Secretary's report March 2018

 

Invitation to meetings

 

Consultations

1.      21 Feb: From From: Lynn Sharp [mailto:Lynn.Sharp@improvementservice.org.uk] Sent: 12 March 2018 14:58To: Subject: Bank closures: impact on local businesses, consumers and the Scottish economy inquiry. the number of bank branches across Scotland reduced by a third between 2010 and 2017.

 

The Committee wants to hear from as many people as possible (both as members of a community council, as a business owner or as an individual). The Committee are keen to find out how branch closures have impacted communities at as local a level as possible. The closing date for submissions is Friday 13 April 2018 (but the link to the survey below says that the consultation is closed).

 

Bank closures: impact on local businesses, consumers and the Scottish economy inquiry: http://parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/107957.aspx

 

You only need to answer questions relevant to your community. http://parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/107960.aspx

 

The Committee are also running a survey that is targeted more to individuals and businesses. The intention of the survey is to capture as many views as possible and the call for views is there to allow a fuller response. http://bit.ly/bankclosures

 

2.      17 March: Consultation on proposals for reviewing the current landlord registration fee structure and expanding the range of prescribed information applicants must provide to local authorities

https://consult.gov.scot/landlord-registration/registration-fee

 

3.      28 March: From lynne.mcmenemy@edinburgh.gov.uk (phone 529 2485).

From Thursday 29 March 2018 to Thursday 10 May 2018, on the Council’s draft Supplementary Guidance on Heat Opportunities Mapping (opportunities for establishing district heat networks within the context of the Local Development Plan) at http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/supplementaryguidance or through the Council’s Consultation Hub: consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/heat-supplementary-guidance.

 

When I looked at the document it appears to deal only with new developments.

 

 

Emails received

1.      14 March: Council Leader's report

2.      12 March: Email from Stephen Blacklaw about the road resurfacing work

3.      13 March: From moira.gibson@ed.ac.uk with a link which gives detail of the buildings owned by the University, which can be enlarged on a screen  https://www.ed.ac.uk/maps.

 

There are also comprehensive lists – by name and by number - of all buildings they own across Edinburgh and elsewhere, including flats.  If you need help in disaggregating a list of the Central Area, please get in touch. https://www.ed.ac.uk/estates/buildings-information/buildings-by-building-number and https://www.ed.ac.uk/estates/buildings-information/buildings-a-z-list

She will find out more and respond about buildings they let and/or manage on behalf of other landlords. I emailed a summary of the flats and other accommodation to all SCC members.

 

4.      14 March: from Councillors Mandy Watt and Melanie Main with information about the South East Locality Committee, with papers from the meeting on February 21st. Next meeting Monday 23 April 6:30pm Dean of Guild Room, City Chambers. All Community Councils, and anyone else, can attend.

 

5.      19 March: From Brian Gilmore, Chair, Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council (brian_ac_gilmore@live.com) expressing concern about the "localities" plans, and the unclear role for CCs. He says that, because the Localities have budgeting powers, the only members are constrained to be Councillors. How Community Councils will fit into this new model is extremely unclear and I think you are perfectly correct to be worried about this and the extent to which we will be listened to in the future.They seem to have been simply cobbled together with rules being made up as they go along, with a potential danger that each will decide to do things in a very different way so we will need to be very vigilant indeed.

 

6.      March 28: From Peter Watton (Head of Estates) via Steve Burgess, stating that the documents are concluded for the Engine Shed and the legal date of entry is 3 April.

 

7.      From East Parkside Proprietors' Association: Update on repairs to lights in the Innocent Railway tunnel.