January 2018

MERCHISTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL

DRAFT MINUTES and PAPERS of public meeting on 16 January 2018 at Merchiston Tennis and Bowling Club

  • CC: Community Council
  • CEC: City of Edinburgh Council
  • EACC: Edinburgh Association of Community Councils
  • FCI: Fountainbridge Canalside Initiative
  • FOMBL: Friends of the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links
  • LB: CEC Licensing Board
  • LF: CEC Licensing Forum
  • MCC: Merchiston Community Council
  • SCNP: South Central Neighbourhood Partnership
  • SWNP: South West Neighbourhood Partnership

1. Chairman’s welcome and report

2. Apologies for absence

  • Robin Morris
  • Frances Hawarden
  • Joan Houston
  • Daniel Cairns
  • Mairianna Clyde
  • Cllr Nick Cook
  • Cllr Gavin Corbett
  • Cllr David Key
  • Daniel Johnston MP
  • Ian Murray MP

Present

  • Tom Graveson, Chair
  • Jim Geekie, Secretary
  • Guillaume Evrard, Minute Secretary
  • Ian Clement
  • Vivien Kitteringham
  • Hugh Halcrow
  • Ewan Klein
  • Bridget Stevens
  • Ian Doig
  • Helen Zealley
  • Ted Tate

Cllr Neil Ross

PC Pennycook

Maurice Popplestone, and another local resident

3. Police reports

3.1 Fountainbridge / Craiglockhart

More activity on Twitter, with the local account @EdinPolSW

Two attempts of break ins in cafés on Polwarth Crescent

What happens to abandoned vehicles?

  • A non-insured car being used is towed away by the Police.
  • A non-taxed car will be clamped by DVLA.
  • Abandoned car will be removed by CEC, cleansing department.

3.2 Meadows / Morningside

Nobody to report.

4. Minutes of the last meeting on 21 November 2017 and matters arising not on the agenda

5. Canal towpath – update

MCC has received several emails and phone calls about the cycling incidents on the canal towpath.

6. Parking

N/A

7. Regular reports

Localities – South West & South East

SWNP on 16 January 2018 cancelled because of the inclement weather.

SCNP is meeting on 22 January 2018.

There is an ongoing consultation about the community involvement in Localities.

Planning

Edinburgh Quay

FCI had a meeting with the Council on Thursday instant. FCI is pushing for more affordable family accommodation.

1st option is for market rental development, with properties on the market c£1200-1300 pcm.

2nd option is for a mix of properties for sale, and properties for affordable accommodation.

Motion to support the FCI/GC’s proposition to have more affordable (2nd option); moved by VK, seconded by HH; and adopted unanimously by MCC

New Boroughmuir High School

The building is handed over on Tuesday 16 January 2018. Pupils moving in after the mid-term holidays. It was agreed that if the MCC were invited to attend any ceremony, JK would be MCC’s representative.

Licensing

Consultation about licences; licence extensions

Halloween two-week block late licensing opportunities

Relaxation of noise levels rules to support live music; local residents have expressed their disapproval

EK: look at Barcelona for a rational approach with systematic quantitative data with sensors in sensitive spot

WHO guidance on acceptable noise levels

Health

Astley Ainslie potential for community buyout, but 42 acres is a great commitment to cover.

There is a community group liaising with the Health Board.

VK and IC (as MCC representatives at EACC), will attend Lothian Joint Health Protection Plan meeting on 17 January 2018. MCC can help with health in helping preserving public parks and public spaces, and also places for social life and interaction.

8. Treasurer

The Treasurer’s report was accepted in her absence.

9. Councillors – in advance and/or present

Cllr Neil Ross

21 February 2018: first meeting of the South-East Locality

Full Council approved locality management model at the end of 2017

SCNP has £60K to spend on SCNP road projects; online vote

Cllr Gavin Corbett

The litter pickers and gloves purchased by the Community council have been in full use: first of all at a clean-up of Harrison Park on 9 December December where residents, and local school children lifted 14 bags of litter, planted 2500 bulbs and made Christmas decorations for one of the trees in the park; and then on 5 January where over 50 residents (including Hugh and Vivien from the CC) did a very thorough clean-up of the Caledonian Railway path, also clearing back leaf mulch and encroaching vegetation..

On the same theme I am helping to organise a Union Canal clean up with Scottish Canals, following prolonged periods when the water has been frozen and become a bit of a target for debris.  The date for that is morning of 27 January. If the CC could help publicise that, that would be good.

A local residents petition about the traffic lights at Shandon Place / Slateford Road has been heard at Transport Committee in December and resulted in agreement to change the lights to improve pedestrian safety.

Boroughmuir High School is being handed over to the school on Tuesday 16 January, with the actual move taking place just before and after the school holidays.

This year’s canal festival is 16 June.  Is anyone from the CC able to go on a small project group to organize it?

Cllr Nick Cook

Urban gulls will be addressed in a report prepared by CEC officers for March 2018.

10. Community Councillors – in advance and/or present

Recycling bins removal at Napier Merchiston

The situation is sorted.

Poppy seeds were distributed.

It was agreed that the backlog of MCC meeting minutes for CEC would be forwarded with members reports included.

It was agreed that in future an invitation to attend would be sent to the MSP for Edinburgh Central.

11. Communication

CC members to meet up on the matter.

12. Points raised by residents and members of the public

N/A

13. AOCB

HH agreed to consider joining the Canal Festival Committee.

TT raised concerns about levels of pollution in Shandon Place when traffic was stationary during peak periods.

14. Date of next meeting – Tuesday 20 February 2018

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