Capital votes in woman provost

Lesley Hinds: "I have my own style"

A woman has become lord provost of Edinburgh for only the second time in the city council's history.

Lesley Hinds was invested in the post at a meeting of the full council in the city chambers.

Ms Hinds, who moved to Edinburgh from Dundee 25 years ago, takes over from Eric Milligan.

"I think it's going to be difficult to follow in Eric's steps," she said, "but I have got my own style and my own skills and I want to make sure that I am as accessible to as many communities as possible.

"I have been very much involved with communities throughout Edinburgh and I would like to represent people from all areas."

Ms Hinds, the councillor for Muirhouse and Drylaw, was elected with a majority of 26 over her only rival for the post, Liberal Democrat George Grubb.

Chains of office

Labour has an overall majority of just one on the council, but Ms Hinds received support from some Conservative councillors as well as those from her own party.

After her election, she donned her chains of office and swore an oath promising to serve the council faithfully and fairly.

Ms Hinds was first elected as district councillor in 1984 and has chaired the Lothian and Borders Police Board as well as the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC).

The mother-of-three also helped to set up the Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board.

The meeting also approved a raft of other nominations for the council's cabinet.

Steve Cardownie, who made his name as the city's so-called festivals tsar, is deputy provost.

Mr Milligan is set to become chairman of the police board.