Category: Leith

First meeting of new West Pilton West Granton CC tonight

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Dear All,
This is notification of the first meeting of the new Community Council for West Pilton West Granton.
It will be held in the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre from 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday 1st November.
This is the usual venue for the meetings which are on the first Tuesday of each month.
The minutes of each section of the last meeting will be there.
Looking forward to seeing you .
Barbara Robertson
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The result of the Leith Links Community Council election was announced last week – the only community council requiring a ballot following the nomination period.

Following the nominations period to join the Capital’s 44 community councils in September, a poll was required in Leith Links Community Council area where 17 valid nominations were received for 12 seats.

Voting opened on Thursday 20 October 2016 and closed at 8pm on Thursday 27 October 2016. Eligible voters were able to vote online throughout this period and in person at a polling station on Thursday 27 October 2016.

A total of 588 people voted and a list of the successful elected members has been published on the Council website.

Councillor Maureen Child, Convener of the Communities and Neighbourhood Committee, has congratulated everyone who took part in the election process. She said: “Community Councils are an ideal way to support communities to thrive, to allow people from all backgrounds to meet and share ideas and to make change happen.

“My congratulations go to all of the candidates who were successful in the 2016 Leith Links election. I wish them all the very best and look forward to working with them on the issues which matter in the Leith Links Community Council area.”

The first community councils were established in Edinburgh in 1980 in Merchiston and Longstone, and more than 500 people are now members across the city.

They each receive a grant to cover running costs and training is available for the members. They are represented on each of the city’s 12 Neighbourhood Partnerships and work alongside elected members, representatives from NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, the voluntary sector and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

For more information on community councils visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/communitycouncils or contact the community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk

Academy students leave Leith for the Land of the Free

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Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP, Ben Macpherson visited Leith Academy today to wish pupils – Caitlin Munn, Katie Ewart, Liam Stobie and Morven MacKay – good luck with their two week internships within the current US presidential elections. Continue reading Academy students leave Leith for the Land of the Free

Police appeal following Leith purse theft

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Police are appealing for information after an elderly woman had her purse stolen in Leith. The incident took place between 12.30pm and 1pm on Thursday (20 October) in Portland Street.

The woman, who is in her eighties, answered the door to a man who forced his way into the house. He then stole her purse from within the living room, which contained a three-figure sum of money, and left. The purse was later found in Blackie Road by four children, all under the age of ten, who handed this into Leith Police Station.

The suspect is described as white, 5ft 4ins tall, of slim build, 25-30 years old, with dirty brown hair, unshaven and wearing a navy zip-up top.

Detective Constable Chris Harding of Gayfield CID said: “We’re conducting a number of enquiries in an effort to trace the perpetrator and are appealing for the public’s help as part of this. Although the victim was uninjured, she was understandably very shaken and I’d urge anyone with information which can help to come forward.

“Anyone who recognises the description of the suspect, or who may have seen him in the Portland Street or Blackie Road area, is asked to get in touch. I also want to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to the children who found the purse and made the effort to hand this back in.”

If you have any information contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Leith Links set for community council election – but local CCs fail to attract enough members

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An election is to be held for membership of Leith Links Community Council due to the volume of nominations submitted, but it’s a different story for two local community councils: both Drylaw Telford and Muirhouse Salvesen CCs failed to attract sufficient nominations to reform.

The nomination process closed on 26 September and membership has now been confirmed for the city’s other community councils.

Continue reading Leith Links set for community council election – but local CCs fail to attract enough members

Britannia back on the open waves? Don’t be daft, says Deidre

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Deidre Brock MP has dismissed Tory calls to bring the Royal Yacht Britannia back as a working ship as ‘daft’. Speaking ahead of this afternoon’s parliamentary debate on the issue, Ms Brock said: “The Royal Yacht Britannia is a beautifully kept museum piece. The plan to bring it back as a working ship is just daft.

“The ship is a floating curiosity from a bygone era and it is staying put in Leith – not just because one of the propellers has been melted down into a statue of a Royal Yachtsman.

“By remaining at the Ocean Terminal, Britannia can actually give something back to society, bringing in money to help regenerate a poorer area, rather than leeching further from the public purse.

“Given the austerity being inflicted upon us, surely even the Tories would flinch at the idea of recommissioning a Royal Yacht?

“As benefit sanctions leave the most disadvantaged people to go hungry, as the working poor join claimants in the foodbank queues, how can anyone justify recommissioning a Royal Yacht? Which budget do they want to cut for that?

“Flashboat democracy has no place in the modern world – which has changed utterly from the day in 1997 that Britannia was decommissioned, never mind the world in which it was commissioned in the first place. If Tories want to see economic revival then they must act to ease austerity and properly invest in our people, our infrastructure and our public services, not throw money at baubles from a bygone era.”

Today’s Westminster debate ‘Reintroduction of the Royal Yacht Britannia for the purpose of international trade’ was called by Conservative MP Jake Berry. The case for reintroduction of the vessel has support of a many Conservatives including Michael Gove MP.