Drylaw Telford Community Council – Page 2 – The NEN

Drylaw Telford Community Council meets tonight

WEDNESDAY 22 MARCH at 7pm in DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

Drylaw & Telford residents to have their say on local parks and green spaces

Dylaw and Telford Community Council is delighted to announce that funding has been secured to carry out a community wide consultation to seek the views of local people on what can be done to improve the greenspaces in our area.

This work will build on a previous consultation carried out more than 15 years ago which saw more than £500,000 worth of investment in improving local open spaces.

The £5,000 funding from the Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership’s Community Grants Fund will enable the community council to work with Edinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust (ELGT) again on this exciting project.

Over the next few months there will be a wide range of opportunities for local people to give their views on what could be done to improve some of the open spaces in our area.

Community Council Chairperson, Jimmy Galloway, said: “We are very fortunate in our area to have some great big parks and open spaces for locals to use. These areas are busy and well used and it is now time to see what else could be done to make them even better.

“This consultation will ensure everyone within the community gets the opportunity to give us feedback. That could be by completing an online survey or attending one of the many events that will be taking place.

“We are really looking forward to getting started in the coming weeks and I certainly can’t wait to see the results.

“We are working with the Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust on this – they have worked with us in the past and have a great knowledge of the area and a proven track record of delivering projects.”

Charlie Cumming, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to be working with Drylaw and Telford community Council again to help develop plans to improve the local greenspaces.

“There are many opportunities to help make the area greener and more biodiverse which will mitigate against climate change. The aim being to create a great place for future generations and to encourage greater use of the greenspaces for local families.”

Drylaw Telford CC meets tonight

Drylaw Telford Community Council meets tonight (Wednesday 25th January) in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre at 7pm. All welcome.

AGENDA

Welcome & Apologies
Declarations of Interest
Minutes of Last Meeting
Chair Report
Secretary Report
Police Report
Treasurer Report
Councillors Report
Update on DNC
Open Space Consultation
Any other business?

Date of next meeting 22^nd February 2023

Telford trolley dump!

LOCAL MSP & COUNCILLOR TAKE SHOPS TO TASK OVER TROLLEY DUMPING

Edinburgh Central MSP, Angus Robertson, and Inverleith ward councillor, Vicky Nicolson, have demanded Craigleith shops take action to prevent trolley dumping in local green spaces.

Trolleys from a range of shops at Craigleith Retail Park are being lifted and dumped around the local area, chiefly Telford Park and its adjoining cycle paths.

The phenomenon of trolley dumping has increased in line with the retail park’s expansion. Local resident, Audrey Rollason, is so frustrated, she has taken to gathering trolleys in her own garden and liaising with her SNP councillor to have them picked up.

Another resident Andrea, and her 9-year-old son Dylan, have also spent significant amounts of time shifting trolleys from parks and gardens. Andrea branded the trolley dumping practice ‘a disgrace’.

Now, local MSP Angus Robertson and Councillor Vicky Nicolson have stepped in to demand retailers do their bit to end trolley dumping.

Angus Robertson MSP commented: “It is totally unacceptable that Telford residents face the dumping of trolleys in local green spaces and in parks. Not only is it a disrespect to the local area, it is costing local residents and the Council time and money having to collect them.

“While it is not retailers’ fault that trollies are being lifted in the first place, it is time that they step up to help solve this issue. We know there are tried and tested ways of reducing trolly dumping.

“Other retail parks have developed various solutions, such as wheel-locking systems to stop initial removal or, in some cases, retailers actively collect the lifted trolleys from the local area. Councillor Nicolson and I have asked retailers to consider all options to help stop the trolley dumping.”

Councillor Vicky Nicolson said: “Trolly dumping is something I am acutely aware of in my ward. Indeed, on the regular community litter picks I arrange along with Drylaw Telford Community Council in the summer, we often find trolleys strewn about the place.

“It is deeply frustrating for residents, who should not have to waste their time solving this problem themselves. Local MSP Angus Robertson and I have written to the Craigleith retail park to ask them to take action to help prevent and tidy up dumped trolleys. We will continue to liaise with and represent the views of locals to tackle this issue.”

Resident Audrey Rollason said: “Trolley dumping has got worse and worse in the Telford area. I constantly find trolleys around the place, and often new ones appear in a period of hours. It is absolutely demoralising and makes our local area look run down and unwelcoming.

“I want the shops to do their bit to help – it shouldn’t be up to me and other local residents to gather their trolleys for them. I’m grateful to Councillor Nicolson and Angus Roberson MSP for helping us and I hope we can end trolley dumping once and for all.”