The next meeting of the MSCC is on Wednesday 24th January.

The draft agenda is enclosed:

Marchmont & Sciennes 
Community Council

Meeting on Wed 24 January 2018 at 7:30pm
St Catherine's Argyle Church Halls, Beaufort Road

A G E N D A

1 Sederunt and apologies
2 Draft Minutes of last meeting, 22 November 2017, and matters arising (not otherwise on Agenda)
3 Police Report
4 Meadows & Bruntsfield Links
5 City Councillor report on topical local issues
6 Election of Secretary (repeat)
Items for discussion
7 Royal Hospital for Sick Children Redevelopment, report on Exhibitions
8 Astley Ainslie Hospital Redevelopment: update
9 Planning (Applications & consultations)
• Any others
10 Localities and the Neighbourhood Partnership position – any further update
11 Report on Christmas Tree Lighting Event

Items for information
12 Treasurer's report
13 Meetings attended
Any?
14 AOCB
15 Date of next meeting 28 February 2018

The draft minutes from the November meeting can be found at:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-sdd4xGHhV2rSCffQL_ntMcJojqBzj5NE2OR0LooGj8/edit?usp=sharing

All who live or work locally are welcome to attend.
MSCC is online at: http://marchmontandsciennes.blogspot.com

• 

Sick Kids Exhibition #1

The first Exhibition is now online!

Last Tuesday, over 200 people attended the first exhibition of Downing Group's plans for the Sick Children's hospital site. If you didn't manage to make it, it's not too late, the plans are available here (click this link).

It is important that the developers receive as many of our responses as possible. So if you didn't make it to the exhibition or still haven't completed one of their forms, please could you fill in the attached evaluation form and send it to consultation@holderplanning.co.uk in the next week. All our responses will be summarised by Holder Planning, as part of the official planning process.

Representatives of our community will meet with Downing Group, their architects and Holder Planning later this month. At this meeting, we will ensure that your opinions are properly considered.

For this meeting, the Community Council will be creating a detailed response to the exhibition, so feel free to email me with any points you think we should include.

Douglas

Status of the Bid by MSDT for the Sick Kids site

Just an update for agenda item 7 (sick kids) (MSCC Meeting): 

Tonight I submitted two CRtB (Community Right to Buy)
applications for buildings and land within the RHSC, owing to the legal
complications/ technicalities that came to light during review of the
initial community right to buy application in March. So, we¹re hoping that
the Community Land Team will review these new documents (crtb forms plus
17 annexes) over the next few days, and once again press pause on the sale
of the site. If anyone can help expedite that process, we¹d be very
grateful. For now, I¹ll update Douglas as soon as we receive feedback from
the government.

On behalf of Marchmont and Sciennes Development Trust I¹d like to say that
we really appreciate all the help and support from you and your colleagues
at MSCC, in addition to the continued support from our excellent
Councillors, MPs and MSPs ‹ a huge effort to ensure that community
interests are represented during a very busy period for all. Really nice
to see us come together on issues that can be challenging and sometimes
divisive. Onwards!

All very best wishes and see you soon,

Tom.

The next Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council meeting is on Wed 28th June.


All are welcome. 

Here is the agenda.

Marchmont & Sciennes

Community Council

Meeting on Wed 28 June 2017 at 7:30pm

St Catherine's Argyle Church Halls, Beaufort Road

A G E N D A

 1             Sederunt and apologies

 2             Draft Minutes of last meeting, 24 May 2017, and matters arising (not otherwise on Agenda)

·         Update on 19 Palmerston Rd.

 3             Police Report

 4             Meadows & Bruntsfield Links

·         Jawbones update (Mike Shields to provide)

 5             City Councillor report on topical local issues

 6             Election of Secretary (repeat)

Items for discussion

 7             Royal Hospital for Sick Children Redevelopment, including Community Right to Buy Process:

                                Current Position

 8             Astley Ainslie Hospital Redevelopment: update
 9             Planning (Applications & consultations)

·         Thirlstane Lane Planning Application

·         Any others

10           Neighbourhood Partnership position

Items for information

11           Treasurer's report
12           Meetings attended

13           AOCB

14           Date of next meeting (and AGM): 27 September 2017

All who live or work locally are welcome to attend.

MSCC is online at: http://marchmontandsciennes.blogspot.com

RED TAPE DELAY HITS SICK KIDS COMMUNITY BID

RED TAPE DELAY HITS SICK KIDS COMMUNITY BID

A community group’s bid to buy a historic Scottish hospital has been delayed by red tape.

The Scottish Government was considering an application by residents living next to the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh to be given first refusal to buy the site under new urban ‘community right to buy’ laws.

But the process has stalled after complex land ownership issues around the 122-year-old hospital revealed that although the four-acre facility is being marketed as one site, it is owned by two separate legal entities.

This means the Marchmont and Sciennes Development Trust (MSDT) has had to drop its single application to be given first refusal on the site and will now submit two separate bids to Scottish ministers to try and gain control of the iconic hospital.

The two landowners at the Sick Kids are NHS Lothian and its charitable trust, the Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation.

MSDT has today asked both the health board and foundation to release all of the tittle deeds it holds for the land and buildings in order to get beyond this impasse.

However, this latest development effectively means that a suspension of the sale process - ordered while the Scottish Government considered the original right to buy application - has now been lifted and health chiefs can resume talks with short-listed private developers.

Affordable co-operative housing, healthcare and nursery facilities, space for social enterprises and a multi-purpose community hall are among the ideas for the Sick Kids already suggested by MSDT – the community body representing local residents.

A MSDT spokesman said: “This complication is disappointing but not unexpected given it is a complex site and it is a bid that really tests the new legislation.

“We are now focused on definitively determining who owns which parts of the site and submitting the two applications that could ultimately see the community take control of the Sick Kids site when the NHS moves out. 

“We have asked the health board and the foundation for help with this task as they hold the relevant title deeds, a move which will benefit all parties as it would speed up the process and get us all closer to a decision on whether MSDT should get first refusal on the site."

“This site remains a dream opportunity to bring this historic hospital under community control.”

www.marchmontsciennesDT.wordpress.com

www.facebook.com/MarchmontSciennesDT/

Registered in Scotland SC558295

Final version of Summary of Collective Views of the Community (on RHSC) published by MSCC

NHS Lothian have confirmed that the closing date for interested developers’ offers for the current RHSC site will be 9 February 2017.

Therefore MSCC have been asked to share a set of views from the community by mid-January.

After considering comments on a draft 'Summary of Collective Views of the Community', and discussing the document at a meeting, on 5 Jan, with NHS Lothian, we have produced a final version .

This final version of collective community views produced by MSCC will be added to the final 'position statement', being completed by GVA in mid January for NHS Lothian (and available to developers).

The collective views will also be sent with the final NHS/GVA 'position statement' to interested developers.

If you'd like to stay informed please join our dedicated mailing list by e-mailing pagsk2017@gmail.com or keep an eye on the MSCC Infoblog or on the MSCC Facebook page, or follow @marchsciennesCC on Twitter.

Draft Summary of Collective Views (on RHSC) published by MSCC

NHS Lothian have confirmed that the closing date for interested developers’ offers will be 9 February 2017.

Therefore MSCC have been asked to share a set of views from the community by mid-January.

In response to a 'position statement' (including community views expressed at a public meeting; see previous post), MSCC have produced a draft 'summary of collective views'; 6 page PDF).   

MSCC will meet with NHS Lothian on Th 5 January to present this draft document and discuss next steps.

The collective MSCC views will be added to the final 'position statement', being completed by GVA in mid January for NHS Lothian (and available to developers).  

The MSCC views will also be sent with the final NHS/GVA 'position statement' to interested developers. 

Please comment below if there is anything you think we have missed from the draft 'summary of collective views'.  Or e-mail pagsk2017@gmail.com. 

If you'd like to stay informed please join our dedicated mailing list by e-mailing pagsk2017@gmail.com or keep an eye on the MSCC Infoblog or on the MSCC Facebook page, or follow @marchsciennesCC on Twitter.

[updated on 4 Jan to include screen shot of document cover and add detail on closing date from previous blog post]

We wish you a Merry Christmas. And a Happy New Year!

Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council wish all in our community a Merry Christmas.

Best wishes for health & happiness in 2017!

Update and review of previous 9 months for the community policing team

Inspector Graeme Nisbet has shared this with us (including contact details for local community police officers):

"This year has been one of challenge and change, along with the fluctuations in crime in the area the community team along with the division have responded to major operations and events however our continuation on and commitment to local policing remains strong.  

Officers have been tasked with responding to the complaints from communities and increased their ability to respond quickly and attend specific locations where we have had reported concerns.  We  have worked closely with our partners and officers have worked with other agencies in the area and we maintain very good links with a number of local groups and I have no doubt this will continue in to 2017.

On this note I would like to thank all of my partners, community groups and stakeholders for all of the help, support and assistance this year as tackling community issues is one which needs a shared approach and it is one which has worked and will continue to work very well in the south area.

You will know that I am committed to local officers supporting and being visible in the community and I have made sure officers have attended as many community meetings and events as possible and I will do everything possible to have this continue.

With regard to crime, this year we have seen a significant fall in house breaking crimes with an average 30% reduction although vehicle crime is on the slight increase and is the focus of continued police activity.

Anti social behaviour, particularly with the use of motorcycles was a problem in the open green spaces and park areas during the summer and autumn and we saw issues not only in the south but across the city with the north area suffering. Locally we had put together a local operation which sits under a citywide operation and this will be put in place early next year to prevent an escalation, although the winter nights have seen it, not surprisingly, tail off.

Other forms of anti social behaviour mainly, youth calls, have been tackled and a number of individuals are now subject to various forms of intervention and ongoing work to disrupt their behaviour and we will continue to concentrate on those responsible.

Violent crime remains a priority under operation Austinberg and we continue to work in the known hot spot areas where we conduct weekly patrols, overall violent crime in the area has fallen which is a positive. I also recently attended a domestic abuse forum in Southouse where I did a presentation along with other speakers, this was very well attended by a broad spectrum of public and professionals and domestic abuse remains as a divisional priority.
Road Safety, will continue as a focus for my team, we have been supporting the school streets initiative and also the introduction and roll out of the 20mph zones in Edinburgh. Speeding in general will be monitored and enforced where we have concerns and vulnerable premises. Recently we worked with partners to increase the safety and visibility of cyclists and will continue this through the winter.

A number of warrants over the last 9 months were applied for allowing us to tackle drugs and search for stolen property at a number of addresses in the area, I plan to keep this going as tackling drugs is a focus for not only my community team but by the division and we often have specialist officers in plain clothes deployed in the area. We make sure we collaborate with one another and share information to maximise opportunities but the information from the community has been excellent allowing us to obtain warrants and carry out enforcement.

We now have a dedicated sergeant for each area:

PS David Cuthbert, based at St. Leonards is now in charge of the Southside/ Newington & Meadows/ Morningside wards
PS Mark Innes, based at Howdenhall is in charge of the Liberton/ Gilmerton ward

The community officers can be contacted on
EdinburghSouthsideNewingtonCPT@Scotland.pnn.police.uk  
or
EdinburghMeadowsMorningsideCPT@Scotland.pnn.police.uk
or
EdinburghLibertonGilmertonCPT@Scotland.pnn.police.uk

I can also confirm our current ward officers areSouthside/ Newington Ward
PC Chris Harris & PC Neil Mackay
Meadows/ Morningside
PC Jennifer Mackenzie &  PC Stuart Fraser.
Liberton/ Gilmerton Ward
PC Rebecca Wilson & PC Craig Cairns

The Police Scotland Survey is live and we are committed to getting the opinion of residents and local businesses on local Policing priorities. Since April 2016 we have been asking individuals to complete an online survey that would influence local Policing plans. This is an ongoing project however the most recent results will shape Edinburgh's Policing priorities for 2017.

Please take two minutes to confirm the top priorities that have been highlighted by others in Edinburgh represent YOUR VIEWS too.
We want to hear from you. To take part copy and paste this link https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MN9WGCF

Please pass this information on to anyone else you think might be interested in taking part, but don't forget to do it now as this mini-survey closes at the end of December.
This coming festive season, is as always a busy time for the police and we have a number of operations and events to oversee and of course like many of our colleagues in the emergency services, officers will be on duty through the festive period, which is a typically a demanding period for us all.

May I wish you all the very best for the festive period and I look forward to working with in 2017.
Graeme Nisbet"

Please comment on a report of the public engagement meeting on 16 Nov about RHSC redevelopment

update, 3 Jan 2017: MSCC have produced a draft 'summary of collective views')

The report of the public engagement meeting on 16 Nov about RHSC redevelopment is now available  [as Appx 3].

This is a report that contributes to the community views section of a 'pre-application position statement' that’s been prepared by NHS Lothian's planning advisors (GVA) for NHS Lothian. 

We are interested in gathering your responses to the report, whether you were at the meeting or not: we are keen to know what you feel about the development of this site at the heart of our community.

Please add your comments on the report below or e-mail them to pagsk2017@gmail.com.  

Comments will be used, along with those already expressed, to shape a set of MSCC views.  These collective MSCC views will be added to the final ‘position statement’, being completed by GVA for NHS Lothian (and available to developers).  The MSCC views will also be sent with the final NHS/GVA 'position statement' to interested developers.  A final draft of the ‘position statement’ is now available.

The 'position statement' also contains details about i] formal planning constraints and ii] heritage considerations (listed buildings, conservation area etc). Developers will be asked to take full account of the facts and findings in the 'position statement' (including community views) when their formal offers to purchase the site are invited.  This will support NHS Lothian's identification of the scheme that represents 'best value' and lead to an agreement to sell by Easter 2017. 

As yet ‘best value’ has not been clearly defined but during the public engagement meeting there was an indication that this might mean something other than simply selling the site at the highest cost.

There is no guarantee that community values in the ‘position statement’ will be binding within a development agreement, but we really want to represent your views on the development of the site. And this is our opportunity to do precisely that: place your views within the development process.

NHS Lothian has confirmed that the closing date for interested developers’ offers will be 9 February 2017. Therefore MSCC have been asked to share a set of views from the community by mid-January.

Once a developer is selected there will be further community engagement. The normal pre-application consultation process will ensue, with a Proposal of Application Notice and at least 3 months, and at least one local event, to engage further with stakeholders.  MSCC will be working to promote as much on-going additional community involvement as possible.

If you'd like to stay informed please join our dedicated mailing list by e-mailing pagsk2017@gmail.com or keep an eye on the MSCC Infoblog or on the MSCC Facebook page, or follow @marchsciennesCC on Twitter.

 

South Centra£ Decides: Intergenerational Projects - applications now open!

South Centra£ Decides again!  

This time for Intergenerational Projects

Applications must be in please by FRIDAY, 20^TH JANUARY 2017

Once again the Scottish Government has awarded the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership £10,000 which will be matched by the Neighbourhood Partnership, making a total of £20,000.   The money is to be distributed to the community via the Neighbourhood Partnership Community Grants Fund and is specifically ear-marked for intergenerational activities.  

The maximum grant available is £2,500 but please – it’s not compulsory to bid up to the max!  More projects can be funded if groups only bid for what they really need.   An application form and guidelines can be downloaded from the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Website.   Please remember – community grant funding is specific to each Neighbourhood Partnership area so your idea must be for the benefit of people local to South Central (Council Wards 10 and 15).

What are intergenerational activities?

Intergenerational involves two or more ages coming together in a joint initiative, sharing memories, skills, knowledge and having fun! This could be anything from sport, art, history, environmental improvements, dance etc – basically whatever you like as long as it involves two or more generations.  An example of a project could be Strictly Come Dancing where over a period of weeks older people teach the younger generation how to do the Fox Trot, Jive etc.   It could also include one off events.   If you are unclear or looking for some inspiration, why not check out the Generations Working Together website.   This organisation provides information, delivers support and encourages involvement to benefit all of Scotland’s generations, by working, learning, volunteering and living together.

How will the grants be awarded?

There will be a one off market-stall event held on Saturday, 4^th February at Southside Community Centre, 117 Nicolson Street.  On the day, the public will be will be asked to score the projects and those scoring the highest points will secure funding – until we reach the £20,000 available.

Nearer the time you will be provided with guidelines on what is expected of you on the day, including times etc.   The important thing just now is to get the application submitted.

Deadlines

There is going to be quick turnaround so your application and supporting documentation needs to be submitted by Friday, 20^th January 2017.  Please provide an electronic copy of the actual application form (in a Word format) as well as a signed hard copy.  

The reason for such a quick turnaround is that the money needs to be out of our coffers by the middle of March - don’t worry though successful projects will have the normal six months to spend their grant.

Research participants needed for Univ Edinburgh project exploring how to save energy

Changeworks has partnered with the University of Edinburgh to deliver IDEAL, a cutting edge research project exploring how smart technology can help save energy in the home. They are looking for Edinburgh households (EH1-17) with gas combi boiler heating to participate.

The benefits include:

• Gaining insight into your home energy use
• Receiving a free android tablet used to display energy use information
• Receiving tailored advice from University of Edinburgh experts
• Hopefully saving money on gas and electricity bills

For more information visit changeworks.org.uk/projects/ideal

To get involved email your name, address, and contact details to IDEAL@changeworks.org.uk, or call 0131 539 8610.

James Gillespie's High School Christmas Concert on 20 Dec at Usher Hall

Musical groups from James Gillespie's High School are performing at the Usher Hall on Tu 20 Dec at 7pm.

Visit usherhall.co.uk to buy tickets!

Thanks everyone for a wonderful Christmas Tree Lighting Event!

Thanks to all the performers at the Marchmont & Sciennes Christmas Tree lighting (Choir from Sciennes Primary and Pipes and Drums, Wind Band and Chamber Choir from JGHS). 

To Stuart from Marchmont Hardware and Brian from MSCC who compered. 

To the local traders who provided raffle prizes (Marchmont Pharmacy, Bohemia, New Leaf Co-op, MarchHair, Ann McGinley Florist, Marchmont Hardware, Doodles). 

To Butterflies Cafe for mince pies and Scotmid.

And to the volunteers who put out the chairs, put up the staging, served the wine and passed out song sheets and mince pies.

But especially to Alison who organised the whole thing!

Merry Christmas everyone when it comes. Maybe it'll snow!

Don't forget the Marchmont & Sciennes Christmas Tree Lighting on Sa 3rd at 4pm!

Don't forget the Marchmont & Sciennes Christmas Tree Lighting on Sa 3rd at 4pm! See the previous post for more details.

Volunteers to put out chairs, pass round mince pies and collect for charity are still required. 

Update on Jawbones on the Meadows (Nov 2016)

Jawbones update November 2016 (from Edinburgh World Heritage):

"The City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh World Heritage are working together to conserve and repair the much-loved local landmark, the Jawbone Arch. This statement is to update you on the progress to date.

The conservation of 125-year old natural whale bone makes for an interesting challenge. As it is a very unusual material there is no existing body of knowledge and so accredited conservators were commissioned to work out how to stabilise and protect them and what materials to use.

In a delicate operation, the four whale jawbones were carefully liberated from their concrete
 bases, then taken away to dry out slowly under controlled conditions. Once the jawbones were dry, they were moved to the conservation workshop where specialists removed all the soiling and biological growth and assessed their condition. They found that the main causes of the problems were previous attempts to repair the bones which had been carried out using inappropriate materials such as car body filler and cement. On top of this, the concrete foundations had been trapping water in the bones and causing them to decay.

The poor quality historical repairs were carefully removed and the recesses filled with natural lime mortar where necessary. The jawbones were also given a temporary shelter coating of lime to help protect the bones from weather, dirt, and deposits from the trees above. Whilst this conservation work was going on, new stainless steel fixings were designed and handmade by an artist to replace the corroded iron fixings that joined the bones at the top of the arch.

However, just as the conservation treatment was completed, the specialist conservator went into liquidation. This had a number of serious implications especially as there are very few suitably experienced specialists who have the expertise for such a unique conservation project and for this reason, the procurement process to organise another consultant to take over took many months. In addition, the conserved jawbones had to be immediately removed but we were very lucky to find a cost-free location in which to store them.

Meanwhile, some of the paths in the Meadows were being resurfaced and so in order to get best value for our limited project funds the contractors were asked to simultaneously prepare the end section of Jawbone walk for the return of the arch in the expectation that they would be reinstalled in Autumn of 2016. This includes provision for new uplighting of the arch which has been made possible by private donors.

CEC and EWH are conscious that the delay in re-opening the section of path has caused some inconvenience to the public and that local residents and users of the Meadows are anxious to know about the progress of the project. We are currently working with the new contractor to explore options for the new foundations and supports for the base of the arch. We want to ensure that the methodology for the reinstallation of the bones is to the highest conservation standard. The bones must be returned without any damage and we must make sure that the arch is structurally safe. The proposed method under consideration involves the use of a permeable lime concrete which is required to cure slowly under certain conditions. To avoid potential damage from frost, we will have to wait until warmer weather to complete this part of the work which will mean keeping the path closed longer than expected.

We recognise that people are naturally taking a shortcut around the site area, and that this has caused some damage to the grass. We are looking at how we can ensure that the underfoot conditions remain useable during the winter months.

We understand that there is a lot of interest in what’s happening to the Jawbone Arch, and we are committed to keeping people better informed as the project moves forward. We thank you for your patience as we get this local Edinburgh landmark ready to stand on the Meadows for another 100 years."