MSCC - Minutes for October 2024

 

Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council Minutes of Meeting held on 23rd October 2024 at St. Catherine’s Argyle Church Hall

 

Present: Brian Gilmore - Chair, Anne Laing - MSCC Secretary, Alison Service - MSCC Treasurer, Douglas Rogers - MSCC, Susie Agnew - MSCC, Alastair Dickie - SMAG, Richard Robinson - Local Resident, Cllr Neil Ross, Cllr Steve Burgess, Anthony Holmes - Thirlestane

Lane Association

Apologies: Lianne Phillips - MSCC Publicity, Kayleigh Gordon - MSCC Publicity

Attending: Eli Ferrell - Replacement Minutes Secretary

 

Meeting began at 7:33pm

 

Draft Minutes of 25/09/24

Alison moves to pass, Anne seconds. No corrections.

 

Matters Arising

Defibrilator update: Earl of Marchmont is happy to move the defibrilator outside, but has asked the MSCC to obtain planning permission and quote. Alison is working on that now.

 

Police Report

None.

 

Meadows & Bruntsfield Links

October report already circulated. There has been no meeting since the last MSCC meeting, but the tags on the trees will be brought up when that occurs.

 

City Councillor report on topical local issues

Cllr Neil Ross (Morningside): lots of contributions to the Bin Hub report. Intention to debate findings of autumn regulation review, will now likely see it in Febuary of next year due to volume of responses. Recommendations will be considered based on feedback.

Cllr Steve Burgess (Southside Newington) was at another bin hub workshop today.

There is an experimental traffic regulation order in place that closes the area around Sciennes school to motor vehicles. During break times children have to cross the pavement to what is the current extended playground so there is consideration about moving the pavement to the other side, however anyone in wheelchairs coming down the road on the school side needs to be able to get across the road. The school is quite keen to do that during the school day so that they don’t have to make allowances for pedestrians and cyclists coming past the school. There is consideration about closing the pavement during the school day for a six month test with feedback. Douglas Rogers believes that the MSCC should object to that. The MSCC generally agrees but wishes to wait to see what the wording of the final order stipulates.

Community Councils: At full council, there was a special meeting about the community council scheme. This does not affect Marchmont Sciennes. There is a proposal to have advertising to try and raise awareness for the next period of council nominations that ends on the 27th of February. If any elections are necessary, that would be in March of next year. The full timeline will come shortly. There should be more information provided to CC’s regarding the procedure for the elections.

There was also discussion about potentially providing equipment to community councils to make their meetings hybrid, which would then be up to council discretion to participate or not. There are mixed opinions on the value of hybrid or online meetings.

 

Publicity

Nothing.

 

Update on Community Space in IQ student accommodation block (The Mont) (Douglas Rogers)

The community space is progressing, and there has been an update on the document circulated last time. IQ students said about ten days ago they would have a lease in ten days for Douglas to look at. With regards to the Mortuary Chapel the restorations of the fabric of the building still rests with Downing and the conservators are concerned that it has not been maintained properly because maitenance has been done at bare minimum. There are discussions between IQ students and the historic Church of Scotland but nothing will be finalized until about Christmas. The murals are being restored currently but they are very fragile due to movement.

 

Bin hub Issue

Cllr Neil Ross attended the recent meeting. The bin hubs feedback report will come back to the Transport and Environment Committee meeting on the 18th of November. There were many contributions made about how this could be improved, and officers are responding to that. Changes are likely to be made to the location policy. Physical presence at the meeting would be good so that councilers can ask questions about true SMAG/MSCC concerns. SMAG is happy to send someone along to the meeting in person. Normally they would not have the right of entry unless they had a deposition of something specific, but MSCC is happy to deputize SMAG to represent them at this meeting. There must be an email authorizing this to committee services by two days before the meeting.

SMAG was hoping to raise awareness of the November meeting. Alastair Dickie brought along a note of where they stand on bin hubs currently, which will be circulated later. The goal is about minimizing the impact on the community, but they would like the rules to be clearly stated so if residents object to where the bins are located, they have a clear process to appeal. They would ideally like to put the glass bins in a more discrete location from the other bins. Cllr Neil Ross says that lining the glass bins to prevent noise is also under consideration.

The report presented at the November meeting will discuss noise mitigation as one of its crucial facets, as that was a primary complaint.

 

Planning (Applications & consultation)) (report attached)

No applications seem likely to affect local residents.

 

Update on Sewer Flooding project (if available)

They’ve moved up the road at Marchmont Crescent and are planning to stop working for two weeks over Christmas and New Year. They are hoping to finish the work entirely in February.

 

 

Treasurer's report

Treasurer’s report has been circulated. £1500 in the bank.

 

Meetings attended

None.

 

Progress and provision to the public toilets

Due to the complications of the desired complex, it is likely to be very expensive. There are three sets of toilets, so the 1 million pounds covers all three areas (Leith Links, Inverleith Park, and Middle Meadow walk).

Update: a cafe kiosk does not align with current regulation. This has caused challenges. The design is in the process of being modified to adhere to legal requirements. They expect to have the new facilities installed by the first quarter of 2025. This information can be found on the website regarding the toilets, which will be circulated.

Anthony Holmes questions about the East Meadows and Links toilets that have been closed and need to be refurbished. Cllr Neil Ross points out that there has been a shortage of capitol.

 

 

Xmas tree event

Everyone is on board and organizing is happening. Breakfast Bothy is delighted that they will be the charity. The council asked for their last annual report, but as they are a new charity Alison is hopeful that they will make allowances. The event will take place on the first Saturday of December, which is December 7th.

 

AOB

Sunday parking at Melville drive: Susie Agnew has noted that parking there is no longer free on a Sunday because Melville drive on both sides is the boundary of Zone 4 and therefore is restricted from 12:30-6:30 on Sunday. There are no notices to say where the parking restrictions are in the Meadows. There are notices as you drive into Edinburgh on Queensferry road. You can park for free up until 12:30, but people need to be notified of the afternoon restriction.

Cllr. Neil Ross will check into why there aren’t notices.

 

 

Antisocial behaviour at local shops: police have to request the CCTV footage in order for the issue to progress. Cllr. Neil Ross says that the request goes through the Locality Community Planning Partnership committee. Anne will write specifically to the police flagging the issue and asking them to have CCTV in the relevant areas. Cllr. Flannery is the representative on that committee, so she will be copied in on the letter to the police.

 

 

Anthony Holmes wonders why the police no longer send written reports or attend the MSCC meetings. Cllr Neil Ross says that the community police budget was removed unfortunately.

 

Next meeting will be Wednesday, 27th of November (NOT 20th as intimated in draft agenda).