Underbelly's Management of Edinburgh's Christmas and Hogmanay Events

That the Parliament expresses its concern regarding the management of the Edinburgh Christmas and Hogmanay events since their acquisition by Underbelly and the impact of this on residents throughout the city and the reputation of the events; understands that several memorial benches were moved from Princes Street Gardens and some residents experienced difficulty in accessing their properties on Hogmanay, with them being required to provide their personal details to private companies in order to obtain a pass; acknowledges what it sees as the disappointment that was caused by the premature removal of the Norwegian Christmas tree and the Nativity scene from the Mound and notes that many people hoping to raise funds for charity by participating in the Loony Dook event at South Queensferry were unable to do so due to the cap on participant numbers; understands that this has doubled in price since 2011; notes the calls for increased planning and construction oversight of future markets, for respect and consideration to be observed for monuments and memorial structures, and further notes the calls for the City of Edinburgh Council to review the management of these events to help ensure that residents can participate fully and access their homes unimpeded.