Merchiston Community Council meeting 20^th January 2009

7pm Eric Liddell Centre, Holy Corner

In attendance: 

Bridget Stevens                      Chair MCC

Robin Morris                           Vice-chair MCC and Licensing

Frances Hawarden                  Treasurer MCC

Jenny Mackenzie                     Minute taker

William Mykura                      MCC Transport

John Lennie                             MCC Planning

Paul Swan                               South Central Neighbourhood Partnership Link Officer

Cllr Marilyne MacLaren          CEC (SLD)

Cllr Jim Lowrie                       CEC (SLD) Convenor for Planning

Cllr Andrew Burns                 CEC (Lab)

Cllr Gordon Buchan               CEC (Cons)

Bob Rendall                            Eric Liddell Centre

Elizabeth Hutchings                Merchiston Avenue Neighbourhood Watch

James Geekie                          MCC

Ian Doig                                  MCC

Cllr Mark McInnes                  Cons   

Ian Clement                            Resident     “        “

Helen Zealley                         Resident

Fiona and Allan Benasse        Residents

Ariane Loening                       Resident           

Chairman’s welcome

Discussion on Roads and Pavements

Open floor discussion.  The CC is invited to make suggestions about roads and pavements in the area that need attention.  Priorities will be decided democratically by representatives of local residents. 

William Mykura: The council is committed to making the decision-making process more transparent in the Neighbourhood Roads Capital Programme.  All community councils are invited to put their case forward for being shortlisted. A pot of £100,000 is available, with £6,000 for each scheme.

Bob Rendall: Road drainage on Holy Corner, in front of Morningside United Church needs attention.

Ian Doig:  Flooding occurs at the junction of Gillsland Road and Polwarth Terrace, opposite Polwarth Chruch.  Jim Geekie:  Pavements need resurfacing in Gilmore Place, Merchiston Avenue, Merchiston Park and Temple Park Crescent.  Robin Morris:  Drains are an inherent problem underneath Morningside Road and Greenhill Park. They are not working properly.  Mark McInnes:  The responsibility lies also with Scottish Water.  We can ask what their policy is.  Helen Zealley:  Street cleaning isn’t effective.  With more rainfall and paved gardens, more runoffs are created.  There should be an embargo on solid gardens.  Jim Geekie:  Soak away areas have been very much reduced.  Bridget Stevens: Pavements in Ettrick Road are in very poor condition. 

Business Meeting

1.  Apologies for Absence:

Cllr Alison Johnstone              (Green Party)

Cllr Paul Godzik                     (Lab)

Ann Royden                           (Secretary MCC)

Kay Smith                               MCC member

PCs Hopper and Cochrane     Lothian and Borders Police.

2. Minutes of last meeting  (18^th November 2008) and Matters Arising.

Add to attendees:  Helen Zealley

Add to Apologies:  Cllr Andrew Burns.

Item 2: Minutes of last meeting and Matters Arising.

Cllr McLaren disputed that a figure had been given (recorded as £6,800 and challenged as being £68,000 overall) , re school budget cuts.  A percentage of 1.5% instead of a figure was to be minuted. 

P6. Planning

Robin Morris stressed that he had stated that the question of planning applications being resubmitted without consultation with interested parties is ‘a matter of ongoing concern’.

Cllr Jim Lowrie noted and will pass on that concern to Planning officials.  Stressed that the Planning Committee are looking at the matter of resubmissions more closely.

Matters Arising

P3. Re CC meeting with transport officials.  The meeting had agreed to protest at the relaxation of part of the CPZ.  There were understood to be 60 other objections.  Ian Doig will be attending a May Transport Committee meeting.

P4.  Christmas celebrations.  Singalong on December 11^th.  Well attended (140) and a great success.  Singers from George Watson’s College and local community choir Songworks..   The Christmas tree lights were switched on by Mike Pringle MSP.  Robin Morris noted that the Chair had spent hours on the planning of the event, and suggested that a small working group should discuss the organization next year.

P5.  MCC Consultation on a Patients’ Rights Bill -- various members had submitted comments.

P5.  Under Police Report – re the interest of a local artist wanting to promote ‘local graffiti’ in the area.  There had been more opposition than support, with Cllr Buchan describing the idea as ‘organised vandalism’.  A letter was written to the artist reflecting the comments. 

P6. Re Helen Zealley’s query about the responsibility for sweeping up leaves – Paul Swan noted that he has requested information on this matter and that the local Environment manager will follow this up.

P7. Association of Scottish Community Councils annual national conference 

Jenny MacKenzie reported that the conference was held at Holyrood, with an excellent attendance from all over Scotland.  Speakers included Assistant Chief Constable John Nielsen on Community Policing and Community Councils and Managing Editor of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail Derek Stuart Brown on How to Influence Decision Makers. 

3.  Reports and Issues

The Chair presented a report (attached).

Ward Cllrs

Cllr Andrew Burns. There have been a high number of HMO Licence applications from the Polwarth end of the boundary, with some renewals.

Cllr Mark McInnes: There has been a decision by the council to prioritise Portobello High School which has lead to correspondence from parents.  Re Boroughmuir – clearly parents are in favour of refurbishment on the existing site.  There were many complaints about vandalism on the Links, especially after Hogmanay.

Cllr Jim Lowrie:  Unesco came to look at Edinburgh.  There is no possibility of having the World Heritage Site status taken away from us.   They considered Caltongate, St James Centre, Haymarket Hotel and the Leith Docks application.  They regarded the latter as a ‘complete disaster’. 

Cllr Marilyne MacLaren: There has been a change regarding the permit parking in Spylaw.  It has been especially difficult for locum doctors.  But doctors and health staff can now apply for permits.

Re Boroughmuir: Without additional money, rebuilding the school will be a long process.  Over five years, we have £15m to keep schools functioning which have fundamental problems.  A council tax freeze is imposed by central government – we would have to increase the tax yearly to cover the costs required.

Cllr Gordon Buchan: A CPZ report is due in May, with reference to the Harrisons, the Ashleys and 20% in Craiglockhart. Re recycling: Biodegradeable recyling has increased, but the plastic market has slumped.  Edinburgh has a very good record for recycling, but the bottom has dropped out of the recycling market in the current climate.

Elizabeth Hutchings:  SEPA may give some guidance.  Energy from waste will be the next big focus.

Chair:  Information should be publicly available.  New paper is cheaper than recycled paper.  Letter to be forwarded to Richard Lochead and Mike Russell requesting information.  MCC to consider a presentation on recycling.

Police Report

A report from the community beat officer was circulated.

Planning

John Lennie: Plans for 3 South Ettrick Road – a single house to be separated from its neighbour by a small garden.  There would be more blockage of light than currently.  There will be objections. At 21 Greenhill Gardens – an unfortunate extension – we did object. Complaint from a resident about Chamberlain Road neglected garden.  Alison Johnstone is making enquiries.  We need to know ongoing arrangements.

Ariane Loening:  The National Planning Framework 2 Consultation.  The deadline for this was the 12^th January, but sufficient notice was not given to interested parties.

John Lennie: Who decides the list of consultees decides who gets these documents?  We didn’t get any notification of this. 

Jim Lowrie:  The Planning Committee put in a complaining letter and was ignored.

Licensing

Robin Morris: The residents above Polwarth Tavern are among several who have complained about being disturbed. There seems to be a policy over the festive periods of permission for extended opening on random days.  Chair:  This issue could be raised at the Licensing Forum.

Treasurer’s report. (attached)

The MCC balance sits at just under £800 with no outstanding expenses. 

Transport

Robin Morris: Meadows and The Links are applying for Green Flag park status.  The application has contributed to a new management plan.  A lot of problems have been highlighted that need to be resolved.  Chair: A more rational allocation of sites needs to be made for events in the city.

AOB

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 17^th February at 7pm at St. Michael’s Parish church, Slateford Road. The topic will be Traffic Calming Measures. 

The meeting concluded at 9.30pm.

Postscript: The Traffic Calming Discussion will now take place at MCC’s March meeting