Edinburgh Councillor blogs – Councillor Maureen Child

August 14, 2015 10:05 am

New pigeon netting is due to go back on Brighton Place/Southfield Place Bridge to keep the pesky pooping pigeons away after Network Rail have inspected the bridge and make sure they don’t have to go in and run any new netting. That is due to happen mid August and the Council can replace their damaged netting soon after – if all goes according to plan….

This weekend, make your bicycle more secure. Sunday 16 August, the local police will be on Portobello Promenade 11am – 1pm for – Bike Marking

Next weekend is the last Scottish Beach Volleyball event of the year in Portobello, of course – where else?!

Proposals for development of housing, a park and new primary school at Edmonstone Estate Public Exhibition – Tuesday 18^thAugust, 3.30pm to 7.30pm, Hays Business Centre, Hays Avenue Proposals have been put forward by Sheratan Ltd to deliver housing, a new primary school and parkland at Edmonstone Estate, situated at Little France. The land is in the Green Belt. The Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) that came to Committee on Wednesday – mysteriously – did not mention a new Primary School. At Committee alongside the PAN for this development was a PAN from the Council in conjunction with Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT) for parkland, no houses. At Committee, I asked for the two ‘competing’ developments to be considered alongside each other and – if possible – some consultation to be parallel as well. We should also know more about how each project is to be achieved financially. Craigmillar Community Council should also be offered support to help consult as widely as possible with the community. It will be of interest more widely in East Edinburgh and beyond, no doubt. Links to the two PANs are here: Sheraton Ltd http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/47797/item_95_-_old_dalkeith_road_-_15_03214_pan and the Council/ELGT application: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/47795/item_94_-_old_dalkeith_road_-_15_03231_pan

Usefully, Portobello Community Council have put up on their website a summary of Planning Applications and Decisions for week commencing 10 August 2015. Click here: Portobello Community Council

On behalf of the Council, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT) is gathering ideas, suggestions and thoughts about the design and layout of the new park on the site of the current Portobello High School and will be built alongside a new St John’s Primary School. and will running consultation sessions across the Portobello & Craigmillar and the Craigentinny & Duddingston Neighbourhood Partnership areas. They aim to reach as wide a cross section of the community as possible, and to gather all the thoughts and ideas of what the new park might look like and contain. Some of these events and activities are already planned, but you would like to arrange an event, or for ELGT to attend a community event or meeting, please do not hesitate get in touch. As we go along, we will be promoting the events that we will be attending, and how everyone can get involved. We will be sending out periodic emails, but you can also follow us on Twitter, on Facebook and by signing up to follow the website so that you are automatically notified of new content and news.

The new park’s website is: http://newparkforeh15.com/

The Twitter account is: @EH15_NewPark

The Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/newparkEH15?ref=hl

No matter how people take part, ELGT will ensure that every suggestion and idea is logged and taken on board – there will be a chance to look at some draft final designs and have your say before a final design is chosen. Hopefully it will be a busy few months – please do not hesitate to contact us, especially with regards ensuring that as many people as possible have the opportunity to take part. Any feedback is gladly received.

The John Muir Trust has a fab new website. Click here.

The latest Clean Up Scotland newsletter is available here: www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/media/782617/Clean-Up-Scotland-Newsletter-July-2015.pdf. If you have any stories or pictures which you would like to feature in their next newsletter please do not hesitate to send them in.

Porty Youth Theatre have taken their show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and got a good review. See here: Alice in Wonderland Review

Portobello resident and jazz musician, Dick Lee is also performing in the Fringe Festival including four shows at Venue 67, Valvona and Crolla’s Little Theatre at 19 Elm Row. Tickets are available from the Fringe Box Office and also Valvona and Crolla’s Box Office (0131 556 7800). More here: http://www.dicklee.org.uk/

The Big Beach Busk takes place next weekend. Details here: Big Beach Busk You can get a poster from Skylark on Porty High Street and help spread the word.

You can find out how castles were built in a fringe event next weekend run by Historic Scotland at Craigmillar Castle, a whole day of activities on 29 August: Craigmillar Castle Event

Consultation on revised Developer Contributions and Affordable Housing Guidance The Second Proposed Local Development Plan (LDP June 2014) sets out a new approach to developer contributions and the delivery of infrastructure linked closely with the second proposed Action Programme (Updated May 2105). The Action Programme sets out the infrastructure, including education, transport, and greenspace actions, required to help mitigate the impact of strategic and planned growth and to deliver the proposals identified within the Plan. Policies Del1 (Developer Contributions) and Del2 (Retrospective Developer Contributions) of the Second Proposed Plan require developer contributions from any development if:

It will have a net impact on infrastructure capacity; and
It is necessary to mitigate that impact by providing additional capacity or otherwise improving existing infrastructure.

To support this new approach, planning guidance on how the Council collects Developer Contributions and the approach to Affordable Housing has been updated.

A questionnaire has been provided on the Consultation Hub – here, to guide you through the proposed changes.

Responses to this consultation should be provided by Friday 25 September 2015.

If you have any queries regarding the consultation or the guidance please contact Kate Hopper on 0131 529 6232 or via email kate.hopper@edinburgh.gov.uk

The Scottish Government is consulting on how our coastlines should be managed. Scotland’s first National Marine Plan provides a framework for sustainable management of our valuable marine resource, ensuring that we all continue to benefit from it in future. Marine Scotland, the directorate of Scottish Government with responsibility for integrated management of Scotland’s seas, has identified a lack of essential information about how people use the sea for recreation and tourism. This survey aims to change that. See here: Marine Recreation and Tourism Survey

There will be a training event on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2016 Roadshow across Scotland and we have one in The White House, Craigmillar. More here : SIMD16 Event

A plug for our wonderful Portobello Citizens Advice Bureau 8a&b, Bath Street, EH15 1EY Telephone: 0131 669 9503 Please note that we cannot guarantee to see everyone at drop in sessions so we operate the sessions on a first come, first served basis. Please arrive as early as possible for the drop in sessions on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, as we fill up very quickly and may not be able to see you. Opening Hours Monday 9.30 – 16.30 (Appointment Only) Tuesday 9.30 – 12.30 (Drop In) 12.30 – 16.30 (Appointment Only) Wednesday 9.30 – 16.30 (Appointment Only) 18.30 – 19.30 (Evening session is on alternate weeks) Thursday 9.30 – 12.30 (Drop In) 12.30 – 16.30 (Appointment Only) Friday 9.30 – 16.30 (Appointment Only). More here: CAB Info

Are you living in Edinburgh and are struggling financially? Or maybe someone you know? The Edinburgh Trust might be able to help you.

Fifteen days to go and almost half way there with crowd funding bat boxes with the Friends of Figgate Park. Bats are cute, they eat insects like midges, and they need good places to roost and raise their young. Bat Box Fund

The Council recently updated the website so you can also find your bin days, request a replacement bin, request a special uplift and find more information on waste and recycling services. You can also Pay, Report and Request services on the website whenever, and wherever, you are. This makes the Council more accessible to you, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They have made it easier for you to get in touch, to respond to requests faster. If it is an emergency, then please contact 0131 529 3030. You might be asked for your date of birth, which some find strange and intrusive. You don’t have to give it, but here’s the explanation I have for why they are asking: “The reason we’re asking for customers date of birth is to help us establish a unique identifier which will allow us to link customers records across the various customer databases we hold. This helps us build a single view of the customer which will help the customer view their own information on line and help us offer an improved service to the customer as our Customer Service Advisers (CSA) will see a complete picture of the customers interactions with us. In the future it will also allow us to develop proactive services that will be tailored to that customers needs and circumstances. If the customer registers for our on line services through MyGovAccount, this type of information is gathered during registration and there is no need to ask for it again on future on line contacts as they will be given a user id and password which serves as their unique identifier. Our CSA’s work to a script (below) and explain to the customer why we are asking for the information, they also explain that it is not compulsory for the customer to provide their d.o.b. if they do not wish to do so. ”The City of Edinburgh Council is adding new features to its website which will allow citizens to access their records online. In order to do this we require you to provide us with additional information such as your date of birth. Providing this information is optional and in doing so will enable will enable you to interact electronically with the council”

A preview of the Art Walk Porty 3-6 September Programme

Have a good weekend. I’m off to the Big Summer Bash at the Jack Kane Centre and the opening of the fabulous Garden Globe Project at 1pm – the community garden there. Rain, rain, – GO AWAY!

Best wishes

Maureen