Secretary's Report March 2017

Invitations to events and consultations

  1. 7 January 2017: From Drew Murphy (DMurphy@changeworks.org.uk), requesting that we promote IDEAL, a research project investigating how smart technology can help people use less gas and electricity in the home. It uses sensors to record energy use and details like temperature and humidity, and gives feedback to help reduce energy use, while maintaining comfort and convenience.

Other emails and copies of emails and letters received

  1. 8 February 2017 and later: Enquiry to Sarah Burns re owners of various walls / buildings where the Southside Association would like have murals (Gibb’s Entry, Haddon’s Court and St Patrick Sq).
  2. 9 February 2017: From Sue Tritton: agenda for the next meeting of the Grange Prestonfield CC
  3. 9 February 2017: information booklet for the South East Community Policing Team
  4. 11 February 2017: From Tollcross Community Council seeking clarification on the process and policy regarding the recent submission to Parks and Greenspaces by ‘Greening our Street’ who have secured permission and funding for use of part of the Meadows for an ‘orchard and raised bed allotment’. Tollcross Community Council would like the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership/Parks and Greenspaces to clarify the procedure for granting such use and explain how a Parks and Greenspaces Officer may grant use of land in an Edinburgh Park on a permanent basis, without public consultation.
  5. 11 February 2017: Newsletter for the Lutton Court Development.
  6. 14 February 2017: From Denise.MacDonald@edinburgh.gov.uk, re launching the new Edinburgh Shared Repairs Service for repairs to common areas of tenements. I replied asking if they have printed materials, and received pdf files of these on 20 February (folder Shared repairs leaflets). These give contact details for the Shared Repairs Service (www.edinburgh.gov.uk/sharedrepairs, 0131 529 6778, esrs@edinburgh.gov.uk), but the situation appears to be unchanged that no help is available, and that owners must deal with repairs themselves. The web site states that the service can now help owners who can show that they have followed the process as described in the organising repairs evidence pack, but can't reach agreement, to undertake essential repairs to the common areas of their property, if they have the available resources and if a majority of the owners are in agreement for the Council to proceed.
  7. 15 February 2017: From Kristoffer.Boesen@improvementservice.org.uk, re survey about the Tree Charter (https://treecharter.uk/), which closes at the end of February.
  8. 15 February 2017: link to a blog post on new cycle racks which are being installed in the city. www.edinburgh.gov.uk/blog/index.php?path=blog/newsblog/post/1136
  9. 16 February 2017: News that the Mural at Gifford Park which we nominated for a My Place Award has not been selected for a visit by the judges.
  10. 16 February 2017: Forwarded notice of announcement on February 10th of Edinburgh University Students' Association’s SustainEd green festival to help raise awareness about sustainability issues amongst the student population and wider community, from 16-18 February. www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/sustained
  11. 16 February 2017: Scottish Government planning review event, see please follow this link by clicking here.
  12. 16 February: Police information (South East booklet - Jan 2017)
  13. 19 February: Notification of a public Meeting for Sick Kids- Community right to buy, organized by Marchmont & Sciennes Development Trust (MMSDT) (there is an informative web site: https://marchmontsciennesdt.wordpress.com). At the meeting, members of this trust outlined the legal basis of the Community right to buy system in Scotland, as part of the Land Reform Act (2003 and 2016). This allows the Scottish government to intervene in the property market under certain conditions. They are applying to register a community interest in this site, which is expected to be sold in April. To do so, they require 15% of local residents to sign a petition, which has been achieved during February, and a plan for the site, which is almost complete. If accepted this gives them the first option to buy. At the meeting, the owner of the Summerhall arts building also spoke, and informed the meeting that he has offered to buy the site for a further arts centre, and that there are probably other bids.
  14. 20 February 2017: Information that garden waste collections will change to 3 weekly all year round from 6 March 2017.
  15. 22 February: exclusive-coca-cola-back-deposit-return-scheme-major-u-turn
  16. 23rd February: information for 7th March Civic Forum meeting, 4 –6pm, European Room, City Chambers. This will be a workshop about a new consultation paper on the future of the planning system in Scotland: Places, People and Planning, with a closing date for comments of 4 April. A similar workshop will be held at a primary school!
  17. 23rd February: Your localities directory.pdf
  18. 23rd February: Correspondence about insurance for CCs. We were previously insured with Keegan and Pennykid.
  19. 25 February: Correspondence about short-term lets. The council have now become aware of the problem and may produce a briefing paper.
  20. 27 February: notice that support for Community Councils is now being provided by a new team. Correspondence should be addressed to Community.Councils@edinburgh.gov.uk by email, or failing this to:
    Community Councils Governance and Democratic Services
    Business Centre 2.1, Waverley Court
    4 East Market Street, Edinburgh
    In reply, Kenny Wright, Chair Drum Brae Community Council (kenny5234@blueyonder.co.uk), asked for form for ‘Participation Requests’ that were described at a meeting of the Scottish Community Development Centre. These are parts of a “new way for community voices to be heard”, a process supported by the Scottish Government. Community Councils have not heard about this, or what the criteria are to be met for these requests. See PowerPoint file “Getting in on the Act workshop” of slides used at the EVOC Thinkspace event last week on the Community Empowerment Act
  21. 27 February: Notice of Scottish Community Councils Hour on Twitter on Tuesday (7th March), focusing on the topic of Engaging the Wider Community. We will tweet from our account, www.twitter.com/scottishccs, several questions from 8pm until 9pm, to start conversations with, and between, community councillors. Information about the first such event is available at www.communitycouncils.scot/the-story-of-the-first-scottishccs-twitter-hour.html
  22. 27 February: Info about Phase Two of the new 20mph Speed Limits. Our area is in Zone 2, which will have this limit from 28 Feb 2017.
  23. 27 February: Information that the Southside GP Surgery will move from its present location in Bernard Terrace to the Conan Doyle Medical Centre, 4 Nether Liberton Lane, within the next few months. March 1: press release
  24. 27 February: Update on the heating, cooling and ventilation equipment at Newington Library.
  25. 7 February: updated Locality Directory
  26. March 1: Tommy Sheppard MP Newsletter - March 2017, http://us11.campaign-archive1.com/?u=f56c592d097bd2a26fc979be3&id=016a0eb95a&e=2539081411 He is organizing a constituency public meeting on “Scotland and Brexit: Where Next?” with panelists Nicola McEwan and Simon Pia on Saturday 11th March at 2.30pm in Edinburgh Central Methodist Church. Tickets here.
  27. March 3: Appeal for volunteers to survey the people of Edinburgh to help shape a vision for a Zero Waste Community.
  28. March 3: Completed an online survey of community councillors' information literacy: https://survey.napier.ac.uk/n/LILDEM.aspx, and was sent a link to Scottish community councils web site www.communitycouncils.scot
  29. March 6: Information about the Royal High school development proposals.

    30. East Parkside
  30. Continuing severe problems with bins at East Parkside
  31. 8 February 2017: To lorna.ewan@hes.scot asking whether Historic Environment Scotland plan to reduce the speed limit within the Park to 20 mph when the limit in Holyrood Park Road is reduced to 20 mph (28 February 2017). Reply on Feb.16 stating that Historic Environment Scotland's intend to reduce the Park road speed limit in its entirety. REPLIES: Further Park road sections, Holyrood Gait to Holyrood Park Road and the Duddingston Low Road will reduce to 20mph with effect from the 28th February 2017 to mirror City of Edinburgh's 20mph project phase 3.
  32. Also to councilors asking why "change of speed limit zone" signs will be mounted on removable poles inserted into the sockets that will be dug in the pavement, and not permanent signs.
  33. To John Waddell (John.Waddell@edinburgh.gov.uk) re failure to empty any of the six glass recycling bins before the Christmas holiday, despite contacts by telephone and e-mail made.
  34. 27 February: Continued correspndence about the Innocent Railway tunnel gates not locked being at WEST end

Emails and letters sent

  1. 27 February 2017: Email to chair@grangeprestonfieldcc.org.uk re the redwood tree in Findhorn Place, which has gone.