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

Friday 24 November 2023

MSCC Minutes for October 2023

 

Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council

Minutes of Meeting held on October 25th, 2023 at St. Catherine’s Argyle Church Hall

 

Present: Brian Gilmore - Chair, MSCC, Anne Laing - MSCC Secretary, Douglas Rogers - MSCC, Anthony Holmes - Thirlestane Lane Association, Cllr. Neil Ross, Donald Henderson - Grange Association, Cllr. Marie-Clair Munro

 

Apologies: Susan Agnew - MSCC, Alison Service - MSCC Treasurer, Cllr. Steve Burgess

 

Attending: Nora Flynn-McIver - Minutes Secretary

 

Meeting began at 7:33pm

 

Draft Minutes of 27/09/23

Moved to delete the sentence about Meadows toilets being kept up during the winter, as this is incorrect.

Moved to correct spelling of Anthony Holmes’ name and add TLA.

Anne moves to approve, Douglas seconds, passes unanimously.

 

Matters Arising

a)      Actions taken by Cllr. Kumar on behalf of MSCC

                                i)            Cllr. Kumar has asked for an impact report on bin hub placement, has been in touch with the relevant department regarding signage on Sylvan Place, and has clarified the plans for the Meadows toilets.

 

 

Police Report

It may be more difficult for the police to attend without a specific reason, but are happy to come if they need to report on a specific issue.

 

JR Group Reporting on Sylvan Place Road closure and development (Calum Bell, Project Manager)

No report, as it was decided that there was very little to report at this meeting.

 

Meadows and Bruntsfield Links incl. FOMBL

No report.

 

City Councillor report on local issues

There have been questions on placement of bin hubs in S2, S3 - many residents have been in touch wanting to review the way things are being done. The Council previously agreed on revised criteria for assessing impact of bin hub placement, the criteria is now less strict than it was. Many residents don’t know whether bin hubs are being placed in their area. Councillors are responding by attempting to explain and possibly find alternative areas, as well as bringing along bin officers to meetings. Phase 4 has been better advertised, and people have engaged on the subject well. People are now more willing to work with the Council because they are being listened to. As long as a bin hub is within 50 metres of most people who would be using it, they can be across the street, but can be up to 100 metres away if it is on the same side of the street.

There is particular discussion on Warrender Park Terrace because people want the bins to stay where they are, but this is not allowed under the new criteria. Cllr. Ross and others are attempting to discuss this with people higher up in order to resolve this.

 

Publicity

Astley Ainsley Group has requested that MSCC advertise events that are happening on this coming Sunday, this has been passed on to Kayleigh to put on Facebook.

 

Sick Kids site

A report has been circulated. Home Group has removed the substation, they are now drilling in the area and have hit the foundations, but it should be a while until they dig them out. When this happens, they expect several lorries per day to remove the soil and rocks.

Square and Crescent are moving their main access site to Rillbank Terrace and are going to stop using the top access because of the impact on Sciennes School. They are going to open a sales office in the building next to the Sciennes Primary School playground. They hope to have this open within the next year. They lost their planning application for work on the windows and balconies, and will have to put original-looking frames there. They have requested additional parking at the front of the hospital area, Douglas Rogers has emailed them saying that the community would support an underground carpark in that area rather than overground.

Downing: the pavement in front of the student block seems too narrow, Douglas Rogers plans on measuring this to confirm.

Douglas is meeting Derek Roddin and  Cllr Tim Pogson to discuss the about road closures.

 

Planning applications

Three refusals to note: two proposals for 5G masts, one has already been refused, another is pending but is likely to be rejected. There are two short-term let applications that have been rejected. Brian Gilmore notes that many short-term lets have not been approved but still exist. Cllr. Ross notes that they get a lot of short term let licence applications, about half are full houses, hundreds of planning applications are put in, but many are trying to play the system in different ways in order to make the process last longer.

 

Update on Sewer Flooding project

A report was circulated today from Catherine Henderson. Junction on Marchmont Road will remain closed until the end of the year, traffic control is working well. Next major phase is in March, they will get in touch with affected residents.

 

Treasurer’s Report

Current balance £1920.09

 

Meetings attended

None.

 

 

 

Xmas tree event

Report has been circulated. The hall has been booked for 3:30 on Saturday, 25th November. A cappella Kids choir have been booked. Sciennes School has offered portable PA. Awaiting confirmation of James Gillespies of senior choir. Tree is confirmed to come in a block. Forms for the Edinburgh Council have been submitted. Charity to be supported will be Children 1st Scotland. Need helpers for the day. Suggestions for a speaker: Brian suggests asking our constituency MSP, Cllr. Munro suggests asking the Head Boy and Girl at James Gillespies to do it.

 

AOCB

Douglas Rogers is continuing to coordinate on the Conservation Adaptation programme, and he intends to give a presentation at the next meeting on this. He will create a set of slides and forward it for approval prior to the meeting.

Cllr. Munro notes that there has been a problem with about delivery drivers on bikes and bikers acting irresponsibly. She has met with police coordinators and noted the ways that bikers are behaving in the area, especially Deliveroo drivers. The police are going to do a day in the Meadows on the 13th of November to patrol and stop cyclists and delivery drivers, they will be engaging with the community on how to cycle responsibly. This is for Ward 10 specifically. Douglas notes that many people seem to have overridden the cycling system on electric bikes, which is illegal. The police have also noted that there are limited powers and resources in this area.

Cllr. Munro asked the Council on their views on Sciennes Road being closed permanently for a playground for Sciennes Primary, the Council has positive views on this. It is noted that there are difficulties with this road being closed, but generally the Council is in favour.  Anne asked if cyclists would still be able to go down the road, this is noted as another issue, but Douglas suggests having a cycling path on the other side of the road.

Cllr. Munro notes that there were people in a local playground causing issues and trying to break the playset, this is apparently a recurring issue, the police have attempted to catch them but have not been able to. The police are going to keep an eye on this issue. The people involved come from outside of the MSCC area.

 

Date of next meeting

Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023 at 7:30pm

Tuesday 14 November 2023

MSCC Draft Agenda for 22nd November 2023

 

Marchmont & Sciennes

Community Council

 

 

Meeting on Wednesday 22nd November 2023 at 7.30pm

To be held at St Catherine’s Argyle Church Hall

 

 

 

A G E N D A

 

 1             Sederunt and apologies

 2            Draft Minutes of last meeting, 26th 2023 and October 2023

              Matters arising and membership changes

 3             Police Report

 4.       JR group reporting about Sylvan Place Road closure and development (Calum Bell, Project      

                                                                                                                                                    Manager)

 5.           Meadows & Bruntsfield Links

 6.           City Councillor report on topical local issues

 

 Items for discussion

 7           Publicity

 8             Sick Kids development update

 9             Planning (Applications & consultation)) (report attached)

10          Update on Sewer Flooding project (if available)

               

Items for information

11           Treasurer's report (circulated)

12         Meetings attended

13         Xmas tree event

 

14         AOB

           

             

Date of next meeting: Wednesday 24th January 2024         

 

All who live or work locally are welcome to attend

Saturday 4 November 2023

MSCC Minutes for 27th September 2023

 

Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council

Minutes of Meeting held on September 27th, 2023 at St. Catherine’s Argyle Church Hall

 

Present: Brian Gilmore - MSCC Chair, Anne Laing - MSCC Secretary, Douglas Rogers - MSCC, Susie Agnew - MSCC, Srahan - Home Group, Callum Bell - Home Group, Cllr. Simita Kumar, Polly Gates - local resident, Bob Gates - local resident, Margaret Coughtrie- local resident, Tony Holmes - TLA, Norah Rogers - local resident, Richard Dietrich - member of public, Katherine Dickie - local resident, Donald Dickie - local resident

6

Apologies: Alison Service - MSCC Treasurer, Donald Henderson - MSCC

 

Attending: Eli Ferrell - Temporary Minutes Secretary

 

Meeting began at 7:36pm

 

Draft Minutes of 28/06/23

Douglas Rogers movies to approve the minutes.

 

Matters Arising

There are no other matters arising.

 

Police Report (last CPT circulated)

A report has been circulated.

Katherine Dickie notes that there have been burglaries in the area recently. Donald Dickie notes that the police do not communicate with the neighbourhood watch on these issues. Police resources seem focused on distributing information on cyber crime.

There was a police representative at the Morningside CC meeting. Anne Laing will attempt to invite them to the next MSCC meeting.

 

JR group reporting about Sylvan Place Road closure and development (Callum Bell, Project Manager; Graham Gemmell, Home Group)

The substation is not yet demolished, but there will soon be demolishing of that site so that operations can commence on site. The funding offer was approved in office, so JR group has accepted the tender. Ground works should begin at the end of October, as the clearing license expires at midnight on October 28th. JR Group is currently looking at a 90-week program before residents can move in due to the complexities of the site, although Anne notes that this was originally pitched as a shorter project.

 

It has been deemed more productive to maintain full closure than partial closure, as full closure will allow for a quicker completion of the project. Work will happen Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm, and some Saturday work from 8am-2pm. Douglas Rogers notes that Rillbank Crescent is not being closed because the diversion signs would be confusing with the Scottish Water closures.

 

A tower crane will be put in at the back of the site. At Douglas’s suggestion, JR group will see if it’s possible for the barriers to be a foot back from the curb in order to limit the impact on community.

 

There will be 31 units, divided into general needs and mid-market rent.

 

Cllr. Simita Kumar notes there have been complaints about litter from the site. There will be an effort made to mitigate that issue.

 

Meadows and Bruntsfield Links

Ongoing issues: A report has been circulated from the 4th of September.

 

City Councillor report on local issues (Simita Kumar, Councillor)

Simita Kumar used to have an office in Mellville. She is a part-time councillor and works part-time at the NHS. Some cases she’s dealt with in the past year were focused around roads, homelessness, and installing toilets in the Meadows. Her remit is focused on rights, responsibilities, and education for care-experienced children and young people.

 

Sylvan Place is closed from today through the 90-week period.

 

Phase 4 bin reviews: there will be a space for the communal bins and also a space for controlled parking.

 

Council offices have identified eight schools that potentially have RAAC, none of which are in this ward. They have not yet completed surveys on community centres. Repairs costs will be in the billions, so the council has reached out to the UK government for assistance. Guidance on RAAC is on the website if you need more information.

 

Sciennes Primary School still has a closed road in front. Council offices has taken legal advice, and this issue is ongoing. Cllr. Kumar says that parents are concerned that there are still cars coming in while this area is closed (due to a lack of physical barrier and only flashing lights). Margaret Coughtrie points out that the notices are confusing, which could be causing the issue--this will be brought forward to Council Offices.

 

Publicity

There is no report.

 

Sick Kids site

A report has been circulated.

Douglas reports the contractors are discussing selling Millerfield Place in spring of next year. They will put up a notice board with quarterly updates.

 

Planning applications

A report has been partially circulated from the Grange Association, and will be completely circulated after the meeting. Most applications have been refused.

They accepted an application to increase the numbers of parking spaces in front of the main hospital from 12 to 18. Douglas points out this will cause significantly greater traffic.

 

 

Bin hub project update

Anne Laing reports Bin hubs in Fingal Place were planned to be in front of two doors. This caused disruption in the community, so the hub has been moved.

 

Richard Dietrich reports there has been no resolution to the complaints about the bin hubs’ location on Warrender Park Terrace. The new placement is the same as the placement that was objected to twenty years ago. If there is a continuation of placement where the community has objected to, he points out there is perhaps grounds to appeal because the community should have been consulted on the guidelines for bin placements that the Council set, and they were not consulted.

 

There is a report from Richard Dietrich that mixed waste and recycling was taken by the same rubbish lorry in Warrender Park Terrace.

 

Update on Sewer Flooding project

A report has been circulated.

 

Bus Route Update

Brian Gilmore reports bus route number 9 is no longer going down Bridges/Chamber Street. Following successful complaints, it is now going down the Mound.

 

Treasurer’s Report

 A report has been circulated.

 

Meetings attended

Conservation & Adaption and Energy Efficiency Strategy meetings were attended by Douglas. Additionally, he has given two talks to different Communities Councils on Conservation Zone Insulation problems. He is now attempting to bring together CC representatives to consolidate a recommendation document for residents.

 

AOB

Christmas Events: a report has been circulating stating that everything is on track for the 25th of November.

 

Sciennes Road litter issues: this was discussed by the Councillors and the developers.

 

Short-term lets: Richard Dietrich would like community support contesting the short-term let in Warrender Park Terrace. Unfortunately, this kind of support is not the purview of the community council. Any protests should be directed to the Council.

 

Community buy-out of St Catherine’s of Argyle: there has been no more movement on this issue.

 

Date of next meeting

October 25th, 2023