On Thursday 7th September Living Rent Leith celebrated 1 year since their launch and set a vision for the next year.
Last night, the Leith branch gathered for our AGM. We thanked the outgoing committee for all their hard work in the last year and voted in our new committee members. We also celebrated the success of Leith’s first branch campaign to get lights installed on Leith Links. As a result of the campaign, funding has been allocated to improve parks across Edinburgh.
We also voted on the campaign the branch will be taking on in the coming year. It was decided that as a branch we will be focusing our efforts on ensuring that the proposed development at Dalton scrapyard, in the heart of Leith, goes ahead in a way that is appropriate for the needs of the local community and the environment. So expect to see some more from us on this in the near future!
Kirsten, our outgoing Chair chairing the AGM.
At the end of the meeting we recapped some the incredible wins that we have won as a union in policy and for individual tenants in the last year. Including stopping a Fringe eviction, stopping an illegal eviction at the hands of DJ Alexander, winning multiple repairs, and thousands in compensation for our members. Rent controls are happening, short-term lets are being regulated, there is now crossing at Salamder place, where people were concerned about kids' safety; tenants are winning compensation and repairs; that’s all because we are getting organised and resisting unjust, unsafe and unaffordable housing.
Leith has shown what can happen when people start taking whats ours and put power back into the hands of our communities. Now is the time to become a part of our campaigns to put our communities first locally, citywide and nationally. www.livingrent.org/join
How to get involved:
Living Rent Leith's monthly branch meetings are on the 1st full week of the month, Thursdays at 6.30pm, our member defence meetings are on the 2nd and 2th full weeks Wednesdays at 6.30pm. The more we are, the more we can win. See you there or get in touch at [email protected] to speak to a member about joining your union.
