Consultation on plans to temporarily relocate S4-S6 of James Gillespie's High during rebuild

A consultation document laying out plans to relocate (decant) S4 to S6 of James Gillespie's High School, while the school is rebuilt, is now available.  


Responses are requested by 1 Jul 2010 to newschoolbuildings@edinburgh.gov.uk 


A public meeting to discuss the proposal will be held at  James Gillespie’s High School on 17 June 2010 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm.  Further details on the rebuild at available from the School Council's pages.  

Two Weeks to go: 35th Meadows Festival needs volunteers

South Edinburgh's premier community festival - The Meadows Festival - is set to go ahead on the West Meadows on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th June. The event - run by a committee of local residents - will include stalls, two music stages, a school football competition, a bicycle powered cinema, a school art competition, kids tent and, on Saturday only, animals from the Gorgie City Farm.


The Meadows Festival Association hope to make the festival this year the best ever, but that can't happen without volunteers.  People who want to help over the weekend are asked (please!) to visit Facebook, Myspace or www.meadowsfestival.org.uk and volunteer. 


The first Meadows Festival was held in 1974 and since then the Festival has been an annual feature of the calendar (except for a break in 2006-7). The Festival Committee work hard throughout the year to put on the event. In 2009 over 8,000 people attended on both days and this year the musical lineup is shaping up to be one of the best yet. There will 25 acts over 2 stages, playing everything from funk to indie-pop and rock to samba.  Headlining the main Festival Stage will be the wonderful Banana Sessions, who have built up quite a reputation for their quirky cover versions and the mental Big Fat Panda with their own brand of wild, bouncy ska.

MSCC Front Gardens and Containers Annual Awards 2010

After a decade-long hiatus, the Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council Front Gardens and Containers Annual Awards are returning this summer. 

Any garden and/or container clearly visible from the pavement will be considered. The walkabout judging will take place in July, and there is no need to enter the competition - as long as your garden or container can be seen, it will be eligible for consideration for an award. 

The categories are:

1. Front gardens (East, South, and West-facing)
2. North-facing front gardens
3. Hanging baskets and containers
4. Wildlife-friendly gardens
5. New gardens
6. Other commended gardens

There will be awards in each category, and there will also be an overall winner, who will be awarded the Smalley Cup (generously funded by our retired Postmasters, Graham and Jean Smalley).

All of the award winners will be presented with their certificates and a small prize, donated by Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council, at the Church of the German-Speaking Congregation in Chalmers Crescent on Saturday September 4th. Good luck and happy gardening!

Edinburgh City Local Plan (adopted Jan 2010)

A paper copy of the Edinburgh City Local Plan has arrived with the Community Council's Secretary. If you wish to borrow this copy please get in touch. 


This 2010 version of the plan replaces previous North West (1992), South West (1993), Central (1997), North East (1998/2004) and South East (2005) local plans


If you wish more details on anything in the plan please contact the local planning policy team at City of Edinburgh Council.

updated: Public Meeting on building a new James Gillespie's High School: 17 Jun 2010

A public meeting will be held on 17 Jun (update: 7-9pm) at James Gillespie's High School to discuss plans to relocate the school (a decant) while a new school is built.  


Further details on the rebuild at available from the School Council's pages.

AGM for Edinburgh Community Representatives Network

The AGM for the Edinburgh Community Representatives Network will take place on Fr 21 mat 2010 at the Scottish Youth Hostel Association, Haddington Place (Top of Leith Walk) at 6pm. 


The meeting is expected to last about an hour and will be followed by a wine and buffet reception.  


More details are available from alisonmiller@northedinburghtrust.co.uk.

Tree Memorial Service for John Simon and David Stay

John Simon and David Stay were both local residents who campaigned to improve the Meadows and Marchmont areas.  

Two newly planted trees are being adopted to mark their contributions and all are invited to a short ceremony (11am on Tu 22 Jun 2010) at Tumblers Hollow on Bruntsfield Links to commemorate this.  

The ceremony will be followed by a tea and coffee reception in the Bruntsfield Hotel. If you wish to attend please contact mary.shanley@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Community Beat Police Newsletters for Tollcross, Marchmont and Meadows - Apr 10

Yocksan Bell, the community beat officer for Tollcross, Marchmont and Meadows has circulated his newsletter for Apr 2010.

A G E N D A for meeting of the Community Council on We 12 May at 19:30

The next meeting of the Community Council will be held  on 12 May at 7.30pm in St Catherine’s Argyle Church Community Hall, Grange Road

1.   Minutes of the meeting of 14 April and matters arising
2.   Police Report 
3.   Sub Group reports:
1. Planning Group (Sarah Sandow)
2. HMOs Group  (Ann Laird)
3. Parking Group  (Susie Agnew)
4. Garden Competition (Tina Cumming) 
5. Publicity
4.   External Meetings
1. Friends of the Meadows (Dorothy Ryle)
2. Neighbourhood Partnership (verbal report from Alastair Philp)
5. Cycling:  Issues and projects in Marchmont and Sciennes:  Panel discussion with  Cllr Gordon Mackenzie CEC Transport Convener), Katherine Ivory (SPOKES), Mark Sydenham (The Bike Station)
6. Any other business:  BBQs on the meadows:  Audrey Simon
7.    Date of next meeting AGM - 9 June

Items 1-4 reports available on blog in advance; item 5 will start no  later than 8pm.   http://marchmontandsciennes.blogspot.com/

All who live or work or are active in the area are welcome.

Hearing loop available – please request in advance

South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Meeting - 10 May 10 at 7pm

The South Central Neighbourhood Partnership will meet in public on Monday 10 May 2010 at 7pm (till 9pm) in the Business Centre, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh. Matters to be discussed include: Annual Neighbourhood Survey Results; Summer Youth Programme; Sub-groups; Safer Neighbourhood Team; 20mph zones, and student-themed event.

For more information please contact:  Donald Burgess

The MSCC rep on the neighbourhood partnership is  Alastair Philp
Papers now available:

• Go to Council Papers online
• Click on "go to committee search"
• Pick "South Central Neighbourhood Partnership" as committee name and "10 May 2010" as date.
• click "search"