Update: Edinburgh Parks Events Manifesto - The Meadows and Bruntsfield Links

The most recent version of the Edinburgh Parks Events Manifesto: The Meadows and Bruntsfield Links has been published. It will be considered by the City of Edinburgh Council Policy and Strategy Committee on Tu 4 Aug.

It is disappointing to see that the points made regarding maximum period of occupation in the Short-life Working Group on the Meadows, and through the consultation by all but the Urban Circus, have been ignored.

The Friends of the Meadows are organising a deputation to the committee on Tu.

Update: controlled parking proposals rejected

Cameron Rose's newsblog this evening informs us that proposals to redraw the boundaries of parking zones 7, 8 and S1 have been rejected. The proposal made by MSCC to merge 7, 8 and S1 is to be re-examined.

update (29 Jul at 07:20): It has been brought to my attention that the MSCC proposal is actually to merge PART of zones 7,and 8 with S1.

Student and other residents' perceptions of the communities they live in

Thomas Graham from Edinburgh University Students' Association presented research, commissioned from ibp Strategy & Research, on student and other residents' perceptions of the communities they live in at our last meeting. This has now been published.

Controlled Parking Zone - Amendments to Zones 7, 8 and S1

The Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Committee of the City of Edinburgh Council will consider a proposal to amend controlled parking zones 7, 8 and S1 (PDF) at their meeting on 28 July 2009. The proposal is not to merge zones 7,8 and S1 as proposed by MSCC but to amend some of the boundaries and introduce shared use bays.

Further changes to planning system

In addition to the changes to the planning mechanisms that started in April, further changes will come into force on 3 August. City of Edinburgh Council has written to us to draw our attention to these, including:

* New application types to replace outline and reserved matters applications.

* The Council will be carrying out neighbour notification instead of the applicant

* New requirements for design and access statements

* New requirements for notices to tell us when development starts and finishes

* Changes to how long planning permission lasts for

* New statutory scheme of delegation and changes to the current scheme of delegation. These schemes allows planning officers to take decisions on planning applications provided certain criteria are met

* A new appeals/review process. Local developments decided under the new statutory scheme of delegation will be open to review by the Council's Local Review Body rather than appeal to the Scottish Government.

* New enforcement powers regarding fixed penalty notices

Further information on these changes and on the previous ones are laid out in download-able leaflets. If you have further questions please contact mary.clarke@edinburgh.gov.uk or jo-anne.laidlaw@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Consultation on Patients' Rights Bill: analysis of responses

The Scottish Government have published a summary document setting out the analysis of a recent consultation on a Patients' Rights Bill, and their response.

Full versions of the analysis of public responses and the Scottish Government's response to that analysis are also available on the Scottish Government's website.

For more information contact fiona.wherrett@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

Alfie the Tortoise has been found!

Alfie the Tortoise has been found!

NHS Lothian: Health link newsletter - Summer 09 edition

Four paper copies of the summer 09 edition of NHS Lothian's Health Link newspaper have arrived with the secretary with a request to circulate them to community councillors. If anyone wishes one of the paper copies please get in touch with the secretary.

Anyone fancy taking part in The Big Lunch!

On Sunday 19 July 2009, The Big Lunch is inviting you and all 61million people across the UK to simultaneously sit down to eat lunch with your neighbours, in the middle of your street as a simple act of community.

A new initiative run by the Eden Project, The Big Lunch encourages communities to come together through growing food and flowers;creating street music, art and theatre; dressing the street and, of course, cooking and eating together.

Organising a Big Lunch in your area is really easy. The Big Lunch website and printed Ideas Booklet will take you through the process step by step, giving you the tools, templates and resources to make it as simple as possible.

Given the short notice we have not organised a formal Marchmont & Sciennes Big Lunch but thought fellow residents might like to take part in their own streets.

National Planning Framework

The second National Planning Framework (NPF2) was published on June 25 2009 and is a key part of the modernised Planning System in Scotland, guiding long term development to 2030.

You can contact the National Planning Framework Team at NPFTeam@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or on 08457 741 741 or 0131 244 7610.

The ethics of ‘personalised’ healthcare in a consumer age

And now for something completely different...

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is holding a public consultation on the ethical issues raised by online healthcare, telemedicine and commercial medical profiling technologies such as DNA testing and body imaging. This consultation closes on 21st July 2009

Comments requested on Meadows & Bruntsfield Links Manifesto by 26 Jun

City of Edinburgh Council is currently reviewing arrangements for event management and as part of this process the production of an Edinburgh Parks Events Manifesto is underway. The intention is that this document will provide a wide framework for the management of events in all of the city’s parks and greenspaces and will help secure a balance between the use of these sites for events whilst sustaining a high quality environment.

Specific concerns have been raised about the condition of the Meadows over several years due to the number of events held on the site and the Policy & Strategy Committee 12 May 2009 requested that a priority case study of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links be drafted.

The aim of the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links Manifesto is to establish a set of requirements unique to The Meadows and Bruntsfield Links which are intended to provide a framework on which a balanced and sustainable events programme can be achieved, whilst ensuring the quality of the land is maintained to the highest standard possible. It uses eight key principles, the first five determine whether an event will be given permission, the following three are aimed at the successful management of an agreed event.

In order to present the results of this consultation at the next meeting of the Policy & Strategy Committee comments (to parks@edinburgh.gov.uk) are requested by 26 June 2009. If you do respond to this call for comments can you copy to marchmontsciennes.commcouncil@googlemail.com.

Invitation to Open Space Audit event on Th 25 Jun at 18:30

City of Edinburgh Council is currently consulting on an open space audit, which forms the first stage of preparing an open space strategy. This is the most comprehensive look at open spaces in the city in over 40 years.

They are holding a public workshop at the Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road, on Thursday 25 June, 6:30 - 8:00pm to check the accuracy of the draft audit and find out what people think about the provision of open space, its quality, and possible ideas for enhancing or changing open space in the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership area or farther afield.

The strategy will set standards of open space provision across the city and inform future planning decisions affecting open space. It will also help set priorities for changing and enhancing open space over the next five years to ensure these standards are met. There will be further consultation on the next stage of the project - the draft strategy and action plans - earlier next year but in the meantime they are keen to hear our views.

To assist planning for the event please contact Finlay.Martin@edinburgh.gov.uk if you wish to attend.

Enquire: independent advice on additional support for learning

Enquire (the Scottish Advice Service for Additional Support for learning) have asked us to publicise their services.

Any child who needs more or different support to what is normally provided in schools or pre-schools is said to have ‘additional support needs’ and require additional support for learning.

Enquire offer advice and information by way of a telephone helpline and through written responses to email and enquiries via their website. They also provide training and outreach, and produce a range of free publications.

Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust - Spring newsletter

A paper copy of the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust Spring Newsletter - Greenspace Matters - has just arrived through the secretary's letterbox. If you would like to see it please contact him. An electronic copy may appear later at their website.

Neighbourhood Partnership: Events Calendar

An online calendar for events, activities, meetings and consultations taking place in Edinburgh Neighbourhood Partnerships is now available. From the search on this page you can scroll through dates week by week, or select specific dates and find out what is on in all or any one of the Partnerships.

If you have events that you'd like added please contact Donald.Burgess@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Meadows Festival starts 10am tomorrow!

A little reminder, should you need one, that the Meadows Festival starts at 10am tomorrow, Sa 6 Jun.

AGM for Friends of the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links

The AGM of the Friends of the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links will take place at the croquet club, by Leven Terrace, on Thursday, June 11th at 7:30pm. Come and be introduced to the game of croquet, and then help decide who should be running the Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links. 

[update: poster in display case at Meadows confirms time as 7:30pm]

A G E N D A for AGM of the Community Council on We 10 June (at 7pm)

The AGM of the Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council will take place on Wed 10 Jun 09 at 7pm in St Catherine Argyle Church Hall.

It will be followed immediately by the scheduled regular meeting.

A G E N D A
(for agm)

1. Minutes of the last AGM and matters arising.
   
2. Chairperson’s Report.
   
3. Deputy chairperson’s Report on HMO’s.
   
4. Neighbourhood Partnership Rep’s Report and blogmeister/secretary.
   
5. Treasurer’s Report
   
6. A.O.C.B.
   
7. Next AGM - Wednesday 9 June 2010.
   

A G E N D A for meeting of the Community Council on We 10 June (at 7pm)

The next meeting of the Community Council will be held on WEDNESDAY 10 June 2009 at 7.00pm in St Catherine’s Argyle Church Community Hall, Grange Road

The AGM will start at 7:00pm (AGM Agenda; AGM minutes) 

and the regular meeting will start at 7:30pm

A G E N D A   

(for regular meeting)

1. Sederunt and Apologies.
   
2. Minutes of Meeting (.doc) held 13 May 2009
   
3. Matters Arising.
   
4. Police Report
   
5. Presentation of the Student/Permanent Resident survey by Thomas Graham, Edinburgh University Student Assoc.
6. Edinburgh Open Space Strategy (see blog)
   
7. South east Scotland strategic development plan (see blog)
   
8. Community Council nominations/elections (see blog)
   
9. Reports of meetings
   
10. Any other business
    
11. Date of next meeting: Wednesday 9 September 2009

watch the blog: http://www.marchmontandsciennes.blogspot.com and HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!