Community Council
Minutes of Marchmont &
Sciennes Community Council
Meeting of Wed 28th
April 2021, 7.30pm by Jitsi Meet.
Present: Brian Gilmore (Chair, MSCC), Elinor O’Donovan (Minute Secretary),
Nigel Ayton (Grange Association), Clare Hewitt (Resident), Cllr Alison
Dickie, Susie Agnew (MSCC), Matt Hailey (Resident) Tony Holmes (Thirlestane
Lane Association), Adam Stewart (MSCC), Alison Service (MSCC), Shane Voss
(MSCC), Ian Murray MP, Anne Laing (MSCC), Cllr Melanie Main.
Apologies: None.
Matters Arising:
Clare Hewitt and Matt Hailey are in
attendance, representing Roseneath Place and Meadows Place, hoping to discuss
measures to prevent their streets from being used as public toilets by people
frequenting the Meadows.
Minutes have been circulated; approved
by Alison and seconded by Susie.
Police Report:
Has been circulated.
Meadows and Bruntsfield Links:.
Provision of Toilets on the Meadows
Cllr Main: The Transport and Environment Committee wants to put
toilets on the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links. The Council is meeting tomorrow
to find money in the budget to provide these measures. The Council will have
strategy for public toilets and has set up a working group to address the issue
across the city. There is cross-party support for the provision of more public
toilets in the Meadows, and Cllr Main anticipates that the motion for more
public toilets, as well as increased provision of recycling/bins and adequate
staffing to keep parks clean will be passed.
Public Urination
While the provision of public toilets on the Meadows is a positive
step, there needs to be more action taken to clamp down on public urination on
residential streets around the Meadows, such as Roseneath Place, Meadows Place,
and Sylvan Place (among others).
The Council has recently agreed to purchase more portable CCTV
cameras and Cllr Main has put in a request to make sure something gets put in these
lanes over specific periods.
There have been repeat offenders publicly urinating in residential
streets, and this will continue unless new public toilets are more conveniently
located than the residential streets. A gate on the targeted streets might work
as a temporary measure to redirect people to additional toilets on the Meadows.
Greater cross-departmental organisation is needed to organize the
parks, between toilets, refuse and the police’s presence.
In order for MSCC to focus
on this issue, Brian suggests that one of our members takes on a leading role
in organising a pressure group to hold the council to account in addressing
these issues. Alison volunteers to lead the subgroup.
Action: Alison will contact Clare Hewitt (clare.hewitt@yahoo.co.uk) and Matt Hailey (mh52@msn.com) in order to further organise this subgroup.
City Councillor Report on topical local issues:
Cllr Dickie:
While public urination and toilets for the Meadows have been key
issues, she has also been working to address the Sciennes Primary School
limited playground space, as well as other issues related to education, such as
getting children back to school, and pushing for youth services to return. The
road closure outside Sciennes Primary is temporary, but there is a bid for the
permanent closure of the road, though this will take time.
Cllr Main:
James Gillespies Primary School have reported that the use of the
quiet route has been really positive in terms of safety.
A local resident owns a police box on Whitehouse Loan and is happy
for it to be used for community purposes.
Graffiti: The Council provides graffiti kits to local community
councils (MSCC has one). If you notice graffiti, you can request a graffiti kit
which can be used to remove the graffiti.
Libraries: It was announced this week that the first phase to
reopen libraries is beginning and will move as quickly as possible into the
second phase.
Sick Kids Hospital Site
Downing Group will take over from beginning of July.
Astley Ainslie.
Nothing to update since last month.
Planning applications
Nigel:
Just for information, in the Grange Area there has been a proposal
put forward to convert a Priority Parking Area into a Controlled Parking Zone,
and a leaflet has been distributed to residents in that area. This development
is causing a stir amongst residents of the Grange. The consultation closes on
30th May.
Grange Cemetery
Nigel: Paper has been circulated. The key things to note are that
the Grange Association has agreed to fund work restoring big monuments in the
cemetery, and the Grange Cemetery now has its own email address cemetery@grangeassociation.com.
Action: Alison will find out who
set up the Donate-By-Text service for FOMBL and will report back to Nigel.
Stock Take
Adam: Going forward, Adam would like to see MSCC become more
proactive as a council and suggests that as a group we figure out what our
priorities are – what improvements we wish to see in the community, and what
actions we might take to achieve these improvements. For example, Adam would
like MSCC to raise our visibility in the community, and make our voice heard on
developments across the city.
Action: Adam will write and
circulate a paper detailing his proposals.
Treasurer’s Report
Monthly report has been circulated. The bank balance is currently £1002.28.
Meetings attended.
None.
AOCB
Newington Safe Routes: Cameron Toll to Meadows Quiet Route
Shane: Newington Safe Routes are a pressure group set up to
achieve a Cameron Toll to Meadows Quiet Route. Shane believes that MSCC should
support them in this. While there are some concerns that making a quiet route
will remove some of the pressure on the Council to make arterial roads safer to
cycle on, in general it is a good proposal.
Shane volunteers to act as MSCC representative when liaising with
Newington Safe Routes group.
Street Furniture:
Susie: Street furniture is an issue, and the council haven’t been
sufficiently addressing this.
Adam suggests that this could be an issue we as a community
council work on improving in the future.
Date of next meeting: Wednesday 26th May at 7.30
– using Jitsi Meet.
