Mayor of Edinburgh (Lord Provost)

Donald taught Computing at Newbattle Community High School, and has also worked as an ICT Curriculum Development Officer and an Adult Education Tutor. In 1999, he was elected as a City of Edinburgh Councillor for the Shandon ward.

He attended Galashiels Academy. His qualifications include a BA (Hons) from Stirling University, an MSc in Information Science from London's City University, and a teaching qualification from Moray House in Edinburgh.


His interests include the International Center for Mathematical Sciences. Donald enjoys reading, science fiction, opera and history and spending time with the Lady Provost, Ms Elaine Brand.

A Lord Provost is convenor of the local authority, the civic head and the lord-lieutenant of one of the principal cities of Scotland. The role is similar to that of a mayor. Only the cities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow have a Lord Provost; other Scottish local authorities have provosts or convenors.

A Lord Provost has a higher status than a Lord Mayor in other parts of the United Kingdom. He is ex officio the lord-lieutenant for that city, in accordance with section 1 of the Lieutenancies Act 1997, which allows the city council to choose its own representative for the monarch.

The Lord Provosts of Edinburgh and Glasgow enjoy the style of "The Right Honourable" before their office, but not their names.

Permission to use the title is granted to a city by the monarch, under the royal prerogative, acting on the advice of government ministers.

The Lord Provost is Edinburgh's civic head, an ancient office dating back to the 13th century.

The Lord Provost is normally elected every four years from the 58 members of the City of Edinburgh Council.  The Lord Provost is also Convener of the Council and continues to carry out the normal duties of an elected member.

The Lord Provost represents the Council on numerous bodies and organisations, such as the Edinburgh International Festival Council, the Board of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Dynamic Earth Charitable Trust. 

He also promotes Edinburgh at home and abroad. This involves a very wide range of duties from hosting civic receptions for visitors and acting as the city's ambassador, to taking part in a large number of activities involving Edinburgh's many groups and organisations.





Edinburgh

Edinburgh, is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 local government council areas. Located in Lothian on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth, it is the second most populous city in Scotland and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom. The most recent official population estimates are 464,990 for the city of Edinburgh itself and 492,680 for the local authority area. Edinburgh lies at the heart of the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City region with a population in 2014 of 1,339,380.Recognised as the capital of Scotland since at least the 15th century, Edinburgh is home to the Scottish Parliament and the seat of the monarchy in Scotland. The city is also the annual venue of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and home to national institutions such as the National Museum of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery. It is the largest financial centre in the UK after London.

Historically part of Midlothian, the city has long been known as a centre of education, particularly in the fields of medicine, Scots law, literature, the sciences and engineering. The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1582 and now one of four in the city, was placed 17th in the QS World University Rankings in 2013 and 2014. The city is also famous for the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe, the latter being the largest annual international arts festival in the world. The city's historical and cultural attractions have made it the second most popular tourist destination in the United Kingdom after London, attracting over one million overseas visitors each year.[9] Historic sites in Edinburgh include Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, the churches of St. Giles, Greyfriars and the Canongate, and the extensive Georgian New Town, built in the 18th century. Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town together are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has been managed by Edinburgh World Heritage since 1999.