Present
MCC

Bridget Stevens  Chair

Mairianna Clyde   Vice-Chair

Frances Hawarden   Treasurer

Ann Royden   Secretary

John Lennie; Ian Clement;  Ian Doig;  Eva Tombs;  James Geekie;  Ed Bewsher;  Helen Zealley;  Beccy Brooks;   Robin Morris;  Kay Smith;  Anne Craig; 

CEC Ward Councillors

Ward 9, Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart

Jim Lowrie (Lib Dem)

Ward 10 - Meadows/Morningside

Mark McInnes (Scottish Con)

South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Representative

Paul Swan

Lothian and Borders Police

CBO Julie Cochrane (Fountainbridge)      CBO Vikki Shaw (Merchiston)     Sgt Deborah Wickstead

Residents

Sara Dorman

Mike Royden

Duncan Wallace

Helen Brown      Resident, FCARA

Chairman’s Welcome

The Chair welcomed everyone and opened the meeting.

The Police Officers in attendance were introduced.  PC Shaw is now sharing the beat with PC Alan Hopper

Apologies for Absence

Alex Orr               PC Alan Hopper                                Helena Scott

Minutes of last AGM (May 2009) and Matters Arising

The minutes of May 2009 were approved.  Proposed by Ian Doig; seconded by Mairianna Clyde.

No Matters Arising

Reports

Chair’s Annual Report 2009-2010, see attached

The Chair added that although MCC has been productive this year, work has been affected by the disruption caused by one of the members.

Treasurer’s Annual Report 2009-2010, see attached

The Treasurer noted that MCC will be invoiced in due course for the £3420 which was received for the Christmas lights at the Eric Liddell Centre, and that £50 was donated to the Arrochar Mountain Rescue in memory of Alison Elwell-Sutton.

The Chair expressed her thanks to the Treasurer for her work and hospitality in hosting the Agenda Meetings

Planning (Mairianna Clyde) – report submitted

Licensing (Robin Morris) – report submitted

Transport (William Mykura), (no report)

Health (Helen Zealley) – report submitted

Communications and Engagement (no report)

Other (all MCC Members) –reports submitted by Ian Doig, Ann Royden Jim Geekie John Lennie and Kay Smith

These reports would be used reproduced in the form of an MCC Annual Newsletter for distribution at upcoming public events.

Election of Office Bearers 2010-2011

The current office bearers are willing to stay on for another year, and no other nominations were received.   All 4 persons were approved by a show of hands.

Eva Tombs asked if there were any limits in the constitution as to number of terms that can be served, and was answered no.

The Chair encouraged anyone wanting to be trained or to shadow an office bearer.

Disciplinary Procedures

·        

BS

According to the City Council’s City Council’s regulations, “elected community council members shall be disqualified if they do not attend a CC meeting, with or without submitting apologies, for a period of six months.”   Alex Orr and Gavin Corbett fall into this category.    It was proposed by Mairianna Clyde and seconded by Helen Zealley that the Chair should write to them, pointing this out and asking them if they wish to continue.  It was noted that, although Gavin Corbett is a member nominated by the Shandon Local Food Group, he is still a full member of MCC, and the regulations apply to all members regardless of whether or not they represent a group.

·         The CEC had delivered its verdict in the dispute between MCC and Lucy Turnbull.  After arbitration CEC decided that there had been a breach by Lucy Turnbull of the CEC Code of Conduct for Community Councillors, and recommended that Lucy Turnbull be suspended for 3 meetings / 3 months.  It is noted that this Recommendation does not affect the autonomy of MCC in any way.  The Chair and Vice-Chair recommended that the Recommendation be accepted.  Mairianna Clyde put to the meeting the motion that MCC accept and implement the CEC Recommendation; this was agreed unanimously.  During the suspension Lucy Turnbull will no longer be a member of MCC.  There is no right of appeal.   If and when Lucy Turnbull returns to MCC, she will be subject to the following conditions laid down by CEC:

(i)     She must attend meetings in person to present any issues she has raised as a way of eliminating any future allegations of misrepresentation;

(ii)    She must abide by the communications code of practice agreed by Merchiston Community Council;

(iii)  She must abide by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Scheme for Community Councils and particularly Appendix 3 of that Scheme, the Code of Conduct for Community Councillors;

(iv)  She must abide by the outcomes of Merchiston Community Council’s decision making process even where those decisions do not reflect her individual point of view.

BS, MC, AR

The CEC arbitrator had also recommended that MCC review their code of practice in relation to all forms of communications between MCC members.   This will be done, using the existing Netiquette and Guidelines for Co-working as a starting point.   All members of MCC will be required to sign up to the resulting Code of Practice; any breach in its conditions may result in dismissal.

It was further agreed that the situation will be re-visited prior to the November meeting.    Lucy Turnbull’s threat of legal action against the Chair and Secretary has not been withdrawn and this is an important matter that needs to be addressed.

Bridget Stevens and Ann Royden thanked all MCC colleagues for their unwavering support, mentioning in particular fellow Office Bearers Frances Hawarden and Mairianna Clyde.

The AGM closed at 7.50pm

May Business Meeting 7.50pm

Minutes of Previous Meeting on 23rd March 2010

The March minutes were approved.  Proposed by Ann Royden; seconded by Mairianna Clyde.

Matters Arising

Flower Colonies Development

Helen Brown from FCARA gave an update on the Flower Colonies Development.  The revised AMA plan, in which very little had changed, was submitted in March.  The deadline for individuals to comment on the plan was 16/4, and for groups 26/4.  Letters of objection from MCC and FCARA have been sent to CEC.  Helene Robertson is the CEC Planning Officer in charge. There are 240 registered addresses for notification, and it can be assumed that these are all because of noted objections.  It is due to go to committee at the end of June, but might not be addressed until later.  The residents’ Contra-plan is to be presented in a month.  It is for a similar number of properties but is aesthetically and environmentally more acceptable to the residents. 

John Lennie asked about getting a site-specific development brief from CEC, but Cllr Jim Lowrie explained that these are only prepared for significant city centre sites.

Cllr Jim Lowrie does not think that the developer and owner of the land, AMA, will change the plan and it will go to committee as is, but objections will be taken into consideration and local ward councillors (not just those on the Planning Committee) will be invited to speak on behalf of residents. 

Helen Brown went on to report that Dr Ali Afshar, a director of AMA, had informed FCARA that it was the CEC Planning Department that drove the design of the AMA plan and not the developers themselves.  He will be looking at the Contra-plan.  Cllr Jim Lowrie stated that CEC does want to encourage development, and asked if FCARA had anyone prepared to develop their Contra-plan.

Reports

Chair’s Report – see attached

Police Report

[     ID

CBO  Julie Cochrane reported that the Brewery site has been reboarded and cleaned up and looks a lot better.  There has been a drop in youth crime which is attributed to the opening of the Saughton skate park.  She encouraged the reporting of any anti-social behavior direct to the police.  Ian Doig will change the Neighbourhood Watch website to include relevant phone numbers.

Jim Geekie raised the problem of dog-fouling and graffiti in the Telford subway.  Dog-fouling should be reported to the environment officer.

CBO Vikki Shaw, standing in for CBO Alan Hopper, reported that in some recent break-ins front doors had been forced; the use of mortice locks is encouraged, as these are much harder to force.  She also mentioned car break-ins as a result of valuables being, or appearing to be, left in cars.  Bicycle theft from stairs is a problem due to front doors not being shut properly.  Many bikes can subsequently be seen on Gumtree.  There are specific officers dealing with bicycle theft.  Police will be offering a ‘chipping’ service at various summer events.

Artisan – A dedicated team of uniformed officers working shifts up to 2 or 3am will be operating during the festival in the Meadows for the 3^rd year.  This has proved to be very successful in discouraging anti-social behavior.

The policy regarding barbeques is being firmed up.  Bye-laws are being checked and the legality or otherwise is being checked by CEC.

All 3 police officers were thanked.

Licensing

HMO

MC

MM

Ed Bewsher reported that he had been contacted by MSPs Mike Pringle and Alex Neil to inform him that a commencement order giving additional enforcement powers to councils regarding HMOs is going through and will be in force by August 2011.  This will mean that an HMO licence can be revoked at any time if any condition had been breached.   Mairianna Clyde reported that she had heard of some EU legislation that indicates that licences would be granted in perpetuity.  She will circulate information on this legislation, and Mark McInnes will seek clarification.

Other

Robin Morris, liquor licensing – nothing to report.

Transport

Ann Royden attended the SWNP Transport Forum.  A report from this is attached.

SWNP Capital Roads Budget

Mairianna Clyde unsuccessfully attempted to attend a meeting about this, which was held at the SWNP Office in Wester Hailes.  Access to this building is virtually impossible as the office is closed by the start of the meeting and apparently a mobile number of a member of staff is required to gain access.  This had not been distributed.  The projects proposed by MCC last year were carried forward to this year and again they have been put on hold.  Meanwhile £20k of the Ward 9 budget was voted towards the proposed much larger East Harrison Park Improvement project, for the implementation of a ramp access from Watson Crescent.

Communication and Engagement Group

There is nothing to report as this group has not met.

AOCB

·        

FH

Robin Morris has applied for MCC to become members of Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links.  Membership costs £10.   Treasurer to organize.

·        

[    FH

The Canal Festival will take place on 26^th June and MCC have been asked to help (wo)man a community councils stall.  It was unanimously agreed that MCC will become members of the Canal Society, which costs £15.  Treasurer to organise.

·         Jim Geekie asked about access to the canal from Polwarth Crescent.  Cllr Lowrie explained that this would cost approximately £500K.  Access from Gibson Terrace is included as a possible option in the Open Space Strategy.  Dalton’s on Yeaman Place might eventually give up their lease in which case there could be canal access from there.

·         Sara Dorman, a resident living near Harrison Park, expressed her opinion on the proposals for Harrison Park East in the Open Space Strategy and the Allotment Strategy.  She would like to see a diversification in the use of Harrison Park and would like to see both allotments (individual use) and a community garden (open to groups i.e. a wider public). 

·         The Friends of Harrison Park, in the person of Kay Smith, are saying ‘no’ to allotments.  The Chair asked for comments on the Open Space Strategy to be submitted to her by 20/5 as the closing date for responses is 21/5.

·         The Chair proposed Ian Doig to continue as MCC’s representative on EACC.  This was unanimously agreed.

·        

BS AR

Kay Smith proposed a reduction of the football pitch on Harrison Park from 95m to 90m, giving a greater separation between the access path and the pitch.  The pitch will still conform to FA standards.  MCC will write to Merchiston Boys Football Club.

·         The problem of drinkers and irresponsible dog-walkers in Dalry Cemetery has been referred to Dalry Community Council.  Fixed penalty notices will be issued to offenders, but although the area has been patrolled by increased police patrols, no notices have yet been issued.

Next Meeting

15^th June St Michael’s Parish Church Hall.  Christine Donnelly of the Waterways Trust will be asked to speak about the regeneration of Harrison Park one more time, but only if there is an extension to the 21/5 deadline for comments on the consultation.   (NOTE – we are now informed that the deadline cannot be extended, so the discussion topics will instead be the proposed *SESplan and Composting)

The Business Meeting closed at 9.08pm

*SESplan is a strategic plan for Edinburgh and South East Scotland, covering housing and other aspects of the built environment, transport and the environment.  It replaces existing structure plans.   www.sesplan.gov.uk