Welcome to Edinburgh's
Southside Community Council
Minutes of 78th meeting, held on Wednesday 10 September 2008, 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; HMO = House(s) in Multiple Occupation; LA = Licence Application; L&BP = Lothian & Borders Police; LHC = Late Hours Catering; MMW = Multi-member ward; 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}, Justine Stansfield (Treasurer) {JSt}, and Liz Walker {LW};
Local Interest Groups’ Nominated Members: Margaret Bagan {MB}, Mary Devine {MD}, Liz Mulligan {LM}, Kathleen Newis {KN}, George Pitcher {GP}, and Stewart Reid {SR};
Co-opted Members: Carol McHugh {CM};
City of Edinburgh Council: Councillor Cameron Rose {CR};
Lothian & Borders Police: Inspector Richard Horan, and PC Ben Merrick; and
Members of the Public: Four.
1. Welcome, and apologies for Absence
Robert Beaton welcomed those present to the meeting. Stewart Reid was introduced as the new representative for Parkside Terrace Residents’ Association. Apologies for absence were received from Bob Hodgart, Keith Smith, Councillor Steve Burgess, and Sarah Boyack MSP.
2. Police Report
PC Merrick described Operation Artisan, in which the University of Edinburgh had provided funds for four extra constables and a sergeant to do evening work; there had been an 89% drop in calls. He outlined various instances of criminal and anti-social behaviour which had taken place in the area, including drugs raids. There was a heroin drought and diazepam was being used instead. There had been five drugs related deaths recently. The temporary drop-in Centre at the Salvation Army premises in East Adam Street would move to Niddrie Street in November, and PC Merrick said that the staff had been diligent in keeping trouble at bay. The Dumbiedykes area had been relatively quiet, although there was a problem family. LM pointed out that there had been vandalism to cars in Viewcraig Gardens, although the police had not been notified.
Inspector Horan was welcomed to his first visit to the Southside Community Council. He said that he had six Community Councils in his area, and he would like to attend a meeting of each once or twice a year. He outlined his three aims of priorities (and hoped that input from CCs would help set these), resources, and results. He said that PC Merrick would be moving to other duties in due course, and said that his skills would be sorely missed at St Leonard’s Police Station.
3. Minutes of meeting held on 11 June 2008
Approved; proposed by CM, and seconded by JSt.
4. Matters arising
4.1 Item 8.1 - report on the new licensing forum is due to be issued shortly.
4.2 Item 9 – no feedback yet on the research into usage of Commonwealth Pool.
4.3 HM provided an update on outstanding environmental matters: after the major roadworks caused by gas pipe renewal, Clerk and South Clerk Streets had been left in a poor state, with ponding and trip hazards; the long-term water leak at the east end of Melville Drive had finally been sorted after the intervention of Mike Pringle MSP; and new lamps had been installed in Nicolson Square.
5. Secretary’s Report
5.1 Cllr Burgess had asked if a speaker on climate change could attend a future meeting; this was agreed, for a short time slot.
5.2 Copies of the EACC Autumn newsletter were distributed.
5.3 A copy of a crime prevention pack which had been sent to some local traders had been received.
5.4 The Edinburgh Civic Forum (Cockburn Association) had held their regular quarterly meeting at 4.30pm on 9 September. No-one from the SCC had been able to attend at this early time, and disappointment was expressed at the organisation’s decision to move the times of their meetings from 7pm to 4.30pm.
5.5 The ASCC had sent a ballot paper for the SCC to approve or otherwise their new constitution.
5.6 CC said that the boxer, Alex Arthur, had agreed to perform the annual switching-on of the festive lights at St Patrick Square, probably on Tuesday 9 December.
5.7 A member of Liberton Community Council had written to ask for support to create a south Edinburgh Timebank, with a request for the SCC to host an event at the Nicolson Street Community Education Centre. While members would be supportive of such a scheme, it was felt that Liberton CC should make their own arrangements for publicity. CC to write.
5.8 The University of Edinburgh were looking for a group of six to eight volunteers to take part in a street pollution test; details from CC.
6. Treasurer’s Report
JSt reported that the bank balance was £1436.80. This included the net annual grant of £644.94.
7. Correspondence
The following items had been received: objections invited (though not thought necessary) for a new loading bay in Crichton Street; programme for the Edinburgh Doors Open Day on 27 September; Issue 16 of Inside Letting; Summer newsletter from the ASCC; minutes from Tollcross CC; Edinburgh Tenants’ Federation’s Annual Report; a thank you letter from a local resident following the SCC’s thanks to her for removing a number of fly posters; info on seminars about mediation in the planning system; leaflet on the pathfinder project (refuse collection changes); community health development grant info; Holyrood Park newsletter; the Save Meadowbank Campaign would like assistance from CCs; Housing Board meeting minutes; South Edinburgh Public Partnership Forum info; and details of the Angus Millar Lecture on 13 October, about new design in heritage settings.
8. Planning and Licensing Committee Report
8.1 1 Parkside Terrace – unauthorised demolition of wall. The Planning dept’s enforcement section has ordered the reinstatement of the front wall and railing.
8.2 103 Newington Road – Planning Appeal to the SG for non-consent of new rear dormer windows: the Reporter allowed the appeal and granted consent
8.3 Consultation on development management guideline on villa areas and grounds of villas: no response made.
8.4 10 Chapel Street – awaiting decision on conversion from juice bar to restaurant.
8.5 24 St Leonard’s Bank – comments submitted by the SCC considered material.
8.6 Former Odeon cinema – it appeared that a decision on their PA was due later in the month.
8.7 Archer’s Hall – PA for a 90 bed block for post-graduate students. There was widespread concern about various aspects of this application, and it was agreed that a public meeting be arranged as soon as possible, with the architect to be invited.
8.8 HMO LAs – 18 had been received since the June meeting.
9. Environmental Report
9.1 HM submitted the following report:
Toilets
JS put a huge amount of work into getting the Middle Meadow Walk toilets reopened. Those in Hunter Square are also open at present. There are plans to refurbish both sets of WCs. We will need to be very alert to make sure that refurbishment doesn’t, in effect, become closure.
Fly Posting
The Council has taken a more pro-active approach this Festival. Urban Circus has been served notice to remove offending posters within a couple of days or face prosecution.
Innocent Railway Tunnel
There were plans for an “event” in the tunnel during the Festival. James Gilmour alerted us to this and as a result the Police and other enforcement agencies were in attendance.
Drains
We have made many reports of blocked drains but there has been little action from the department. I will seriously increase the pressure in this area. August record rainfall will probably have meant that there will have been many calls to the dept.
Bollards
The third deadline for replacement has now passed. Nothing has happened despite my phone calls and emails, and representation from local Councillors. I know that the Southside Association as well as CC and members of the public feel very strongly that we want more rather than fewer bollards to prevent yet more damage to our pavements. I cannot get any action on this as environmental spokesperson so I am asking the CC to write to express the frustration of us all that we are getting absolutely no action. This was agreed.
The Meadows
Members will have seen the terrible mess left by the Urban Circus and Evans Funfair, despite all the measures that the Council apparently put in place this summer. Even the officials agree that the current condition is appalling. Several of the Councillors are now agreeing that we need a year with nothing on the so called “events” site. The parks Dept are keen for the Meadows to get a Green Flag, which is a scheme similar to the good beach Blue Flag scheme. It seems to me that this is the time for the decision to be made about what the park is for. Is it for public recreation and sport, or for events such as the Moonwalk and the Ladyboys which cause such damage, exclude the public, and are money-making events? We need to decide whether we should aim to stop permanently all big events on that site, or to go for controlling them. I don’t believe the second will work. At present the Council says that if an event wants to be on the Meadows it should be allowed to do so. They cannot say “no” to one while saying “yes” to others. My fear is that we will end up with a concreted events site with Astroturf on top, and continuous events on, 52 weeks a year.
This Meadows report stimulated a lively debate and George Pitcher moved that the SCC declares that the Meadows should not host the four big events every year; this was seconded by Hilary McDowell, and agreed by the Community Council.
Roads
There is considerable concern about the poor condition of the carriageways and pavements. We have been told that there is a great deal more money to deal with the backlog of repairs, but there’s not much evidence of it. There is an initiative called the Roads Capital Project where £100,000 is allocated to each Neighbourhood Partnership for the community to decide how this should be spent. We understood that this was specifically for projects that would not otherwise be funded, and not for repairs. As a result JS proposed a project to tidy up signage at the junction of Newington Road and West Newington Place. Other groups put in other projects. Several of us are angry to find that this so-called Community project has in effect been hijacked by the roads dept. About half the projects included are road repairs proposed by the dept. and not community suggestions. We have also been told that we must rate all the projects in preference order, which means voting for road repairs, or our vote will not be counted as valid. A copy of the report is available for councillors to look at and discuss with members of the Environmental Forum present.
There was a plea for earlier information next year.
9.2 Meadows and Bruntsfield Links Green Flag Management Plans - the SCC had been invited to nominate a member to join a Green Flag Group to assist with the formation and implementation of a management plan. CC proposed that Hilary McDowell be nominated; she accepted, and this was agreed by the Community Council.
9.3 Notification about a meeting arranged by Transition Edinburgh on Climate Change and Peak Oil was given.
9.4 Some members had attended the official re-opening of Nicolson Square on 1 September.
10. Reports from meetings attended
10.1. Canongate Youth Project Management Committee (7 Jul, 21 Aug)
LH reported that there had been a successful summer programme. There was quite a high turnover of staff, and the draft accounts had to be agreed.
10.2 Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links AGM (16 Jun)
JS said that the AGM had been a busy and successful meeting, with a good presentation on safety in the Meadows by Kathy Evans. Next meeting is at St Thomas of Aquins School on 3 November.
10.3 Meadows & Links Short Life Working Group (3 Jul)
CR reported that numerous issues had been aired; the key next step is the soon to be published report on all parks.
10.4 South Central Neighbourhood Partnership (11 Aug)
JS said that there had been a lively discussion on HMOs especially those in Marchmont and Sciennes, as well as information on the working arrangements of the refuse collectors.
10.5 South Side Community Education Centre Management Committee (4 Sep)
Routine meeting.
10.6 Southside Association (9 Sep)
CC said that apart from a police report, Susan Bruce, SCNP Manager, had made a presentation on local environmental matters, which had occasioned a very lively feedback and exchange of views.
10.7 Edinburgh Community Energy Co-operative Ltd (23 August)
Attended on behalf of the SCC by Philip McDowell, who sent the following:
They have commissioned a study which hasn’t reported yet, but seems likely to recommend some form of microgeneration in the waterfront area, possibly combined Heat & Power (CHP). We also heard from Council officials about the regeneration of Princes St, and the possibility of taking waste heat from the Princes St stores to heat houses to the north (pipes in the Scotland St tunnel?), and other green policy moves. John Quinn from Craigmillar talked about what might be done there – more CHP perhaps, and including City Car Club membership with house purchases. All ifs and maybes!
Of possible interest to Southside is the Climate Challenge Fund, a community based government funded project to reduce carbon emissions. Community Councils could for instance apply along with a group of tenement owners to improve the loft insulation up to the current standard. See www.infoscotland.com/climatechallengefund for more details.
10.8 Other meetings
These included the Housing Board, and the Braidwood Centre Management Committee.
11. Any other business
11.1 JSt said that SCOOSH were looking for a suitable small area for an environmental tidy-up, and the area around the Engine Shed was suggested.
11.2 CR reminded members of the Public meeting on 11 September about the proposed closure of Nicolson Street Post Office.
11.3 LM said that she felt that the Braidwood Centre needed much more local support, particularly from groups, and she requested help from the SCC.
11.4 MD reminded members of the next meeting of the Southside & Old Town Crime Prevention Panel, on 23 September.
11.5 RB and JS had attended a meeting about the proposed withdrawal of the No 60 Bus Service. It was decided that the SCC should support the idea of extending another service to cover Dumbiedykes, and give access to the Southside.
11.6 Some members had attended the official opening of the new Informatics Centre at Potterrow on 3 September.
12. Open Forum
12.1 Caroline Barr said that the Causey Project had so far raised the sum of £34,000. There was to be a workshop for young people, in conjunction with the CYP.
12.2 Jonathan Sharp raised the subject of the problems with the various waste bins in Haddon’s Court. The contents of bins were set alight from time to time, and there was constant littering because of people scavenging goods binned by the charity shops. Numerous attempts had been made over the years to get owners to use lockable bins, but it was thought that the only solution was for shop-keepers to keep the bins in their shops overnight, perhaps by using smaller containers. The police frequently patrolled Haddon’s Court.
13. Date of next meeting
Wednesday 8 October 2008, from 7pm until 9pm, in the Gray Room, Nelson Hall.
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