Edinburgh Open Space Strategy

A city-wide open space strategy is being prepared for Edinburgh. The strategy aims to ensure that a coordinated approach is taken to protecting and developing the city’s network of open space. It will set standards of provision that the Council will be expected to meet. The strategy will be accompanied by action plans prepared in participation with the 12 Neighbourhood Partnerships in Edinburgh.  

The first stage of the project, the Draft Open Space Audit, is now complete and available for comment (until 10 Jul 09). Responses will be taken into account in finalising the audit, and will be the basis of detailed analysis which will inform the preparation of the draft strategy and action plans this autumn. There will be further consultation on the draft strategy and action plans early in 2010.

The audit identifies all significant areas of open space within the urban areas of Edinburgh and its western settlements. An interactive map presents basic information about the type, area and quality of open space.

You can give your views  by filling in an on-line questionnaire or by writing to Ben Wilson, Principal Planner, at openspacestrategy@edinburgh.gov.uk.  

An information stand will be at the Meadows Festival on Su 7 Jun and at the Canal Festival at Edinburgh Quay on Sa 27 Jun.  A series of consultation events (.doc) are also being held, including at the Gillis Centre at 18:30 on Th 25 Jun.  

If you would like to take part in a survey of play spaces for children and young people please contact Naomi Sandilands via openspacestrategy@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Advance notice: nominations to stand as a Community Councillor due by 14 Sep 09

The procedure for the elections (if required) to Community Councils in Edinburgh (including Marchmont & Sciennes) has been published:

• Before 31 Aug: Nomination packs (including a copy of the electoral register) will be issued to the Returning Officer (Councillor Steve Burgess)

• Start of Nomination Period – 31 Aug: nomination forms for elected members will be available from  Steve Burgess on request. He will check names and addresses of nominees, proposers and seconders against electoral register and check forms have been correctly signed and completed.  Some young people under 16 3/4 may not appear on the electoral register.  In these circumstances identification can be confirmed by other means such as school registration, passport, youth passport or letter from parents.  The returning officer will also distribute registration forms for Local Interest Groups on request. 

• Close of Nomination Period – 14 Sep: The returning officer will give details of elected representatives to the Community Council Liaison Officer and inform the Chair/Secretary of CC of outcome.  He will arrange the convening of the AGM with previous CC office-bearers. 

• If the number of elected nominees exceeds the places on the Community Council then a poll is required. The Council will make the necessary arrangements for the election. The Returning Officer will be required to attend the Count and declare the candidates with the greatest number of votes as elected members of the CC.

• If the number of nominated members exceeds the number of places for nominated members on the CC, the Returning Officer convenes a meeting of local interest groups to appoint the required number of nominated members.

South East Scotland Strategic Development Plan: comments by 15 Jun 09

SESplan has been established to create a Strategic Development Plan (SDP) for South East Scotland. An initial consultation exercise is being held (until 15 June 2009) to obtain input on key issues.   This consultation, together with an evidence base of studies, research inputs and expert analysis will be used to set out a preferred development strategy and potential development options, later this year. There will be a further formal consultation in early 2010.

For more details contact Linda White (Strategic Development Plan Manager) at 0131 524 5158 or  contactus@sesplan.gov.uk. 

New Meadows Festival Website...

A new Meadows Festival website is now live.  As a press release on the site points out: 

"The 2009 Meadows Festival is set to go ahead on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June.  The City of Edinburgh Council has now granted permission for south Edinburgh’s premier community festival to be held on the Meadows.

As in previous years the festival will include music on two stages, nearly 100 stalls, a primary school football competition, and Taylor’s famous funfair.

The Festival will run from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 6 and 11am to 5pm on Sunday 7 June in the West Meadows between Coronation Walk and Middle Meadow Walk."

What topics from Student Community Relations Survey of most interest?

At the next meeting of the Community Council on 10 Jun 09, Thomas Graham (President of Edinburgh University Students Association) will give a presentation drawing on the recent survey of students and other residents' experiences of living in Edinburgh communities (including Marchmont & Sciennes).

If you have particular issues that you would like him to comment on he would welcome advance warning so he can pull out the relevant data and asks that these be sent to him at external@eusa.ed.ac.uk.

Remember the next meeting (10 Jun) is the AGM and starts at 7pm

The next meeting of the Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council will be preceded by the formal  Annual General Meeting, which will start at 7pm.  Watch this blog for links to Agenda and other papers.

Update: Events on the Meadows - manifesto to be speeded up

As previously reported, the City of Edinburgh Policy and Strategy committee discussed a paper on events in parks in Edinburgh on Tu 12 May.  

They apparently spent two hours of a four hour meeting discussing the Meadows, including possible responses to a motion passed the previous evening at the South-Central Neighbourhood Partnership. The motion expressed concern about the failure to produce a policy on use of the Meadows, proposed that no long-term, large-scale events [not defined] should be allowed, and suggested that commercial events should not over-ride "the priority of sustaining a high quality environment". [MSCC abstained since views at the previous MSCC meeting had been divided on this issue.]

The committee has requested that production of a Manifesto for Edinburgh parks be accelerated and a draft brought to the next meeting of the Policy and Strategy Committee on 9 June.  

Since contracts for several events this year (including the Lady Boys and Urban Circus) have already been signed these will go ahead.

Do you receive Outlook newsletter from City of Edinburgh Council?

Members of some Community Councils in Edinburgh have indicated that certain areas in the city do not receive copies of Edinburgh Outlook from the City of Edinburgh Council.  If you, or a neighbour, do not receive Outlook please email your postcode to linda.c.murray@edinburgh.gov.

From Cameron Rose's newsblog: Archers Hall proposals approved

As Cameron Rose's newsblog reports today: the Planning Committee approved the proposals for development of at the Archers Hall in Buccleuch Street at Boroughloch. 

Alfie (the tortoise) is missing. Have you seen him?

Update, 3 July: Alfie has been found!

Alfie is a little tortoise. He is about 15 cm [6 ins] in diameter. He has gone from a garden at Palmerston Road.

He has been known to climb walls or he could even have walked out of the gate. He tends to dig in slightly, or hide in the bushes, so that only the top of his shell is visible. He also tends to dig in when he can go no further ie. against a wall or fence.

Can you watch out for him striding along or if he has dug in while you are weeding?

Please return him to: The Agnews, 6 Palmerston Road, EH9 1TN; 0131 667 4970 or 07739639126.

note of the MSCC meeting on 8 April

A draft note (word.doc) of the previous meeting of the Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council, on 8 April, is now available.

From Cameron Rose's newsblog: Sciennes Grange CPZ revision due July

As Cameron Rose reported on his newsblog on 5 May:

"The Head of Transport agreed to bring forward a review of the implementation and effects of the S1 controlled parking zone to the next meeting of the Transport Committee (28th July). It is understood this will look at merging S1 with the parts of zones 7 and 8 between S1 and the Meadows which is seen as forming a natural boundary. It is also expected that it will look at the pressures created by S1 on the Findhorn Place and other boundaries of S1, and on the usage of road space for parking within S1."

Meadows Festival seeks volunteers for 6 & 7 Jun

The organisers of the Meadows Festival, scheduled to be held on Sat 6 and Sun 7 Jun, are seeking volunteers to be Stewards and/ or Litterpickers.  

To get involved visit them at Facebook, MySpace or Gumtree. Or write to lh@anamika.freeserve.co.uk or  P.O. Box No 12758, EH8 9YP.

Neighbourhood Partnership meeting to discuss events on the Meadows

The South Central Neighbourhood Partnership will meet on Monday 11th May at 7pm in the City Chambers Business Centre.  

One of the matters to be discussed is events on the Meadows and in particular general comments on the approach to be taken (as laid out in a paper to be presented to the City Council's Policy and Strategy committee.

Other papers for the meeting are also now available.  

1. Go to Council Papers online. 
   
2. Click on "go to committee search"
3. Pick "South Central Neighbourhood Partnership" as committee name and "11 May 2009" as date.
4. Click "search"

A G E N D A for meeting of the Community Council on We 13 May

The next meeting of the Community Council will be held on WEDNESDAY 13 May 2009 at 7.30pm in St Catherine’s Argyle Church Community Hall, Grange Road. All who live or work or are active in the area are welcome.

Peter Upton, community gardener, Edinburgh Community Backgreen Association, will speak on how he can help you revitalise your backgreen.

A G E N D A

1. Sederunt and Apologies.

2. Minutes of Meeting held 8th April 2009.

3. Matters Arising.

4. Police Report

5. Peter Upton, community gardener, Edinburgh Community Backgreen Association

6. Neighbourhood Partnership report incl. Meadows update

7. Community Council scheme

8. Parking standards

9. HMO working group

10. Recent blog postings

11. AOCB

12. Date of AGM and next meeting: 10 Jun - Thomas Graham from EUSA will present results of a survey of students and longer-term residents

events policy: paper to city council policy and strategy committee

As promised: the link to the paper on events including those in parks, to be discussed at the City Council's Policy and Strategy Committee meeting on 12 May 09.

Peter Upton, from ECBA, to speak at MSCC meeting on 13 May

Peter Upton, Community Gardner, from the Edinburgh Community Backgreen Association (ECBA) will be speaking at the next meeting of the Community Council on how he can help you revitalise your backgreen. 

The meeting will be on We 13 May at 7:30pm, and will be held (as usual) in  St Catherine Argyle Church Hall on Grange Road.

Update: Events on the Meadows

A paper summarising the current position with events on the Meadows was circulated at yesterday's meeting of the South-central Neighbourhood Partnership Short-life Working Group on the Meadows. John Simon and Alastair Philp attended the meeting on behalf of MSCC.

This topic will be a main focus of the Neighbourhood Partnership event on 11 May and a paper will be submitted to the Edinburgh City Council's Policy & Strategy Committee for approval on 12 May 2009.  The paper for the 12 May meeting ought to be available next week on council papers on-line and a link will be posted on this blog.

Please note that although some big events have been approved to occupy sites on the Meadows, they may also require licenses (to which some objections have already been submitted).

Please give the Council your views: Community Council Publicity

Eileen Hewitt (Community Council Liaison & Development Officer at Services for Communities) is working with City of Edinburgh Council Corporate Communications to develop a communications plan in the run up to the community council elections in October.   

It would assist greatly if you could send her your views by completing a survey. Please respond by Friday 15 May.

South Central Neighbourhood Partnership: Roads Capital Programme

Proposals to be evaluated at the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Roads Capital Programme selection meeting on We 29 April have been received by the MSCC secretary. If you wish to see them please contact him by e-mail at:  marchmontsciennes.commcouncil@googlemail.com.  

I have three copies.

City of Edinburgh Local Development Plan Scheme 2009

The City Council has prepared a local development (LDP) scheme for 2009.  This has been prepared to meet requirements of planning legislation and sets out:

i] a programme for preparing the first LDP for the area, which will replace the current generation of local plans (for Edinburgh city and the proposed amendment of the plan in rural west Edinburgh); and

ii] a participation statement laying out how community engagement will contribute to the plan.

If you have questions about the LDP development scheme please contact ben.wilson@edinburgh.gov.uk (principal planner, local planning policy).

South Central Edinburgh Local Community Plan to be launched on 15 May

The South Central Edinburgh Local Community Plan will be launched at an event at the Gillis Centre on Fr 15 May 09 at noon to 2pm.

Neighbourhood Partnership meeting on 11 May to feature discussion on Meadows & Bruntsfield Links events

Just a little advance warning that the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Board meeting at 7pm on 11 May will feature a discussion on events on the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links. 

The venue has not yet been confirmed but will be posted here as soon as it is announced.

If you have issues you wish raised at the Neighbourhood Partnership please contact marchmontsciennes.commcouncil@googlemail.com.

Update: according to the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership website the meeting will be on Monday 11th May at 7pm in the City Chambers Business Centre.  This has not been confirmed in writing to MSCC so please regard it as provisional for now.

Evening News: Guerrilla gardeners use flower power to tidy up city

The Evening News carries a story today about the 'guerilla gardening' that is tidying up a crescent-shaped patch of land on Marchmont Crescent.

Our chair, Susie Agnew and local councillor, Cameron Rose both comment.

Update: 'Marchmont Triangle' Back Green Association

Photos of the first activities of the Marchmont Triangle Back Green Group are now available on the Edinburgh Back Green Association (ECBA) website. The triangle is the area bounded by Marchmont Crescent (N), Marchmont Road and Warrender Park Road.  Details of how to get involved are also given. 

Edinburgh Council extends online payments to include parking permits

Cameron Rose's NewsBlog today alerts us to the opportunity to pay our City of Edinburgh Council bills online (via debit but not credit cards). Paying for a resident's parking permit is now possible.

Other bills you can pay include council tax, council house rent, non-domestic rates, service accounts and fixed penalty tickets

'Marchmont Triangle' Back Green Association

Sarah Sandow writes... Ten residents and three representatives of the Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association attended the founding meeting of the 'Marchmont Triangle' Back Green Association at 6 Marchmont Crescent on 9.4.09, and on Saturday 11.4.09 work will commence. The area is bounded by Marchmont Crescent (N), Marchmont Road and Warrender Park Road.

An area in the centre of the triangle has been identified as a space for a 'co-shed' which will be available for tools etc, with keys for all participants. It is hoped that a table can be placed outside this, for potting or just sitting. A barbecue area was also proposed. The shed will be funded by ECBA.

The group discussed the future of the several very tall trees in the triangle, and the possibility of identifying a space for raised beds for vegetable growing. Further expenditure will be the responsibility of the members, but ECBA will advise on sources of funding and appropriate approaches. ECBA work on the basis of identifying a small area within the whole back-green space as the communal area, before encouraging residents to extend this to other parts of the site. In this way it is hoped to allay any anxieties from other residents and engage them in the project.

A film of progress is being made by Eric Robinson, who is an independent film-maker.

This is the first area in Marchmont to be tackled. The second will be the area bounded by Argyle Place, Roseneath Street , Roseneath Place and Roseneath Terrace, hopefully by 18th April. The sites have been selected on the basis of responses to recent ECBA leaflet drops. ECBA have previously worked in Gorgie, and recognise that Marchmont presents different challenges.

The secretary of the Marchmont Triangle Group will be Dr Maia Forrester 11 Marchmont Crescent, maiaforrester@hotmail.com tel. 229 9317

Modernising planning: how to find out more

The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 (PDF) is bringing about major changes in planning. The new legislation is designed to let communities be better informed and have an early say in the planning process on national and major proposals. Consultation with local communities is the key focus of these changes.

To find out more visit the City of Edinburgh Council modernising planning pages, where you can download leaflets and access background information.

Edinburgh Standards for Housing - consultation

The City of Edinburgh Council have published Edinburgh Standards for Housing for consultation (PDF). The aim of these planning standards is to "achieve high quality, successful and sustainable residential environments. The standards will complement and provide more detailed guidance on the design policies set out in the Development plan".

Comments are invited by Tu 30 Jun 09 to gina.bellhouse@edinburgh.gov.uk. Queries to Gina at 0131 469 3723 (Tu/We/Th only).

Consultation open on parking standards

The City of Edinburgh Council have published planning standards on parking for consultation (PDF). As a report to the planning committee says:

"Parking Standards are a key tool in managing the transport impacts of developments. They can reduce overspill parking but also have a central role in influencing how people travel to new developments. The Council’s current Parking Standards are now almost ten years old; with this in mind a review has been undertaken to learn from experience and current best practice, and take into account recent Government guidance. The review has identified a number of proposed detailed changes.

The following are considered to be the most significant:

• Changes to General Housing Standards so that the standards take more account of dwelling size and location
• Adoption of a tailored approach to residential parking for large developments, taking detailed account of public transport access, local facilities and other relevant factors
• Presumption against automatic increases in parking at existing out-of-city-centre retail centres
• Requiring/permitting the provision of temporary parking in areas of major development prior to improvements in infrastructure/public transport services"

Comments are invited by Fr 29 May 09 to Phil.noble@edinburgh.gov.uk. Queries to Phil at 0131 469 3803.

Scottish Centre for Intergenerational Practice Event: 29 Apr

The Centre for the Older Person's Agenda (COPA) at the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh are assisting the work of the The Scottish Centre for Intergenerational Practice in developing an exciting new area network in Edinburgh & Lothians to meet local needs.

As part of this they are organising an event at Newbattle Community High School, Dalkeith on Wednesday 29 April 2009 from 3.45 pm to 5.50 pm. They are also for organisations to become members and attend this meeting to discuss how the network might look and function. Please come along and support this event which will include schoolchildren and adult involvement. If you would like to attend, please register your interest with Janice Burr at Queen Margaret University.

If you are unable to attend, please join the "Generations Working Together" Network, free of charge, to receive regular updates from the Scottish Centre for Intergenerational Practice. You will receive the regular Newsletter, information on funding, meetings, free tailored training, new publications and updates on research and examples of best practice.

Southside community backgreens project

The Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association will be holding a Launch event for their Southside Project on 6 Apr 09 at 19:00-21:00. The event will be at St Peters Church Hall, Lutton Place, EH8 9PE [map].

This meeting will be for residents, local organisations, groups and anyone else who is interested in the project. Please come along and spread the word. We will be talking about the Backgreen Blitz - backgreen regeneration, Grow Your Own - food growing course and will answer any questions you have. It would be great if you could let Emma Burnett (e.burnett@ecba.org.uk; 0131 243 2698) know if you plan to come along.

Agenda for Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council meeting: We 8 Apr at 19:30

The next meeting of the Community Council will be held

On WEDNESDAY 8 April 2009 at 7.30pm in

St Catherine’s Argyle Church Community Hall, Grange Road

All who live or work or are active in the area are welcome.

1. Sederunt and Apologies

2. Minutes of Meeting held 11 March 2009

3. Matters Arising

4. Police Report

5. Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links campaign

6. Lunch club

7. Community council elections

8. Reports of meetings

• Meadow Place,
• Meadows Festival
• Funding evening

9. Any other business

10. Next meeting Wednesday 13 May 2009

Planning committee to rule on Archers Hall Application (via Cameron Rose)

As Cameron Rose's NewsBlog says: "The proposals to upgrade the Archers [link added] Hall site including the provision of 15 flats for student accommodation will be considered by the [City of Edinburgh Council] Planning Committee this Wednesday (1.4.09)".
See the NewsBlog for details and links to the relevant documents.


update, 9 April @21:30 (after request): relevant docs are at http://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/portal/submissions.do?action=ViewPublicCaseDetails&applicationRef=08/03150/FUL

Meadows Festival AGM: take 2 - 2 April at 7pm

Linda Hendry has sent a message to the members of Meadows Festival group on Facebook, saying "We need you to pop in to the AGM on 2nd April at the Croquet Pavilion on the Meadows if you can possibly make it after 7pm. Our last shot at an AGM did not have enough people so we need you to come for the event to go ahead. You don't have to do anything else to help if you don't want to."

Short Life Working Group on the Meadows

The note of the meeting of the Short Life Working Group on the Meadows (sub group of the Neighbourhood Partnership) is now available at https://docs.google.com/ViewDoc?docid=ddb2932f_20cc8cjdgx.
The photo was taken today on my way to work and is looking south towards Warrender Park Terrace over the Croquet club from Melville Drive.

Southside Newington Week of Action

The Week of action has commenced.

High visibility patrols by police, Community Safety Officers and Environmental Wardens, mobile CCTV, graffiti removal and street cleaning are set to form part of a Week of Action in Newington and the Southside.

Police, fire and council officers will work with community councils to make the area "cleaner, greener and safer" during the week, beginning on March 16.

The Hub in the King's Hall on South Clerk Street will be open during the Week of Action from 10am-3pm, and everyone is welcome to come and give their views.

For more details see http://www.edinscc.org/Files/eaw.php.

Road closed (Chalmers Crescent)

As Cameron Rose (councillor for Southside/Newington) reports in his local newsblog: Chalmers Crescent will be closed this Thursday at the junction with Palmerston Road to allow a crane to work safely outside No 8. It should be a part day closure. http://tinyurl.com/cmsn8d

A new look

A new dawn for this InfoBlog; a new look: What do you think of the changes?

Consultation on Maternity Services in Lothian

NHS Lothian are consulting on proposals to augment maternity services in Lothian. They plan to build an additional midwife-led unit beside the Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health at the New Royal Infirmary and improve facilities at St John's in Livingston. They also aim to: increase the number of staff in maternity services; reduce smoking and the use of alcohol and drugs in pregnancy; encourage breastfeeding; and promote home births.

Your views are invited by 30 April 2009. Contact details are included in a brief guide to the proposals (PDF) available in the strategy section of the NHS Lothian web site.

Do you or anyone you know qualify for the Scottish Government Central Heating Programme?

The Central Heating Programme is a Scottish Government funded initiative. Under the scheme, pensioners who have broken or inefficient systems could benefit from a replacement system and a more efficient system that could help cut energy bills. The Central Heating Programme provides heating, insulation measures, safety devices, energy advice and a benefit entitlement check.

The Programme is available to private-sector homeowners and the tenants of private landlords who are;

• Aged 60yrs and over who have never had a central heating system;

• Those who have a system which is broken beyond repair, are aged between 60 and 74yrs and are in receipt of the Guarantee Element of Pension Credit;

• Those who have a system which is broken beyond repair and are aged 75 or over;

• Those who have a partial or inefficient system, are aged between 60 and 79yrs and are in receipt of the Guarantee Element of Pension Credit;

• Those who have a partial or inefficient system and are aged 80 or over.

Please be advised that other residency criteria will also apply.

The current Programme ends in March 2009. Interested parties can contact Scottish Gas on the Central Heating Programme free phone number.

0800 316 1653

test: HMO papers online

I am trying using googledocs as a way of making key documents such as these

• MSCC submission to City Council (via Neighbourhood Partnership) on HMOs
  
• City Council response to MSCC submission
• Anne's response to the response
• City Council answers to questions posed by Tollcross Community Council

available to the marchmontsciennes e-mail group in a controlled way.
[Follow the link that was e-mailed to you or create a google account and e-mail me your username.]

If you find this helpful please post a comment on this blog or e-mail marchmontsciennes.commcouncil@googlemail.com

Neighbourhood Survey 2008

The results of the Edinburgh Annual Neighbourhood Survey 2008 are now available.


"Each year Services for Communities asks residents for their views on their neighbourhood; what are the best things; what needs to be improved and what they think about the services we provide. This tells us what the public thinks about things like street cleaning, road maintenance, recycling, and parks in every neighbourhood. In autumn 2008, just over 5,000 Edinburgh residents from across the city took part in the survey."

Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association event: 6 April

The Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association are holding a public meeting on 6 April at 7 to 9pm at St Peter's Church in Lutton Place. See their Facebook events page (if you are a Facebook user) for more details and/or to say you'll come.

Agenda for Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council meeting: We 11 Mar at 19:30

The next meeting of the Community Council will be held

On WEDNESDAY 11 March 2009 at 7.30pm in

St Catherine’s Argyle Church Community Hall, Grange Road

All who live or work or are active in the area are welcome.

1. Sederunt and Apologies.
2. Minutes of Meeting held on 11^th February 2009
3. Matters Arising.
4. Police Report
5. Update of Marchmont Business community
6. Developments of the HMO situation
7. Reports of meetings
8. Any other business
9. Next meeting Wednesday 8^th April 2009
   

Wanted! Cook and Supervisor for lunch club

W A N T E D

FOR MULTI-CULTURAL LUNCH CLUB

COOK FOR EUROPEAN FOOD

Must have food and hygiene certificate or willing to get it (this is very easy)

Small numbers initially (approx 12)

Simple food

SUPERVISOR

Person needed to generally host the lunch club –

take money, welcome guests, supervise other helpers, etc

Ideally the same person would be able to fill both positions. There will be a remuneration.

The lunch club will meet fortnightly on Mondays at St. Catherine’s Argyle church hall, Grange Rd.

e-mail: susie@agnew.sol.co.uk; tel. 0131 667 4970

MSCC meeting on 11 March

[image from ECBA website]

We had hoped that the meeting on We 11 Mar 09 would feature a speaker from the Edinburgh Community Backgreen Association (ECBA). However we haven't been able to arrange this. An alternative speaker may be invited, and if so we will post details at this blog.

HMOs at the NP board - 23 Feb 09 at 7pm - City Chambers

The South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Board will meet in public at the City Chambers, High Street Edinburgh at 7pm on Mo 23 Feb 09.

The major item of business (for public discussion - about 7:30pm to 8:30pm) will be Licensing of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council will present a paper and this will be discussed. MSCC wish the City of Edinburgh Council to prepare a response to their earlier submission that addresses the key points we made. Please come along and add your views and support.

For further details of the matters to be discussed (or to raise any other matters) please contact the MSCC rep on the NP - alastair.philp@gmail.com; 0131 275 6679.

New Secretary needed...

To all interested in

Marchmont and Sciennes

Community Council:

Our secretary, Susanna, has resigned due to so many other commitments. We shall all miss her and wish her all the best.

This means that we need a new secretary. The job is voluntary and is not onerous as it is nearly all computer based.

Things the secretary does

1. forward e-mails to the google group or individuals.

2. put notices on the blog (Susanna learnt how to do

this when she became secretary.

3. open mail and forward it, or put it on the blog, or

keep it for the next meeting or chuck it.

4. attend the agenda planning meeting with the other office bearers.

5. attend the community council meetings (once a month).

It is an interesting and fun job especially if you are interested in local issues. The secretary needs to be a member of the community council but we have a space for you to join, if necessary.

Phone me or e-mail me

Susie Agnew

Chair Marchmont and Sciennes community council

0131 667 4970

Susie@agnew.sol.co.uk

Agenda 14th January 2009

AGENDA

The next meeting of the Community Council will be held
On WEDNESDAY 14 January 2009 at 7.30pm in
St Catherine’s Argyle Church Community Hall, Grange Road

All who live or work or are active in the area are welcome.


1. Sederunt and Apologies.
2. Minutes of Meeting held 10 December 2008.
3. Matters Arising.
4. Police Report.
5. Draft of Community Council scheme
6. Community Council/City Council relationship
7. Publicity for community council
8. Reports from meetings.
9. AOCB.
10. Next Meeting 11 February 2009.

EDINBURGH DISABLED PARKING

THIRLSTANE ROAD, LEAMINGTON TERRACE.

Formal objections are not invited at this stage but any comments will be welcomed by 8th December 2008. After this the proposals will be formally advertised

Christmas Tree lighting - 4:20pm Sa 13 Dec 08

The lights on the Marchmont and Sciennes Christmas tree (outside the Co-op at the junction of Marchmont Cres and W Pk Rd) will be turned on at 4:20pm on Sa 13 Dec. James Gillespie's High School pipe and brass bands will be playing

Afterwards there will be a carol concert and seasonal refreshments at the German-speaking Church on Chalmers Crescent.