Edinburgh Community Council News

An electronic version of Edition 11 (May 09; PDF) of the Edinburgh Community Council News is now available.

Young people and Neighbourhood Partnerships Event

An event for Young People and Neighbourhood Partnerships to work together to improve local areas will take place on Th 11 June 2009 between 10am and noon at the Edinburgh Training Centre, 16 St Mary’s Street, Old Town.  There are places for up to 4 members from each of the 12 Neighbourhood Partnerships.  The  aims of the event are:

* Learning what young people are doing in Local Youth Forums

* Committing to working in partnership with young people in new and creative ways
* Sharing best practice and innovative approaches to youth engagement
* Identifying key neighbourhood actions for the coming year

If you would like to attend please contact: kathleen.mcclean@edinburgh.gov.uk; Tel 0131 529 6585.

Volunteers needed to staff the Community Council tent at the Meadows Festival

Volunteers are required to help staff the Community Council tent at the Meadows Festival on Sa 6 and Su 7 Jun 09. 

If you can help please contact susie (0131 667 4970) or alastair (0131 275 6679).

AGM & results of students/residents survey

STUDENT/RESIDENTS SURVEY 

Edinburgh University Student Association commissioned a professional survey to explore the relationship of students and permanent residents. 

Hear the results at the community council meeting on Wednesday 10 June at 7.30pm at St Catherine Argyle Church Hall on Grange Road. 

This meeting will be preceded by the Annual General meeting of the Community Council which starts at 7pm.

Meadows Festival, approaching fast: volunteer helpers required!

This years Meadows Festival is less than three weeks away and apparently it's shaping up to be the best one yet!

 "We've got loads of top local bands over two stages, almost 100 stalls, a brilliant Kids area, a Funfair, a Football tournament, an Art Exhibition and lots lots more! Best of all it's all FREE!!"

This years festival runs from 10am - 5pm Saturday 6th June and 11am-5pm Sunday 7th June in the Meadows.

"The festival simply couldn't take place without the hard work of all the volunteers who make it what it is. We are looking for volunteers to help us out over the weekend of the festival. The volunteers will work for 3-4 hours on either day of the Festival as stewards, litter-pickers, or general gophers. We're also looking for people to help put up posters before the event.

If you're interested in helping out, get in touch: email meadowsfestival@yahoo.co.uk or call 07789227695."

Edinburgh Open Space Strategy

A city-wide open space strategy is being prepared for Edinburgh. The strategy aims to ensure that a coordinated approach is taken to protecting and developing the city’s network of open space. It will set standards of provision that the Council will be expected to meet. The strategy will be accompanied by action plans prepared in participation with the 12 Neighbourhood Partnerships in Edinburgh.  

The first stage of the project, the Draft Open Space Audit, is now complete and available for comment (until 10 Jul 09). Responses will be taken into account in finalising the audit, and will be the basis of detailed analysis which will inform the preparation of the draft strategy and action plans this autumn. There will be further consultation on the draft strategy and action plans early in 2010.

The audit identifies all significant areas of open space within the urban areas of Edinburgh and its western settlements. An interactive map presents basic information about the type, area and quality of open space.

You can give your views  by filling in an on-line questionnaire or by writing to Ben Wilson, Principal Planner, at openspacestrategy@edinburgh.gov.uk.  

An information stand will be at the Meadows Festival on Su 7 Jun and at the Canal Festival at Edinburgh Quay on Sa 27 Jun.  A series of consultation events (.doc) are also being held, including at the Gillis Centre at 18:30 on Th 25 Jun.  

If you would like to take part in a survey of play spaces for children and young people please contact Naomi Sandilands via openspacestrategy@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Advance notice: nominations to stand as a Community Councillor due by 14 Sep 09

The procedure for the elections (if required) to Community Councils in Edinburgh (including Marchmont & Sciennes) has been published:

• Before 31 Aug: Nomination packs (including a copy of the electoral register) will be issued to the Returning Officer (Councillor Steve Burgess)

• Start of Nomination Period – 31 Aug: nomination forms for elected members will be available from  Steve Burgess on request. He will check names and addresses of nominees, proposers and seconders against electoral register and check forms have been correctly signed and completed.  Some young people under 16 3/4 may not appear on the electoral register.  In these circumstances identification can be confirmed by other means such as school registration, passport, youth passport or letter from parents.  The returning officer will also distribute registration forms for Local Interest Groups on request. 

• Close of Nomination Period – 14 Sep: The returning officer will give details of elected representatives to the Community Council Liaison Officer and inform the Chair/Secretary of CC of outcome.  He will arrange the convening of the AGM with previous CC office-bearers. 

• If the number of elected nominees exceeds the places on the Community Council then a poll is required. The Council will make the necessary arrangements for the election. The Returning Officer will be required to attend the Count and declare the candidates with the greatest number of votes as elected members of the CC.

• If the number of nominated members exceeds the number of places for nominated members on the CC, the Returning Officer convenes a meeting of local interest groups to appoint the required number of nominated members.

South East Scotland Strategic Development Plan: comments by 15 Jun 09

SESplan has been established to create a Strategic Development Plan (SDP) for South East Scotland. An initial consultation exercise is being held (until 15 June 2009) to obtain input on key issues.   This consultation, together with an evidence base of studies, research inputs and expert analysis will be used to set out a preferred development strategy and potential development options, later this year. There will be a further formal consultation in early 2010.

For more details contact Linda White (Strategic Development Plan Manager) at 0131 524 5158 or  contactus@sesplan.gov.uk. 

New Meadows Festival Website...

A new Meadows Festival website is now live.  As a press release on the site points out: 

"The 2009 Meadows Festival is set to go ahead on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June.  The City of Edinburgh Council has now granted permission for south Edinburgh’s premier community festival to be held on the Meadows.

As in previous years the festival will include music on two stages, nearly 100 stalls, a primary school football competition, and Taylor’s famous funfair.

The Festival will run from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 6 and 11am to 5pm on Sunday 7 June in the West Meadows between Coronation Walk and Middle Meadow Walk."

What topics from Student Community Relations Survey of most interest?

At the next meeting of the Community Council on 10 Jun 09, Thomas Graham (President of Edinburgh University Students Association) will give a presentation drawing on the recent survey of students and other residents' experiences of living in Edinburgh communities (including Marchmont & Sciennes).

If you have particular issues that you would like him to comment on he would welcome advance warning so he can pull out the relevant data and asks that these be sent to him at external@eusa.ed.ac.uk.

Remember the next meeting (10 Jun) is the AGM and starts at 7pm

The next meeting of the Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council will be preceded by the formal  Annual General Meeting, which will start at 7pm.  Watch this blog for links to Agenda and other papers.

Update: Events on the Meadows - manifesto to be speeded up

As previously reported, the City of Edinburgh Policy and Strategy committee discussed a paper on events in parks in Edinburgh on Tu 12 May.  

They apparently spent two hours of a four hour meeting discussing the Meadows, including possible responses to a motion passed the previous evening at the South-Central Neighbourhood Partnership. The motion expressed concern about the failure to produce a policy on use of the Meadows, proposed that no long-term, large-scale events [not defined] should be allowed, and suggested that commercial events should not over-ride "the priority of sustaining a high quality environment". [MSCC abstained since views at the previous MSCC meeting had been divided on this issue.]

The committee has requested that production of a Manifesto for Edinburgh parks be accelerated and a draft brought to the next meeting of the Policy and Strategy Committee on 9 June.  

Since contracts for several events this year (including the Lady Boys and Urban Circus) have already been signed these will go ahead.

Do you receive Outlook newsletter from City of Edinburgh Council?

Members of some Community Councils in Edinburgh have indicated that certain areas in the city do not receive copies of Edinburgh Outlook from the City of Edinburgh Council.  If you, or a neighbour, do not receive Outlook please email your postcode to linda.c.murray@edinburgh.gov.

From Cameron Rose's newsblog: Archers Hall proposals approved

As Cameron Rose's newsblog reports today: the Planning Committee approved the proposals for development of at the Archers Hall in Buccleuch Street at Boroughloch. 

Alfie (the tortoise) is missing. Have you seen him?

Update, 3 July: Alfie has been found!

Alfie is a little tortoise. He is about 15 cm [6 ins] in diameter. He has gone from a garden at Palmerston Road.

He has been known to climb walls or he could even have walked out of the gate. He tends to dig in slightly, or hide in the bushes, so that only the top of his shell is visible. He also tends to dig in when he can go no further ie. against a wall or fence.

Can you watch out for him striding along or if he has dug in while you are weeding?

Please return him to: The Agnews, 6 Palmerston Road, EH9 1TN; 0131 667 4970 or 07739639126.

note of the MSCC meeting on 8 April

A draft note (word.doc) of the previous meeting of the Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council, on 8 April, is now available.

From Cameron Rose's newsblog: Sciennes Grange CPZ revision due July

As Cameron Rose reported on his newsblog on 5 May:

"The Head of Transport agreed to bring forward a review of the implementation and effects of the S1 controlled parking zone to the next meeting of the Transport Committee (28th July). It is understood this will look at merging S1 with the parts of zones 7 and 8 between S1 and the Meadows which is seen as forming a natural boundary. It is also expected that it will look at the pressures created by S1 on the Findhorn Place and other boundaries of S1, and on the usage of road space for parking within S1."

Meadows Festival seeks volunteers for 6 & 7 Jun

The organisers of the Meadows Festival, scheduled to be held on Sat 6 and Sun 7 Jun, are seeking volunteers to be Stewards and/ or Litterpickers.  

To get involved visit them at Facebook, MySpace or Gumtree. Or write to lh@anamika.freeserve.co.uk or  P.O. Box No 12758, EH8 9YP.

Neighbourhood Partnership meeting to discuss events on the Meadows

The South Central Neighbourhood Partnership will meet on Monday 11th May at 7pm in the City Chambers Business Centre.  

One of the matters to be discussed is events on the Meadows and in particular general comments on the approach to be taken (as laid out in a paper to be presented to the City Council's Policy and Strategy committee.

Other papers for the meeting are also now available.  

1. Go to Council Papers online. 
   
2. Click on "go to committee search"
3. Pick "South Central Neighbourhood Partnership" as committee name and "11 May 2009" as date.
4. Click "search"

A G E N D A for meeting of the Community Council on We 13 May

The next meeting of the Community Council will be held on WEDNESDAY 13 May 2009 at 7.30pm in St Catherine’s Argyle Church Community Hall, Grange Road. All who live or work or are active in the area are welcome.

Peter Upton, community gardener, Edinburgh Community Backgreen Association, will speak on how he can help you revitalise your backgreen.

A G E N D A

1. Sederunt and Apologies.

2. Minutes of Meeting held 8th April 2009.

3. Matters Arising.

4. Police Report

5. Peter Upton, community gardener, Edinburgh Community Backgreen Association

6. Neighbourhood Partnership report incl. Meadows update

7. Community Council scheme

8. Parking standards

9. HMO working group

10. Recent blog postings

11. AOCB

12. Date of AGM and next meeting: 10 Jun - Thomas Graham from EUSA will present results of a survey of students and longer-term residents

events policy: paper to city council policy and strategy committee

As promised: the link to the paper on events including those in parks, to be discussed at the City Council's Policy and Strategy Committee meeting on 12 May 09.

Peter Upton, from ECBA, to speak at MSCC meeting on 13 May

Peter Upton, Community Gardner, from the Edinburgh Community Backgreen Association (ECBA) will be speaking at the next meeting of the Community Council on how he can help you revitalise your backgreen. 

The meeting will be on We 13 May at 7:30pm, and will be held (as usual) in  St Catherine Argyle Church Hall on Grange Road.

Update: Events on the Meadows

A paper summarising the current position with events on the Meadows was circulated at yesterday's meeting of the South-central Neighbourhood Partnership Short-life Working Group on the Meadows. John Simon and Alastair Philp attended the meeting on behalf of MSCC.

This topic will be a main focus of the Neighbourhood Partnership event on 11 May and a paper will be submitted to the Edinburgh City Council's Policy & Strategy Committee for approval on 12 May 2009.  The paper for the 12 May meeting ought to be available next week on council papers on-line and a link will be posted on this blog.

Please note that although some big events have been approved to occupy sites on the Meadows, they may also require licenses (to which some objections have already been submitted).