Welcome to Edinburgh's
Southside Community Council
Minutes of 94th meeting, held on Wednesday 10th February 2010, from 7.00pm until 9.00pm, in the Nelson Hall, 5 Spittalfield Crescent, Edinburgh.
SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Meetings are held from 7pm until 9pm on the second Wednesday of the month, from September until June, in the Nelson Hall, 5 Spittalfield Crescent, Edinburgh, EH8 9QZ
Telephone: 0131-667 8838
www.edinscc.org
Further information on any of the items below is available from the Secretary,
by using the above postal address or web site.
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: Hilary McDowell (HM);
Elected Members: Nikki Thomson (Secretary) (NT), John Largue (Treasurer) (JL), Justine Stansfield (JS), Susan Brown (SB), Caroline Barr (CB), Amy Williamson (AW), Keith Smith (KS), Liz Mulligan (LM), May Linton (ML), Michael Strain (MS), Sandra McCormack (SM).
City of Edinburgh Council: Councillor Gordon Mackenzie;
There was no member of the Lothian and Borders Police present;
Members of the Public: Two.
1. Welcome and apologies for absence.
HM welcomed those present to the meeting. Apologies for absence were received from Colin Symes.
2. No Police Report due to Ben’s absence.
At this point HM suggested a change to the order of Agenda and the meeting moved to Election of Office Bearers (was item 11 now item 3)
3. Election of Office Bearers
There are 3 vacant positions on Committee (initial appointments were for three months only) – Secretary, Chairperson and Vice Chair. HM to continue as Chairperson, CB volunteered for Vice Chair seconded by JL, and SM had agreed to act as Minutes Secretary for the evening. In the meantime NT will continue to send out leaflets and documents to members until a new Secretary takes over. HM told the meeting Jo Scott had recommended a lady who would consider taking on the position of Secretary but not until after March. AW agreed to write letters and emails on behalf of the CC required as a result of decisions made at the meetings.
4. Minutes of the Community Council meeting held on 13th January 2010 and Matters Arising
Minutes approved.
Matters arising:
- £500 had been donated to the Causey Project last year as a result of a successful application for a grant through the NP.
- Environmental issue - LM told the meeting that there has been a promise of two additional grit bins in the Dumbiedykes area. The proposal is to site these near the two CCTV cameras but she was not sure if any more would be supplied. She will follow this up.
- HM had received information on Edinburgh Parks Manifesto consultation via NP. We have been informed that only the number of big events was up for consultation and our comments on other areas of the consultation will not be considered. The management plan drawn up for Green Flag application gives a rather different impression from the reality we see. Head of Parks will attend the Friends of the Meadows meeting in March and HM will have an opportunity to raise issues then. A review of last year’s events on the Meadows was promised but has not happened.
5. Secretary’s Report
- Letter has been written to Southside Community Centre asking if door could be open early to allow general public to attend Councillors’ surgeries.
- Road surface problems at the bus stops have been repaired.
- Letter has been sent to Robert Beaton thanking him for his efforts on behalf of SCC.
- Letter to Inspector Moffat re. “Neighbourhood Action”. He has been invited to the March meeting to give us a full report.
- SCC had received correspondence from Edinburgh City Forum. JL to attend meeting on 14th March.
6. Correspondence
- Letters from NSPCC
- Cockburn Association
- Scottish National Heritage Magazine
- PBP Custody Visiting Scheme
- Bill Bruce : Licensing Standards Officers
- Andrew Smith – Review of local landscape designations.
Invitations were received from
1. Planning Aid for Scotland – invitation to events in Irvine and Aberdeen
(no interest)
2. Fair Trade brunch hosted by Lord Provost – HM to attend.
3. World Heritage Site Management. plan Vision Workshop on 16th Feb. 2010.
4. Cockburn Association – Civic Forum 16th March 2010. JL to attend.
5. CRN – Training seminar on Health Inequalities on 13th February 2010 CB to attend.
7. Treasurer’s Report
- Balance £1249.50p plus £29.34 petty cash.
8. Members’ expenses: Policy and Procedures.
JL passed round a sample of a “Travel Expenses Claim Procedure”. After a brief discussion the meeting accepted this.
9. Neighbourhood Action Units: update on preparations.
- There was discussion of these proposals and strong feeling was expressed by the CC that the Environmental Forum was not the appropriate place for Policing matters to be discussed. CCs already provide a useful link with the Police through the Community Beat Officer. A letter / email is to be sent expressing our opinion.
10. Planning and Licensing Committee Report
- Questions were asked regarding opening hours for public houses, in particular the McEwan Ale House. Ian Perry has agreed to provide the CC with a list of opening hours for pubs in the area. AW provided the meeting with answers to questions regarding the statutory obligations of pub landlords to comply with hours of trading.
11. Environmental Report (HM)
- Gullies – It turns out that none of the gullies identified as blocked and needing high pressure jetting during the week of action in March 09 have been treated. This, despite the fact that most of these were visited again in September and October. I have been assured that they are now top of the list.
- Red Light Cameras – The red light camera at the junction of Bernard Terrace and Clerk Street has been replaced, and that at Newington Road and / Salisbury Road is due shortly. The old cameras used film and needed weekly servicing. Only a limited number of boxes had cameras in them at any one time. The new boxes house digital cameras and will be wired directly to a central office.
- Bus stop road surface – Repairs of a reasonable standard have been made at the bus stops that had been of the greatest concern to the CC.
- Paving slabs – Many paving slabs have become wobbly and unstable due to the bad weather. I would ask members to report particularly dangerous faults to the Council on 0800 232323.
- Toilets, Middle Meadow Walk – Money from the Quartermile development is supposed to be being paid for the refurbishment of these toilets. Unfortunately Quartermile is not responding to letters enquiring when this is going to happen.
- Drummond Street – I have reminded the roads dept that in March 09 it had been agreed to reslab part of the pavement of Drummond Street on the south side, and asked when this might happen.
12. Roads Project Capital Funding 09/10 and 10/11
- Last year the CC proposed the need for a proper crossing on Bernard Terrace (pedestrian lights, pedestrian refuse or similar) Funding was allocated but we are now told there is “no space” HM proposed we should continue to chase them up to provide something to make this road safe for the general public to cross. Gordon Mackenzie promised to pursue this matter. AW will write to the Roads Dept.
- Suggestion for projects for 10/11 were discussed. There was discussion over the dangerous step and sloping pavement area in front of the Edinburgh Bargain Store and the Kalpna restaurant on Clerk Street opposite St. Patrick Square. Several members reported having fallen themselves at this place, and witnessed other similar accidents. HM encouraged anyone who had had a fall or accident to contact the Council. There seems to be some doubt over the ownership and responsibility of this piece of ground. KS said there may be multiple ownership. The shopkeepers and the restaurant owners were also keen to see this problem solved. AW will submit the forms for this project.
- Added suggestions included dropped kerbs (from CB) and LM said more steps renovations were needed for Dumbiedykes. (Subsequent to the meeting it is understood that the Dumbiedykes environmental group will putting in a submission for this)
13. Election of representatives to
- HMO working group. Jo Scott will continue to represent us on this.
- Fairer Scotland Fund Working Group – now defunct.
- Braidwood Centre Management Committee – LM attends.
- Bob Hodgart to attend Edinburgh Association of Community Council meetings on behalf of SCC. MS to attend Saturday morning meetings of the EACC.
14. Reports from Meetings attended.
- There had been a meeting about the Causey Project (West Crosscauseway Assoc.) It had been well attended. An event is planned in conjunction with the Book Festival. Isobel and Alison to liaise with Council.
- KS had attended Southside Association Meeting on Feb. 2nd. He told the meeting that he had enjoyed the talk and short film presented by a member of the Cyrenians. The talk centred on collecting food from the big foodstores to provide help for homeless people.
- He had also spoken to James Gillespie’s High School Inspectors at the SSA.
- KS also told the meeting that he had concerns over the potential cuts to the budgets for Community Centres and feels savings will need to be made.
- There is a Youth Club Coffee being held at 7.30pm on 22nd February in aid of the Haiti Appeal, also the South Side Community Orchestra is giving a concert on Saturday 27th February at 2.00 pm.
- LM had attended Her Majesty’s Inspectors Meeting. She felt that continued support from SCC was essential.
- Environmental Forum attended by LM, HM and CB.
15. Public Question Time.
- A member of the public who is blind told us that she also finds the step in the middle of the pavement at St Patrick Square problematic.
16. Any other business.
- JS resigned from the SCC at end of meeting because she is moving to a different area of Edinburgh. Glenys Millar has resigned since she has moved away from Southside.
17. Date of next meeting (Wednesday 10th March 2010, 7pm)
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