SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting on Tuesday, 9th March 2021, 7:00pm
(by Zoom)

Present:
Tim Pogson (TP, Chair), Bob Hodgart (BH), Sakshika (minute), Daniel Fisher, Philip McDowell, Steve Burgess (Councillor), Nicholas Oddy, Stephen Rodger Benson, Liz Logie, Joan Carter

Agenda item	Discussion	Action
1. Welcome	Chair welcomed all to the meeting of the Community Council.
2. Previous Minutes	Adoption of the minutes of the meeting held on 9th February 2021, with the note that there had been discussion of developing and distributing a spring newsletter. PM to progress	PM
3. Matters Arising	Holyrood Park signage - TP to chase Tommy Sheppard's office Holyrood Park road closures - reply from Northfield Willowbrae CC awaited Bernard Terrace crossing - an update had been received from A Dunlop today. A deputation was planned to the next Transport and Env Committee on 22 April if progress wasn’t clear by then Lutton Place trees - were due to be planted during March NPF4 - thanks expressed to David for submitting a consultation response on behalf of the CC	TP
4. Councillor's report (Steve)	4.1 The Council budget for 21/2 had been approved on 21 February. 4.2 The Council has published the approved City Mobility Plan.
5. Reports from Office Holders (Chair)	5.1 Tim attended the EACC's first meeting under the chairmanship of Steve Kerr (Corstorphine). The main topic of conversation was community engagement, with Paul Lawrence, Director of Place, acknowledging that the Council had not always got this right. The EACC is developing a new concordat to focus the relationships between the City Council and Community Councils. 5.2 Tim attended a city-wide meeting on 23rd February considering the effectiveness of Neighbourhood Networks. These were very young organisations at mostly early stages of development across the city when lockdown struck. Some are now reconnecting, but in the main, it is acknowledged that there appears to be a lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities. There is an acknowledgement that new ways of reenergising Neighbourhood Networks are needed and there is commitment to pursue this. 5.3 He submitted an application to the Edinburgh World Heritage in support of a building conservation application by Greyfriars Charteris Centre. He has also made the Southside Community Centre Management Committee aware of this opportunity. 5.4 Liz agreed to take the position of Treasurer - thank you! Liz to liaise with Svetlana over a handover	LL
6. Reports from Meetings attended	6.1 Daniel and Bob attended the Planning training session meeting on 24th February. Additions to permitted developments - Cycle storage both to the front and rear of properties are now allowed following the guidance. Short term lets are falling under planning control and the planning authority can designate control areas. Penalties for planning breaches are being increased. 6.2 Joan and Bob attended the Civic Forum meeting on 2nd March. 6.3 Joan attended the Meeting with Scottish Government on short-term lets guidance on 9th March. The Scottish Government had withdrawn the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2021. Subject to the outcome of the election, this intention was to re-lay the Order in June and keep to the timetable for implementation already set out. The Scottish Government wanted to engage with residents in parallel with the working group to ensure resident and community interests were taken into account. This meeting had forcibly made the point that community representatives should be involved directly in the guidance working group.
7. Spaces for People Consultation	Members were supportive of the Spaces for People provisions and would welcome them being made permanent. In fact, members would like to see the process speeded up. One observation was the challenge in overcoming the conflict between dedicated cycle lanes and bus stops and also that some of the cycle lane provision was 'bitty', but it was felt that some of these shortcomings could be overcome in making the changes permanent and also that users, both cyclists and bus users, would adapt behaviours to the new arrangements. The previously discussed provisions at Holyrood Park Road and its junction with Dalkeith Road could usefully be added to the SfP programme. Tim will respond to the consultation.	TP
8. Planning and Licensing Applications	None currently
9. Astley Ainslie Community Trust	Tim had connected with Stuart Buchanan, Convener of the Astley Ainslie Community Trust who had forwarded him copies of a December 2020 Feasibility Study and the May 2019 document, Community Visioning for Astley Ainslie Hospital Grounds in order to inform our discussions of whether we wish to support the Community Trust. This was agreed. Tim will get back to Stuart.	TP
10. Any Other Business	10.1 Clean Air Day - Scott Wilkins had contacted with proposals for an event on Clean Air Day (17/6). Approved. Tim will get back to Scott 10.2 Graffiti - greater than normal levels of graffiti had been reported to the CC. Tim is in touch with the Council Graffiti Officer. Philip proposed working with the Council to encourage owners to remove graffiti from their properties. TP to propose to Graffiti Officer	TP TP
11. Date of next meeting	Tuesday 13th April 2021, at 7pm.