podcast app near you soon!) Listen now to conversations with the fantastic @carladenyer.bsky.social, @darrencullen.bsky.social, @playingout.bsky.social, @cllrbenparker.bsky.social and more....

I’ll be at Kafe Kweer today, 4-5pm — drop in if there’s anything I can help with! 🙋

This issue continues to rumble on and I've submitted the below Emergency Motion to Full Council on the matter. I am deeply concerned about the approach of other Parties on this and will continue to press for a human-rights based approach to be prioritised when tackling the Housing Emergency 🏠⚖️

I was pleased to be able to address committee on this issue. There are basic changes needed around the school, as well as more ambitious plans such as LTNs in the area. I sincerely hope the committee shows better leadership on this issue than it did about the Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route 🚶‍♀️🌳 🏫 🚲

I was shocked other parties didn't share my concerns about calls to weaken homelessness regulations when voting down my motion last week. I'm pleased this is being picked up by campaigners, and I hope Labour, Lib Dem and Conservative Cllrs reflect on why many of us are so worried about this

British police arrest environmental protesters at nearly three times the global average rate. Want to get to grips with the UK crackdown on protest? Listen to our episode of the New Economics Podcast, with @akikohart.bsky.social and Audrey Cherryl Mogan. 🎙️ neweconomics.org/2024/05/new-...

“We shouldn’t be relying on income from Council tenants to build and maintain homes, as is the case currently … social housing is a social good, and cross-Council investment in housing is the right priority for the city” Read my article below ⤵️ 📰 🏠 www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/creativ...

Lots of folk have been in touch with me about concerns re next steps on the Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route 🌳🚶‍♂️🚲 I've tried to pull together common queries on this blog post here ⤵️ 📝 edinburghgreens.org.uk/blog/novembe...

As your Councillor, I hold 2 drop in surgeries a month 💬📅 ☕ Kafe Kweer, 4-5pm, 1st Monday of the month 📚Morningside Library, 4-5pm, 2nd Thursday of the month No need to book — just call in! I'm happy to accommodate any access needs you might have, just let me know how 👨‍🦯🧏