The Community Chat Cafe invites you to share food, language and culture. Join us for our free, friendly, sociable lunches and practice your English – all welcome!
Wednesday 25 February
Wednesday 11 March
Wednesday 25 March
12.30 – 2pm at Pilton Community Health Project, Boswall Parkway
A creche is available but must be booked by calling Rachel: on 07891 525663 or Julie on 07958 540 438.
Community Chat Cafe is organised by the Living in Harmony Group and North Edinburgh Timebank
From the board at Tenants and Residents In Muirhouse please find attached our Minutes for Meeting on 10 February 2015 (below).
Tenants & Residents In Muirhouse (TRIM)
Website – http://muirhouseresidents.co.
Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/
Also on Twitter – http://twitter.com/
Trinity Community Council meets tonight at St Serf’s Church at 7pm. The main item for discussion is local parking.
Local residents are invited to come along and have their say tonight
visit trinitycommunitycouncil.wordpress.com for more information
FACENorth is working for the community … in all weathers!
Over the last three months FACENorth (Focussing on Alternatives to Crime Edinburgh North), in partnership with POP (Preventative Opportunities Programme) have been working with a core group of eight to ten young people running a series of work parties at Towford Outdoor Centre, the bothy owned and managed by Muirhouse Youth Development Group and MYAdventure. As well as working at Towford the group has painted the café in PYCP and bag-packed at Sainsbury’s in Craigleith to raise money for MYDG.
This group of young people has been helping get Towford ready for use by the wider community whilst gaining real work experience, working as part of a team, following instructions, preparing and cooking their own meals, preparing a dinner table, washing up after themselves, showing respect for themselves, their environment and for others, planning and implementing ideas, conservation training, learning about their own and a new environment and most importantly putting something back into their own Community.
When we started, there was no heating or hot water in the bothy, few lights downstairs and very basic cooking facilities, so with some nights dropping to below freezing the warmth of sleeping bags at night with a meal and hot drink were very welcome!
So far the group has removed an unsafe, old mouldy shed which had stood unused for a number of years and turned the space left into to a temporary car parking space. They have also planted trees, removed old wood from around the site, cleared work areas, helped to create a temporary road surface at the entrance to the Centre, dug out trenches to create a drainage system to stop the access road from flooding, removed root systems around the trenches and carried out general labouring work.
With the Centre being surrounded by over 17 acres of ground including hills, forest and a large pond, the group intends to return to dig more trenches and create a proper road drainage system using underground pipes etc., create a new access road to the centre with an asphalt/concrete surface, clear an old deforested area to help create a football pitch/camp area, assist in the planning and creation of a bike and walking track, clear and drain the pond area and re-route part of a river to run through the pond to allow this to be used for fishing, canoeing and wildlife area!
Once plans are finalised for the remembrance area for Mikaeel Kular the group is keen to contribute to getting this ready so that whole community of North Edinburgh has somewhere to spend some quiet reflection time.
At Pilton Youth and Children’s Project the group has painted the café area (above), creating a brighter more user friendly area for centre users to enjoy and the group will shortly be taking part in a conservation project based on the local cycle paths.
Broughton S2 group looks at local democracy
As S2 pupils at Broughton High School we undertook an inter-disciplinary learning (IDL) course as part of our S2 elective subject choice called ‘Power to the Pupils’ which was run by Callum and Stephan from Community Learning & Development (CLD).
The course – called Power to the Pupils – has been great as it has had a local focus which has allowed us to gather and identify issues that directly affect us as young people growing in the north Edinburgh area. We had great debates and positive discussion and of course great fun as well deciding which were there most important topics that we could address!
Our top issues were:
Since coming to ‘power to the pupils’ we have been involved in some trips out to places like the City Chambers (above)and the ‘main cooncil headquarters’ where we learned about democracy, how decisions are made and who makes them on our behalf.
We even got to meet a real councillor – Nigel Bagshaw, who represents the Green Party in this area (Inverleith ward) in Edinburgh. He was really great! He listened to our concerns and he also gave us some fantastic advice on how we could take our issues forward. We also saw lots of famous people in some of the paintings that are hanging on the walls in the council building.
After visiting the city chambers we realised we should lobby on a more local level so we had a visit to the local Neighbourhood Partnership office based in North Edinburgh (above).
We raised several concerns that we had identified as being important to us. Negative stereotypes of young people, dog fouling in public spaces were just a couple of subjects we raised. The staff were great they listened all our questions and gave us some really positive feedback. They agreed that they were very important issues that needed tackling and gave us brilliant advice on methods to take our campaigns forward which was good.
We have learned some great new techniques and various methods to make our voices heard. Having the opportunity to access politicians with our issues by lobbying council officials as well as on a more local level with the North Edinburgh Neighbourhood Partnership has been fantastic and we all hope we have influenced them in a positive way.
The course has allowed us to learn new skills which will help us in the future there has also been lots of great discussion, debates which was interesting and above all it was great fun!
Here are some quotes from members of our group:
“The stuff we have learned will be useful in the future” – Harry Hunter S2
“Visiting the city chambers was really interesting it is a very old building with lots of traditions and history” – Simran Singh(S2)
“We hope we can make a difference and change people’s opinions of young people” – Chloe Carr (S2)
“It has been an amazing course and interesting” – Gabriella Borges (S2)
“I have made new friends as well as learnt some new skills” – Kyle Crooks (S2)
Power to the Pupils!
Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership
Monday 23 February 6.30 -8.30pm, Blackhall Library
You are warmly invited to the next meeting of the Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership. The main theme for this meeting is ‘Edinburgh Living Landscapes’ where you can have a say in identifying potential areas to be part of this project to create, restore and connect green areas of the city, making attractive and biodiverse landscapes to be enjoyed by residents and visitors.
There will also be a presentation on local roads and pavements budgets – come find out how much we have and how we decide where it gets spent!
Also, come and see a display of plans for Fet-Lor Youth Club’s new building and hear decisions by Board on our Community Grants Fund applications.
We’d love to see you and full papers will be available in advance of meeting by following this link:
The meeting will take place on
Monday 23 February at Blackhall Library, 6.30 – 8.30pm.
Elaine Lennon, Partnership Development Officer
Tel: 0131 529 5270
Scottish Parliament Community Conference this month
Local people keen to have their voice heard by their MSP and the Scottish Parliament can discover how to run a social media campaign, secure media stories on the issues that affect them, petition the Parliament and even hold their own Holyrood event, by attending a conference at Dumfries’ Easterbrook Hall on Saturday 21 February.
At the Scottish Parliament Communities Conference, local MSPs Elaine Murray and Alex Fergusson will share expert advice on how to help your MSP help you, with interactive workshops run throughout the day, led by MSPs and the Scottish Parliament’s expert staff.
Engagement can result in a wide range of actions, including parliamentary debate, changes to law and policy direction.
Alex Fergusson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries said: “When an issue matters, and when it is within Holyrood’s power to help, engaging with MSPs and the Scottish Parliament can be a direct way for individuals, community groups and organisations to be heard.”
He went on: “We want to make sure that people from across Dumfries and Galloway know how to engage with us, their local MSPs, and to know that the Scottish Parliament belongs to them. The conference is all about helping make sure their voice is heard. I hope to meet many people from across the South West who feel strongly about an issue, so I can share a range of ways the Scottish Parliament can help make a positive difference to people’s lives in their local community, or even throughout Scotland.”
Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire said: ““We’re looking forward to meeting as many local community organisations, charities, social enterprises, tenants and residents groups, local campaign organisations, volunteers and youth groups as possible. But we also want to hear from individuals with an important issue to share. Only by hearing from people who have perhaps never been involved with the Parliament or politics before can we continue to raise the profile of a wide variety of important issues and give the people of Dumfries and Galloway a voice.”
In addition to Ms Murray and Mr Ferguson, other MSPs leading workshops on the day include Chic Brodie, MSP for South Scotland; John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland; Graeme Pearson, MSP for South Scotland and Aileen McLeod, Minister for Environment, Climate Change & Land Reform.
Joyce Harkness is a campaigner and social enterprise manager from Hightae near Lochmaben. She said: “It’s great news that the Communities Conference is coming to Dumfries. I would encourage anyone who wants to kick-start getting their voice heard at the Scottish Parliament to come to Easterbrook Hall on the 21st.
“I’ve attended Scottish Parliament community workshops in the past and they’ve been invaluable. When I was campaigning for better rural transport for older people across Dumfries and Galloway, working with the Parliament really helped get our issues raised in a positive way. The MSPs and Parliamentary staff really listen and have great ideas and practical advice that’s specially tailored to your campaign. The sheer range of ways you can engage with Parliament can be a real eye-opener.”
Steady progress on tackling community concerns
How has the #StrongerNorth initiative been performing?The latest figures, compiled at the end of January, are very encouraging:
Housing
• 17 housing enforcement actions taken against residents in response to behaviour
Including 13 warnings, 1 Final Warning, 1 Notice to Quit, 1 Notice of Proceedings for Recovery of Possession, 1 ASBO under consideration.
Offending
· 7 Young people identified and targeted due to offending (Police, Council, Social work etc)
· 3 charged as adults, 2 in Children’s Hearing system and 2 in court system (last four all reducing offending)
· 4 young people subject to Movement Restriction Condition
· 4 young people placed in secure accommodation in last 12 months (2 twice)
· Calls to Police have really reduced between October and December 2014 (209 to 119 calls)
· Reduction in offences committed by the most problematic young people – including a significant drop by one prolific housebreaker.
Youth Work
• Positive engagement over a number of weeks with group working on bothy at Towford
• Conversation cafe with Positive Prison organised for 30 January.
Employment and Training
• Employment experience and training programme developed by Council, Urban Union and Edinburgh College. First group ready to benefit.
Pre-School and School
• Respect programme expanded to Craigroyston and Forthview Primary Schools
• Youth Engagement Programme at Crewe Road Fire station – participants selected from Craigroyston Community High School.
Physical Improvements
• Community clean ups in backgreen at West Pilton Gardens/Crossway and roadside verge along Granton Mill well-attended.
West Pilton/West Granton Community Council
• Community payback team cut back bushes in West Pilton Park where motorbikes were being hidden.
Communications
• Regular daily tweets and 1,343 followers
• Over 230 Facebook likes.
Community activity
• Community survey planned to track community views about local action
• Tenants and Residents in Muirhouse #StrongerNorth campaign – Community Shop window display
• Weekly lunch time drop in sessions at Muirhouse Community Shop and Pilton Community Association flat – six week programme started 19 January
• Community feedback event 4 February.
It’s Tierney Award nomination time in Drylaw Telford
Do you know someone who gave up their time to help the Drylaw Telford community last year? A local volunteer who went that extra mile to support a neighbour, or a person who’s worked to improve the local environment or enhance the quality of life in the neighbourhood? If so, Drylaw Telford Community Council wants to hear from you!
The community council is now seeking nominations for the Thomas Tierney Award for Good Citizenship 2014.
Tam Tierney was a committed community activist from Wester Drylaw who was involved in many of the positive things that happening in the old Greater Pilton area during the eighties and nineties. He was a stalwart of Pilton Sporting Club, chaired Craigroyston Community Centre for many years and was also an active and enthusiastic member of Drylaw Telford Community Council. Tam was also part of the steering group and a member of the first management committee of Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, which first opened it’s doors twenty years ago in 1995.
When Tam passed away in 1999, Drylaw Telford Community Council decided to mark his contribution to community life – not only to celebrate his achievements but also to try to encourage others to become more active within their community.
Every year since 2000, the community council has chosen a new recipient of the Award. They are all very different, and every one has been nominated for a different reason, but they share one thing in common: they freely contribute their time to do something that makes the Drylaw Telford neighbourhood a better place to live.
Former recipients have done that in many ways – helping out as a volunteer with local projects, doing their neighbours’ shopping, supporting local groups by serving on management committees … and some have done all of these things and more!
Drylaw Telford Community Council chairman Alex Dale – who himself received the award in 2012 – said: “The Thomas Tierney Award is an important date on our community council calendar and is usually the best attended meeting of the year. We are looking forward to receiving nominations and the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our local unsung heroes.”
Nomination forms are now available at Drylaw Parish Church and Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre and forms can also be downloaded at Drylaw Telford Community Council’s website.
All completed forms must be returned by 25 February.
If you think you know someone from the area who deserves recognition for their community spirit, visit the community council’s website at www.drylawtelfordcc.co.uk or email Secretary@drylawtelfordcc.co.uk for further information.
Five-fold increase in public response to budget proposals – but only 3500 take the opportunity to have their say
es more responses than last year have been received through the City of Edinburgouncil’s budget engagement and consultation exercise.
The results are detailed in a report which will be considered by the Finance and Resources Committee on Tuesday, 3 February. The Council received comments on topics such as allotments, early years and adult education, Edinburgh Leisure, library opening hours, public toilets, homelessness and third party grants.
For the first time the Council used a new online tool enabling residents to have their say on how the Capital invests and saves over the next three years.e report includes feedback from around 3,525 Edinburgh residents, key stakeholders and local businesses including 1,719 people who used the online planner.
The city’s population is around 490,000.
The Council also received 782 telephone calls, emails and letters,145 budget leaflets were returned and 524 comments were made through social media.
A budget question time event was also attended by over 40 people, viewed by 200 people on the live webcast and watched another 862 times using the archive.
In order to meaningfully engage with a larger and more diverse group, the online planner allowed the Council to show where it expects to incur costs in 2017/18, to demonstrate the impacts of increasing or decreasing spending in all of its services, and to give respondents the opportunity to express what they feel the Council’s priorities should be. Impacts shown in the planner were indicative of what might happen as a result of budget changes. The Council also asked for public views on this year’s 2015/16 budget proposals.
Cllr Alasdair Rankin, Convener of the Finance and Resource Committee, said: “I would like to thank the thousands of residents and businesses who took part in this open and democratic 11-week engagement and consultation process. A broad range of channels were used to ensure that everyone had the opportunity to have their say as an individual and or as a group to influence how the Council should invest and save money.
“The Council received five times more feedback through this year’s budget engagement and consultation than last year. The online planner was extremely successful and we ensured it was promoted to all age groups and people from all walks of life to help us understand more fully where Edinburgh residents think Council money should be invested and saved. We will be taking this success and working with people right through the year to develop a more participatory process throughout the city.
“The comments and the results of the budget planner are now being carefully considered along with all the other feedback we received. This will help us to make the right decisions for our residents now and in the future when setting our budget. I would encourage people to watch councillors making these important decisions for the city live, via our website, or catch up afterwards on the webcast archive.”
The budget for 2015/16 will be set at a meeting, which will be webcast, on Thursday 12 February.
