Marchmont
& Sciennes
Community Council
Meeting on Wed 26th
June 2019 at 7:30pm
St Catherine's
Argyle Church Halls, Beaufort Road
Minutes of
Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council
Meeting
of Wed 26 June 2019 at St
Catherine’s Argyle Church Halls,
Beaufort Road
Present: – Stuart Irvin (St. Catherine’s Argyle), Sophia Coyne
(Minutes Secretary), Brian Gilmore (Chair), Ann Laing (MSCC), Catherine Jenner,
Shane Voss (MSCC), David Scott (Police Scotland), Euan Mackay (Police
Scotland), Nigel Ayton (Grange Association), Cllr. Ian Berry, Alison Service
(MSCC)
Apologies:– Cllr. Mandy Watt, Ian Murray MP, Susie Agnew (MSCC)
Matters
arising:
Draft minutes
from May have been circulated and amended. Minutes approved. No outstanding
actions from May.
Police
Report:
Officers David
Scott and Euan Mackay gave the report.
Police officers
have been conducting patrols of Nicholson Square and the surrounding
areas. There has been alcohol and drug misuse in these neighborhoods.
Stair checks have been performed as there are certain tenancies linked to
anti-social behavior. There have been community meetings with residents
who are concerned about antisocial behaviour from youth, some of who live in
the area. A former Nicholson Square resident is trying to work with the
council on the issues. House break-ins were reported in the
Southside of Edinburgh and local officers have been working with the University
with regard to issues of rough sleeping and drink and drug misuse.
Surgeries are also addressing alcohol and drug abuse issues for this area,
particularly with regard to young people, who tend to populate the area.
Matters
arising:
Mike Shields is
on holiday.
FOMBL (Friends
of the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links) report see below.
Meadows &
Bruntsfield Links
City Councilor
report on topical local issues:
It is observed
that the instances of antisocial behavior reported in Nicholson Square and the
surrounding area pose no direct threat presently. There was concern expressed
about displacement into the Meadows where substance abusers could
congregate.
It is a
difficult issue to tackle. Discussion concerning possible remedies with
job placement for the individuals involved, assistance with rehabilitation from
substance abuse, increased housing for those without shelter.
Other issues
discussed include fly-tipping or illegal dumping of rubbish, and the intrusion
of hedges onto the pavement area. Private hedges need to be measured
particularly and they cannot protrude onto the sidewalk beyond what the allowed
measurement. However, overgrown hedges can be reported to the council and they
will prune it for a small fee. Brian will pass this one to a resident who had
an inquiry about this.
Election of
Secretary: (repeat)
Items for
discussion:
Royal Hospital
for Sick Children Redevelopment:
Move set to
commence between the 5th and the 15th of July. Developments to
begin soon.
Astley Ainslie
Hospital Redevelopment: update
There was a
helpful note passed around to those in the engagement list.
There was a
meeting on the 27th of May, NHS Lothian, Community Council, and AA Community
Trust. The good news is that there was more engagement. The council
gave an undertaking. A planning committee meeting is scheduled for 2nd
October.
The Grange Association
will have another meeting with them in early July when the draft gets the
seal of approval.
Planning
(Applications & consultations):
An email was circulated by the Grange Association. There were no applications discussed.
An email was circulated by the Grange Association. There were no applications discussed.
Items for
Information:
Treasurer's
report:
£515 in the
bank. There has been very little activity.
There will be a
new auditor as of March next year - the name of the auditor is announced.
There was
discussion concerning the Meadow’s Festival Association donation.
Meetings
attended:
City Vision –
Focus Group Report:
Nigel Ayton
attended this meeting and reported.
FOMBL:
There was
discussion concerning rubbish collection, street development, need for housing
law, and tourist taxes. Further discussion concerning funds raised at the
Meadows Festival for the benefit of Edinburgh residents.
AOCB:
South East
Locality – Planning Partnership Representative and other Neighbourhood networks
as mentioned in the prior meetings.
Two items have
been circulated with requests for involvement in upcoming elections/meetings –
Tim Pogson (from Newington side), there have been no nominations for
Morningside yet, Brian has been nominated to vote on behalf of the community
council.
Short term
letting – so many in the tenement areas (does not affect the Grange and
Marchmont). Key safes outside demonstrate that short term letting is
happening in the places nearby. There was discussion concerning an EU Court
case involving the stipulation that the short-term lessor is merely an internet
service provider and not a letting agency.
There was
discussion concerning the debate in Scottish Government on zoning policy,
restriction/curtailment of the number of flats. Also, the Scottish government
is consulting a survey on short term letting. Alison will provide the link for
the survey, and Brian will put the link on the full mailing list.
With respect to
Lee Ann who had operated Marchmont Hardware, sadly, her partner passed
away. Alison will send a card on behalf of the Community council.
As concerns the
planters on Marchmont crescent at the bottom, PTA (Gillespie’s) - everyone is
keen to see something done with the planters. Perhaps it is worth putting
a notice up, some soil and some plants, planters are becoming full of rubbish,
cigarettes, and beer containers etc.
Reminder that
the election for the community council is coming up in September, the papers
are not out to apply until the 9th of September.
Date of next
meeting:
25 of September
2019.
The meeting
closes at 8:17 PM.
