Community Council Elections 2025
Three new community councils are being formed to cover the Drum Brae/Gyle ward and nominations are now open.
7 Feb 2025
Drum Brae / Gyle ward
Drum Brae/Gyle ward covers the communities of Barntongate, Bughtlin, Clermiston, Clerwood, Drum Brae, East Craigs, Forrester Park, North Gyle, Parkgrove, South Gyle and West Craigs.
Working as a team with Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP and Christine Jardine MP, local councillors Robert Aldridge and Ed Thornley are strong voices for the area and fight hard to get things done locally.
Sign up for email updates...
Councillor Ed Thornley
Ed has been a councillor since 2022, and lives locally in East Craigs. He believes in ensuring our communities across Drum Brae / Gyle ward receive the best possible Council services.
Together with Councillor Robert Aldridge, he is campaigning for:
- Action to tackle the terrible state of local roads, paths and pavements
- More investment in our parks and green spaces
- Better lighting in green spaces so people can feel safe when walking
- Improvements to road safety across our communities, especially near schools
He sits on the Culture and Communities and Planning Committees.
Councillor Robert Aldridge
Robert has been a councillor for Drum Brae/Gyle for over 30 years and he lives locally in Barntongate.
Robert was unanimously elected as Edinburgh's Lord Provost, meaning he chairs meetings of the Council and is also the civic head of the city and the ex-officio Lord Lieutenant of Edinburgh.
Robert has a long record of service and action for and with the local community and he has a strong reputation for getting things done.
- He campaigned successfully with local residents for the Drum Brae Leisure Centre and for the Drum Brae Library Hub, which have both been hugely successful.
- He chaired the Neighbourhood Partnership’s Environment Committee leading to improvements in parks across the Drum Brae/Gyle area and targeted anti-litter campaigns.
- He has championed more local decision making – especially in promoting the Youth Decides initiative locally, where young people recommend local projects for funding.
- He championed the new gym hall at East Craigs Primary school and the development of the new Buttercup Farm Park.
For all his time as a councillor, Robert has fought to protect local green spaces from development. Most recently he opposed the recently rejected development proposals for yet more housing on greenbelt at Cammo.
Latest news
The latest updates from your local Scottish Liberal Democrat team and Cllr Robert Aldridge and Cllr Ed Thornley
Lib Dems raise Road Safety Concerns
53 Parent Councils from across Edinburgh wrote to all councillors ahead of February's Council meeting with their concerns about failures to deliver road safety projects.
7 Feb 2025
Torwood Path Update - Feb '25
The long-awaited upgrade to the path running behind Torwood Crescent has faced repeated delays.
7 Feb 2025
Clermiston Road Pedestrian Crossing Update - Feb '25
The Council has previously committed to installing a pedestrian crossing on Clermiston Road, close to the junction with Clerwood Park.
7 Feb 2025
Housing Repairs on Parkgrove Bank
Over the last few months, local councillors have met with residents of blocks on Parkgrove Bank and St Kentigern View about the serious damp, mould and repair issues in their buildings.
7 Feb 2025
Drum Brae / Gyle
Further Development at Cammo Refused.
A planning application to build another 500 houses on greenbelt land at Cammo has been refused by the Council's planning committee.
4 Feb 2025
Maybury/Craigs Rd Junction Update Feb'25
Residents have been increasingly frustrated by the constant delays to work on the junction.
4 Feb 2025
Maybury/Craigs Road Junction Update Nov '24
The Lib Dem team are continuing to push for the works to begin as soon as possible.
9 Nov 2024
Drum Brae / Gyle
Lib Dems push for update on Torwood Crescent works
Cllr Ed Thornley recently brought a motion to the Council, calling for a full update on the planned work to improve the Torwood path.
2 Nov 2024
Drum Brae / Gyle
Speed Limit Reductions Delayed Again
Long-awaited speed limit reductions on Glasgow Road, Queensferry Road and South Gyle Broadway have been delayed again.
1 Nov 2024
Salvesen Community Football Club
SFC have been trying to secure improvements to pitches they use, and a home for their club. Before the summer, Ed brought a motion to Council to support them.
9 Aug 2024