Secretary’s report for January 2017 meeting.

Invitations to events

  1. November 7: FoMBL Autumn meeting EACC
  2. November 11: Upcoming Courses on Leadership, Budgets, Governance and Career Development, EVOC Training learning@evoc.org.uk
  3. January 11, 17: Papers for the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership meeting which takes place on Monday evening in the City Chambers.
  4. November 30: Civic Forum meeting, December 6
  5. December 22: Locality Improvement Plan Engagement , to help set the environmental priorities for four Edinburgh Locality Improvement Plans 2017-22 – Tim will attend the Feb 8 2017 event, for the South East and City Centre areas.

Emails and letters received (generally forwarded to SCC members, or planning sub-committee, as appropriate)

  1. November 8, 2016: Information about Mortonhall Crematorium closure being extended until February 2017.
  2. November 9: Southside Place Standard Publicity Material
  3. November 9: Request to participate in another Budget Consultation (forwarded to SCC members)
  4. November 9: Request to participate in Your City, Your Say, to provide priorities for the South East Locality (City Centre, Liberton/Gilmerton, Meadows/Morningside and Southside/Newington) to improve the quality of life, identify the most important issues and what we think needs to be done about them, and how our area can be preserved and enhanced.
  5. November 11: Prolonged correspondence between East Parkside Proprietors' Association to council officers and others re Management of roads, cycleways and footpaths within Holyrood Park. Problems with cyclists have not yet been solved.
  6. November 16: Request to help promote Locality Events about Social Enterprise Information Sessions (forwarded to SCC members)
  7. November 16 and subsequently: Prolonged correspondence about fly-posting for Scots Fiddle Festival. The rules about posters are unclear and are not consistently applied by the council, and councillors have given event organisers incorrect information. The City Centre Posters company promise to abide by rules. See file Item_5.2___Advertising_Boards.pdf
  8. November 16 and subsequently: Continued correspondence about data protection. The rules are still not being observed.
  9. November 21: Meal Makers service for people over the age of 55 to have a home-cooked meal provided by a neighbor (for a £5 fee for a year,) and appeal for local volunteers. Development Officer Robert Peacock (robert@mealmakers.org.uk), phone 07710 703528.
  10. November 21: Emails and documents re plans for the use of the Sick Kids site after the hospital moves, and public meeting where these were discussed.
  11. November 21: Council Leader's Report - November 2016
  12. November 21: Press Release about proposed new concert hall for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, which concerns our neighbourhood as we might lose concerts in the Queens Hall.
  13. November 22: Correspondence with Old Town CC about the Cowgate/India Buildings/Central Library hotel development, which has been given planning permission despite objections from the neighbourhood and many others. City of Edinburgh Council made this statement at the beginning of the current term of office in 2012: “We... need to recognise that there has been a breakdown in trust between the residents of Edinburgh and their elected representatives on the Council. That relationship needs to be repaired... this new contract with the capital marks a fresh start, with a Council willing to listen to local people and work together with local communities... A council where co-operation, fairness, accountability and responsibility really matter. The City will be able to judge the Council against this promise”.
  14. November 26: City of Edinburgh council Contract Register
  15. November 27: Notice of Proposed new fee structure for HMO licences and Proposed introduction of 3 year HMO licence
  16. November 27: Notice of proposed licensing Variations (December), concerning 2 Roxburgh Place (to start to on sale from 11am on Sunday, and use the new rules for noise) and 49-51 Causewayside (to increase on sale hours and add off sale, add club/ group meetings as an activity and allow activities outwith core hours)
  17. November 30: Minutes of 05 September 2016 Neighbourhood Partnership meeting
  18. December 2: re Dumbiedykes and boundary changes to Wards
  19. December 2: Report on Initial Consultation about airspace changes for flights involving Edinburgh airport (to which the SCC responded)
  20. December 9: The latest version of Tenants Voice is available to download from their website at http://www.edinburghtenants.org.uk/tenants-voice-december-2016/
  21. December 14: Prolonged correspondence between East Parkside Proprietors' Association to council officers and others re Damage to Bin Store Doors and Street Lighting on Public Cycleway at East Parkside
  22. December 16: Council Committee Weekly Bulletin, with link to view agendas, minutes and public reports for the Council and its main Committees at http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cpols (forwarded to SCC members)
  23. December 21: emails Re Council reply re governance of Licensing Board and Forum
  24. December 21: emails Re Southside surgery
  25. December 22: Police Scotland Area Command update December
  26. December 23: Notice of EVOC Active Communities campaign - Deadline for applications 25th Jan
  27. December 23: Council Committee Weekly Bulletin no. 113
  28. December 23: Correspondence between East Parkside Proprietors' Association to council officers and others re damage to Innocent Railway Tunnel Roof Lighting
  29. December 30: Correspondence re Salisbury Road hotel plan
  30. December 30: Correspondence re Edinburgh City Vision 2050

Emails etc sent

  1. November 9, 2016: To Johnny.Wong@scotland.pnn.police.uk, and David.Cuthbert@scotland.pnn.police.uk (and others), about a continuing problem with a couple sleeping on an open stair and (a second issue on the same stair) pot smoking and littering. The police did a lot of work and were very helpful in solving this problem. The issue led to correspondence about homeless people, but the council appear to do very little to help with this problem.
  2. November 28, 2016. To licensing@edinburgh.gov.uk This is to request that the Southside Community Council be regarded as a “key stakeholder” for the proposed consultation on this matter, as it is clearly something that may concern our neighbourhood, and we represent the interests of occupants of the stairs that will be affected by less frequent inspections. Landlords are obviously not the only group with an interest.
  3. November 28, 2016. To Mixa, Attn. Rory McGown (Suite 364, 12 South Bridge, EH1 1DD) about posters on street poles advertising Mixa, an app for nightclub goers, and pointing out that fly-posting is illegal and can attract a fine of £50 per poster.
  4. December 3, 2016: Reported a possible breach of planning controls at 95 - 97 Nicolson Street, which PMcD found is being renovated as a burger bar. web reference number 6851679
  5. December 3: Enquiry to planning enforcement re ATM at 75 South Clerk St., which has not had planning permission.
  6. December 3, 2016: Invitation to nominate for SCOTTISH CIVIC TRUST MY PLACE AWARDS 2017. Gifford Park mural nominated (submitted December 28th)
  7. 18 November 2016: Email to chief.executive@edinburgh.gov.uk requesting that that staff making data public are aware of the associated data protection issues, and that necessary redactions are carried out spreadsheet detailing waste uplift schedules, which currently display the access codes to people’s bin stores.

Other consultations, invitations to comment, etc.

  1. November 4, 2016: Consultations about the Meadows to Castle Terrace Walking and Cycling Improvements