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MERCHISTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL Minutes of Meeting held on Tuesday, 16 November 2004 at 7.00pm at the Eric Liddell Centre. The meeting followed a presentation on the Town Centre Improvement Programme by Richard Barclay (report attached). 1.0 Chairperson’s Welcome Bridget Stevens (Chair) welcomed those present: Derek Ainsley (Treasurer), Brian Cohen, Eric Fèvre, James Geekie, Dawn Griesbach, Desmond Hodges, Frances Hawarden, David Leslie, Robin Morris (Secretary), William Mykura, Cllr Liz O’Malley, Chris Sharman, Atholl Stewart, Robin Stewart, Cllr Sue Tritton, Colin Young, Petra Biberbach, Janice Laxton (Minutes Secretary) and around twenty members of the public. 2.0 Apologies for Absence Cllrs George Hunter, Lorna Shiels and Donald Wilson 3.0 Minutes of Last Meeting held on 19 October 2004 Bridget Stevens thanked Desmond Hodges and Frances Hawarden for writing and distributing the minutes of the last meeting. They were proposed by Bridget Stevens and seconded by Eric Fèvre with the following amendment: 6.2 replace ‘quality of street paving’ with ‘Quality of Life Fund’. It was noted that some members with spam boxes had not received a digital copy of these minutes. Robin Morris will check whether Inspector Nisbet had received the minutes as he was not present. Members are requested to update their contact details at meetings. 7.2 replace ‘spare capacity’ with ‘total capacity’ 4.0 Matters Arising 4.1 Adoption of Friends of Harrison Park as a Representative Body within MCC Eric Fèvre, one of two tree wardens appointed by the Friends of Harrison Park, asked that FHP share the MCC website. This was agreed. It was also agreed that FHP be invited to be a representative body within MCC. Robin Morris will arrange for FHP to be invited to MCC meetings in future. 4.2 Memorial to Diana Dunthorne Eric Fèvre will liaise with Culture and Leisure re. cost and site of planting a tree in memory of Diana. 4.3 Advertising of MCC Meetings and Communication Desmond Hodges reported on the last meeting of the Communications Sub-committee. It was agreed that £500 be spent on distributing bookmarks through Fulfilment Factory (individual streets can be specified). Neil Christie will be invited to join the group. As part of the new Action Plan, MCC minutes will be produced and distributed more quickly in future. 4.4 Open Spaces Planning Discussion deferred till next meeting. 4.5 Refurbishment of Churchill Theatre Plans to upgrade Churchill Theatre at a cost of approx £800,000 (secured from the Scottish Arts Council) will shortly go before the Planning Committee. It is intended they will make the building accessible to disabled people and also help it to be used more fully during the day by the local community. MCC fully support these plans in principle although reservations were expressed about possible negative effects on some adjacent dwellings. It was suggested that these ideas might be discussed further at a joint meeting with Morningside Community Council. 5.0 Treasurer’s Report Derek Ainsley’s reported a balance of £1,382.41, largely unchanged from last month. Approximately £800 is available to spend before the end of the financial year. 6.0 Other Reports 6.1 Police Report Inspector Nisbet did not attend this meeting. The Police Newsletter, too, had not been received this month by anyone. Bridget Stevens will chase up. 6.2 South Edinburgh Local Development Committee The next meeting will be on 29 November 2004 at James Gillespies High School. 6.3 South East Crime Prevention Panel No meeting had been held since the last MCC meeting. 6.4 West End Crime Prevention Panel No meeting had been held since the last MCC meeting. 6.5 Local Environmental Forum The next meeting will be at 7.00pm on 18 November 2004 at the Eric Liddell Centre. 6.6 City Development and Transport Neighbourhood Group The topic discussed at their last meeting was similar to the presentation given to MCC by Richard Barclay. 6.7 Planning and Licensing Applications Application to Install Transmission Masts, Polwarth Church This had been rejected. No reasons for this are available to the public, however, other than that they had nothing to do with health concerns. Robin Morris will try to establish exactly what the reasons were. 2b Merchiston Crescent An application to build a conservatory in most of the front garden has been lodged by the owner, who has still not taken down the unauthorised fence. MCC will object to this application. St Peter’s Place The application to develop a retail space in this street has been withdrawn. Ettrick Hotel Application to erect a new, flood-lit sign has been lodged. MCC will object to this on the grounds that it is not appropriate for a conservation area. The Ettrick Hotel has had its license renewed for another year. However, after loud music and disturbance caused by people leaving a recent disco after 1.30am (the limit of its license), Bridget Stevens and Robin Morris would be meeting with the hotel manager. The incident had been reported to Environmental Services and the Police. In response to a comment from Jim Geekie, Bridget Stevens assured him that, out of hundreds of planning applications lodged for the area annually, MCC object to very few. It was agreed to form a Planning and Licensing Group, comprising Chris Sharman, Bridget Stevens, Robin Morris and Petra Biberbach, with Desmond Hodges as a temporary member. John Lennie would also be invited to join. In response to another comment from the floor, Bridget Stevens confirmed that she, and all other MCC Members were democratically elected and, as such, are statutory consultees on planning and licensing applications. She stressed that responses they make are based on the probable impact on the community, not personal interest. 7.0 AOCB 7.1 Anti-Graffiti Kit These are being distributed by Ron Diamond, Task Force Manager of the Local Environmental Force, to interested groups and individuals. Robin Morris will attend the training session. 7.2 Community Council Boundaries Robin Morris attended a recent meeting at which proposed changes to align parliamentary, Council, Community Council, etc boundaries was discussed. 7.3 Conservation Area Information Resource Petra Biberbach distributed draft proposals of a plan to ascertain the awareness of Merchiston as a conservation area among its residents, produce related written/website advice and erect appropriate signage. She was referred to similar work which the Grange Association undertook some time ago. It was agreed that she should liaise with Desmond Hodges re. preparation of a grant application for this work to be submitted in MCC’s name to the South Edinburgh Local Development Committee. This application will be discussed at the next MCC meeting. 7.4 Wee Solutions Proposals have been sent by this group re. the environmental sustainability of back greens. Bridget Stevens will write expressing MCC’s interest in principle. 7.5 Joint Meeting of Community Councils 16 December 2004 at the City Chambers. 7.6 Mediation in Community Planning Bridget Stevens attended a recent workshop on this topic. 7.7 Litter Bins The Canal Society’s application for a grant from South Edinburgh Local Development Committee has been accepted. 8.0 Date and Information of Next Meeting Tuesday, 18 January 2005. Depending on what stage they have reached, a speaker may be invited to talk on the Draft Proposals for the Churchill Theatre Refurbishment or Town Centre Development Programme - Bruntsfield/Morningside. There will not be a formal presentation as such. |
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