Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council
Minutes of Meeting held on June 26th, 2024 at St. Catherine’s Argyle Church Hall
Present: Brian Gilmore - Chair, Anne Laing - MSCC Secretary, Alison Service - MSCC Treasurer, Douglas Rogers - MSCC, Lianne Phillips - MSCC Publicity, Kayleigh Gordon - MSCC Publicity, Cllr. Tim Pogson, Richard Robinson - local resident, Cathy McDonald - local resident, Kate McNairney - local resident (SMAG)
Apologies: Susie Agnew - MSCC, Anthony Holmes - Thirlestane Lane Association, Cllr Ben Parker (recieved after meeting)
Attending: Nora Flynn-McIver - Minutes Secretary
Meeting began at 7:33pm
Draft Minutes of 22/05/24
Alison moves to pass, Anne seconds. The minutes are approved.
Matters Arising
Cllr. Tim Pogson got an answer about whether or not planning permission is necessary for bin hubs. The answer is no - a TRO is necessary instead.
Anne attended the Meadows Festival, there were two names added to the Google Group list. The people from Southside and Anne agreed that this might have been a waste of time, as they got very little attention at the event.
Police Report
None.
FOMBL Report
The FOMBL project update has been circulated. There is a proposed siting of the new Meadows toilet block, which has been circulated as well. Some members of FOMBL are concerned about the proposed placement of the toilets being at the bottom of Middle Meadow Walk, more people want it either where the temporary toilets are, across from the pavilion, or on the North end. The Council cited trees and roots as issues with that area. Alison also brought up that bollards of sorts should be put up to stop cars from parking in the bike lane if the toilets are placed in the Council’s proposed area. The MSCC members are of a consensus that there is a concern and that they will express this concern. A local resident notes that the men’s toilets on the east side of the Meadows are closed and asks whether the toilets are going to remain open. Cllr. Pogson will inquire about why the toilets are closed.
City Councillor report on local issues
Tomorrow is the last Council meeting before the summer recess. Consultations currently live: Council budget-setting process (closes on the 28th of July), 2040 city planning as to how the Council should engage with citizens and the city (open until the end of August). The process on solving the bin hub issue is ongoing, there was a meeting last Monday. A local resident notes that nearly 50 people showed up to that meeting with complaints about the lack of community/resident consultation. Alison volunteered to write to Cllr. Watt and get updates on the bin hub situation. The proposal for amenity on the bin hub requirements was not passed, but there will be a workshop. Cllr. Pogson will look into what the recommendations are. The application to put a student accommodation on Causewayside was refused, the developers can apply to Scottish government to appeal. A conversation was brought up about the proportion of students who live in Edinburgh and the amount of student accommodation that is necessary because student accommodation is the majority of what comes through the planning process. Cllr. Pogson notes that the Council is attempting to introduce regulations that would disrupt the control that student accommodation has over the market. The road closure outside of Sciennes school is progressing as the closure has been made permanent, and the process has moved forward to what exactly this will look like in the long term. The school hopes to have the new arrangements in place by the next term, which is possibly ambitious. A local resident asked how much money would be freed up if the tram project was abandoned - Cllr. Pogson clarified that all of this project is aspirational, there is no money currently stored away for it. Douglas Rogers notes that he and the MSCC at large would like to be a part of the conversations about the school road closure.
Publicity
Anne noted that she has been doing the notice boards and that the smaller boards are a very difficult surface to use for a notice board, and wants to know whether these surfaces can be replaced with cork. Lianne will give Alison a quote to replace them, and will also take some time to remove the graffiti from the notice boards.
Update on progress of buildings replacing old Sick Kids site
IQ Students owns the entirety of the Sick Kids site but they seem to be impossible to contact, Douglas has attempted to contact them in multiple ways to no avail. Douglas requested that Cllr. Pogson attempt to contact them directly. Someone has approached Douglas about using the community space in this area for art therapy. There are no updates at all on the Mortuary Chapel.
JR Builders has contacted anyone affected by their building site and answered any questions. They had an accident last week that is now being investigated.
AGM
Approve Note of last year’s AGM
The date was incorrect. Alison moves to pass, Anne seconds. The minutes pass.
Matters arising from the AGM minutes
None.
Annual Report - Chair (Brian Gilmore)
Many issues have come up. Sick Kids site shows complexity. The bin hub situation is progressing but has been an issue for a year at this point. Climate change and the effect on housing has been addressed multiple times. The number 41/9 bus got successfully rerouted. St Catherine’s Argyle church is being sold. There have been many reports from FOMBL. Thanks to Anne, Alison, Nora, Douglas, Nigel Ayton and all members of the MSCC and local residents. The Christmas tree event was of particular note.
Annual Report - Secretary (Anne Laing)
Communications have continued with the developers of the Sick Kids site - Downing completed the work
on the Student accommodation which became available at the end of the year. Square and Crescent are developing the original hospital building and the Victorian villa properties and hoping to have properties for sale on Millerfield place this year. JR builders are developing the site on Sylvan Place for affordable/social housing, hopefully will be done by Spring 2025. There has been extensive work on the sewer system. There has been much dissatisfaction about the bin hub situation. Anne has been working on the notice boards and gives thanks to the publicity team for helping with this.
Annual Report and presentation of audited accounts - Treasurer (Alison Service)
The financial situation is stable, main expenses are the minutes secretary, certain memberships, and the rental of the room. The Christmas tree event was a great success, thanks to the German-speaking church for providing their hall free for this event, and for all of the shops that provide prizes. Thanks to the independent reviewer, Jim Orr, for looking through accounts. There is a deficit of £3.11 this year, there is £1144 in the bank at the moment. Most of the MSCC money comes from a city council grant.
Election of Officers
Douglas Rogers nominates Brian Gilmore for Chair, Anne seconds. Brian is elected.
Brian Gilmore nominates Anne Laing for Secretary, Alison seconds. Anne is elected.
Douglas Rogers nominates Alison Service for Treasurer, Anne seconds. Alison is elected.
Date of next AGM
Cllr. Pogson will check on dates of election for Community Councillors. The provisional date will be the 25th of June, 2025.
Ordinary meeting dates for 2024-25
Alison proposes the 4th Wednesday of every month, excluding December, July, and August.
AGM AOCB
None.
Planning applications
Planning applications have been circulated. The Rajas building is currently up for sale.
Treasurer’s Report
£1240 in the bank.
Meetings attended
Alison attended the FOMBL trustee meeting and their AGM is this week. JR Builders has given £700 for a table tennis table and FOMBL is applying for a grant for the remainder of the money.
AOCB
Anne asked about the defibrillator at the Earl of Marchmont pub, Lianne will check with the current manager about this.
The St. Catherine’s Argyle and Marchmont St Giles union is still in doubt so no decision about the future as yet.
There is an LHES consultation to put heating pipes in the streets to provide heat to people’s homes. There is also a Clean Heat Edinburgh movement for a heat network from furnaces. There will be a presentation from the Clean Heat Edinburgh Forum to the forum of Edinburgh Community Councils tomorrow night, Douglas will circulate details.
Douglas has been looking into doing a study on making a block within Marchmont net zero and this idea is getting some traction. This is in early stages - there will be a community consultation on this.
Anne has been looking after the planters on Marchmont Crescent with Nora, Douglas’ wife. These look nice, and Anne thanks the Council for providing the plants.
There is a blocked drain, Cllr. Pogson suggests getting in touch with local Councillors.
Date of next meeting
Wednesday, 25th September 2024
No comments:
Post a Comment