Elected councillors should “hang their heads in shame” if they cannot secure £40,000 to keep the Muirhouse Millennium Centre open, a senior councillor has said.
The Council’s housing convener, Marion Lezley Cameron, made the comment at a packed public meeting last night that was organised by LIFT.
The meeting was organised to allow residents to raise issues with local councillors.
However, Cllr Norman Work was the only local elected member to attend – two of the Liberal Democrat members submitted their apologies and the third failed to respond to the invite, the meeting was told.
Around 40 community members attended the meeting and many raised various issues from parking issues, potholes, funding for the centre and problems with housing.
During the meeting, Cllr Cameron said she will now try and get “at least £40,000” for the centre.
She said: “If we cannot find £40,000 then we as elected members should hang our heads in shame.
“I will now speak with fellow councillors and council staff to get at least £40,000 for LIFT.
“I will do my absolute utmost to make sure funding comes to the centre because I have seen the work that goes on here with complete wrap-around levels of support they provide families is amazing.
“If all it is going to take is £40,000 to save that centre then the council really should find that.
“On the housing issues we as a council need hundreds of millions to solve that issue.”
One member of the community spoke passionately about the importance of the community centre and how it is a “lifeline” for many people.
Another said: “Does Muirhouse really exist in the eyes of our councillors? Or just at election time?
“LIFT is doing work the council should be doing but they are not getting a penny from them for doing it.
“We only want £40,000 to keep the doors open.
“Council officials say there is no money but reports show that in one pot they have £2.5million and there is still £1.5million in a COVID recovery pot.
“The money is there but they just don’t want to spend it.”
Another resident said: “If LIFT isn’t here, where will we go? The council is spending £15million on Blackhall Library – where is the money for Muirhouse?
First Minister John Swinney was invited to last night’s meeting but he was unable to attend.
However, in a letter that was read out on his behalf, he said that for 2025/26 Edinburgh Council was being given more than “£1billion” from the Scottish Government included in that is £70.4million to support “day to day” services.
At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that a future meeting would be held and that a meeting to discuss housing and homeless issues would be arranged.
