Community Councils – Page 16 – The NEN

Drylaw Telford Community Council meets tomorrow

Drylaw Telford Community Council meets on Wednesday 24 June at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre – the final meeting before the summer break. All welcome.

Agenda DTCC Mtg. 24th June 2015

‘Eye-opening’ year for local community council

Excellent: West Pilton West Granton CC ticks the five ‘E’ boxes

West Pilton West Granton Community Council (WPWGCC) was praised as being a great example of what a good community organisation should be at their annual general meeting in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre last night.

Eric Dobbie, chair of the recently re-elected Edinburgh Association of Community Councils, said the local community council ticks ‘all the boxes – all the five ‘E’s’: Engagement, Encouragement, Empathy, Environment and Enterprise.

He told the meeting: “We have some good community councils and, frankly, we have some rubbish community councils. We can create better and more effective CCs. What you are doing here is very exciting, and your work is a prime example of how it can be done. I’m really encouraged by how you have gone about this – it’s been quite an eye-opener.”

More than thirty people – including members from neighbouring community councils Trinity, Muirhouse Salvesen and Drylaw Telford – attended the meeting. Guest speaker was Councillor Maureen Childs, who talked about the changing role of community councils in community planning.

Secretary Willie Black told the meeting: “It’s been an eventful year for our community council. We’ve had some criticism but we’ve made quite a difference to the area.”

He went on to detail the active role WPWGCC has played in local initiatives over the last twelve months: bringing community councils together with the North team to stage a regeneration conference was one notable example, and community councillors have been active members of other local groups and organisations. There have been community clean-ups too – local folk have cleared ten tonnes of rubbish in four separate area cleanups!

“This sort of activity is being rolled out across the whole area – it’s a different kind of engagement but local people see the benefits and it gives people some pride”, Willie said. “We are lucky to have a lot of experience on our community council. We have members who work with young people and other members who have vast experience of community activities. That’s a real plus – we know what is happening on the ground.”

However the year was dominated by a rise in criminality and antisocial behaviour across the neighbourhood – and this escalated to reach a peak which saw the attempted murder of a local takeaway owner. The community council again came to the fore.

“Following that incident our usual monthly meeting was changed to become a public meeting to discuss community safety and for local people to voice their fears and concerns. There’s no doubt the senior police officers present at that meeting felt the anger of local people – the #StrongerNorth initiative was born out of this and the community council is still playing a leading role there.”

There’s still a lot of work to be done – Willie referred to the ‘Hanging Gardens of Pilton’ – rooftop vegetation on poorly maintained rented properties – and said the community council is working with others to bring landlords together to discuss issues of common concern. Access to Forthview School is another issue for the community council and WPWG also have some exciting plans to improve job prospects for local people – particularly young people – through the establishment of a community factoring service as a social enterprise.

The community council will be taking meetings out to a variety of venues and locations over the next year in a hope that this will generate more interest, and members will also undertake training to make them even more effective at representing their communities.

“The CC has made a marked difference in our area; we have achieved a lot that we can be proud of over the last year. There is momentum and we will build on that”.

Community council concern over bank branch closure

Trinity CC met on 11 May. Here are the main points:

RBS Goldenacre closure

This long-established branch has been scheduled for closure by RBS. We have expressed our very strong reservations about the impact on local businesses and the wider community but also about the underlying commercial logic. We sincerely hope that RBS will consider these points and have asked for a spokesperson to come to our next meeting.

Walkabout – Saturday 25 April

This identified a number of priorities for CEC spending:
– patching potholes in Netherby Rd, Lennox Row
– attend to puddle at Boswall Rd/Netherby Rd junction
– consider yellow lines for various sections of Boswall Rd
– some minor repairs to Wardie Steps
– clarifying ownership around Wardie Bay as initial step towards strengthening the sea wall, upgrading existing steps, cleaning up the beach and installing litter bins.
– better lighting in Walkway tunnel near L Granton Rd
– more litter bins in pathway between Newhaven Rd and Trinity Academy, and in Victoria Park.
– handrail down the steep part of Laverockbank Road.

127 Trinity Road – Application to develop garage site

The previous application has been withdrawn and resubmitted. This follows a significant number of objections mainly concerning overdevelopment with few objecting to residential development in principle. Indeed some of the adjoining residents in Lower Granton Road would favour development as they expect it to improve their environment and drainage in particular.

Other concerns include difficult access particularly for emergency services and bin lorries, restricted parking provision, remediation of the former fuel tanks/potential for contamination, removal of trees from a site within the conservation area, a proposed height which would overlook some existing properties.

Craighall Road – West Side

The developer has undertaken to move quickly to tidy up this development site.

134B Newhaven Road – Change of Use

After several attempts, permission has been granted by CEC to change the annexe to the former nursing home at 134B Newhaven Road to residential use.

Waterfront Developments

We remain concerned about the traffic and infrastructure impacts of what appears to be patchwork developments at Granton Harbour and along the Waterfront generally. We believe it is essential that we understand what exactly is envisaged by the different owners and what planning consents are still valid. Cllrs Jackson and Redpath are pursuing this on our behalf and we hope that Cllr Hinds will be able to attend our June meeting to discuss and advise.

Crime

The recent spate of house break-ins appears to be subsiding: two further arrests have been made. Thieves are now targetting garden sheds. Hinges have been removed and hasps forced so Police advice is to use an alarm if there’s something valuable in your shed. Other options include gravel around the shed and motion activated lighting. You can find more information here police security advice or through a Neighbourhood Watch if you have set that up.

New Street Lighting

While more energy efficient, the new LED streetlights have a number of problems. The beam is narrow and the overall effect inadequate. Further installation is on hold in some streets and under review in over 100 streets where they have already been installed. Trialling of different intensity settings is also being done to see if that makes sufficient difference. It is unfortunate that no notice had been given of the installation plans.

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils

The EACC exists as a means through which all Edinburgh’s community councils can act collectively, among other things via the Edinburgh Partnership including CEC, NHS Lothian, emergency services and business. For various reasons it has been fairly quiet of late but new office bearers were elected on 21st May and we look forward to a reinvigorated EACC making a positive difference for all our communities.

Public Toilet Closures

The CEC consultation on the criteria for closing public toilets has now closed and the results will be published on the CEC website from Friday 5 June. We are not hopeful that any outside the city centre will be spared though it is possible that some may be taken over by Lothian Buses for the use of their staff only.

Trees

A number of trees have been chopped down, notwithstanding the legal protection afforded to them by conservation area status. To help address the general ignorance, including the possibility of substantial fines, an informative article will be placed in Trinity Spotlight.

NEXT MEETING

This will take place on Monday 8 June 2015 in the New Hall of Wardie Parish Church, Primrose Bank Road, 7.00pm. As well as the Annual General Meeting we hope to confirm:

An RBS spokesperson to address the various concerns we have about the Goldenacre closure. Come and have your own say.
Cllr Lesley Hinds to provide an update on Granton Harbour and traffic planning across north Edinburgh.

Do you have a view on how we might do things better? Come to the AGM on Monday 8 June at 7 pm in Wardie Parish Church – and tell us!

Anyone in Trinity can subscribe to the bulletin by emailing

tcc-comms@outlook.com

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

Support your Community Council!

Do you care about what’s going on in your community? Would you like to help make your neighbourhood a better place to live? Yes? Then join with others who feel the same way at West Pilton West Granton Community Council’s annual general meeting on Tuesday evening!

Community Council agm poster note 2 6 15

West Pilton West Granton Community Council AGM

Tuesday 2 June 7 – 9pm

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

Community Council secretary Willie Black is keen to see the while community getting involved. He said: “Our AGM is an opportunity to meet with other concerned residents and tenants who are working for the improvement of the area. Do you feel you can make a difference? Come along to the meeting and have your say. With your help we can all make the area a place where everyone can be proud to live and work.”

Councillor Maureen Child, who chairs the city council’s Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee, is guest speaker at the event and will talk on ‘The Changing Role of Community Councils’.

Community councils are only as strong and effective as their members make them, so why not play your part?

For further information call Community Council secretary Willie Black on 0751 568 6421 or email w.black@blueyonder.co.uk

wpwgcc agm agenda 2 6 15

Drylaw Telford in membership drive

Community Council looks to recruit new members

Drylaw Telford Community Council is urging local residents to support their neighbourhood by joining the community council. Community councillors are currently leafletting the area to encourage new people to get involved.

The leaflet drop also advertises the community council’s Annual General Meeting, which takes place next Wednesday (27 May) at 6.30pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre.

Established in 1981, Drylaw Telford CC was one of Edinburgh’s original community councils. Local community councillors led the successful campaign for a purpose-built community centre for the area in the 1990s and the community council has met at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre on the last Wednesday of the month ever since.

Why not go along next Wednesday, meet current members and find out about how you can help make Drylaw Telford a better place to be?

For further information email DTCC secretary Andrew Barnett at andrew@abarnett.net

Change on the agenda at Community Council AGM

WPWGCC AGM!

Councillor Maureen Child, Convener of the Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee, is guest speaker at West Pilton West Granton Community Council’s annual general meeting next month.

Her theme, appropriately enough, is ‘The Changing Role of Community Councils’.

The meeting will take place in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on Tuesday 2 June at 7pm. All welcome.

For further information contact W Black (Secretary) on 07515686421, email w.black@blueyonder.co.uk

Community Council agm poster note 2 6 15

Community Safety on Drylaw agenda

North Neighbourhood Community Safety manager Ruth Stanley will attend next week’s meeting of Drylaw Telford Community Council.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday 29 April at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre. All welcome.

Agenda DTCC Mtg. 29th April 2015 (1)

Show them you care: public meeting to discuss Granton Marina plans

‘We are fed up being ignored’ – Granton & District Community Council

Following the last community council meeting that was well attended by groups and residents in the area we were asked to organise a public meeting to get our views heard on this development.

We are fed up being ignored. Our wishes discarded. No longer. We have an opportunity to really make a noise about this. Please come along and make your voice heard.

The meeting is on Thursday 9 April

at Royston & Wardieburn Community Centre – 7pm.

Please tell as many people as you know. The developer was invited and said no. Show them you do care!

Granton & District Community Council

Tierney Award for Susan – Leader of the Pack!

Susan Jeffrey received Drylaw’s Thomas Tierney Award for Good Citizenship at a packed Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre last night. Susan was joined by friends, family and colleagues at a reception organised to mark the annual award that celebrates our unsung local heroes (writes Dave Pickering).

Susan was the unanimous choice of Drylaw Telford community members for her incredible contribution as a volunteer with the Brownies at Drylaw Parish Church – Susan has been with the pack on a Monday evening for thirty years!

Presenting the award, Councillor Lesley Hinds said: “It’s really nice to see such a big crowd here tonight and it’s particularly good that Mrs Tierney has joined us once again.

“The community council received four every strong nominations this year ans it says a lot that Susan was the unanimous choice of the community council for her thirty years service with the local Brownie Pack, but also in recognition of her work as a fundraiser with Drylaw Church, where she chaired the fundraising committee.

“Presenting the award gives me particular satisfaction this year as I am an ambassador for the local Girl Guiding movement and I know just what a difference people like Susan can make to young people’s lives. I wonder just how many girls and young women have been influenced in a positive way over those thirty years? Susan has been described as a ‘warm, caring person’ and while she may be quiet and reserved she has made a great contribution to community life here in Drylaw.”

Susan said: “I would like to thank everyone – my friends and family – who have helped and supported me. I don’t know if I will manage another thirty years but we will see how things go!”

Speaking after the presentation Guide Leader Elizabeth Martin, ex-Commissioner of Raeburn Division (which covers Pennywell District, of which Drylaw is part) said: “It was an honour for me to present Susan with her 30 year knot at 170th ‘B’ Brownies in January, my final role as Division Commissioner for Girlguiding Raeburn.

“Susan has seen many girls go through Brownies and some have even become leaders within Girlguiding and Scouting. She always encourages the girls to do their best along with encouraging the volunteers she has had over the years to take a full part in the unit. Susan runs a very full programme of activities for the girls and plans the unit meetings with her other leaders. Congratulations, Susan on your Award.”

If you’d like more information about Girlguiding – perhaps your daughter is interested in joining or you’d like to find out about volunteering with the organisation, visit www.girlguiding.org.uk

Susan is the fifteenth recipient of the annual award – and the women have forged into a clear lead! The tally now stands at 9-6 in the girl’s favour, so come on Drylaw boys – get out and support your community!