Tag: Community Councils

Trinity CC December newsletter

Trinity Community Council met on 14 December. Here are the main points:

victoria park

Crime Down, But …

While there have been a few house break-ins this month, numbers are down on last year. Police believe this is because several known perpetrators are behind bars or subject to curfew arrangements.

But statistics are no comfort if your house is broken into – so take all reasonable precautions including those in Police Scotland’s leaflets (see below). If you have an alarm make sure its switched on and if you would like to be kept fully up to date with real time Police alerts sign up here.

A notable trend has been to break into houses in order to steal the owner’s car rather than the house contents. This is likely done to order so take extra care about where you leave your car keys.

Just outside our area, two people were arrested after an altercation on Ferry Road while investigations into an attack at Steadfastgate are ongoing. If you’re at all worried about being on the street in the dark evenings you might wish to purchase a personal alarm as a useful deterrent. A possible stocking filler at roughly £5!

Make Friends with Victoria Park!

The meeting this month to set up a Friends of Victoria Park group was well attended with presentations on what was involved and what the potential might be. After an enthusiastic and lively Q&A, a number of people volunteered for a Steering Group to complete the formalities of forming the new Friends Group.

A further public meeting, probably in February, will sign this off, whereupon all interested can then become Friends of Victoria Park (still time to join!) This is really encouraging – 2016 looks like being a great year for Victoria Park!

Trinity Academy Students Council

TCC had a further meeting with Trinity Academy Student Council which again proved lively with the students themselves eager to raise points.

These included:

 lack of litter bins in Victoria Park and on the pathway between Newhaven Road and the school,
 existing bins not being emptied sufficiently frequently
 safety on the Walkway, especially after dark,
 occasional motor/quad bike on the Walkway, (call 999 as these have almost always been stolen)
 enthusiasm for the new tennis courts in Victoria Park
 interest in engaging with a Friends of Victoria Park group.
 agreement to run a competition for the design of a logo for TCC.

We will be pursuing many of these points with CEC and look forward to a continuing constructive relationship with TASC in 2016.

Goldenacre Planters

Discussions continue concerning the placing of planters outside the old RBS branch at Goldenacre.

Second Hand Car Dealing – 144 Newhaven Road

Far less encouraging, two meetings of the Licensing Sub Committee heard but dismissed the arguments from objectors (including Trinity CC). We are deeply unhappy about how the process has been conducted which has felt very one sided including keeping (unpaid) objectors waiting for several hours and only token notice of a site visit. A licence has been granted with conditions, similar to those attached to the 6 months temporary licence in 2012/13.

We are concerned about the implications for a conservation area and that an unfortunate precedent has been set. We believe that planning permission may also be necessary in this case and will be discussing the matter with local residents before deciding whether to pursue this point.

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils

This body represents all of Edinburgh’s 45 community councils and should fill important roles in encouraging best practice and projecting a common voice to the city council on shared concerns. A new Constitution is being developed and a new Chair (Eric Dobbie) and Secretary (David Bewsey) elected. We look forward to working with Eric and David to help them fulfil this crucial role.

Denham Green

After discussions with council officials, trees have now been trimmed and – hopefully by the time you are reading this – the damaged streetlight at the north end of Denham Green Place will be back in operation. Further work on these lights and the pavements is planned for 2016.

Lower Granton Road

Run by Sustrans under the auspices of CEC, a walkabout and two workshops were held this month to discuss how Lower Granton Road and its immediate surrounds might be improved and made safer. Various suggestions were floated which will hopefully enable some improvements to be designed.

While supportive of this initiative, we highlighted to the CEC officials present that there is a wider and deteriorating east-west traffic problem in North Edinburgh and reminded them of previous council studies which could usefully be revived. Unfortunately we still have no word of any activity to review the 2008 North Edinburgh Traffic Plan.

Much more at our next meeting on Monday 11 January at 7 pm in Wardie Parish Church, Primrose Bank Road. Open to all. Come along and give us your thoughts. Or contact a Community Councillor – we need to know your views so that we can represent them!

Did you find this bulletin useful or informative? If so, why not show it to a neighbour? Anyone in Trinity can subscribe to the bulletin simply by emailing

tcc-comms@outlook.com

Or drop us a line and tell us what you think could be better.

1512 ebulletin

Christmas precaution

Trinity CC: October report

tcc

Trinity CC met on 12 October. Here are the main points:

Police Report

Few can be unaware of the recent spate of housebreakings with 12 attempted and 6 actual break-ins in the last month. One was successfully detected and police hope that this will help resolve others. Police presence has been increased but the fact remains that with darker nights and Christmas approaching, the next 3 months are likely to see an increase in burglaries from homes and garages. Bikes and cars are favourite targets. Think security! There’s plenty we can do to help ourselves. Check out

http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/safety_advice/our_guide_to_crime_prevention_safety_advice/

You can also request an individual Home Assessment by phoning 101.

Particularly disturbing was the robbery of A&A Newsagents convenience store at the corner of S Trinity Rd and E Trinity Rd. This is still under investigation and if you have any knowledge of anything unusual whatsoever on that day, the police would be delighted to hear from you. Happily, Joe seems to be fully recovered from his ordeal. We send our best wishes.

Aside from robberies there was a suspicious incident in Victoria Park when a child was approached and there has also been a rash of incidents across North Edinburgh involving youths on motorbikes, notably on the cycle paths and Granton Road.

Second Waterfront Regeneration Conference

This took place on 30 September chaired by Cllr Day, bringing together landowners, developers, CEC staff, residents and their representatives, including Trinity CC. With 5 separate developments in the area bounded by Marine Drive, W Granton Rd and Granton Square, Trinity’s immediate interest is in Granton Harbour but what happens to the west will also affect us. It is clear that extensive development will take place. Our interest is to encourage that to be sensitive to the surrounding area and its history as well as delivering high quality living space and improving amenity. Some highlights:

The developer has ambitious plans for Granton Harbour but has challenges getting them off the drawing board. Trinity CC will continue to watch closely to see that delivery lives up to promises and that the impact on local traffic is considered.
 EDI/Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd planning 550 homes and 9000sq ft of commercial space on some land remaining in WEL ownership.
 A development strategy for North Shore, West Harbour Road and Lower Strand is being prepared.
 Retail and leisure complex planned for an area known as Madelvic 9
 Plans in hand to use Madelvic House as a community arts hub.
 National Galleries/Museums progressing plans for a national collections facility some of which will be open to the public.
 The future of the gasometer still under discussion. Decontamination estimated at £10 – £15M. Retention will restrict nearby development as a safe “fall zone” would be required.
 Plans for the area around Caroline House, including the Mediaeval Garden and the putative “Granton-by-the-sea” are under review.

Want to help regeneration?

Made_in_Granton

Idea 1: Exhibition called “Made in Granton” at Madelvic House on 24 October (11am. – 2.30pm) (above) focusing on local manufacturing history and looking for ideas about how to use the building as an arts hub. Why not go along and contribute?

Idea 2: Granton Improvement Society are bidding for Lottery funding to develop their plans. An easy way to help is simply to go online and “like” their Facebook page.

SOUTH EAST SCOTLAND STRATEGIC PLAN (SESplan)

Consultation on the Major Issues for this closed on 30 September. Trinity CC submitted a detailed response to all 27 Questions but our main themes were:

  • Inadequate east-west traffic planning for North Edinburgh
  • Importance of reinforcing alternative east-west routes (notably City Bypass)
  • Insufficient consideration of the Firth of Forth as an amenity and potential for transit routes to/from Fife
  • Validity of the underlying economic assumptions
  • Needs more emphasis on quality of place for living in including integrated design of green networks at the outset.

Goldenacre Planters

It had been hoped that RBS might sponsor planters in recognition of the years when the Goldenacre branch was open but this now appears to be receding. But we have located some second hand planters from CEC Parks Dept and now hope to set up maintenance arrangements using local volunteers. Would you be interested? Do get in touch if so.

Planning Matters

The application to sell cars from 144 Newhaven Rd has been resurrected and we have resurrected our objections. A CEC hearing was scheduled but the applicant was not present, asking instead through his solicitor that the hearing be postponed. This was granted but only after we had given our time and evidence. We are very concerned about the implications that this raises for how planning applications are conducted. Next hearing is scheduled for 13 November.

Application for a house + annexe at 7a Boswall Road withdrawn.

Chargeable Parking Hours

CEC has initiated a consultation on extending parking charges into late evening and over weekends. Will this affect you? Give your views direct at: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/1928/have_your_say_on_citys_parking_action_plan_proposals

Want to know more about St Columba’s?

Hospice will have an Open Day on 30 October (10am – 4pm) – see below.

columas open day

Much more at our next meeting on

Monday 9 November at 7 pm in Wardie Parish Church, Primrose Bank Road.

Open to all. Come along and give us your thoughts. We need to know them so that we can represent them!

Did you find this bulletin useful or informative? If so, why not show it to a neighbour? Anyone in Trinity can subscribe to the bulletin simply by emailing tcc-comms@outlook.com or drop us a line and tell us what you think could be better.

Warm welcome at Drylaw meeting to discuss cold callers

Drylaw Telford CC to discuss No Cold Callers zones

Bogus caller

Drylaw Telford Community Council meeting will be held on Wednesday 28 October at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre. 

Among items to be discussed is the possible setting up of a No Cold Caller Zone in Drylaw Telford. Do you think that would be a good idea? Come along and share your views – all welcome!

Agenda and Minutes of the previous meeting can be found below:

Agenda DTCC Mtg. October 2015

DTCC Minutes September 2015 (Draft)

NCCZ – info leaflet 2014 (2)

 

 

You need Friends …

Community Council to set up Friends of Easter Drylaw Park group

Easter Drylaw Park

Does Easter Drylaw Park need Friends? Drylaw Telford Community Council certainly thinks so, and is looking for local residents to get involved in setting up a new group to support the area’s green space.

Community councillor Mhairi Curran confirmed: “We are looking to hopefully set up a Friends of Easter Drylaw Park and we are currently seeking people who might be interested in finding out more or becoming part of the group.

“We have invited a guest speaker from The Friends of Parks Group to give a short presentation at our next community council meeting, where we will discuss the benefits of setting up a Friends group here to support our local park. It will be the ideal opportunity to find out more about how Friends groups operate and what’s involved. It would be great to see more local residents coming along – we would like to hear their views on the park.”

The meeting will be held on Wednesday 26 August at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre. All welcome.

Our bus is coming back!

Victory for community councils bus campaign

sby

Local residents will be able to get a 42 bus to Craigleith Retail Park again from October. Lothian Buses have agreed to reinstate the service and support the alteration to the 42 route following a joint appeal by local community councils.

Drylaw Telford Community Council chairman Alex Dale, who coordinated the campaign, said local residents will be delighted to hear the news. “The 42 service into the Retail Park has been missed and I’m often being asked: ‘when are we getting our bus back?’ It’s taken a while but it’s great to be able to tell people that the service is to be reinstated from the beginning of October. It’s good news and I hope local people will take the opportunity to use the service.”

Drylaw Telford CC joined forces with Stockbridge Inverleith, Blackhall Craigleith and Muirhouse Salvesen community councils to petition for the return of the service back in March, and Alex received confirmation from Lothian Buses earlier this week that the 42 will return to the local Retail Park this autumn.

The service was withdrawn because traffic problems around the shopping centre caused delays and disruption to the timetable, but it’s hoped that improvements to traffic signalling will reduce excessive delays.

A spokesperson for Lothian Buses confirmed that the 42 bus service will return to Craigleith Shopping Centre from 4 October on Monday – Fridays as a trial.

Garden Party celebrates Edinburgh’s unsung heroes

Lord Provost says ‘thanks’ to city volunteers

Lauriston Castle

Edinburgh’s magnificent volunteers will be recognised for their crucial contribution to local life at the Lord Provost’s Community Garden Party 2015 in the grounds of Lauriston Castle tomorrow.

Stockbridge-based LifeCare Edinburgh and Duddingston Kirk Lunch Club, two organisations which support the independence and wellbeing of older people in Edinburgh, will be presented with ‘Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service’ by the Lord Provost Donald Wilson at the event.

They will be joined by a guest list featuring dedicated workers from the city’s third sector, community council members, Edinburgh British Empire Medal recipients and local philanthropists in the castle grounds as a ‘thank you’ for their contribution to community life.

Sponsored by Virgin Money, more than 400 people are expected to attend the celebration to enjoy afternoon tea on the lawn, with live music from local Edinburgh choirs and pipe bands.

Members of the Lauriston Castle Living History Group, suitably costumed in Edwardian dress, will treat guests to tours of the visitor attraction which are open to the public throughout the year.

The Lord Provost, who is also the city’s Volunteering Champion, said: “I want this celebration to recognise and reward those who make a positive contribution to our great city – particularly the unsung heroes who give up their time tirelessly for others and for the good of their local community. I look forward to welcoming guests to the fantastic Lauriston Castle, and to presenting awards on behalf of the Queen to two of Edinburgh’s great volunteer organisations.

“I hope an event like this helps to promote this gem of a venue and that guests are encouraged to come back. I am extremely grateful to Jayne-Anne Gadhia and everyone at Virgin Money for the tremendous support and their ongoing commitment to the city.”

Su Millar, Chief Executive of LifeCare (Edinburgh) Limited, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be presented with an award from the Lord Provost on behalf of the Queen, and proud to be one of two organisations to receive this prestigious award.

“It is humbling to have the excellent work of our volunteers recognised in this way and we are all really looking forward to meeting with the Lord Provost and all of the other guests at the Community Garden Party at Lauriston Castle.”

The Lord Provost’s Community Garden is a bi-annual event first held in 2013. Broughton High School pupil Anna McLuckie entertained guests that day and the talented young harpuist went on to receive acclaim on BBC’s The Voice.