Having enjoyed a few days off in the sunshine last week it was back to business with a bang this week. The Health, Wellbeing and Housing Committee met on Tuesday, you can access all the committee papers on this link. We heard a deputation from Edinburgh Tenants Federation about the Kitchen and Bathrooms programme at Prestonfield which created a little debate but most of the rest of the items were relatively un-contentious. Today was the first meeting of our new Welfare Reform Working Group. To be clear, there are many groups looking at Welfare Reform and doing some very good work but we thought that elected members should be involved in a forum that could look at issues in more detail with Council officials and partners from the voluntary and third sectors. Good turnout and an excellent discussion. Still a pretty depressing subject matter with not much good news on the horizon but it is at least encouraging us to work together and seek to understand each other's priorities and challenges. The group also agreed to supplement the membership with those who had requested this and it does mean the next meeting with be held in the Usher Hall but if people are keen to contribute I'm keen to have them at the table.
