Sun shines down on Autumn Games

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More than four hundred and fifty P7s from eleven local schools took part in the Active Schools Autumn Games at Broughton High School today. The children took the opportunity to try out six different sports and there were prizes at the end for top school teams too.

Active Schools coordinator Robert Ure, who organised the event, explained: “The eleven primary schools who took part were Pirniehall and St Davids from the Craigroyston Cluster; Granton, Ferryhill, Flora Stevenson and Stockbridge from the Broughton Cluster; Trinity, Wardie and Victoria from the Trinity Cluster and Abbeyhill and Broughton from the Drummond Cluster.

“They are all P7 classes and I’d estimate we had between 450 – 500 pupils in attendance. The pupils competed in six different competitions – girl’s rugby, boy’s rugby, lacrosse (new this year), football, Tae Kwon Do and fencing – and the winners were presented with a shield to keep for a year.”

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Robert thanked the coaches and volunteers for their essential support in making the event such a success – and there was also a huge thank-you to the school children who took part: while the competition was spirited and enthusiastic, the young athletes were impeccably behaved and a credit to their schools throughout.

And the winners on the day?

Tae Kwon Do – Trinity

Boys Rugby – Wardie

Girls Rugby – Flora Stevenson

Fencing – St David’s

Football – Granton 

Lacrosse – Victoria

Congratulations to all the winners, but as we all know it’s not just about winning, it’s the taking part – so well done to all 450 young sports stars who helped to make the Autumn Games so special!

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More pictures on our Facebook page

 

 

 

 

 

 

News from Trinity Community Council

tromotyTrinity Community Council met on 12 January – these are some of the issues raised at the meeting:

Working with the neighbours

Twelve Neighbourhood Partnerships (NPs) cover Edinburgh. Trinity lies within Forth Neighbourhood Partnership. Peter Strong (Manager of Forth and Inverleith NPs) presented proposals to monitor City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) performance locally but first gave a broad description of how CEC’s organisation is planned to change.

NPs were set up by CEC to find better ways of planning and delivering services across the public sector – so only only CEC but also police, NHS and voluntary organisations such as community councils. Forth NP currently has direct responsibility for Services for Communities while other CEC services (e.g. education, health) remain centralised. Part of CEC’s latest organisational planning is to devolve further services across four localities to align with NHS, Police etc and make all more jointly answerable to local communities.

Monitoring is proposed based on the 4 key priorities in the Forth Local Community Plan. Of those, “Improve the way we engage with and support our communities” has the most developed local statistics. Local statistics need to be jointly developed for the others e.g. NHS Lothian is leading on “Healthy Lifestyles”. Monthly/quarterly statistics suggested to monitor “Improve the way we engage with and support our communities” include:

• Street Cleaning – random checks by Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) grade streets for litter, dog fouling etc. This will be supplemented by statistics on walkways.

• Refuse Collection – complaint volumes, by reason.

• Parks – grading versus standards and Green Flags.

• Council Houses – Time to let, repair speed and rent collection rates (though less relevant for Trinity)

• Roads & Transport– Officials are drawing up indicators

It was also agreed to maintain a rolling status update of all items identified during the annual TCC Walkabout.

Do you have thoughts about the information you would like to see about public services in our area? Let us know.

Contact in the Capital

You may have received a paper copy of the December North Edinburgh News (NEN). The final edition of this trial will be issued in February and decisions on its future taken thereafter. Do you have a view? Let us know.

East Trinity Road

CEC councillors are to be briefed on the results of the East Trinity Rd/Lower Granton Rd traffic study, following which the data should become available for discussion with TCC.

Proposed Sainsbury’s Local in Craighall Road

CEC Planning Committee undertook a visit to the site on 15 January and we expect a decision very shortly now.

Planning Application – 127 Trinity Road

Many will be aware of this application for 5 new town houses on the site of the disused car repair garage just off the lower end of Trinity Road. While the site needs development, we have concerns about the number of dwellings being fitted into the site, their height and access arrangements and are submitting an objection reflecting that.

North Edinburgh Transport Review?

Regular readers will know that we have been pushing for a North Edinburgh traffic and transport review given the extensive development since the previous review (2008), removal of trams to North Edinburgh from that plan, and the considerable housing/commercial development planned.

It is beginning to look like this might be getting somewhere as a meeting with the CEC Director of Transport has now been scheduled. We hope that this will consider the full range of ways to reduce congestion including car clubs, parking zones and the impact of the 20mph limit extension.

Fancy Improving Our Environment?

We have been asked by one resident if there might be interest in setting up an Improvement District which would fund enhancements to a specific amenity e.g. a park, over and above what CEC has responsibility for undertaking. It would involve a small annual contribution from all nearby residents if approved in a ballot.
What do you think?

New Trinity Community Council website

We’ve set up a new, uncluttered website at

https://trinitycommunitycouncil.wordpress.com/

Take a look – let us know what you think and how we might improve it.

Liz Grant

Sadly Liz Grant, a community councillor until very recently and former Chair of TCC, has passed away. Liz was a well known and loved face in our community and she will be missed for her contribution and easygoing personality. Her funeral was at Warriston on 15 January.

Next Trinity Community Council meeting will be held on Monday 9 February at 7pm in St Serfs Church Hall, Clark Road on the question of PARKING. Join us if you have something to say or simply want to listen.

Did you find this useful or informative? If so, why not show it to a neighbour? 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!

Victoria Park allotments? Drop-in and have your say

Edinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust (ELGT) and the City of Edinburgh Council propose to turn the bowling green furthest away from the club house in Victoria Park  into allotments.

A community consultation drop-in event will take place on Thursday (4 December) from 4 – 7pm in the Bowling Green Clubhouse. Go along to see what’s being proposed and air your views.

See below for details:

Victoria Park Allotments consultation Victoria Park

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Race attack on driver in Trinity

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Police are seeking help to find a group of young men following a racist attack on a driver in Trinity on Friday. The assault, which happened at 5.10pm in Cargil Terrace, left the 38-year-old victim with a serious facial injury.

The victim, who is originally from Zimbabwe, was first abused by the group, who were in another vehicle, and then attacked. The men are all described as being white, late teens to mid 20s and wearing jeans and casual clothing.

Police said the man had been driving his car on Granton Road when the men began shouting racist remarks from the other vehicle.

Both vehicles then travelled in the same direction into Cargil Terrace, where the altercation ended with the victim being assaulted in the street.

Det Sgt Mike Leask said: “The victim was first subjected to verbal abuse before being attacked and sustaining serious facial injuries.

“I would like to thank the witnesses that have assisted police with our inquiries and would urge any additional members of the public who witnessed the assault to contact police immediately and help us trace those responsible. In addition, anyone with any further information relevant to this investigation is also asked to get in touch.”

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Get on your bike for The Postcode Challenge

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Explore the North Edinburgh Cycleways with Edinburgh’s favourite treasure hunt on wheels!

What:   The Postcode Challenge, organised by The Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust and The Bike Station.  This is a fun, free ‘treasure hunt’ event for cyclists and walkers on the North Edinburgh Path Network, part of the Innertube project and funded by People’s Postcode Trust

Where: The North Edinburgh Cycleways (various entrances to the cycleway including at: Trinity Rd/Lower Granton Road; Ferry Road; Clark Road; Wardie Road; Hawthornvale; Pilton Drive; Scotland St)

When: Sunday 28th April 2013, 11am – 4pm

This coming Sunday is the third Postcode Challenge on the north Edinburgh paths, a fun, free event for cyclists and walkers, a ‘treasure hunt on wheels’ (and foot), with the chance to explore around 27km of continuous off-road routes and to enter into the prize draw at the same time.

Dotted around the network will be ten stands, run by local organisations. Find your first one (you can start anywhere on the route) and they will give you a card.  Get the card stamped at all ten locations (five if you are on foot) and bring it back to the event HQ at Fiveways Junction by 4pm to be entered into the free prize draw. As well as the main prizes, many of the stands may have freebies and presents to give away too and you’ll be able to get your bike fixed and have cycling advice from Hart’s Cyclery, Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op and The Bike Station stands.

The event is totally traffic free and great for all ages and everyone is welcome – you can take part on your own, as a family or as part of a team.

Participants can download further information here and a cyclist route map and stamp card here or if you are on foot, download the walkers’ version. Or just collect one at the first stand you find.

Look out for the following stalls on the route:

  1. The Bike Station – for bike repairs with Dr Bike
  2. Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust
  3. The Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop – check out their gorgeous new building!
  4. Pedal on Parliament
  5. Spokes
  6. Sustrans
  7. Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
  8. Harts Cyclery  – Bike repairs and advice
  9. My Edinburgh (MYDG)
  10. Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op  – Bike repairs and advice

We can’t tell you where each stand will be – but once you’ve found the first one, you’re away. If in doubt, head to Fiveways Junction, where people will point you in the right direction.

And thank you to the following for donating prizes: Spokes, the Bike Station, Harts Cyclery Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op and Green Yonder Tours

This event is part of the Innertube project, funded thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery and via the People’s Postcode Trust.

For further information, please contact Liz on 0771 265 1102 or email liz@elgt.org.uk

Download a printable version of the poster to help promote the Challenge.

You're never too young for the Postcode Cycle Challenge!
You’re never too young for the Postcode Cycle Challenge!

Council warns school placing requests ‘may not be met’

It’s often a worry for parents when their wee ones make the step up to ‘big’ school, but even more so for the parents who choose to send their child to a school outside their catchment area.  It’s not always possible to get a place at the school you’ve chosen for your child, and many face an anxious wait over the coming weeks …

The City of Edinburgh Council is warning parents who have applied for primary school places outwith their catchment that they may not be met due to the pressure of rising rolls.

A report to the Education, Children and Families Committee on Tuesday (5 March) will list the schools where placing requests may not be met.

The number of P1 registrations has increased by 3.5 per cent on last year to 4632 and the Council has received more than 700 placing requests so far for the next school year.

There has been a decrease in the number of these requests following a concerted campaign to encourage parents to learn more about their local catchment school and the benefits of their child attending there. This has led to a 15 per cent reduction on the number of requests received last year.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener, said: “Parents who have submitted a placing request should be prepared for the fact that they may not get the place they were hoping for and recent experience has been that appeals are unlikely to be successful. However, their child will be registered with their local catchment school and will start next August alongside other local children.

“Historically, Edinburgh has had a high rate of placing requests when compared with other parts of Scotland. However, since I became Convener of Education I have met a number of parents who faced similar situations in the last few years. Happily, they report things have worked out and that their local catchment school is providing very well for their child. I would encourage all parents who are thinking about placing requests to reconsider their catchment school and perhaps pay it a visit, as it is becoming clear many requests will be refused this year.”

To help ensure there are enough places for catchment children, planning permission has now been received for extra classrooms at three city primary schools – Wardie, Trinity and Granton, all of which need of more classroom space due to the large number of registrations. These extensions will be in place by August, and a planning application for new classes at Victoria Primary is also being considered.

A working group made up of parent, officer and school representatives has been set up to look at the challenges facing city schools in light of rising rolls and an increase in population.

WARDIE - extension agreed
WARDIE – extension agreed

Have your say on improving the Trinity area

Improving everyday life in Trinity – we need your views!

Trinity Priorities Event

Trinity Academy, Main Hall

Tuesday 5 February 2013

Drop in anytime between 5pm and 9pm

Refreshments provided

Forth Neighbourhood Partnership is holding a consultation event to get the views of Trinity residents on what they would like to see done to improve the Trinity area. We would like to encourage local residents to come along to Trinity Academy and give their views on what they think should be the priorities for action by the Neighbourhood Partnership in 2013/14.

They will also have an opportunity to see an exhibition on some of the improvements in the Trinity area funded by the Neighbourhood Environment Programme.

This will be an informal event where people can drop in at any time between 5pm and 9pm – Local Councillors, Trinity Community Councillors and officers from City of Edinburgh Council and Lothian & Borders Police will be available to answer questions.

For further information contact Forth Neigbourhood Partnership development officer Jim Pattison, telephone 529 5082 or email jim.pattison@edinburgh.gov.uk

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