Merchiston Community Council: A Brief Retrospective

Photo of John Livingston Garden
John Livingston Garden

All community councils have as their main focus current issues brought to them by local residents and, hopefully, ways of solving problems for the future.   However, I thought that, as we approach the end of the year, a brief look back at some of MCC’s achievements and activities over the past 20 years might be of interest.  As one of the first community councils to be established in Edinburgh (in the early 1980s), we have worked with numerous individuals and organisations and been represented on many City of Edinburgh Council Committees, including the Licensing Forum, Neighbourhood Partnerships and their sub-committees, Meadows & Bruntsfield Action Group.   We have presented on local issues at the City Council’s Planning Committee and at the Licensing Board — the latter objecting to extended licensing hours at local pubs and bars in residential streets in our area.   We have met with MPs, MSPs and ward councillors, many of whom have attended our monthly meetings.   There was one unforgettable occasion when all 7 of our local councillors turned up for one of our meetings!  

Relating specifically to our area were the following in which MCC was involved:

  • Bruntsfield traders and establishment of Bruntsfield Living
  • Bruntsfield Christmas street party 
  • refurbishment and unveiling of Borestone plaque on Morningside Road
  • art competition with local school children – focussing on litter and the environment;  judged by Edinburgh Makar Stewart Conn; award ceremony in City Chambers
  • BBC Frontline Scotland re  neighbour disputes
  • BBC Action Network Outreach Project
  • Leamington end of Canal/Fountainbridge Development Brief leading to Fountainbridge Canalside Initiative
  • Bruntsfield Conservation Area Support Group
  • Board of Trustees of the Eric Liddell Centre 
  • Friends of Harrison Park
  • Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links
  • annual stall at Meadows Festival
  • Greenhill & Churchill Amenity Association
  • Dig-In community greengrocer
  • Holy Corner Development (Tesco) – public meeting attended by over 100 local residents
  • planting of memorial tree in Harrison Park
  • Canal Society
  • Merchiston & Polwarth Neighbourhood Watch
  • Meetings with Scottish Water re flooding in Polwarth
  • Lowland Canals Scottish Litter Challenge
  • annual stall at Canal Festival
  • meetings with architect re refurbishment of Churchill Theatre
  • meetings with architects re Flower Colonies (Slateford) development
  • public meeting with Flower Colonies residents
  • Customer Service Excellence Assessment of Morningside Library
  • Draft guidelines for residents living in Conservation Areas
  • Morningside Festival
  • Gulls de-nesting project in North Merchiston
  • Presentation on anti-social behaviour centred round Fountainpark Leisure Centre
  • re-opening of John Livingston Garden off Chamberlain Road
  • George Watson’s Community Liaison Group
  • Astley Ainslie Hospital Consultation Group
  • Presentations at MCC meetings by senior staff from Scottish Government, City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian,  Police Scotland, Napier University, plus local amenity associations.
Bridget Stevens photo
+ posts

Bridget Stevens, a former Chair of Merchiston Community Council, has lived in Merchiston for around 25 years. In her current role as Licensing Lead, she attends CEC Licensing Board meetings and other city council meetings as appropriate. She represents MCC on the Board of FOMBL (Friends of the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links) and was in the past a trustee of Dig-In community grocer and of the Eric Liddell Centre. She chairs a small local charity, Tap into IT, which introduces older residents to the joys of the internet, while another of her volunteering activities is as an audio describer of live theatre for the benefit of visually impaired members of the audience. In 2012 she was made a Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top