Fairmilehead Community Council

Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday 10 April 2012 in Parish Church

Present: Dennis Williams (Chair); Louise Maguire (Vice Chair); Norman Tinlin (Secretary); Alison Elfick (Treasurer); Johanna Carrie; Barbara Dick (Buckstone Association); Richard Hinton; Pam Wight (St Fillans)

Ex Officio: Councillors Elaine Aitken and Jason Rust; Ian Murray MP

In Attendance: Inspector Stephen Dolan

14 members of the public

Apologies: Tom Strathdee; Councillor Eric Barry; PC Kenny Welsh; Brian Ralph; Mr & Mrs Taylor

1. Police Report Inspector Dolan presented his report as below. He also said that PC Welsh would hopefully return to work in a few weeks.

From 6 March to 10 April 2012 there have been 15 crimes recorded as having been committed in the Fairmilehead area.

Of these 15 crimes there have been:

• 3 Housebreakings to domestic properties • 2 Vandalisms to motor vehicles • 2 Vandalisms other • 3 Thefts from motor vehicles • 2 Thefts other • 2 minor assaults • 1 Culpable and Reckless Conduct

There were 4 vehicle accidents reported this month.

There were 98 calls in total to the Fairmilehead/Swanston area of which 35% refered to youth calls. This is a reduction of 15 when compared to the 113 calls received during the same period last year.

Crimes of note throughout this period

• 31/03/12 – 05/04/12 Theft HB - Buckstone Circle. A screwdriver or similar was used to force open the rear door of the property. Entry was gained and the property was searched, a few items were stolen. The occupiers were on holiday at the time of the breakin. • 04/04/12-05/04/12 Theft HB - Buckstone Rise. A tool had been used to force open the back door of the property. The property was searched and items taken. Again the occupiers were on holiday. • 04/0412 Theft HB - Buckstone Close. A rear patio window had been smashed and the door opened as the key was in the lock, property entered and items stolen. • 07/03/12 - Swanston Avenue. There was a bogus workman call whereby a male offered to do some roof work for an elderly male. Luckily the daughter of the owner managed to intervene before any money had exchanged hands.

PC Jim Gillanders was the full time Liaison Officer for High School. This initiative has now been expanded to all high schools in the city.

One of the priorities from the Community Safety sub-group was how to engage with youth in the area. One of the initiatives was a youth forum for the area and the other a “blue light” disco. This was due to be held on 4 May in St Fillans but was on hold due to the uncertainly over events licences under the new legislation.

2. Minute Of Meeting Held On 6 March 2012

These were approved by the meeting.

Matters Arising: a) 28 Frogston Road West Cllr Aitken reported that despite the objections and her attendance at the Development Management Sub Committee when she had talked against the application, the Committee had granted permission for the change of use to a nursery at this location. Further details in her report below. However before it could operate as a nursery it would require to be approved by the Care Inspectorate. Further details b) Winton Gardens Planning Application The Secretary reported that the previous Wednesday he had attended the Development Management Sub Committee hearing on behalf of the Community Council to put forward the objections to the proposed Miller’s development. Cllrs Aitken and Barry had also talked to their objections along with Richard Playfair representing the Friends of Winton Woods.

The Committee unanimously voted to reject the application

A précis of the arguments can be found at: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/35380/minute_4_april_2012 c) Scottish Water Grant Proposals The Secretary proposed that the grant be allocated as follows: Approximately £600 for the purchase and erection of a notice board at Fairmilehead shops and the remainder split between Buckstone Youth project; 114 Morningside Scouts and Cub Scouts; and Fairmilehead District Guides.

After discussion this was agreed by the meeting and the Secretary was to make the necessary arrangements. d) Fairmilehead Pond and Springheads Cllr Aitken gave a brief update. Scottish Water were assessing the maintenance required for the refurbishment of the wellheads. A request had been submitted through Craig Dunlop, the Parks Officer, for the pond to be relined to overcome the problem of the water draining away. e) 226 Braid Road The Secretary reported the Planning Department were not going to take enforcement action in respect of the lack of wooden gates at the locus. Although this had been a condition of the recent planning permission it was felt to be unenforceable due to the requirement for an amendment to the parking bays.

3. Correspondence a) CEC Liaison Officer – Community Council News b) CEC Liaison Officer – Council elections postponed until October 2013 c) CEC Liaison Officer – Notification of Scottish Government consultations on Planning Reform d) CEC Planning Department – Letter and booklet on update to Development Plan Scheme e) Licensing Department – List of applications for April 2012 Board meeting (None in area) f) City Development – Proposals for DYLs Fairmile Avenue/ Road (Meeting suggested should be in Oxgangs Road from crossroads to nursery instead) g) Friends of the Braid hills – Notice of initial meeting (On noticeboard) h) Marie Curie Fashion Show 22 April at Matalans, Road (On noticeboard) i) Tryst Quilters – Coffee morning 27 April at Pentland Community Centre (On noticeboard) j) Transition – Open meeting 12 May at St Johns Church, West End k) NHS Lothian – Health Link newspaper – Spring 2012 edition

4. Councillors’ Reports Cllr Rust reported as follows: • There were problems with issuing public entertainment licenses as a result of the new legislation • Problems with the trees in Swanston Park had been passed on to the appropriate department • Problems with uneven pavement outside Buckstone Terrace shops have been reported • John Spence at the Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre is retiring and talks are being held regarding the way forward for the Centre. • The 108th Pentland scouts were awarded a grant from the Community grants Fund for tents and tables • The MOD Review is ongoing and is expected in early May • The next public meeting of the Pentlands Neighbourhood Partnership has been moved to 30 May at Primary School • He had just received a complaint that there were no on some routes on Good Friday. He will pass this onto Bill Campbell of Lothian Buses.

Cllr Aitken reported as follows: • At the Scottish Grocers Awards on 15 March, Dennis and Linda Williams received the Industry Achievement Award, which is the highest award, and is in recognition of their influence on 's Independent grocery trade. The Broadway Convenience Store also won the Community Champion and Social Responsibility awards • She had a walk down Cockmylane recently because of reports of increased dog fouling again. She also had a look at Wellhouse which, she is sad to report was not looking at its best. She contacted Bill Elliot and asked him to speed up the refurbishment works. She also requested a refuse bin again which will be installed soon. • She convened the 2nd Youth Engagement meeting on 21st March in Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre, attended by representatives from the police, local youth groups and community centres, CLD and the local Councillors and MSP. Two “blue light” discos have been organised in Buckstone and with the next to be in Firrhill/Oxgangs. An issue has arisen concerning the need for a licence for these events. A date is still to be agreed for the football tournament in Colinton Mains Park. • Bear Scotland has resurfaced part of the A702 but the road markings at the cul de sac have not been replaced. She has had a number of email exchanges with technicians at Bear Scotland and a review of traffic flow and markings will be done when the roadworks are finished. Hopefully, the markings will be replaced. • Boroughmuir - the consultation meetings have all now taken place. The report with the recommended option will go to Full Council on 29th June. • Amended TRO round Buckstone school - A number of objections were lodged, mainly about the extent of the double yellow lines. She has had a meeting with our Area Roads Manager and he suggested altering some of the lines to time limited single yellow lines. She has discussed this with the Head Teacher and some of the objectors, all of whom are content that the proposals should help ensuring good sightlines and safer routes for pupils. • Following a request by a resident, she monitored parking at Buckstone Lea one morning and afternoon. Parents were parking on the private land at the top of the Lea. Although the Council has no jurisdiction here, she has suggested that the “Private Parking” sign is faded and might need to be repainted to reinforce the message. She was impressed by the number of pupils and parents walking to school. The weather was warm and sunny which might have helped so she intends to return when the school resumes and the weather is not as clement. • Refuse Collection in the roads near Buckstone Primary School – despite earlier complaints, this happened again just before the Easter Break. Once again, a local resident and she insisted that this be stopped. She has been assured that all refuse staff involved have been advised of the necessary steps to take to avoid this route at times when pupils will be walking to or from school. • She received complaints about the gate at the Buckstone Howe field and stray footballs causing problems for the neighbouring properties. A site visit took place on Tuesday 20 April. The stop bolt for the gate is currently ineffective and will be repaired. The issue regarding erecting high level fencing at the south end of the ground is likely to cost in excess of 50k and a low cost option is now being sought. • The last Fairmilehead Walkabout was round Swanston and a number of potholes, blocked drains, poor footpaths were noted for attention. • The Head Teacher at Pentland Primary School, Mrs Pam Mackay, is retiring this summer. • She helped at a Family Breakfast at Colinton Primary School. It was well attended and fostered a warm community spirit, especially important now that 3-Rifles are on deployment. • She had also helped at three Community Safety Events at Tesco, Scotmid and Asda stores. We made shoppers aware of increased break ins to garden sheds and garages and offered shed alarms for sale. • 28 Frogston Road West – She had attended the Planning Committee meeting to seek refusal again. She briefly mentioned the issues she'd raised last time and spoke on the figures from her surveys at Winton Drive and Morton Mains Nursery. She also mentioned the difficulties yesterday as a result of a problem on the bypass. Unfortunately, the councillor who had attended the site visit thought it was an ideal place for a nursery, as did the Convenor. Even though she'd highlighted the noise problem and all the traffic and parking problems, it went to a vote. 5 councillors supported the amendment to refuse, proposed and seconded by her Conservative colleagues, but 8 councillors voted in favour to grant. This is so disappointing and will cause serious traffic problems on Winton Drive • Morton Mains - The application for the development of 15 houses behind Winton Gardens was considered at a hearing by the Development Management Committee. The Secretary of Fairmilehead Community Council, Richard Playfair, representing residents and the Winton Loan Woodland Trust, Cllr Barry and herself made submissions, as did the applicants. The Committee's decision to refuse the application was unanimous. The applicants can now appeal. • Fairmilehead Pond – She looking at funding options for any works which could be carried out to reline and replenish the pond.

Cllr Barry submitted the following written report: • Youth development plan for the area started. He was tasked with finding out about skate board displays with the idea of promoting a skateboard park in front of Pentland Community Centre. Unfortunately he missed reporting back on this because of a meeting (below) about the Good Companions development ran on much more than he had expected. • Police Community safety drive at Tesco. Elaine and himself were handing out leaflets of shed security. Personal Alarms at £4 and shed alarms at £10 are available at Oxgangs Police Station • Winton Planning application: Excellent news, it was rejected unanimously by the committee. Four of us went up to the committee to put the case against the development and for once the big money of the developers failed, at this hurdle. • Good Companions planning application to build 16 bedsits on the upper floor. Firrhill Community Council had lodged an objection and he did the same to ensure the application comes before the committee. He met with the applicant and owner, Philip Marinello to discuss our concerns at there being no communal association space. There is a kitchen but no place to eat any meal you cook except your very small bedsit. We were concerned that the public bar below would become the association space. He has asked Mr Marinello to go back to his architect and come up with an amenity area, if necessary at the cost of one bedsit. • There is a need for this sort of accommodation because there are many middle aged single and divorcing men sleeping on elderly parents settees because they cannot get affordable rental houses. • The Licensing Board is having a crackdown on off-sales license applications. There are real health concerns about cheap booze from supermarkets fuelling a massive increase in alcohol health problems. True to form the application by a small trader for a little shop at Dalry was restricted to sales of just imported beer while the application for a Tesco half a mile away sailed through. Sainsbury’s have applied for a license for the B&Q site at Longstone and wanted 600 metres of alcohol display. That is a shelf stretching from the church to the doctor’s surgery. He fought this and got them to agree to reducing it to 380 metres (still too much) but when the revised plans came back they were still well in excess of 380. “Oops a mistake by our architects”. Sadly it is a crackdown on the little guys but not the multinationals with their banks of lawyers. • Fairmilehead traffic lights have been causing a lot of concerns and not just the current overrunning road works. He has asked the Roads Department to survey the traffic flow once it returns to its normal congestion to look at ways of making it flow better - like putting in an extra right turning lane for traffic coming out of Edinburgh and turning right onto Oxgangs Road. • He attended the retiral lunch of the latest Firemaster, the second one in two years. He has concerns that because the fatal accident enquiry is taking so long to conclude on the death of Euan Williamson that there will be no one left to answer for any responsibilities and deficiencies found. Rather too reminiscent of the Yes Prime Minister episode “A Real Partnership”. As Sir Humphrey would say you need a Royal Commission if you want to ensure that the truth never comes out. We’re getting close with this enquiry’s three years, two since they stopped taking witnesses evidence. • Sorry he was not able be present tonight. It is the AGM of Curling Club and he felt he should go to that because he was being proposed as Vice-president. Otherwise he would have been happy to tell us about the discussions he has been having with a company who are offering to build the rest of the tram line at No Cost to the council tax payer. If it happens he will start believing in Santa Claus.

Ian Murray MP reported as follows: • Commented on the Winton planning application refusal and how developers were trying to nibble away at the green belt especially in south Edinburgh. • Congratulated Dennis Williams on his recent awards. • Visit to Cranley Nursery, a local business • Mentioned the STV Local recent event where local organisations and others had been invited.r • Is a Shadow Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills and has a responsibility for postal and consumer affairs. • Received in excess of 700 e-mails per day into his office

5. Pentlands Neighbourhood Partnership The Secretary reported on: • The recent Funding Panel meeting where grants of £10,095 had been awarded. This left £4 balance at the end of the financial year. • The Neighbourhood Manager, Mike Avery, was looking at the large amount of green space within the partnership area and how it is maintained in view of the severe budget constraints. Areas may be treated differently in the future such as habitat corridors, ground cover and trees to reduce grass maintenance. Small parcels of land may also be looked after by the community. • As Chair of the Health Sub Group, he brought the meetings attention to the healthy eating initiative which was part of the Neighbourhood Action Plan. Free courses were available to individuals and organisations on Food and Health; Training for Trainers and Food Hygiene.

6. Planning and Environment a) Fairmile Inn Details of the proposals can be found at: https://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/idoxpa- web/simpleSearchResults.do;jsessionid=577A76C4C476B8F7AD3F4F8AE5260AB8?action =firstPage

After discussion the meeting decided to support this innovative and eco friendly design for a mixed use development to include retail, offices, cafe/restaurant and ancillary workshop with adjoining residential flats to replace the Fairmile Inn. b) Planning Reform The Secretary informed the meeting of various consultation documents that had just been published relating to the next steps in planning reform. Details can be found under Get Involved/Consutlations at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/planning/reform c) Street Names In view of developers having been selected for the Scottish Water site the Secretary said that we should think of some likely street names, preferably with local connections, so that they can be added to the name bank.

7. Transport The Secretary reported that four large planters had been installed on the broad pavement opposite the shops at Buckstone Terrace. They had been supplied filled with plants and would hopefully stop vehicles parking there.

8. Youth Report Margaret Walker reported on: • Blue light Disco and its postponement until licensing issue resolved. • The STV Local event. • During the summer months the project would meet every second Thursday at the field • The Youth Club is continuing to the end of June instead of ending in March • £700 received so far by persons donating through the Buckstone Association • In May a visiting group of youths were coming over from the Netherlands.

9. AOCB Cllr Aitken said that there would be testing boring being undertaken on the Scottish Water site during the coming week. She would also pass the contact details for the Cala representative to the Secretary so that they could be invited to the June meeting.

Johanna Carrie informed the meeting that Transition Edinburgh Pentlands would be in Oxgangs Library on 21 April when they would be discussing growing your own food.

10. Date Of Next Meeting This was arranged for Tuesday 1 May 2012 in Fairmilehead Parish Church.

Forthcoming Meetings: Tuesday 5 June 2012 Tuesday 4 September 2012 Tuesday 2 October 2012

Contacts: e-mail: [email protected] Website: : www.fairmileheadcc.org.uk