Welcome to Edinburgh's
Southside Community Council
Minutes of 83rd meeting, held on Wednesday 11 February 2009, from 7pm until 9pm, in the Nelson Hall, 5 Spittalfield Crescent, Edinburgh.
Abbreviations used as required:
ASCC = Association of Scottish Community Councils; CEC = The City of Edinburgh Council; CYP = Canongate Youth Project; DEG = Dumbiedykes Environmental Group; EACC = Edinburgh Association of Community Councils; EUSA = Edinburgh University Students’ Association; HMO = House(s) in Multiple Occupancy; LA = Licence Application; L&BP = Lothian & Borders Police; LHC = Late Hours Catering; NP = Neighbourhood Partnership; PA = Planning Application; SCC = Southside Community Council; SCNP = South Central Neighbourhood Partnership; SG = Scottish Government; SP = Scottish Parliament; TRO = Traffic Regulation Order; UoE = University of Edinburgh; and other initials = members of the SCC.
PRESENT:
Chairperson: Robert Beaton {RB};
Elected Members: Colin Christison (Secretary) {CC}, Linda Hendry (Vice-Chairperson) {LH}, Hilary McDowell (Environmental Spokesperson) {HM}, Jo Scott (Planning & Licensing Convenor) {JS}, and Justine Stansfield (Treasurer) {JSt};
Local Interest Groups’ Nominated Members: Margaret Bagan {MB}, Liz Mulligan {LM}, Kathleen Newis {KN}, and Stewart Reid {SR};
Co-opted Members: Carol McHugh {CM};
City of Edinburgh Council: Councillor Steve Burgess {SB};
Lothian & Borders Police: PC Tom Hopper; and
Members of the Public: Nine.
1. Welcome, and apologies for absence
Robert Beaton welcomed those present to the meeting, including Alison Blamire and Isobel Leckie, from the West Crosscauseway Association, together with a young participant from the Causey 2 workshop, and Hatsuki Fuchimoto, a Japanese PhD student who had attended SCC meetings a couple of years ago. Apologies for absence were received from Bob Hodgart, Liz Walker, Mary Devine, George Pitcher, Keith Smith, and Sarah Boyack MSP.
2. The Causey 2 Project – a short film of the workshops for young people, showing them talking about its history and future, and of the models that they made to represent their aspirations.
Robert introduced Alison Blamire and Isobel Leckie, who discussed the Causey 2 Project, before showing their film, which was a fifteen minute DVD documenting the workshops with young people to research and put forward ideas for developing the open space at the west end of West Crosscauseway. The workshops gave young people opportunities to see historical photos in library files, consider perspectives on and from the area, to discuss these, model and present findings for further discussion. It was clear that the workshops engaged young people in collaborative and consultative processes. It was explained that there would be three further workshops for different groups, after which there was a short question and answer session.
3. Police Report
PC Tom Hopper said that things were fairly busy, but with no big crimes. Attempts were being made to identify graffiti writers. Thefts of pedal cycles were averaging one a day in the area, and plain clothes patrols were being made in an attempt to catch the culprits. There was a slight increase in housebreaking, and a shop in Nicolson Street had been burgled, although some of the property had been recovered. One person had been caught after another fire-raising incident (bins and rubbish being set alight, with 15 instances in December, four in January, and one so far in February). The Police will be taking part in the Week of Action (mentioned below). Some questions were asked about drug dealing and shoplifting.
4. Minutes of meeting held on 14 January 2009
Agreed; proposed by LH, and seconded by JS.
5. Matters arising
Item 5.4 – the Causey 2 grant application had been submitted.
Item 8.4 – Licensing Application for sight-seeing train to operate on certain city streets: after some discussion, and a vote, it was agreed to object.
Capital Roads Funding – action requested for drop kerbs in various locations, and for a pedestrian refuge at the junction of St Leonard’s Street and Bernard Terrace. HM said that there was no funding at present to upgrade the traffic and pedestrian lights at Newington Road and Minto Street crossroads.
Draft Food & Drink Establishments Guidelines Consultation Response– letter sent expressing concern at the proposal to remove the ‘sensitive area’ designation from the Southside, and suggesting some adjustment to the list of streets involved.
6. Secretary’s Report
6.1 The timetable for the 2009 Edinburgh Community Council elections had been announced. The start of the nomination period is 31 August, with close of registration on 14 September. The notice of poll will be 1 October, and polling day (if required) will be 15 October. It was suggested that members start informing local people and look for potential new members.
6.2 ‘Meeting the Challenge’ – Your Community and the Climate Challenge Fund: meeting on Thursday 5 March, from 1pm-7pm at Moray House. More details from the Secretary.
6.3 The Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association (www.ecba.org.uk) wish to get in touch with tenement residents in the area in an effort to regenerate backgreens into community greenspaces.
6.4 National Spring Clean will take place in Scotland from 1-30 April. Keep Scotland Beautiful has launched a volunteer recruitment drive. See www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org.
7. Treasurer’s Report
JSt reported that the bank balance at 19 January 2009 was £1230.53.
8. Correspondence
The following items had been received: Inside Letting Issue 18, Issue 4 of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children Reprovision Project (see www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/hospitals/rhsc), info on CEC’s Parental Involvement Strategy, and Newsletter 21 from the Friends of the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links.
9. Planning and Licensing Committee Report
Planning
9.1 31/33 Nicolson Square, PA for change of use to change entire commercial space (part restaurant/part class 2) to restaurant in total – objection submitted (08/04268/FUL).
9.2 43-45 Salisbury Road, PA to extend basement to form new en-suite bedrooms and Celtic knot garden above, alter garage to extend existing dining area (08/04301/LBC) – objection will be lodged once further consultation with neighbours is completed.
9.3 A short questionnaire from the CEC’s Planning and Strategy Dept had been received. JS to complete and return.
Licensing
9.4 LA Street Trader Food, west side of Charles Street – objection lodged, and acknowledged.
9.5 LA Sunbed 1 year, 65a South Clerk Street – no comment required.
9.6 HMO LAs - 3.
10. Environmental Report, including quality of street lighting repairs
HM submitted the following report:
“As agreed at the December meeting, I submitted a series of questions about the failure to fix street lights on Clerk Street under the Freedom of Information Act. The Council refused to answer my questions and instead treated them as a complaint. It wasn’t until the 1 February, when I threatened to report them to the Ombudsman, that any response was forthcoming. The detailed correspondence is available on our website or from the Secretary. It seems to me that unless work is checked, this unsatisfactory situation is likely to continue. I also understand that Edinburgh is the only Scottish council which does not undertake to look after its own power supply for its lighting. Should we as a CC ask through the NP that an independent consultant is brought in to look at the practices within the department? This was agreed, and JS will raise the matter at a future SCNP meeting.
Sarah Boyack has been contacted again to help resolve road faults which are the responsibility of Scottish Water. The roads engineer was glad that I was going to ask her to get involved, as he gets no response from Scottish Water. We are the only CC who uses our MSP, and she is delighted to hear from us.
Brown Bins were delivered rather randomly to East and West Preston St. The CC and the Southside Association have managed to match most of the bins to the people who asked for them.”
Environmental Week of Action (16-20 March) – planning continues. The King’s Hall is to be used an information and enquiry centre, and JS, JSt, and SR agreed to put together an SCC handout for distribution. Volunteers from the Southside Association would join SCC members to help council officials deal with enquiries from the public. Publicity from the City Council will provide full details in the near future. It was decided that JS should order 500 pencils with the CC name and website address to use as promotional material during the week. Suggestions for items which required repair and so on were invited.
11. Reports from meetings attended
11.1 Canongate Youth Project (9 Feb)
Attended by LH, who reported that the strategic business plan had been discussed. Fund- raising ideas to help children and young people were required. Otherwise things were running as usual.
11.2 Edinburgh Association of Community Councils Executive (15 Jan)
Attended by JS, who said that, apart from formal business, it was discussed that the Executive doesn’t represent all city community councils; at the AGM in June it is possible that a proposal will be made that all CCs send a representative to meetings.
11.3 Environmental Forum 2 (28 Jan)
Attended by HM and JS, who reported that a talk on recycling had been given. Some closed circuit tv points (for mobile cctv cameras) had been installed in the Nicolson Street/Clerk Street corridor. The forthcoming week of action had been discussed.
11.4 HMO Meeting (27 Jan)
Attended by KN, who said that there had been complaints about the lack of decisiveness in the papers responding to the previous HMO presentation by Marchmont & Sciennes CC at the SCNP meeting. Quotas for individual stairs were desirable.
11.5 Meadows and Bruntsfield Links Management Group (24 Jan)
Attended by RB, who said that there had been a review of the current plan. LH hoped to attend successive meetings, but had not been notified of the arrangements.
11.6 South Side Community Education Centre Management Committee (10 Feb)
Attended by MB, CC, CM, and JS. Usual business meeting discussing the café, and future plans. Both centres are busy.
11.7 Southside & Old Town Crime Prevention Panel (20 Jan)
Attended by CC, MD, LM, JS, and LW. Talk by L&BP Force’s Youth Engagement Officer on initiatives to help combat crime and reduce the number of ASBOs being issued. One example is a project where youths are instructed on horse-riding and stable management on a weekly basis for six months; this appears to be successful. Update on local crime figures for the last quarter of 2008.
11.8 Southside Association (3 Feb)
Attended by MB, SB, CC, CM, GP, and JS. Talk from the Manager of the City Council’s Homeowners and Private Rented Services department.
11.9 Braidwood Centre Management Committee
RB reported that he will attend a meeting on 12 February. He was unable to attend the January meeting to discuss key holder issues. It is hoped to advertise the site more. The website address is www.braidwoodcentre.org.
11.10 Ironside Farrar Walkabout Initial Consultation
Attended by LH, JS, and HM, who reported that an initial meeting was held at which road furniture, pavements, cycle routes, and the green areas, including St Patrick Square and the triangle at the Pleasance were discussed. The group asked for the area to be extended up to the park boundary. There will be a public meeting after the Week of Action. The Scottish Government has allocated £60M towards town centre regeneration.
12. Public Question Time
12.1 Chris McKinnell, representing Haddon’s Court Proprietors, said that the Environmental Manager David Doig had been very helpful, and they were happy with progress.
12.2 Caroline Barr, on behalf of the Causey 2 Project, appealed for volunteers to assist with work, and she collected some e-mail addresses from those interested. She also mentioned (again) the missing toby utility covers – HM assured her that this matter was on the list for the week of action.
13. Any other business
13.1 MB was concerned about an advertising mannequin which was cluttering an already busy pavement at 53 Nicolson Street; it was hoped this would be dealt with during the week of action.
13.2 SB asked about the removal of three trees on Holyrood Road. LM explained that they had been blocking the cctv camera’s sightline. Six smaller trees were to be planted.
13.3 LH asked about safety for customers in Tesco’s Nicolson Street in the event of an emergency. CC said that regular checks are made by the authorities.
13.4 JS reminded everyone of the need for suggestions for the week of action.
14. Date of next meeting: 11 March 2009, from 7pm until 9pm.
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