We wish you a  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Edinburgh Community Energy Event

An Edinburgh Community Energy Event will be held on 23 Feb 2012 from 9.00am – 1.30pm (including lunch) in the Business Centre, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh. 


Who is it for? 
Any organisation with an interest in household energy saving projects in Edinburgh, at both a local and strategic level.


What is it about? 

A half-day conference bringing together community groups, third sector organisations and the City of Edinburgh Council to: · 

• Share information and knowledge between key organisations · 
• Improve communication between Council staff, tenant groups and community groups 
• Develop mutual awareness and understanding of community projects and the Council’s energy programme 
• Identify ideas and opportunities for better joint working and future initiatives 

Speakers include: Cathy King, Head of Housing and Regeneration, Services for Communities, The City of Edinburgh Council;  three community organisations delivering Climate Challenge Fund projects at a local level;  · Mike Wagner, Engineering Manager, Housing Property Services, The City of Edinburgh Council, and Teresa Bray, Chief Executive, Changeworks 


Sessions include: · City wide energy saving projects - opportunities and joint working; · Consultation and involvement; · Information sharing and feedback 

This is a City of Edinburgh Council event, facilitated by Changeworks 
To book and see more details visit the Changeworks website for the full conference programme.   Please send your booking form in by Friday 10 February 2012. Numbers are limited, so early booking is essential! If you have any queries please email Jackie McNeil.

Retiring collection after tree lighting raises nearly £190

Thank you for your donations after the Tree Lighting Concert last week!

Festive refuse collection, including tree recycling

City of Edinburgh Council have posted on changes to waste collections this xmas and how to recycle your xmas tree in the New Year.

Christmas buses

Special timetables for Lothian buses over the festive season (23 December 2011 to 4 January 2012) are now available.

Tina interviewed for audio segment on Edinburgh reporter website

The Edinburgh Reporter is now carrying an audio interview with the Chair of Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC), David Salton. 


The interview covers how community councils work, and also what you should do if you want to get involved. 


EACC is the liaison body supporting all of the individual community councils in the city. 


Also participating, from Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council: our colleague Tina Cumming.

more from Edinburgh Reporter website: "Community councils are set up in each area to have a say on local affairs. The hierarchy is that Edinburgh Council decides on most matters which affect the city, below that there are Neighbourhood Partnerships and then there are community councils. Since 1991 there has been a single tier of unitary authorities in Scotland, replacing the old two-tier structure of Regional and District local authority bodies. The council gets all of its powers from a range of statutes, and  community councils were first set up under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and their existence was continued by legislation passed in 1994. They were set up to be the local voice in the area that they represent, and all community councillors must reside in the area. They are funded by a grant from the City of Edinburgh Council.

There is more information available on the City of Edinburgh Council website."

Draft Natural Heritage Strategy for Planning in Edinburgh

A draft Natural Heritage Strategy for Planning in Edinburgh has been prepared and was approved by the Planning Committee of the City of Edinburgh Council on 8 December 2011 as a draft for consultation. 


They're now seeking your comments to further develop and finalise it. Edinburgh’s distinctive natural environment forms part of the fabric of the city and its successive phases of urban development. Including coastal habitat of international significance, designed landscapes of national importance, to locally valued trees and woodlands; the natural environment forms a unique asset to be protected and enhanced. 


The document re-affirms the Council’s commitment to the conservation and enhancement of Edinburgh’s natural environment by explaining how it addresses national planning policy and environmental legislation. It outlines how the Council aims to protect and enhance the natural environment, through the preparation of development plans, when considering planning applications and as part of the local biodiversity action plan. 


This document complements the Council’s Built Heritage Strategy, together representing an environment of exceptional quality. Please send any comments by the end of January 2012.

South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Meeting - 12 Dec 11 at 6pm

 The South Central Neighbourhood Partnership will meet in public on Monday 12 December 2011 at 6pm (till 8pm) in the Business Centre, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh.


For more information please contact: Margaret Campbell (Partnership Development Officer). The MSCC rep on the neighbourhood partnership is Alastair Philp.

The Agenda includes discussion of: 

• Demise of Southside Community Council
• Engagement meetings on the Council Budget Process
• Winter weather working together
• Astley Ainslie/ Royal Edinburgh Hospital redevelopment
• Sub groups progress
• Community grant applications
• Students in the Community event
• It's Good to Talk about Alcohol event

Papers are available:   

1. Go to Council Papers online 
2. Pick "South Central Neighbourhood Partnership" as committee name and "12 December 2011" as dates. 
3. Click "search"

Reminder: Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council Christmas Tree lighting Sat 10 Dec 4.30pm

A quick reminder: the Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council Christmas Tree lighting is this Sat (10 Dec) at 4.30pm.

mapping road deaths 1999-2010

The BBC have published an interactive web site that shows every death on every road in Great Britain 1999-2010. 


You can pick a local authority or enter a post code to see fatalities over the period shown on a map.

Minutes of Edinburgh Association of Community Councils meetings

Approved minutes for the September 2011 meeting of the Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC), and the draft minutes for the November meeting have now been posted.

Transition Edinburgh South collecting views on creating a vibrant and sustainable South Edinburgh

Transition Edinburgh South are currently working on a Community Mapping Project- a piece of research looking at how they can create more sustainable communities in South Edinburgh.  


They are asking local residents to identify what the barriers are for adopting greener lifestyles and what ideas people have to promote local sustainability.  They've asked us to let them know our thoughts on local food production, home energy, local transport, recycling and community resilience by filling out an on line questionnaire. 


All participants will go into a prize draw for the chance to win a £50 tasty local food voucher. Deadline for entries is 31/12/11. 


 For more information about this project and others, please visit the Transition Edinburgh South website.

Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council Christmas Tree lighting Sat 10 Dec 4.30pm

Join with James Gillespies High School pipers, JGHS Brass Ensemble and Sciennes Primary School Choir to sing traditional carols at the lighting of the Marchmont and Sciennes’ Christmas tree, where Marchmont Crescent meets Warrender Park Road. 


Sat 10 Dec at 4:30pm.


This event is supported by the Local shops and businesses 


Followed by a free carol concert, mulled wine and mince pies from 5pm at the German Church, Chalmers Crescent


Numbers may be limited 

Agenda for meeting of Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council on We 23 Nov at 7:30pm

The Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council will hold their November meeting on We 23 Nov at 7:30pm at St Catherine's Argyle Church Halls on Grange Road

All are most welcome to attend


Jim Eadie MSP will address the meeting before the other business.

A G E N D A

1 Welcome, Sederunt, apologies

2  Address:  JIM EADIE, MSP

3  Questions

4  Minutes of the previous meeting

Matters arising from the Minutes
Bus shelter
Astley Ainsley Hospital
Whitehouse Loan crossing
Christmas Tree Lighting
Winter weather
Cyclists and pedestrians
Sienna Gardens meeting

5  Parks management strategy

6  Reports
Treasurer
Police{ Sgt Steven Duncan)
Planning (Melanie Main)
HMOs (Anne Laird)

7 External meetings: Neighbourhood Partnership , NHS Lothian  

8 Future of ASCC and EACC

9 Budget consultations 21.11.11, 3.12.11

10 Civic Forum meeting 29.11.11

11 documents received for consultation: SES,  LDP

12 AOCB

13 DONM  January 25th 7.30 PM

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Information on severe weather preparations and decisions

The City of Edinburgh Council have established a severe weather page on their website which they will use to communicate in the event of severe weather this winter.  


It contains information about preparations they are making, what we can do, how they decide which roads to clear and schools to close, and offers an interactive map of gritter routes and grit bins.


update (18 Nov at 20:11): To find out if you could be a Volunteer Snow Warden call 0131 529 3687

What do you think? New management rules for Public Parks

The current  'Management Rules for Public Parks (2003)' are due to expire in 2013. The City of Edinburgh Council has been advised to renew the rules for another ten years and modify them to reflect the new access legislation. 


In making the new Rules the City of Edinburgh Council is obliged to consult and invite objections from the public. 


The new draft Management Rules can be commented on during the first consultation running from Mid October 2011 to the end of January 2012.  


Amendments will be made and the a final copy of the Rules will be presented for formal inspection on these web pages and in public libraries during April and May 2012. 


If there are any objections to the Rules the City of Edinburgh Council will give an objector an opportunity to be heard by them. 

Your views are sought on a draft Edinburgh Lighting Strategy

On 6 October 2011 the Council's Planning Committee approved a draft version of the Edinburgh Lighting Strategy for consultation purposes. 


The aim of the strategy is to reinforce the character of our unique capital city and provide a safe environment for its use and enjoyment by achieving coherent lighting schemes that are well conceived, designed and maintained.


The draft strategy outlines four broad strategic objectives based on: supporting Edinburgh's role as the economic, cultural and ceremonial capital of Scotland; enhancing community safety, security, amenity and circulation for both pedestrians and road users; developing a co-ordinated and coherent approach to lighting, making lighting design an intrinsic part of streets and places; and encouraging designs which minimise energy use, cost and light pollution. 


Consultation on the draft strategy has now commenced and your views are sought by 31 December 2011.

Your thoughts requested on Edinburgh Local Development Plan: Main Issues Report

The City of Edinburgh Council is developing a local development plan for Edinburgh and has been in touch asking for our help.

 The plan will set out policies and proposals to guide development and land use. The main opportunity to get involved is in response to the Main Issues Report. This sets out options for new proposals and changes to some policies. It asks for our views on 20 questions.

Paper copies of the main Issues Report, Monitoring Statement and Environmental Report have been sent to the MSCC secreatry and I will bring them to the November meeting. In the meantime copies can be downloaded or viewed at the local development plan website, or perused at local libraries or the Planning Reception at Waverley Court.

In addition exhibitions are being put on across the city and there will be workshops to discuss specific issues.

Our comments are requested by Fr 27 Jan 2012 via an online form or e-mail to localdevelopmentplan@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Edinburgh World Heritage Newsletter October 2011

Edinburgh World Heritage have published their October newsletter. 


Edinburgh World Heritage is a charity funded by charitable donations, the City of Edinburgh Council and Historic Scotland, with the role of protecting, conserving and promoting the World Heritage Site.


The newsletter contains items on (among other things): 

• A revised management plan for Edinburgh's World Heritage Site, identifying key objectives for the next five years. 
• Monthly update from EWH Director Adam Wilkinson. 
• A new free iphone app which encourages visitors to get off the beaten track and explore the nooks and crannies of the World Heritage Site. 
• The final stage of a project to restore a Victorian shopfront at 37 - 41 Nicolson Street, removing a modern fascia to reveal original features hidden underneath

It's Good to Talk … about alcohol community conference We 16 Nov

The South Central Neighbourhood Partnership would like to invite you to participate in its first Community Conference at the Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road on Wednesday, 16th November.


The purpose of the event is explore issues of alcohol and its effects on the community of South Central; to raise awareness amongst people on the wide range of issues around alcohol; enhance knowledge and networking amongst key agencies/service delivery organisations and, principally, to identify a series of recommendations for future, achievable, action for consideration by the Neighbourhood Partnership. A programme for the morning is noted below.


EVENT PROGRAMME (subject to change) 


 9.30 am REGISTRATION 
 9.45 am WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION 
 9.55 am EXPLANATION OF SPEED WORKSHOPS AND THEMES OF WORKSHOPS 
 10.05 am BREAK INTO WORKSHOPS 
 11.45 am COMFORT BREAK (Coffee & Cake Provided) 
 12.00 am EXPERT WITNESSES 
 12.20 pm FEEDBACK FROM WORKSHOPS 
 12.40 pm PLEDGES TOWARDS OUTCOMES 
 12.50 pm THANKS AND CLOSE FROM CHAIRPERSON 
 1.00 pm FINISH


Some of the possible areas for discussion include licensing; sales of alcohol to young people; health effects on older people and women; fire/accident damage; family – effect on children and families; anti social behaviour.


 In order to organise the workshops and for catering please register your intention to participate.