2024 June Minutes

Merchiston Community Council —Minutes of Public Business Meeting (by Zoom)

Date: 18 June2024

Chaired by Ian Doig, Chair of Merchiston Community Council (MCC)

Started: 19:00.
Ended: 20.18 (followed by AGM)

Present: MCC Members: Ian Doig (ID, Chair), Vivien Kitteringham (VK, Vice-Chair, Minute-taker), Frances Hawarden (FH, Treasurer), Bridget Stevens (BS, Licensing lead), Mairianna Clyde (MC, Planning lead),  Raphael Uddin (Associate member, Boroughmuir High School), Roma Menlowe (RM, Zoom Host), Joan Houston (JH), Vanessa Meadu (VM, from 20:20)
City Councillors: Val Walker, (VW, Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart), Neil Ross (NR, Morningside).
Residents: Grahame (from 19:10), Kay Smith (from 20:00)

Business Meeting

  1. Introduction, Apologies & Declarations of Interest

There were apologies for non-attendance from John McKenna, Ruben Manso, Helen Zealley, Klaus Glenk, Daniel Cairns (Secretary) – all MCC – and Councillors Christopher Cowdy, David Key, Claire Munro.

There were no declarations of interest.

  1. Residents’ Issues Forum

No residents were online at this stage of the meeting.

  1. Minutes of Public Meeting on 16 January; Matters Arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 21st May 2024 were approved.

Matters arising: BS asked if there had been a reply to ID’s letter about the proposed felling of a tree at 3 East Castle Street.
ID: I wrote to the tree owners and expressed concern on behalf of MCC, but as yet no reply from owners of the at-risk tree.

  1. Chair’s Report

ID spoke to his report (circulated and attached), particularly the success of MCC’s stall at the Canal Festival on 15th June, including new ideas to initiate conversations with residents. The police presence at the Canal Festival, suggested by BS at the police ward forum, was also very successful and helped build a good rapport between MCC and the SW community policing team.

A resident – Grahame (G) – entered the meeting. Asked if he had an issue to raise, he spoke about concerns relating to parking at the proposed new housing development on the Caledonian Brewery site (40 Slateford Road). To discuss this, the chair moved on to the Planning Report and invited MC to comment.

  1. Planning Report

MC: Suggested that although the Caledonian Brewery site is outwith MCC’s area and is located in Gorgie/Dalry Community Council, it is on the boundary and the proposed development can have an impact within the MCC area.
G: plans are for 168 dwellings but only 2 (accessible/electric charging) parking spaces. Some residents are likely to park nearby, e.g. in Shandon.
VW: She has been assured that residents will know they cannot have parking permits but understands the fear that residents will park nearby in evenings and at weekends. However, there is a need for (non-student) housing and this development provides that and has good transport links.
MC: MCC was not notified of the development as outwith our area, and deadline for comments has passed. However, there are implications for parking here by residents, visitors, tradespeople etc. and also traffic generated by services.
It was agreed that MCC should look at this in more detail and MC will submit a comment to CEC that should still be accepted after the deadline, as coming from a community council. She will also look into the number of accessible parking spaces and assess if they are sufficient.

MC: A plan has been submitted to demolish a big office building at 160 Dundee Street and build a mixed-use (student and residential accommodation and commercial) development, likely to cause huge disruption. MC will monitor progress.

At 36-38 Yeaman Place a planning application for 2 x 2-storey 1-bedroom units has been submitted.
The student accommodation development at 4 Dundee Terrace/ 185-7 Dundee St. was approved at CEC Planning Committee (as far as we know).

The student housing development at 23 Yeaman Place (Dalton’s Scrap Yard) has been granted but it is not yet certain that it will go ahead as ownership of the land may not yet be settled.

ID and FH commented on the blocked right of way at McLarens (Holy Corner), querying who takes responsibility if there were an accident and emphasising problems for delivery vehicles with minimal turning space. MCC notes with displeasure that we have made no progress in objecting to these breaches of the planning permission granted. MCC would welcome support and action from our City Councillor colleagues

  1. Licensing Report

BS:  There have been no new licensing matters beyond what is contained in the annual report

  1. Polwarth Pavements Improvement Project (PPIP)

RM: Since the last meeting a bid has been submitted to the new CEC Local Traffic Improvement Programme (LTIP) referring to the PPIP report. It has been acknowledged but there is no information about a timescale for a decision. ID has written to all ward councillors and some senior CEC officers expressing MCC’s dismay that the recent very expensive pavements resurfacing project at the Polwarth Roundabout has yielded negligible safety improvement in the needs the community has expressed. A previous letter to the Chief Planning Officer appears to have gone astray and will be resent by ID. VM and RM will give a presentation about the PPIP to the Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC) on June 27th.

NR: The bids for the LTIP will be discussed at one of the CEC committees after the summer. (NR added later: this is scheduled at the Transport and Environment Committee, TEC, on 15th August).

  1. Police Report

ID: MCC sends all meeting papers to both relevant police divisions (SW and SE) with invitations to MCC meetings. Both divisions replied that unable to attend but want to keep in touch and try to send an officer to future in-person meetings. A constructive relationship with SW police is developing. MCC recently raised complaints about speeding vehicles with police, however the response was that they have had many such complaints but it’s a low priority unless there’s an accident.

VK:  There is a police initiative “Coffee with a Cop” at Starbucks Cineworld for members of the public to raise local issues with police. ID commented that the SW division Ward Forum is more effective as communication can be more direct and confidential if necessary. ID has been told that SE police division may be considering something similar.

ID reminded the meeting about the police offer to lend speed guns to residents. BS confirmed that MCC could ask for them. Action point for VK: contact Sgt. Coull re speed guns.

ID mentioned further residents’ complaints about aggressive driving and speeding after road repair in the Spylaw Road area and a suggestion that the mini-roundabouts and give way signs should be more prominent and driver behavior enforced by police.

  1. Treasurer’s report

FH: There is nothing more to report beyond what has already been circulated as part of the annual report.

  1. City CouncillorsReports

Cllr Ross (NR): Bin hubs are a hot topic. NR and colleagues have put forward a proposal to the TEC to make siting of the hubs more flexible and take account of resident amenity. This was voted down in favour of a CEC workshop probably in August or September to look more closely at the criteria for site selection.

Another topic is toilets for the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links: the planned permanent toilets are delayed but money has been found to install temporary toilets for the summer.

Improvements to park lighting around the city have been approved, including some local parks.

RM: asked if community councils (CCs) can do anything to encourage the changes in bin hub criteria NR mentioned? NR: There are residents’ groups (e.g. South Meadows Action Group) involved and they and CCs can also put pressure on the TEC prior to the workshop.

Cllr Walker (VW): Has received complaints about bins left unemptied. Staffing issues have caused difficulties, but issues with food waste bins at least should now have been resolved.

Displacement parking is an issue, e.g. in Craiglockhart but also in many areas city-wide, so not easy to solve. A report has been prepared for the TEC but now must wait until after the general election, so should be discussed in August by CEC.

VW has also asked that Harrison Park be considered for lighting improvements.

VK: asked about keeping the bin hubs clean, as had been promised when they were installed but isn’t always done. VW replied that CEC waste management staff respond quickly to reports, but VK responds that the main point was that this should happen automatically as promised. Grahame provided the email address for waste management (waste@edinburgh.gov.uk).

  1.  Other reports & correspondence

JH:  Reported on progress enhancing safety at the exit from Abbotsford Court on Ettrick Road, where most cars only slow to 20mph beyond the exit which was a safety risk. With help from councillors NR and Ben Parker the aim is to have the speed limit sign moved to much earlier after the junction.
JH has been in touch with the team at the council that can provide graffiti removal kits and she already has 3 graffiti kits available.

ID and BS discussed a suggestion by Tollcross CC to enhance the appearance of the canal bridges to deter graffiti, possibly by inserting panels with local pictures and information. A community grant might be available for this – BS will contact Andy Davenport from Tollcross CC.

ID: It was agreed to do an update on the 20-year-old information on the MCC website about the history of our area. This project led by FH would focus on capturing memories of local residents. The proposal to spend up to £450 from MCC funds for FH to employ assistance for this during the summer has been circulated. Proposed by ID and seconded by RM, this proposal was unanimously approved.
Responding to NR’s query ID responded that he was confident this fell within the CC’s remit as it would benefit residents.

ID congratulated RU on obtaining his place at St Andrew’s university and welcomed RU’s offer to help with the local history project over the summer.

  1.  Any other business
    As there was no other business, the business meeting ended at 20:18

Future Meetings: 2024 – 17 September, 15 October, 19 November.  

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