Welcome to Edinburgh's
Southside Community Council
Minutes of 86th meeting, held on Wednesday 13 May 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 {CC}, Linda Hendry {LH}, Hilary McDowell {HM}, Jo Scott {JS}, and Justine Stansfield {JSt};
Local Interest Groups’ Nominated Members: Margaret Bagan {MB}, Kathleen Newis {KN}, George Pitcher {GP}, and Stewart Reid {SR};
Co-opted Members: Carol McHugh {CM}, and Keith Smith {KS};
City of Edinburgh Council: Councillors Ian Perry {IP}, and Cameron Rose {CR};
Lothian & Borders Police: PC Tom Hopper; and
Members of the Public: Three.
Apologies for absence: Mary Devine, Robert Hodgart, Liz Mulligan, Liz Walker, and Sarah Boyack MSP.
1. Police Report
PC Tom Hopper gave an update on recent local crime matters. He mentioned that the recent warmer weather had seen an increase in anti-social behaviour, with problems at Nicolson Square, St Patrick Square, and Bristo Square. Once legal clarification had been obtained, it was hoped to make these areas enforcement zones, with appropriate signage. KS voiced his concerns about the displacement of troublesome individuals, some of whom had been causing a nuisance at the Community Centre.
PC Hopper described the forthcoming Operation Autoclave which will tackle underage drinking and associated problems such as ASB and graffiti spraying. This will operate on Thursday-Sunday evenings (with two officers in a car and two on foot) in June and July, and attempts will be made to curb proxy buying of alcohol. The previous similar Operation Aura had been successful in reducing crime figures.
Members mentioned concerns about drug trafficking in telephone boxes and on the street in Chambers Street, South Clerk Street, Bernard Terrace, and West Richmond Street.
2. Minutes of meeting held on 8 April 2009
Approved; proposed by CM, and seconded by MB.
3. Matters arising
Item 5.1 – Election paperwork sent to the CEC.
Item 5.3 – Sarah Boyack was unable to attend today’s meeting, and will attend on 10 June instead.
4. Secretary’s Report
4.1 Community Council Review Scheme – the second statutory consultation period was underway, and some aspects of the changes were outlined and discussed.
4.2 The annual Community Council Joint Meeting on ‘Engaging with Communities’ will be held on Monday 1 June 2009 in the main Council Chamber; there will be a presentation on the Scottish Community Empowerment Plan, recently launched by the SG and COSLA. There will then be workshops on community engagement techniques, new planning legislation guidance, and community engagement facilities in libraries. RB and JS will attend.
4.3 Parking Standards Review by CEC, Stage 2 Consultation. See this link.
Edinburgh Standards for Housing. See this link
4.4 BMA Scotland had published a consultation document entitled General Practice in Scotland: The Way Ahead; comments requested by 12.6.09.
5. Treasurer’s Report
JSt said that the bank balance at 16.4.09 was £947.40.
6. Correspondence
The following items had been received: Working Capital Issue 20, Spring Newsletter from Sarah Boyack MSP, Tenants’ Voice Issue 71, Inside Letting Issue 19, the Spring 2009 edition of The Nature of Scotland from Scottish Natural Heritage, and the Scottish Health Council’s newsletter 4.
7. Planning and Licensing Committee Report
Planning
7.1 The Edinburgh Local Development Plan Scheme for 2009 document had been sent for information purposes. This sets out the Council’s programme for preparing the first LDP which will replace the current generation of local plans, and an initial participation statement which outlines intentions for community engagements in the preparation of the first LDP.
7.2 Archers’ Hall – significantly revised plans given consent. (08/03150)
Licensing
7.3 LA for street trader food at Charles St; application continued.
7.4 LA for Public Entertainment Temporary at Studio Big Top and The Foyer, The Meadows, from 7.8.09 until 5.9.09 – objection submitted. See 9.7.
7.5 LA for Public Entertainment Commercial Operation Temporary at Theatre Big Top, The Meadows, from 13.8.09 until 31.8.09 – objection submitted. See 9.7.
There had been no acknowledgement from the Licensing Section for the above two objections; CC said that proper procedures (similar to planning ones) for handling licence applications and representations with proper information and due notification of decisions were long overdue, and CR agreed that streamlining was required.
7.6 Four HMO LAs since last meeting.
8. Environmental Report
HM said that she had been busy with matters connected to the Meadows (see 9.7), and had not yet started compiling a list of missing toby utility covers. She had been responsible for the publicity campaign (Save our Meadows) including the distribution of posters and postcards (approximately 600 completed examples of which had been delivered to the CEC’s Chief Executive). She had attended (as a member of the public) the 12 May meeting of the Policy and Strategy Committee at which the arrangements for events management were discussed, and said that about two hours had been devoted to the Meadows.
9. Reports from meetings attended:
9.1 Braidwood Community Centre Management Committee AGM (28 Apr)
Attended by GP, JS, and KS. There was a small but enthusiastic turnout at the AGM, and the activities of the Management committee were endorsed, while acknowledging the difficulties, especially with funding. Jeff Haddow is the new treasurer.
9.2 Canongate Youth Project Management Committee (11 May)
Attended by LH, who reported that following a break-in and the theft of a computer the police were to advise on improving security measures.
9.3 Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (18 Apr)
Attended by JS, who reported that attendance was about 15. There was an interesting Q&A session about housing; notes to follow. The AGM is on 20 June, in the City Chambers.
9.4 Environmental Forum 2 (29 Apr)
Attended by HM and JS, who said that decisions had been made about the roads capital programme. Dropped footway crossing would be installed in various locations in the area, and a new traffic refuge island would be introduced at the east end of Bernard Terrace.
9.5 Meadows & Bruntsfield Links Short Life Working Group (1 May)
Attended by IP and JS. The Events Strategy papers were not then available. An emergency management meeting has been called (no date at present).
9.6 South Area Housing Board (5 May)
Attended by IP, who said that voting for 50 projects had been carried out, with the projects being ranked in order of preference; details to follow.
9.7 South Central Neighbourhood Partnership (11 May)
Attended by CC, LH, HM, IP, and JS. There was a lively and lengthy discussion about the use of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links for commercial activities, with numerous contributions from both SCNP members, and from the floor. Points included community versus commercialism should be paramount, and economic rather than environmental sustainability seemed to be preferred by the Council.
The following motion from the SCNP to the full City of Edinburgh Council was proposed, and agreed by a majority vote:
“The SCNP deplores the Council’s failure to produce an overall policy on events in the City’s open green spaces. The situation was debated on 20 December 2007 and a motion calling for a report on the effect of overuse of the Meadows for events (Cllr MacLaren) was sent to the full Council. The large events lasting for more than one month went ahead on the Meadows in August 2008 and the area used was again very badly damaged. It has still not recovered (eight months) later.
With regard to the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links, we propose that the Council does not allow any large scale, lengthy events to take place on the Meadows until the report has been published. We suggest that available gap-sites should be seriously investigated e.g. Caltongate.
We further suggest that any events policy developed should protect the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links for the use of both Edinburgh residents and visitors for sport and relaxation. It should not be turned into an area where commercial events are over-riding the priority of sustaining a high quality environment. Such events take the ground out of public use both during the event (31+ days) and for a lengthy recovery period.”
Various other reports were made by the SCNP Manager. The local Community Plan is to be launched on 15 May. The sum of £50,000 for eligible community grants remains unspent. Minutes of the meeting to follow.
9.8 South Side Community Education Centre Management Committee (12 May)
Attended by MB, CC, CM, JS, and KS, and Cllr Burgess. Discussion on the continuing development of the café. KS said that the 25% cut in the sessional budget would mean a similar reduction in the programme, for example the youth club would meet only nine times instead of 12, and future planning would be tricky.
9.9 Southside Association AGM (5 May)
Held at the School of Informatics, Crichton Street, and attended by MB, CC, MD, RH, CM, GP, IP, JS, and KS. There were annual reports from the office bearers. The same office bearers and committee were elected for 2009-2010. There followed a very interesting tour of the building, and a presentation on some of the research and work done by the School and its staff and students.
9.10 West Crosscauseway Association AGM (11 May)
Caroline Barr reported that a film of the youth workshops had been shown. Next meeting is at 7pm on 8 June at the Nicolson Street Community Centre.
9.11 Meadows Festival Association (11 May)
Attended by LH and JSt. The Meadows Festival will take place on the weekend of 6-7 June 2009. The SCC agreed to renew its membership (£20), and to donate £50 towards the costs of the event.
9.12 Meadows Green Flag Status Judging (13 May)
Attended by HM and JS. HM reported that CEC officials had removed the ‘Save our Meadows’ notices. Outcome would be announced in July.
10. Public Question Time
10.1 Caroline Barr commented on the growth of weeds at Carnegie Court; CR said he would inform the appropriate department.
10.2 Jeff Haddow again asked about the possible realignment of TV aerials in Dumbiedykes; CC said that the matter was still being investigated by the CEC.
11. Any other business
11.1 JS thought that the leaflet produced for use by the SCC during the Environmental Week of Action could be adapted for use at the Meadows Festival; JS, JSt, and SR to liaise in its production.
11.2 SR asked about the ‘No barbeque’ signs in the Meadows. People had barbeques in spite of the signs. There are plans to locate flagstones in certain areas for barbeque equipment. Members thought that this would encourage even more on grassy areas, and would be inappropriate as the Meadows is part of a smokeless zone.
11.3 JS asked if members would like the Planning Group to examine the number of brightly painted shops in the area, following comments and complaints about some. No decision for action was made.
11.4 JS said that Edinburgh Leisure would like to attend the September meeting to discuss their proposals for extended opening hours at the tennis courts in the East Meadows.
11.5 It was agreed to donate the sum of £30 to the Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links.
12. Date of next meeting: Wednesday 10 June 2009.
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