MERCHISTON  COMMUNITY  COUNCIL

DRAFT MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2008 in ST MICHAEL’S PARISH CHURCH HALL

We heard presentations from Dr Helen Zealley, the former Director of Public Health, NHS Lothian, and by Robert Aitken, Assistant General Manager, Edinburgh Community Health Partnership. (Helen has agreed to be our Health Spokesperson in an unofficial capacity).

Helen represented that Public Health was about what public measures are taken to ensure peoples’ health within a community in terms of their access to services and also of their needs. She highlighted that the measure of Public Health was the median age of death within a community. This had once been 65, but had now risen to 75 largely because of better health care. Death before the age of 75 was now regarded as ‘premature’ but this was a national average figure which varied across the country. However, in our area it was fortunately on the higher side. She also highlighted that Public Health was about ‘well-being’, something more qualitative than quantitative, and it partly resided in how positively people felt about the services they were provided with. This community aspect required consultation; but, alas, the views of the public did not always filter through to those who made decisions on their behalf about services or assessed their quality.

She then put it to the floor: how did we feel about the services within our area? Much discussion ensued over the fate of the Astley Ainslie Hospital, with many of those present regarding the large landscaped site with mature trees as a peaceful enclave which exuded a ‘healing’ atmosphere much appreciated for its amenity by residents of the area – a green lung in the heart of Morningside. However Helen represented that from the point of view of health service managers its future was threatened, because it was a difficult site to maintain, due to its scattered buildings, none of which suited modern notions of the facilities they ought to have; in particular, a bathroom for each patient. A strong feeling was put from the floor that such notions did not necessarily accord with what ordinary people felt was ‘well-being’. The healing atmosphere of the landscaped site, with its peace, and its being a haven for wildlife, were especially appreciated by families and patients who had suffered severe trauma, or were terminally ill. It was strongly felt it would be a very great loss indeed to the area if the Astley Ainslie were to close.

Further points were raised about the maintenance of buildings on the site,  the condition of exteriors and parking. There was also some consideration about the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, its site, and buildings.

Several questions were raised about the care available to patients with particular health problems.

     1. Apologies were received from Cllrs  Andrew Burns, Paul Godzik, Alison Johnstone, Mark McInnes and Marilyne MacLaren (& retrospectively from Gordon Buchan) ; Beccy Brooks; Bob Rendall; Ann Royden; and John & Belinda Lennie.  

 Present were Bridget Stevens (Chair); Mairianna Clyde (Minutes); Kay Smith; James Geekie, Frances Hawarden; Robin Morris; Sarah Beattie-Smith; and Kenneth Skinner (Polwarth Church).  Several members of the general public were in attendance. 

A special welcome was extended to Agnes Renton, Housing & Regeneration Manager, CEC Services for Communities,  to representatives of Morningside and Fairmilehead Community Councils and to Rev. James Aitken of St Michael’s Parish Church, to whom MCC was grateful for the use of the hall.

2. Minutes were adopted; proposed by BS and seconded by MC.
   
   
3. There were NO matters arising.
   

4. Reports and Action Points:
• There was no police report.
• Planning: Bridget Stevens reported that she had arranged for the architects/developers involved in two major projects to be available for consultation by members of the public immediately prior to our January meeting.  These projects were for a residential development on a corner site at Newbattle Terrace and Whitehouse Loan, and for the conversion of the Orwell Lodge Hotel into flats.    Around 100 local residents had come along to view the plans and question the developers.  MCC was broadly in favour in both developments and had submitted its comments.  Concern was however felt about the use of a dark charcoal grey in the dark north exterior in the Newbattle Terrace site as being too severe and not in keeping with the area. Some local residents had other objections concerning likely traffic increase.  There was concern about the lack of parking in the Orwell Lodge development, at only one space per flat. MC had since received notification in the case of the Newbattle development that MCC’s concerns were judged ‘material’. There was also discussion of  two other current planning applications. One was at 99 Gilmore Place where the new owner might be trying to use the property as a B + B overspill from his other B + B down the road. Some construction had already begun to convert attics and install dormers which were entirely out of keeping with the building.  Several neighbours had been in touch with their concerns.   Another was in Napier Road where the conversion of a garage into a studio is proposed, along with the formation of a carport structure and the construction of two timber garden stores.

However, only one note of concern had been received about this.  Helen Zealley highlighted that there was concern about a proposed change of use in Tipperlinn Road from a residential care home back to residential use but there didn’t seem to be any agenda to turn it into flats. HZ and MC agreed to liaise over this.[1] Ian Clement raised a further point about 5 Greenhill Gardens.

• Licensing:  Sarah Beattie-Smith (student representative) said that a consultation exercise was being conducted by the Scottish Government (with responses due by 31 March ?) on a proposal to impose ‘area’ controls on HMOs. Bridget Stevens expressed surprise that MCC had received no formal notification of this. Sarah said students were very alarmed about the prospect of quotas being introduced. MC replied that they were unneccessarily alarmed as the proposal aimed to distribute student accommodation evenly across the city, not to do students out of flats or put students out of flats. Any such transition would have to be phased and would not be instant. However, MCC takes note of students’ concerns. It was decided that Sarah would let us know about a website where the consultation document could be obtained.

 ·        There was no formal licensing report as Robin Morris had to leave early.

·         Treasurer’s report: Frances reported there was a balance of £1,356.73 and the account had made £1.39 in interest.

·         Chairman’s report: BS circulated a written note of meetings attended.

·      Other: At this point the chair introduced Agnes Renton, Services for Communities, who described her work with particular reference to the Neighbourhood Partnerships.

5. Held over from January: Due to the rather full meeting in January a number of items were held over:

• Community Grants Fund. Grants are limited to £5000 but bids are encouraged. Tables and chairs outside the Eric Liddell centre was one. MC suggested this might be something Sarah Beattie-Smith could think about (with her creative background). Possibly some amenity in the Links or Meadows that students might appreciate? Such as a BBQ area? (As many students some years ago were buying these mini BBQ and just setting them down on the grass, leaving burned patches. This was objected to by residents, and BBQs – of this type anyway – were banned. But it had been suggested that some solution might be found to allow students and others to enjoy outdoor picnics in the summer months without ruining the grass).
• [2]CPZ developments. MCC remains perplexed as to what – in particular - has prompted this reverse. There are proposals to alter bays and waiting restrictions in Colinton Road and Spylaw Road which will encourage cheap all-day commuter parking - precisely what the CPZ was designed to eliminate.  Brian Torrance, Traffic Control Manager, has been written to by email but so far no reply. Nobody from CEC will confirm or deny.   CEC officials are supposed to work to a ten day reply time. Agnes Renton to pursue.   Some thought the Steiner School may have requested the change, or Napier University.
• MCC has two vacancies since Chris Sharman and Colin Young are no longer members.
• Housing Associations. There was great concern about the recent murder in a Viewpoint block of flats in Newbattle Terrace (Cunningham House) in January where a young man lost his life in the early hours of a Sunday morning and another was injured. There had been a knife fight and the two were high on drugs.  Neighbours had reported disturbances coming from this flat and several others let to similar tenants for some time. Viewpoint had done nothing to address these complaints over many months. In particular, it challenged complainers to provide ‘evidence’, which, of course, they could not. In all, it was felt that Viewpoint had been unhelpful in addressing residents’ complaints. MC  had a letter published in the Evening News highlighting these concerns. This was written in a private capacity. Central to this issue was the policy of placing such very young. inexperienced and possibly troubled young people in sheltered housing amongst elderly and vulnerable people who are easily intimidated and whose frail lives are severely impacted by such behaviour. MC said that, before Viewpoint took over the management of Cunningham House, it had been managed privately and well out of a bequest from two sisters in the 1960s. Viewpoint or the Council might actually be on shaky ground legally if they have departed from the strict terms of this private bequest. Agnes Renton interjected that problems with noise and other anti-social behaviour could be addressed by better ‘intervention’ – eg by calling out CEC Environmental Services,   A fairly robust exchange of views resulted from this suggestion.  It was felt by many people that such ‘interventions’ usually failed to work.   Moreover, vulnerable residents simply did not have the time nor the energy nor the reserves of robust health to deal with such complex and intractable problems. It transpires that Housing Associations are part of the Common Housing Register, alike with Council tenants, and that applicants for housing cannot be vetted on any grounds. This did not address the problem of how to support the vulnerable in our community.

6. AOCB. The chair of Morningside CC is proposing a new bus route down Lothian Road from Morningside, which will turn left along Shandwick Place, and provide a route to the west of the city (which is rapidly expanding). Bridget will write back offering to attend the meeting which Morningside proposes to organise with other relevant community councils.

• A question was raised by Colin Manlove about pressure selling of fish in Polwarth Terrace . There was a 30 packet minimum order, costing £450!  It was suggested, in reply, that Trading Standards should be notified about this.   Agnes Renton offered to facilitate this.

Next meeting: 18 March, 7pm, Polwarth Parish Church: a presentation will be given by CEC planning officials on how they decide whether or not to recommend individual planning applications for acceptance or rejection.