We wish you a  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Edinburgh Community Energy Event

An Edinburgh Community Energy Event will be held on 23 Feb 2012 from 9.00am – 1.30pm (including lunch) in the Business Centre, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh. 


Who is it for? 
Any organisation with an interest in household energy saving projects in Edinburgh, at both a local and strategic level.


What is it about? 

A half-day conference bringing together community groups, third sector organisations and the City of Edinburgh Council to: · 

• Share information and knowledge between key organisations · 
• Improve communication between Council staff, tenant groups and community groups 
• Develop mutual awareness and understanding of community projects and the Council’s energy programme 
• Identify ideas and opportunities for better joint working and future initiatives 

Speakers include: Cathy King, Head of Housing and Regeneration, Services for Communities, The City of Edinburgh Council;  three community organisations delivering Climate Challenge Fund projects at a local level;  · Mike Wagner, Engineering Manager, Housing Property Services, The City of Edinburgh Council, and Teresa Bray, Chief Executive, Changeworks 


Sessions include: · City wide energy saving projects - opportunities and joint working; · Consultation and involvement; · Information sharing and feedback 

This is a City of Edinburgh Council event, facilitated by Changeworks 
To book and see more details visit the Changeworks website for the full conference programme.   Please send your booking form in by Friday 10 February 2012. Numbers are limited, so early booking is essential! If you have any queries please email Jackie McNeil.

Retiring collection after tree lighting raises nearly £190

Thank you for your donations after the Tree Lighting Concert last week!

Festive refuse collection, including tree recycling

City of Edinburgh Council have posted on changes to waste collections this xmas and how to recycle your xmas tree in the New Year.

Christmas buses

Special timetables for Lothian buses over the festive season (23 December 2011 to 4 January 2012) are now available.

Tina interviewed for audio segment on Edinburgh reporter website

The Edinburgh Reporter is now carrying an audio interview with the Chair of Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC), David Salton. 


The interview covers how community councils work, and also what you should do if you want to get involved. 


EACC is the liaison body supporting all of the individual community councils in the city. 


Also participating, from Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council: our colleague Tina Cumming.

more from Edinburgh Reporter website: "Community councils are set up in each area to have a say on local affairs. The hierarchy is that Edinburgh Council decides on most matters which affect the city, below that there are Neighbourhood Partnerships and then there are community councils. Since 1991 there has been a single tier of unitary authorities in Scotland, replacing the old two-tier structure of Regional and District local authority bodies. The council gets all of its powers from a range of statutes, and  community councils were first set up under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and their existence was continued by legislation passed in 1994. They were set up to be the local voice in the area that they represent, and all community councillors must reside in the area. They are funded by a grant from the City of Edinburgh Council.

There is more information available on the City of Edinburgh Council website."

Draft Natural Heritage Strategy for Planning in Edinburgh

A draft Natural Heritage Strategy for Planning in Edinburgh has been prepared and was approved by the Planning Committee of the City of Edinburgh Council on 8 December 2011 as a draft for consultation. 


They're now seeking your comments to further develop and finalise it. Edinburgh’s distinctive natural environment forms part of the fabric of the city and its successive phases of urban development. Including coastal habitat of international significance, designed landscapes of national importance, to locally valued trees and woodlands; the natural environment forms a unique asset to be protected and enhanced. 


The document re-affirms the Council’s commitment to the conservation and enhancement of Edinburgh’s natural environment by explaining how it addresses national planning policy and environmental legislation. It outlines how the Council aims to protect and enhance the natural environment, through the preparation of development plans, when considering planning applications and as part of the local biodiversity action plan. 


This document complements the Council’s Built Heritage Strategy, together representing an environment of exceptional quality. Please send any comments by the end of January 2012.

South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Meeting - 12 Dec 11 at 6pm

 The South Central Neighbourhood Partnership will meet in public on Monday 12 December 2011 at 6pm (till 8pm) in the Business Centre, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh.


For more information please contact: Margaret Campbell (Partnership Development Officer). The MSCC rep on the neighbourhood partnership is Alastair Philp.

The Agenda includes discussion of: 

• Demise of Southside Community Council
• Engagement meetings on the Council Budget Process
• Winter weather working together
• Astley Ainslie/ Royal Edinburgh Hospital redevelopment
• Sub groups progress
• Community grant applications
• Students in the Community event
• It's Good to Talk about Alcohol event

Papers are available:   

1. Go to Council Papers online 
2. Pick "South Central Neighbourhood Partnership" as committee name and "12 December 2011" as dates. 
3. Click "search"

Reminder: Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council Christmas Tree lighting Sat 10 Dec 4.30pm

A quick reminder: the Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council Christmas Tree lighting is this Sat (10 Dec) at 4.30pm.

mapping road deaths 1999-2010

The BBC have published an interactive web site that shows every death on every road in Great Britain 1999-2010. 


You can pick a local authority or enter a post code to see fatalities over the period shown on a map.