THE TWO co-conveners of the Scottish Green group on the City of Edinburgh Council have stepped back following gains for the Greens in the Holyrood election.
Long-serving councillor Chas Booth always planned to step back from the role as he has completed his term-limited two years as co-convener.
Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill, 27, was elected as an MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, and has decided to give up her leadership role but retain her position as Forth ward councillor. She is also expected to step back from her role as convener of the Transport and Local Access Forum.
Booth also ran for Holyrood and was next up on the list for the Greens, but he was never realistically expected to be elected.
Chas Booth and Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill (right) have resigned following election gains for the Greens | Image via Edinburgh Greens
The Green group said that their loss is “Holyrood’s gain” and thanked her for her efforts over her year as co-convener. She became a councillor in 2022, and was elected as co-convener by fellow Green councillors in 2025.
While working as a councillor, she held the Transport and Environment portfolio for the Greens and worked part-time as a staffer for former Greens co-leader Lorna Slater.
The Greens are expected to select new co-conveners from their councillor group at a meeting early next week.
In a statement, outgoing co-convener Chas Booth said: “I am absolutely delighted that Kayleigh has been elected as a Green MSP as part of the Green surge that happened across the region and around the country on 7 May, and I completely understand the reasons for her deciding to step back as co-convener of the Green group while continuing as a councillor and MSP.
“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to co-convene the group alongside Kayleigh for the last year.
“Her hard work, strategic wisdom and dry sense of humour have brought passion and insight to the role.”
He added: “I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of the group to thank her for her hard work over the last year.
“The Green group’s loss is Holyrood’s gain and while she will be missed as co-convener, I am delighted that she is staying on as a councillor for the remainder of this term.”
Outgoing co-convener Chas Booth said: “The Green group’s loss is Holyrood’s gain”
During her time as co-convener, Kinross-O’Neill has prioritised active travel, increased accessibility for the disabled, and more investment for North Edinburgh.
She is expected to take these priorities into Holyrood and push for better per-person funding for Edinburgh Council, which is one of the most underfunded in the country.
Holly Bruce, a Glasgow City councillor and Kristopher Leask, a councillor in Orkney, are also expected to step back from leadership roles but remain as councillors.
In a statement, the Greens said: “Holly, Kayleigh and Kristopher have agreed that they will see out their term as councillors which they were elected to in 2022. The trio have also agreed to step back from any leadership and chair roles within their remit as councillors.
“Our newly elected MSPs who are in their grace period as councillors are following the rules set out by the Scottish Parliament.
“We are incredibly proud of our Scottish Green councillors across Scotland, and we look forward to the upcoming local elections where we hope to win even more seats next year.”
Elsewhere in Edinburgh, Liberal Democrat Councillor for the Forth ward, Sanne Dijkstra-Downie – who won the Edinburgh Northern seat during the election – has announced her intention to see out her term as councillor.
Simita Kumar, new MSP for Edinburgh South Western, has announced her resignation as leader of Edinburgh’s SNP group. Similarly, she will continue representing the Southside / Newington ward.
If there were no council elections scheduled for next year, each would have to resign their seats as councillors within 49 days, but as there are council elections scheduled within the year, they are permitted to stay on and hold dual mandates.
MSPs holding dual mandates as councillors are permitted to stand down, but it is not expected that any will want to burden their local council with a costly by-election – the bill for which is estimated at £60k-£80k.
The local council elections will take place on 7 May next year.
- This article is provided by the news agency Deadline News Limited and published here with permission.
- Contact Deadline News Limited if you would like to use any or all of this article.
- [email protected] or [email protected]
Related