This blog is where you will find community council information, including meeting times, minutes and agenda. Do please comment on postings.

Friday 26 February 2021

January 2020 Minutes

 

Marchmont & Sciennes

Community Council

 

 

 

Minutes of Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council

Meeting of Wed 27th January 2021, 7.30pm by Jitsi Meet.

 

Present:  Brian Gilmore (Chair, MSCC), Elinor O’Donovan (Minute Secretary), Nigel Ayton (Grange Association), Cllr Neil Ross, Cllr Cameron Rose, Alison Service (MSCC), Shane Voss (MSCC), Anne Laing (MSCC), Susie Agnew (MSCC), Tony Holmes (Thirlestane Lane Association)

 

Apologies:  None.  

 

Matters Arising: 

 

The minutes of November 2020’s meeting have been circulated and approved by Susie, seconded by Nigel.

 

Brian drafted a response from MSCC regarding the Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route.

 

Police Report:  Has been circulated.

Discussion on the number of cars stopped by police reported over Christmas.

 

Meadows and Bruntsfield Links: None.

 

FOMBL Report: Alison will attend the next FOMBL meeting on Monday 30th January and will report back at the next MSCC meeting.

 

 

City Councillor Report on topical local issues:

 

Grit bins: Cllr Ross has largely been dealing with requests for grit bins and notes that the Council is doing their best to handle these requests as and when they come in order to be prepared for spells of bad weather.

Anne mentions that many paths have not been salted and are hazardous to walk on. Cllr Rose agrees that there is an issue with icy paths, but comments that North Meadow Walk and Middle Meadow Walk are being well-salted. Nigel mentions that on the Council website you can see which areas are priority for being salted, and you can request a grit bin at any location, and request that existing bins be refilled.

 

Spaces for People: The Transport and Environment Committee is meeting tomorrow and will review Spaces for People measures including, among other things, the Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route. Cllr Ross reports that the timetable suggests that the Quiet Route will be implemented in the next few days.

 

Cllr Rose mentions that one proposal for a cycle route along Melville Drive appears to have been dropped (possibly permanently, though it remains on the list) as there are other alternative cycle routes available in that area.

 

Shane mentions that there is a need for a cycle route by the Meadows Croquet Club at the bottom of the Bruntsfield Links.

 

There is a discussion about the Spaces for People measures introduced on Morningside Road. Susie believes that it is unclear which areas are designated to pedestrians and which are to cyclists, and that there is potential for accidents to occur if cyclists and pedestrians are sharing the same path. Cllr Ross mentions that the measures on Morningside Road were reviewed on 17th December and will continue with no changes, stipulating that the Council are open to feedback from residents about the measures.

 

Cllr Rose mentions that The Spaces for People measures are funded by the Scottish Government, on three conditions: that they are temporary measures, to aid social distancing, and to encourage active travel.

 

Attacks on Meadows: Cllr Rose reports that there have been several attacks on women in the Meadows recently. There is a video linked in the Police Report:

https://www.scotland.police.uk/what-s-happening/news/2021/january/cctv-appeal-following-assault-meadows-area-edinburgh/#:~:text=Police%20Scotland%20has%20released%20CCTV,area%20close%20to%20Melville%20Drive,

 and it is suggested that everyone watches the video as police are currently trying to identify the person concerned.

 

Council Budget: Cllr Rose reports that the budget process is compressed this year but will be delivered by the 18th February.

There is a discussion about the renovation of the Warrender Park Baths. Cllr Ross mentions that with all Council buildings there is a property maintenance strategy. Every building which is considered Category C and D were put in the renovation program so that they can continue to function as Council buildings. The money for this was budgeted three years ago and is still there to fund the renovation.

 

 

Sick Kids Hospital Site

 

Cllr Rose: The NHS have been given a date of 22nd February at the latest for the move. Anne says they apparently have to be out by 23rd March, which gives them a month to move.

 

Astley Ainslie.

 

No updates.

 

Stakeholder Engagement Request

 

N/A.

 

Planning applications

 

A few planning applications to the Grange Association have gone through, with details available on the Grange Association website. There are no major new developments.

                       

 

Treasurer’s report

 

Monthly report and look-ahead have been circulated. The bank balance is currently £1282.28, with a couple of cheques from Christmas remaining to be presented. Internet banking is now up and running.

 

 

Forward plan

 

Virtually the same as last month, with added Christmas Tree Event costs.

Our total expenditure to March 2021 is £350.

 

 

Meetings attended.

 

None.

 

AOCB

 

None.

 

Date of next meeting:  Wednesday 24th February at 7.30 – using Jitsi Meet.

 

Friday 19 February 2021

Draft Agenda for Feb 24th

 

Marchmont & Sciennes

Community Council

 

 

JITSI Meet Meeting on Wed 24th February 2021 at 7:30pm

 

For JITSI Meet details, see the end of the Agenda

 

A G E N D A

 

 1             Sederunt and apologies

 2            Draft Minutes of last meeting, 27th January 2021, and matters arising (not otherwise on Agenda)

 3             Police Report

 4             Meadows & Bruntsfield Links

                * Including FOMBL

 5             City Councillor report on topical local issues

Items for discussion

 6             Royal Hospital for Sick Children Redevelopment

                                 Proposal by Downing to change the planning agreement re the Mortuary Chapel

                                                See Grange Association webpage at:

                                                http://gaedin.co.uk/wp/forum-test?mingleforumaction=viewtopic&t=322

 7             Astley Ainslie Hospital Redevelopment

                                -  any updates?

 8             Planning (Applications & consultations)

·         Any others

 

Items for information

 9             Treasurer's report

10           Meetings attended

11           AOCB

 

Date of next meeting: 24th March 2021

 

All who live or work locally are welcome to attend.

MSCC is online at: https://www.facebook.com/MarchmontSciennesCommunityCouncil

 

JITSI Meet Details

 

On Shane’s suggestion, I am trying a new way of connecting us.  This will avoid the necessity to set up 2 meetings.

 

This on operates in a different way (to some extent).  What it does is to set up a virtual ‘Room’, where anyone can come in and join the room. It also persists, basically, for ever.

 

For those of you using a PC (or similar), you can join straight from an Internet Browser. As far as I can establish, those on smart phones will need to download the app. After you have downloaded it, it is then easier to join etc.

 

This room exists from now, so you can test it out when you like and please contact me if you can’t get it working.

 

The Room link:

https://meet.jit.si/MSCCVirtualMeeting

 

The name of the ‘Room’ is MSCCVirtualMeeting  (it is CASE sensitive)