Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council
Minutes of Meeting held on March 25th, 2026 at St. Catherine’s Argyle Church Hall
Present
Brian Gilmore - MSCC chair
Alison Service - MSCC Treasurer
Anne Laing - MSCC Secretary
Douglas Rogers - MSCC Inclusion Officer
Kate McNairney - SMAG
David Somervell - Bruntsfield Area Net Zero Action
Margaret Coughtrie - Local resident
Sara Kondracki - Local resident
Bethan Morgan - Local resident
Geoff Parsons - MSCC
Anthony Holmes - MSCC
Richard Shillcock - MSCC
Apologies
Peter Olech - MSCC
Kayleigh Gordon & Liane Phillips - MSCC Publicity
Susie Agnew - MSCC
Cllr Ben Parker
Attending
Eli Ferrell - Minutes Secretary
Meeting began at 19:34pm.
Sederunt and apologies
Brian welcomes everyone to the meeting. Sederunt and apologies as above.
Draft Minutes of last meeting February 2026
Susie Agnew was added to the minutes as having attended the February meeting. Alison moves to approve the minutes. Anne seconds.
Actions and matters arising (not otherwise on Agenda)
A letter has been circulated from the post office about the depot (by way of Cllr Marie-Clair Murro). No further action to be taken.
There is now access to the defibrillator outside the optician’s at Marchmont, corrected after a few days of prevented access, despite the large hole in the pavement. The optician’s basement roof was punctured and he was flooded out, but minimal action has been taken. Anne will write to the four councillors in Morningside ward (Marie-Clair Murro, Ben Parker, Neil Ross, and Mandy Watt) to complain about the way these works have been handled.
Anne contacted Sgt Lumsden expressing the MSCC dismay at the recent graffiti incident at the Mosque.
Meadows & Bruntsfield Links
FOMBL report has been circulated. FOMBL has agreed that the walkway will be named Hamish Henderson Way, in accordance with the MSCC vote. The nameplate will cost upwards of £400 pounds. Alison suggests a £100 donation. It is noted that Peter Olech suggested an application for EC Community Grants Fund in that matter. Alison will apply for that grant.
There are apple trees all along North Meadow Walk, and cherry trees down the diagonal path. It is unclear if there will be sufficient water if there is a hard summer. MSCC could go back to FOMBL and note their concern about whether there will be enough water.
Publicity
No publicity report.
City Councillor report on topical local issues
No councillors attending.
Danger to pedestrians and cyclists crossing Argyle Place near Melville Drive:A local resident Bethan Morgan presented a draft that was circulated to members earlier about the dangers of the crossing at foot of Argyle Pl and Melville Drive. There was general agreement at the meeting that this area needs to be revisited by road planners before there is a serious accident and Anne and Bethan will compose a suitable document to be sent to the local Councillors
Margaret Coughtrie expressed concern about the work being carried out at Summerhall/Melville Terrace and is not aware of the plans being circulated before work started and Melville Terrace was closed. It is noted that the plans had been circulated on a TTRO. These are for improvements for pedestrians and cycle path in that area; the work will be carried out in phases and is likely to take quite a long time.
The order to close Whitehouse Loan outside James Gillespie’s might expire the 15th of June. It is noted that the road closures made during COVID are being reviewed, but it was also believed that the Whitehouse Loan closure was permanent. Individual members of the community are encouraged to write in about it in advance of the review on April 2nd if they are concerned about the lapse.
It is raised that there should be a commitment from the Council to resurface Fingal Place; it is currently dangerous to cyclists and motorists, as well as potential causing damage to cars. Rat-running has recommenced at high speed. Geoff will draft a complaint.
Inclusion Officer’s report (attached)
Community Space
There is finally a final version of the license that will be accepted, despite some flaws, that will be signed in the next week or so. Invites will be distributed for that signing. Once the community space becomes available, there is discussion about doing a pop-up for people to come in and make comments on the Banzai local place plan (see below).
Local Place Plan
On Saturday 28th there will be a free lunch and a world music concert at the Pianodrome intending to take soundings from members of the community on how to pitch City Plan 2040. Please come along, and continue to fill out the survey asking for comments on the local place plan. This locale’s survey can be found here: https://banzaiedinburgh.org.uk/oni2040/
There will be advocacy in this plan to reduce the restrictions on solar panels in the future. There is hope that MSCC will endorse or sign the local place plan once it has been drafted.
Southside Community Council have also initiated a local place plan. Community members who live in that area are welcome to make comments on that plan until the end of May, which can be found here: https://www.sccedinburgh.org.uk/lpp
Morningside Community Council has done a draft, but does not have the funds to publish and circulate a final copy.
Items for discussion
Planning: nothing to note
Treasurer’s report (attached)
One bank account with Virgin successfully remaining (the Bank of Scotland account has been closed) £1632 in the account.
SMAG report
SMAG has been preparing for a meeting with Stephen Jenkinson which took place today about some bins to be closed or moved. There was a good response from SMAG members. The meeting was helpful and presented the five categories listed below:
Five categories raised as concerns about bin hubs
Homes without a buffer space (invasive noise or smell)
Adjacent to bedrooms; sleep disturbance and family impact
Chronic fly tipping
Clustered within short distances
Loss of use of residential gardens
Only four or five bin hubs will be changed. Stephen Jenkinson has asked for places where there are alternative locations and no one will complain, but that has already been submitted. There is time to get some requests back to him before the next round of TROs. It could still be 18 months to two years before the hubs get moved.
The request is that if anyone has a bin hub that is bothering them and they can think of an alternative location that is not just dumping the bin hub on a neighbour, then notify SMAG ASAP so it can be brought to the next meeting before the next round of TROs.
In the meeting, it was noted that there are more bins required in areas with a lot of HMO living spaces.
Property price drop indicates that people do not want to live around bins.
The issue of bins did come up in one of the place plan meetings—long-term solutions should be proposed to the place plan.
Meetings attended
No meetings attended.
AOCB
Reminder of new City electoral boundaries
When the election comes, this area will be part of Edinburgh Central instead of Edinburgh South. This change is in order to keep the population numbers roughly similar across seats.
Hustings
There will be a husting tomorrow at 7pm on Thursday, March 26th, at the Quaker meeting house.
It is noted that it is very late for MSCC to organize a hustings at this point. Richard and Margaret Coughtrie have volunteered to organize an online husting.
Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative
There will be a share offer for the next phase of solar panel installation, if you wish to invest or register your interests, go to www.edinburghsolar.coop
The date of the next meeting is Wednesday 22nd of April.
All who live or work locally are welcome to attend.
archmont
& Sciennes
