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Southside Community Council





Minutes of 45th Meeting, held in the Southside Community Education Centre, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, on Wednesday 13 April 2005, at 7 pm.

Abbreviations used as required:
ASCC = Association of Scottish Community Councils; CEC = The City of Edinburgh Council; CLG = Community Liaison Group; CPOL = Council Papers on line; CYP = Canongate Youth Project; EACC = Edinburgh Association of Community Councils; E&CS = Environmental & Consumer Services; HMO = House(s) in Multiple Occupation; LCPP = Local Community Planning Partnership; LDC = Local Development Committee; LEEP = Lothian & Edinburgh Environmental Partnership; LHC = Late Hours Catering; PA = Planning Application; SCC = Southside Community Council; SE = Scottish Executive; SP = Scottish Parliament; tie = Transport Initiatives Edinburgh; TRO = Traffic Regulation Order; and other initials = members of the SCC.

PRESENT

Chairperson: Jo Scott; Elected Members: Derek Christie (Treasurer), Giulia Dawson, Jan Fraser, and Linda Hendry (Vice Chairperson); Nominated Members: Colin Christison (Secretary), and Jean Downie; Co-opted Members: Robert Beaton, Helen Butler, Claire MacGregor (Tree Warden); Lothian & Borders Police: PC Ben Merrick; and 1 Member of the Public.

1. Welcome, and apologies for absence

Jo Scott welcomed those present to the meeting. Apologies for absence were received from Mary Devine, Keith Smith, and Sarah Boyack MSP.

2. Police Report

PC Ben Merrick (who will become the local Community Policeman on 8 May) gave a report on local crime issues. Antisocial behaviour is being tackled in a more robust way, and there has been action in Canongate, Cowgate, Nicolson Street, Clerk Street, and other streets. IV drugs users appear to think that the new needle exchange in Cowgate allows them to inject publicly, and there have been complaints about this from Viewcraig Gardens and streets around Canongate. The Police would like to hear of any visible drug taking, and of evidence of debris such as discarded needles. Hunter Square is being targeted a minimum of 4 times a day by 2 or 4 officers to minimise antisocial behaviour and there are regular patrols around New Street, Riddles Court, Chessel’s Court etc. Incidence of begging is likely to rise in the summer.

PC Merrick said that there will be more commitment from the force at local level, i.e. there will be no abstractions of officers.

He reported that there had been 8 unusual housebreaking incidents (in Drummond & Nicolson Streets) in the last 2 weeks, in that it was difficult to determine how entry was made to the flats involved, and it was thought that plastic material (such as credit cards, or parts of cola bottles) was being used on Yale locks fixtures.

He said that a great of planning and special training was under way for the G8 summit in July. (See 5.8, below). Annual leave would be suspended for 2 weeks, and officers would work 12 hour shifts, with 600 on duty, and 1000 on standby. There was a discussion about the subject.

3. Minutes of Meeting held on 9 March 2005

Subject to the slight alteration in Item 10b where the figures ‘24’ and ‘28’ had been transposed, the minutes were approved; proposed by JF, and seconded by DC.

4. Matters arising

4.1 Item 5.1 (Local Channel) - it was decided not to become involved. 4.2 Item 5.6 - JS had sent the information as outlined 4.3 Item 4 re Item 6.9 - the new Central Edinburgh Area Housing Board meeting which JS and JF had hoped to attend, was in fact being held tonight, so apologies had been sent.

5. Secretary’s Report

5.1 The Secretary said that elected member, Andrew Purves, had resigned from the Community Council as he had left the area. It was agreed that the Secretary writes to Andrew thanking him for his contribution, and especially for his skills on planning matters. The Secretary also said that Derek Christie, elected member, Treasurer, and web master, had decided to stand down from the SCC at the May AGM. Members thanked Derek warmly for all his efforts on behalf of the Community Council.

5.2 The Secretary pointed out that when the next scheduled elections are held in May 2006, the SCC will have been in existence for 5 years and 8 months, almost double the standard term, and it was understandable that members who had thought they were to serve for 3 years had decided to step down. The May 2005 elections had been postponed for a year because of the general election. The composition after the AGM will be 5 remaining elected members (from 12), 4 remaining nominated members (from 6), and 4 co-opted members, making a total of 13, which should be enough to carry the work through until May 2006. However he said that it was highly desirable to fill the 2 empty posts from nominated groups (the Southside Association, and Dumbiedykes Residents’ Association, (which had replaced the original nominated group)), and hoped that this would be feasible.

5.3 He reminded members that the next Central LDC meeting will take place on Wednesday 27 April, although the venue was unknown. He would e-mail members with this information when known.

5.4 He distributed some copies of the final published Southside Conservation Area Character Appraisal.

5.5 He said that some members had visited the Lothian & Borders Police Force Communications Centre at Bilston on 21 March, and had been given a conducted tour by Chief Inspector Wilkinson. It was felt that the visit had been very useful, and the insight into policing procedures was invaluable.

5.6 An invitation to attend the University of Edinburgh’s James Tait Black Prize Awards ceremony at St Cecilia’s Hall on 21 April had been received; LH would attend.

5.7 Also on 21 April, the free launch event for the Waste Aware Edinburgh Campaign’s new Waste Action Grant Programme would take place in the Caledonian Hall of the Royal Botanic Garden in the morning; one or two members thought that they would be able to attend, and CC would submit names.

5.8 A meeting in the German Speaking Church on the subject of policing and security in the city, particularly in the Meadows and surrounding area, during the period of the G8 summit in early July, with reference to the ‘Make Poverty History’ march, would take place on 20 April. DC and CMcH said that they would attend

5.9 Information leaflets from the CEC and NHS Lothian entitled ‘today and tomorrow - An action plan for black and minority ethnic older people and carers’ in a number of languages had been received. More copies available from CC.

5.10 The Secretary said that he had contacted the Royal College of Surgeons about the cleared site at the end of Hill Place; he had been informed that the work would start in June, and would take about a year to complete the new building.

5.11 He had received the Draft Edinburgh Civic Code; comments were required by 13 May.

5.12 The Cockburn Association had sent their latest newsletter which included advance notice of the Edinburgh Doors Open Day, which this year is on Saturday 24 September.

6. Treasurer’s Report

All the relevant papers were being audited; full report at AGM.

7. Correspondence

Copies of the following circulated items are available from the Secretary

7.1 CEC’s Working Capital Issue 7.
7.2 L & B Police April Newsletter.
7.3 CEC’s Leader’s April Report.
7.4 SE’s Scottish Water General Binding Rules Information.
7.5 Info on the Launch of the new Edinburgh Traffic Forum
7.6 Capital City Partnership’s Social Inclusion News.
7.7 City Centre Management’s Newsletter.
7.8 Second stage info on minor revised parking regulations in Pleasance and Viewcraig Gardens.
7.9 Info on Edinburgh & Lothian’s Employment Academies Conference on 3.5.05.
7.10 Details of Capital City Partnership’s Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 Seminar and Workshop on 13.5.05.

8. Planning & Licensing Committee Report

8.1 Objection lodged to PA for alterations to hot food takeaway at 50-54 South Clerk Street considered material. Previous application to turn retail premises into a restaurant does not appear to have been decided, so this PA seems strange.
8.2 Objection lodged to PA for part change of use to from restaurant to lower floor at 37 South Bridge considered material.
8.3 Objection to demolish cinema to form 240 bed student residence with bar/restaurant accommodation etc considered material. The SCC had held a meeting at which the full plans were on display, and some SCC members together with members of the public had attended. The developers were unable to attend.


9. Environmental Issues, including Tree Warden’s Report

9.1 LEEP Recycling News Spring Issue was circulated.
9.2 It was noted that 3 Rowan (Sorbus Americana) saplings had been planted in the Pleasance ‘triangle’. JS had thanked Mr Hunter for arranging this, after a mix-up about the original order.
9.3 CMacG said that she was concerned about the 2 beeches which had been planted outside the Royal Commonwealth Pool last year.
9.4 CMacG expressed concern about the general appearance of Forrest Road, and the untidiness of the root grilles, which contained the usual mess of broken glass, cigarette ends, and rubbish. Last year some members of the SCC had spent a Sunday afternoon cleaning and weeding, and it was wondered if the root grilles could have a porous substance placed beneath them to ease cleaning by regular CEC staff.
9.5 It was noted that a number of Sheffield bicycle bars had been installed around the Southside, and a desire was expressed that one or two could be placed at the west end of Montague Street.
9.6 Members were concerned at the number of damaged bollards in Clerk & South Clerk Streets. These were installed last year and it was considered that repair or replacement should be made quickly.
9.7 It was observed that the communal waste bins at the west end of Lutton Place were often overflowing, with rubbish dumped on the ground.
9.8 JS said that she had had a meeting with Cllr Cairns, some CEC officials, and a local resident, about his serious and long-standing concerns about the placement of rubbish containers outside commercial premises in South Clerk Street.

10. Reports from Meetings Attended:-

a) Southside Association

Held on 5.4.05, and attended by CC, CMcH, and JS. Gordon Greenhill from the CEC’s Environmental & Consumer Services had described the widely publicised initiative to help combat measurable noise nuisance. Other routine matters had been discussed.

b) Southside Community Education Centre Management Committee

Held on 12.4.05, and attended by CC, CMcH, and CMacG, who reported that there were concerns about the standard of the cleaning in the centre. The summer programme of walks had been discussed, and other routine matters. There were spaces on the one-day Food Hygiene Course on 15 May.

c) South LDC Environmental Forum

Held at the Royal Commonwealth Pool on 22.3.05, and attended by RB, CC, and JS. Consideration had been given to the Draft Community Action Plan which was finalised in preparation for the SLDC meeting (see g, below). JS had written to Cllr Cairns regarding waste material from commercial premises with the suggestion that proper short time slots are allocated for uplift, and that these premises be permitted to use black bags instead of bins which cluttered the streets.

d) Canongate Youth Project Management Committee

Held on 21.3.05, and attended by LH, who reported that staffing problems had been resolved. As part of the CYP’s Health Strategy new funding was required for the provision of fresh fruit.

e) Southside Action Group

Held on 21.3.05, and attended by LH and JS. There was uncertainty about the way forward until the Community Council boundary changes were completed. Next meeting will be arranged after the draft boundary changes are announced. There was a discussion about Dumbiedykes.

f) Southside & Old Town Community Safety Forum

Held on 15.3.05, and attended by CC, MD, JF, and JS. The speaker had postponed his visit until the May meeting. JF and MD would attend a Force Wide Community Panel at Fettes on 23.4.05.

g) South LDC

Held at James Gillespie’s High School on 11.4.05, and attended by CC and JS. An update had been given on the Edinburgh Household Survey 2004. The South Edinburgh Task Force Community Service Plan was approved. Other matters were discussed and a decision was made to start the containerisation of waste at Warrender Park Terrace.

h) Licensing Forum

Held on 14.3.05 and attended by JS who reported that she had sent notes of the meeting to Tollcross and Canongate CCs. There had been discussion about smoking in licensed premises, irresponsible drinks promotions, and regular extensions of early morning opening for bars. Once the new licensing bill becomes law, it will be easier to move policy planning forward.

i) University of Edinburgh Community Forum

Held on 14.3.05 and attended by JS, who reported that it was hoped to produce by summer a booklet for students moving from Halls of Residence to HMO properties. There had been a briefing on antisocial behaviour. The Marchmont & Sciennes CC had arranged another street party for 21 May.

11. Any other Competent Business

11.1 JF said that 6 flats in the same stair had been burgled in the local vicinity recently, and it appeared that the front door had been left open.
11.2 It was reported that the Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links had written to 4 local Councillors expressing concern about the possible impact on the Meadows by those attending marches and demonstrations around the time of the G8 Summit as it was considered likely that they would camp and park their vehicles on the park.
11.3 Concern was expressed about the untidiness caused by advertising banners outside the Meadow Bar in Buccleuch Street.
11.4 It was noted that there were damaged lights in the underpass at Potterrow.

12. Open Forum

12.1 Dr Gilmour reported that the work on the renovation of the Thornybauk Steps was making good progress.
12.2 He also mentioned that the Boundary Commission’s recommendations for the new Council Multi-members wards would soon be available for public consultation. This subject will be on the next agenda.

13. Date of Next Meeting

Wednesday 11 May, at 7pm. The AGM will be followed by the regular meeting.