Minutes of Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council
Meeting of Wed 27th March 2019 at St
Catherine’s Argyle Church Halls, Beaufort Road
Present: Brian Gilmore (Chair), Alison Service
(Treasurer), Sophia Coyne (Minute Secretary), Shane Voss (MSCC), Mike Shields
(MSCC), PC Johnny Wong, Nigel Ayton (Grange Assoc) and Susie Agnew
(MSCC).
Apologies Anthony Holmes (Thirlestane Lane Assoc), Ian Murray
(MP), Douglas Rogers, Fiona Denvir and Anne Laing (MSCC).
Minutes
from February’s meeting have been circulated, approved by Alison and seconded
by Shane.
Matters arising:
Shane
reported he had sent Cllr. Watt a copy of the lost proposal to move the dustbin
in Morningside.
Police report:
PC
Johnny Wong: Recent crime statistics from 2nd of April 2018
through to January 2019 were discussed. It was reported that house
break-ins were down. Car theft has increased. Instances of drug
possession remained the same.
There
were knife point robberies on Sciennes Road sometime last week. The two
perpetrators have been caught, but further details are not available.
Thefts
between January to present have been primarily concentrated in the
Meadows/Middle Meadow Walk. There have been two assaults over a two month
period, which is not as high as expected. One of the assaults occurred in early
evening. During the Easter holidays and throughout April, there will be
more police presence in Middle Meadow Walk to protect visiting youths.
The
20 mph initiative was discussed. He was asked how the Road safety day of 5th
Tuesday had turned out but he had not heard anything
Additionally,
CI Dave Robertson was announced as the new chief inspector.
Meadows & Bruntsfield Links:
Upcoming
Events through to June.
Meadows
event 31st of March, Hindu Society Colour Festival is planned.
The Hindu Society will provide clean-up afterwards.
13th
of April – small bike event including testing bicycles, laps around proper
cycle path in two small areas of Meadow Walk.
13th
of April – BASQUE community event promoting language and culture
10th
of May – Gung Ho, big inflatables on the Meadows.
Student
Collection point – Leamington Walk – initiative for students that are moving
out of their flats for the end of the year to return electronic items and furniture for recycling and thus to reduce
waste.
26th
of May – Fun fair
1st
and 2nd of June – Meadows Festival – precise areas are uncertain yet
as there is a licensing issue about spaces and prices.
Other
Updates include funding from events used to regrass and fence off desire lines and
for play equipment - details included in the FOMBL report.
Cllrs report:
None.
Election of Secretary (repeat)
None.
Royal Hospital for Sick Children:
Although
not present at the meeting, Douglas Rogers sent an email message for
discussion.
ACTION
- Brian to follow-up on current status of the three planning applications
for the development of the site.
Cameron
Rose’s newsletter indicated that a Community Hall was proposed for the
site.
There
is space available in the hospital for somebody to take it on.
Although
not present at the meeting Fiona Denvir sent an email regarding the
hospital. The application to Sustrans will reportedly be submitted on
Monday. There has not been any correspondence with Holder Planning.
A
traffic monitoring strip has appeared outside of the school. leads us to believe they have started the traffic management
plan.
Astley Ainslie Hospital Redevelopment:
The
Astley Ainslie Community Trust has started consultation. Last Saturday,
the 23rd of March, they held the Ideas Event at the Eric Liddell
Centre. Over 300 people were present at the event and there were talks
held throughout the day. A positive atmosphere was generated. They
are marshalling the ideas and mood of the community with respect to
development.
A
feedback session is scheduled for this coming Sunday between 2pm and 4pm.
The ideas and themes generated at the event and expressed in the feedback
would be used as a deliverable to say what the community wants.
The
Scottish government has given them a grant for the current consultation but
they will need to apply for further funding to deliver the ideas.
The
Grange Association has been aware of a few trees that were felled without
permission of the council and has
notified the Council of the breach of the Tree Preservation Order that covers
the site.
Review of Community Councils Scheme:
Nothing
new.
Planning matters:
Planning
applications – there have not been any new applications.
However,
there have been decisions that have come through including:
A third
application to build a new dwelling at 42 Grange Road that has again been refused.
An
application at 48A Lauder Road for a 6.5 by 4 metre parking space in the front
garden that has been refused.
Treasurer’s report:
The
Treasurer’s Report has been circulated.
At
the end of March, there is £779.43. There remains one small check still
to go out.
Allison
will not be present in the next meeting.
There
will not be a Treasurer’s report next month because of the audit being done for
the May AGM.
Last
year the MSCC had to make certain financial cuts including memberships to the
Cockburn Association (£40) and the Meadows Festival association (£20). it
was agreed to recommence those memberships for 2019.
Meetings attended: Friends of the Meadows
& Bruntsfield Links (FOMBL). Alison had circulated a report round
listing the projects that were being done using the £21,000 allocation of funds
from ring-fenced from events revenues.
AOCB: No items
Date of next meeting
24th
April 2019.
The
meeting closed at 20:11.
