2026 June Draft Minutes

Merchiston Districts Community Council — Minutes of Public Meeting 

Date: 16.06.26.  Venue: Polwarth Tennis and Bowling Clubhouse

Started: 19:00. Ended: 21.00

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

Present: 

MDCC Members: Ian Doig (ID, Chair), Vivien Kitteringham (VK, Vice-Chair), Mairianna Clyde (MC), Frances Hawarden (Treasurer), FH), Helen Zealley, John McKenna (JMK, Secretary), Bridget Stevens (BS), Clemens Kupke (CK), Alison Edelsten(AE, minutes secretary)

City Councillors: Cllr Kevin McKay, Cllr Neil Ross

Residents: Anna Aitken, Adam Harrison, Max Edmunds (PA to FH)

Guest: David Somervell, BANZAI

Apologies Received:  

Members: Roma Menlowe, Joan Houston, Gordon Cameron, Vanessa Meadu, Klaus Glenk     Hilary Swanston, Annabelle McInnes (Bruntsfield Primary PTA),

City Councillors: Cllr Key (standing apology), Cllr Cowdy

Residents: Jay Feeney (Bruntsfield Primary PTA), James Broadhurst

1.  Welcome.

Chair ID welcomed everyone to the business meeting & noted that CK and HZ wished to depart after the business meeting.  There were no declarations of interest. 

2. Residents’ Issues

No new issues raised by residents. Previous issues to be discussed under agenda items.

3.  Police Report.

There were no police present – SW team were not available and no reply from SE team.

4.   Minutes

Minutes of the most recent meeting on 19.05.26 were agreed as a correct record – proposed by JMK and seconded. There were no matters arising.

5.   Chair’s Report

Chair’s written report had been circulated prior to the meeting and will be available on the website. Further discussion on points as below:

  • Discussion about the need to respond to the City Plan 2040 and local place plans. 
  • No reply from Cllr Jenkinson or Gavin Brown in reply to 4 letters re traffic issues
  • Further discussion re traffic issues is minuted under point 8.

6.  Planning Report.

Watsons College are rumoured to have received CEC’s permissions for artificial turf and floodlights for their playing fields at Myreside – however this has not been officially announced as yet. 

7. Licensing Report.

  • McLarens Pub at Holy Corner have extended hours approved. There appears to be some reinstatement of right of way.
  • Fountainbridge fast food outlets.
  • Wetherspoons have dropped the licensing application for Fountainbridge premises. 

8.  Traffic Issues.

Wide ranging discussion, summarised as follows:

  • Harrison Bridges reopening is delayed until September. Concern as to how this will affect the proposed work closing Shandon Place on 06.09.26 for 10 weeks. Cllr Cowdy was investigating but no further information as yet.
  • Continuing need for an all-area assessment of the impact and possible mitigation of excess traffic on the North-South routes.
  • The MDCC traffic group has reduced in activity at present.
  • The Dundee Street area plans have been deprioritised by CEC until 2028/29. The OIC has been moved to a different job. 
  • Are there updates about the school crossings? How can it take so long to get a safe crossing outside Craiglockhart Primary School? Lynsey Houston has been coordinating the campaign for 4 years, preceded by several years of work by others.
  • Methodology of CEC’s road repairs and their prioritisation questioned
  • PARKING on red lines on Slateford Road between Merchiston Grove and the traffic lights is a persistent problem; the main perpetrators are staff from Gio’s restaurant, who also fly park on Merchiston Grove. Head of the parking warden firm denies a problem. A resident has provided a lot of photographic evidence, which will be submitted to ward councillors to investigate complaints by residents.

9. Leaf Clearing Project

HZ had circulated a detailed report prior to the meeting, listing the achievements of the group since 2021. This year the leaf collection totalled 265 large bags, 215 standard bags and 26.5 brown bins, collected by a group of volunteers. HZ will continue for this year after which she intends to stand down. If this project is to continue replacement organisers are required to coordinate with the volunteers and liaise with CEC re uplifts of leaves etc. 

10.  Treasurer’s Report.

The report for the period 01.04.26-26.05.26 was circulated prior to the meeting and FH spoke to the report. The expenditure during the month was £330.18, leaving a balance of £1521.85.

11.  City Councillors’ Reports.

Cllr Ross reported on the following: –

  • A meeting at the Eric Liddell Centre with SE Community Police, attended by 12-15 shopkeepers, focused on shoplifting and antisocial behaviour. To mitigate this several shops have installed their own CCTV linked directly to the Community Police Team. A temporary mobile CCTV unit on Morningside Road, outside the Merlin pointing north.
  • The misuse of E-bikes and E-scooters is a continual problem and a risk to the public. Members of the public can try to record or photo and submit online. There was some discussion about this and several doubts about risks to residents in photographing bad behaviour. 
  • There is a ban on the use of mobile phones in schools in Scotland.
  • North-South Tram extension project has been awarded £20-30 million for a business case plan.

Cllr Mackay reported on the following: –

  • South Suburban Railway Line tram trains feasibility study to introduce passenger services on the South Suburban Railway Line is gaining support.
  • Harrison Park – a Pop-up bakery is soon starting
  • Kayak Club – there is to be an extension to the club house next to St Andrews Club.
  • Ongoing rubbish by Meggetland is from Tesco
  • Tree roots on the paths in Harrison Park can be a trip hazard and improvements are under discussion with Scottish Canals.
  • Weeds pushing up paving slabs and road surface need clearing. Cllr Ross advised contacting CEC about a Community Payback scheme for weed clearing.

12.  Other Reports and Correspondence.  

BANZAI (Bruntsfield Area Net Zero Action Initiative). David Somervell as representative outlined Bamzai’s work around the City Plan 2040 and the inclusion of communities in local development planning ref the 2017/19 Planning Act.  MDCC is encouraged to participate with Banzai. Website: Our Neighbourhood in 2040 – BANZAI

Banzai obtained £5,000 from the Edinburgh Community Climate Action Network (ECCAN) to fund 3 Peoples’ Assemblies, attracting 100 participants and 165 survey responses. There is a second funding application to ECCAN for extension of community inclusion work, including secondary schools and Community Councils – MDCC and Marchmont & Sciennes CC are in the area and are encouraged to participate with Banzai. BANZAI are available to act as a secretariat. 

Decision – It was agreed that MDCC will sign up to ECCAN. Action VK   

The scope of the Place Plan is being reviewed on Thursday. The 2040 City Plan does not include traffic (!!). Banzai are requesting a review of the planning presumption against solar panels.

13.  AOB

  • GPDR. JMK will process GDPR registration and compliance.
  • It is hoped MDCC will be able to hold future meetings at Napier Merchiston Campus – a good space with hybrid facilities.  
  • Future presentation ideas: Trees Project and the Tram/Trains project.
  • EACC are meeting with the CEO of CEC to request an increase in grants and for website and tech support and insurance to be paid by CEC.
  • 25th June – EACC Online Public Meeting. ID will circulate information.
  • Reminder of the request for documents to be available to non-members ahead of meetings. Action VK 

14. Dates of next meetings. 15 September, 20 October, 17 November.

AE 28.06.26