Changes to Lothian Buses

A number of changes to Lothian Buses have been announced. They take effect on Su 4 March.


They include:


5 - no changes announced


24 – Minor timetable & route changes with Sunday buses extended from Scottish Gas HQ to Granton Square via Waterfront Avenue.


41 – Revised timetable with more buses serving Marchmont, Blackford and Morningside on Sundays.


From the same date fares will also change.  A single adult fare will be £1.40 and a day ticket £3.50.  Student, Child, AIRLINK and NIGHTBUSES fares are not affected. 

South Edinburgh Voluntary Arts Fair for Age 50+ on Sa 10 Mar 10-4

Stalls                     Demonstrations


Aged over 50?     Looking for inspiration?     A new hobby/interest?


come to...


South Edinburgh Voluntary Arts Fair for Age 50+


Morningside United Church, Holy Corner, Edinburgh


Saturday, 10 March 2012 from 10.00am – 4.00pm


Tea & Coffee


Taster performances
                                             Talks


Arts & Crafts
                                Creative Writing
                                                                          Dance
Drama
                                Music
                                                                          Reading Groups
… and more!


Supported by Merchiston Community Council


Free Entry!

Free impartial energy advice from Transition Edinburgh South

Agenda for meeting of MSCC on We 22 Feb 2012

The Marchmont and Sciennes Community Council will hold their February meeting on We 22 Feb at 7:30pm at St Catherine's Argyle Church Halls on Grange Road

All are most welcome to attend.

Alison Johnstone MSP will address the meeting, and respond to questions, before the other business.

Please note: representatives of Lothian and Borders Police will be in attendance from 7:00 pm, to respond to any specific queries about police matters you may have.
A G E N D A


1  Sederunt and apologies

2  Alison Johnstone MSP will address the meeting, and respond to questions



3  Minutes of the meeting on 25th January


4  Matters arising from the minutes


5  Reports postponed from January
EACC Tina Cumming
SCNP Alastair Philp


6  Police report


7  Treasurer’s report:  Alison Service  


8  Planning Committee report: Melanie Main


9  HMO report: Anne Laird


10 Neighbourhood partnership: Alastair Philp


11 Correspondence and announcements
Local unsung heroes
Spring cleaning
Transition Edinburgh South, Community Gardening 20th March
EACC Criminal Justice meeting 3rd March
Climate Change Meeting 3rd April
Grants for Individuals: meet the Funders 26th March
20 Mile limit
Services for residents  50+, 10th March
Request for news and pictures, Edinburgh Evening News
Call for new members

12 AOCB


13 DONM 28th March

South Central Edinburgh 20mph pilot to start on Fr 23 Mar

The South Central Edinburgh 20mph pilot will start soon.

New speed limit signs are going up now but the zone will not come into being until Fr 23 Mar 2012.  Many of the main roads will retain their 30mph limit.

Further information is available at the Streets Ahead Edinburgh website.

Agenda for meeting of Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council on We 25 Jan 2012 at 7:30pm

All are most welcome to attend

A G E N D A

1 Welcome and apologies;  Refreshments for Burns’ Night

2 Guest Speakers: Craig Wood and Andrew Sikes, (City Planning Dept)  

The Area Development Framework

3 Minutes of the meeting on 23rd November

4 Matters arising from the minutes
Report on Christmas Lighting event, and thanks to participants
Flowerpots and trees reports
Planning Committee

5 Treasurer’s report
insurance arrangements

6 Police Report

7 Planning Report  (Melanie Main)
James Gillespie’s School developments

8 HMO report
Dealing with individual grievances

9 External Meetings
MABLAG (Alison Service)
EACC  (Tina Cumming)
SCNP  (Alastair Philp)
Capital Roads Programme
Royal Edinburgh Hospital
City of Edinburgh Council Budget Meeting (Sarah Sandow)

10 Matters for information
Edinburgh World heritage move
Community Mapping Project -Transition Edinburgh South
Morningside Library
Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation Fund
Climate Change Strategic Partnership
Statutory Notices

11 Matters requesting a response
Library Strategy
Draft Natural Heritage Strategy
Licensing Board Consultation
Services for Older people

12 Future meetings:  February (22nd)  Alison Johnstone MSP

13 AOCB

New James Gillespie's High School Head Teacher writing a blog

The new Head Teacher at James Gillespie's High School (Donald Macdonald) is writing a blog.

We've got some trees down...

On a morning where 102 mph winds were reported by STV at Blackford Hill, at least five trees (and numerous branches) were blown down on the Meadows including the one shown here which blocked Melville Drive for most of the morning.  















Two more trees fell blocking the Middle Meadow Walk cycle way with another falling away from Middle Meadow Walk towards the East. 



One fell outside the former Boroughmuir annexe (now student housing) at Warrender Park Crescent and another in the grounds of the Quartermile development.  


Sad to see them lying splintered and then sawn up to clear the road/ paths.

Happy New Year!

All the best to you and yours for health and happiness in twenty 12.

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.