Notice of Meeting and Agenda

Minutes Item No 4.1 The City of Edinburgh Council Edinburgh, Thursday 22 September 2016 Present:- DEPUTE CONVENER Steve Cardownie COUNCILLORS Elaine Aitken Sandy Howat Robert C Aldridge Allan G Jackson Norma Austin Hart Karen Keil Nigel Bagshaw David Key Gavin Barrie Richard Lewis Angela Blacklock Alex Lunn Chas Booth Melanie Main Mike Bridgman Mark McInnes Steve Burgess Adam McVey Andrew Burns Eric Milligan Ronald Cairns Joanna Mowat Maureen M Child Gordon J Munro Bill Cook Jim Orr Nick Cook Lindsay Paterson Gavin Corbett Ian Perry Cammy Day Alasdair Rankin Denis C Dixon Vicki Redpath Marion Donaldson Lewis Ritchie Paul G Edie Keith Robson Catherine Fullerton Cameron Rose Nick Gardner Frank Ross Joan Griffiths Jason G Rust Paul Godzik Alastair Shields Bill Henderson Stefan Tymkewycz Ricky Henderson David Walker Dominic R C Heslop Iain Whyte Lesley Hinds Norman Work 1. Minutes Decision To approve the minute of the Council of 25 August 2016 as a correct record. 2. Questions The questions put by members to this meeting, written answers and supplementary questions and answers are contained in Appendix 1 to this minute. 3 Leader’s Report The Leader presented his report to the Council. The Leader commented on: 2016 Olympics and Paralympics successes - celebrations Community Council Elections – nomination period Waste collections The following questions/comments were made: Councillor Rose - 2016 Olympics and Paralympic celebrations - Keeping Edinburgh Clean – increased recycling Councillor Burgess - Missed and overflowing bins - Scottish Government plans for local government tax reform Councillor Aldridge - Refuse collection – action plan Councillor Nick Cook - Waste collection services – task and finish Councillor Shields - Refuse collection and air quality - complaints Councillor Booth - Royal Yacht Britannia – opposition to campaign to recommission Councillor Jackson - Bin collection complaints – misleading figures Councillor Ritche - Loch Ness Marathon - Cold calling zones – door to door election campaigners – distinction between the two Councillor Main - Peace Vigil – Edinburgh Central Mosque Mulsim Womens Association of Edinburgh – Support The City of Edinburgh Council – 22 September 2016 Page 2 of 90 Councillor Munro - EICC - 11th Autism Europe international Congress - Autism Award 4. Appointments to Outside Organisations The Council had made appointments to outside organisations for 2012-2017. A nomination had been received for Councillor Bridgman to serve as a community director of Parc (Craigmillar) Ltd. Decision To appointment Councillor Bridgman as a community director of Parc Craigmillar. (References – Act of Council No 2 of 24 May 2012; report by the Chief Executive, submitted) 5 Locality Improvement Plans 2017-2022 A new Council Corporate and Local Strategic Planning framework had been developed in 2015 with the launch of the Council Business Plan. Details were provided on a proposed approach to develop Locality Improvement Plans which would build upon previous work undertaken to develop Neighbourhood Partnership Local Community Plans. Decision 1) To agree to arrangements for the development of Locality Improvement Plans, as identified at Appendix 1 of the report by the Executive Director of Place, and that this report be referred to all 12 Neighbourhood Partnerships, and the Communities and Neighbourhoods and Corporate Policy and Strategy Committees for their information. 2) To note that following the Local Government Elections, Members would wish to consider whether new governance arrangements were required to ensure input of local members. (Reference – report by the Executive Director of Place, submitted.) 6. Energy for Edinburgh – Board of Directors - Appointment The Council had approved the establishment of Energy for Edinburgh (ESCO). Details were provided on the recruitment process and proposed appointments of the Board of Directors to the company. Decision The City of Edinburgh Council – 22 September 2016 Page 3 of 90 1) To approve the appointment of Councillor Booth to the Board of Directors to Energy for Edinburgh. 2) To approve the appointment of five external board members as detailed in the report by the Executive Director of Place. (References – Act of Council No 9 of 10 March 2016; report by the Executive Director of Place, submitted.) 7. Conference Invitation – “Local Government: Leading Reform” – COSLA and Improvement Service Annual Conference and Exhibition 2016 Details were provided on an invitation for the Council to nominate delegates to attend the COSLA and Improvement Service Annual Conference and Exhibition to be held at Crieff Hydro Hotel, Perthshire on 6-7 October 2016. Decision 1) To approve the attendance of 2 Labour, 2 SNP, 1 Conservative and 1 Green Group member at the COSLA and Improvement Service Annual Conference and Exhibition. 2) To note that Edinburgh City Libraries Visibly Impaired People (VIP) Service had been shortlisted in the COSLA Excellence Awards 2016. (Reference – report by the Chief Executive, submitted.) The City of Edinburgh Council – 22 September 2016 Page 4 of 90 Appendix 1 (As referred to in Act of Council No 2 of 22 September 2016) QUESTION NO 1 By Councillor Mowat for answer by the Convener of the Transport and Environment Committee at a meeting of the Council on 22 September 2016 Question Please provide details of when and where weed spraying was carried out in the City in calendar year 2016 and which areas were sprayed. Answer The attached spreadsheet provides details of street name, dates sprayed and locality. Supplementary (1) Thank you for the response to this. It was a bit of time in Question coming and I’m not sure how illuminating it is because I was very surprised when I read through the spreadsheet that both the Royal Mile, to take two streets, there are quite a lot of pages here and you’ll be glad I won’t go through them in detail, but both the Royal Mile and Drummond Place were treated for weeds on the same day. Now if you were to walk down the Royal Mile you would find that the weed treatment was quite effective on the 2nd June 2016 however if you went to Drummond Place the weed treatment seems to have been totally ineffective for it is green. Does the Convener have any answer as to why our weed spraying regime is effective in one area but completely ineffective in another area and have we audited this to ensure that what is carried out, because I can see from these figures, I can see no explanation as to why it worked in one place but there are other areas of the City which seem to be having a greening of the streets going on. Supplementary (1) You really can’t win Councillor Mowat. I offer to give you all Answer the information a week after the last Council meeting and you said it was perfectly acceptable to bring it to this Council meeting so that’s your request not mine, so really you can’t win. I’m not going to make comments about individual streets as you said or we could be here all day. The City of Edinburgh Council – 22 September 2016 Page 5 of 90 You asked for the information and you got the information. At the moment and following the transformation, at the moment weed control is done on an area basis and as you say some of it is done in some streets some in a different way. The officers and management have agreed that weed control is the responsibility of parks, greenspace and cemetaries and that will be done in partnership with the waste and cleansing and locality colleagues. The operational plans will be developed in the next few months to create a city-wide approach to control, and I’m sure that if you’re interested we’d be glad to send that to you as well. This will include mechanical, chemical and cultural methods of control across roads, streets, walkways and cycleways, parks and other green spaces. You will be aware, I’m sure, there’s been an issue regarding some of the uses, and I’m not going to try to pronounce the name of the weed control, and this will be submitted to the Transport and Environment Committee following trials of alternative methods of control during summer 2016. We recognise there’s a real challenge with some of the chemicals we can use in our streets as you will be aware I’m sure and therefore we are looking at other methods to be able to do that and that will be reported back to Transport and Environment Committee. So I can give you an assurance that this has been taken on a city-wide basis so that we have a common way of getting rid of weeds throughout the City. Supplementary (2) I’m confused. You seem to say it’s being done on a locality Question basis and a city-wide basis, so is it being done on a locality basis or a city-wide basis and also my original question was are you surprised to see that two streets that were sprayed on the same day and treated the same day have a completely different response to that and is there a problem with the effectiveness so far. But I thank the Convener for the further answer about things going forward. Supplementary (2) Okay I thought I was being quite clear, obviously maybe I’ve Answer had my ears cleared out so maybe you need yours Jo. The City of Edinburgh Council – 22 September 2016 Page 6 of 90 I thought I was being quite clear, it’s being done on a locality basis at the moment, the officers recognise this is not seen as being consistant throughout the City so they have been recommending we make it a central process, but obviously you have to consult with localities etc, I’ve been very clear, I thought I was clear, it’s a responsibility that will be done by parks, greenspace and cemetaries that will be the process.

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