Community Councils provide a forum for local people to engage with and work for their local community. We hold a meeting in most months of the year and these meetings are public, so you are very welcome to attend to find out about what is happening in your local area. The meetings are held in the Nelson Room of McDonald Road library at 7.30pm on the third Monday of every month. Dates for the meetings for 2012 are: January 16th, February 20th, March 19th, May 14th AGM, June 18th, No meeting in July, August 20th, September 24th, October 15th, November 19th, December 17th.
The Walk struggles to keep up appearances
LOVERS of Leith Walk will need more tolerance towards her dowdy look as a makeover won’t be happening in the short term. A major stumbling block to her revamp still remains. What some would call her bete noir, the tram, still lurks in the shadows.
Neighbourhood Manager for City Centre and Leith, Mike Penny, admits that the cards for a link to Newhaven are still on the table. “While it’s definite that the tram is going to St. Andrew Square, it is still said that the route could go right to Newhaven,” he said. “Thus anything significant needs that final determination. We have to wait for that. We have to hold back spending the money allocated for Leith Walk until that decision is made. Completion of that further tram extension could take some years yet.”
In the meantime, more alarming news emerges that further and final Scottish Water works must be carried out along the length of the Walk. Planning for this is at a late stage and works are likely to start later this year. These will last around 6 months and it is anticipated that work will be completed towards the end of 2012.
“We will then do a complete resurfacing of all of the road,” says Mike Penny. “That will cut out all that bumping over uneven surfaces which is such an inconvenience to everyone at the present time. We are very committed to a fundamental makeover of the Walk, but these last works have to be done first, then we can get under way. We plan to reinstate the famous landmarks, the Leith clock and the ‘pigeons’ during that period too.”
Several property developers who own large sites on the Walk and once may have had serious building projects in mind, have now changed their business plans. The company that provides student accommodation, Unite owns the big grey shell that is Shrubhill. “It would appear that the company no longer plans to develop the site,” says Mike “We have been informed that they are looking for a buyer. In the meantime we continue to discuss options for improving the appearance of the site. Hoardings will be reinstated soon and advertising boards established to add colour through the council’s Authorised Advertising Project; it seems less likely that the proposal for a vinyl cover of the whole building with a large image (as has been done in other parts of the city) will now go ahead.. The pressure to sell puts some limitations on some of the ideas, but we are continuing discussions.”
The Old Tram Depot next door to Shrubhill is currently being used as a storage facility for building materials too. Leith Walk is still a work in progress. Those who love her colour and potential will have to wait a little longer for her return to the glory days.
Filed under News and Events
Leith Central CC stand up for Sunday libraries
An article has been published by The Edinburgh Reporter Online about members’ of Leith Central CCs concerns over proposed Sunday closing for libraries. At the meeting on January 16th some strong opinions emerged on the issue. You can read that article here:
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National body pushes local activism
Community Councils get a mention in the bi-weekly online newsletter for the Scottish Community Alliance (SCA) , a national body which promotes the work of local people in their communities. SCA campaigns actively at policy level for more effective local democracy.
The Alliance says that the body came into being to provide a ‘gathering point’ where organisations and individuals who support community empowerment can join forces. The charity praises what it calls the scale and diversity of local activity and says that it creates the ‘social glue’ that binds a community together and generates the civic pride that people feel for the place they live. You can read more about the Scottish Community Alliance on the website at http://www.localpeopleleading.co.uk/
In December 2011 the Alliance published an article by Leith community councillor, Jenny MacKenzie and also carried a link to a recent Radio Scotland audio by the same author. Calling the article Life in Community Councils Yet, the Alliance said:
“In the last Briefing we carried a story suggesting that Scotland’s community councils were in need of radical overhaul. While the national umbrella body seems locked in a dispute with Scottish Government over its funding and has taken the decision to shut up shop rather than work within a reduced budget, there are clearly many more who believe passionately in what they do and are keen to engage in a national debate about the future. ” To read more go to Life in Community Councils yet
Filed under News and Events
Houses planned for factory site
Plans for new housing in the Bonnington area of Leith were discussed and debated at the November meeting of Leith Central Community Council (LCCC).
Architects Fouin andBell, acting for Hillside Housing Association (HHA), presented the proposal with a member of estate management company P2 Partnership (Bonnington) Ltd for land betweenSouth Fort Street/West Bowling Green StreetandGraham Street.
Principal landowners for the site are the fourth-generation family business and engineering firm Blake Group, which specialises in multi-disciplinary steel fabrications and tank manufacturing. The 70-year-old factory on the site is no longer fit for purpose and the company now intend to relocate outside Edinburgh. In 2006 Blakes engaged with the City of Edinburghto produce a Development Brief for the Bonnington area (BDB). This meant that sites which were originally industrial could now be designated for residential housing with some industrial units.
With one goal being to provide affordable rented housing for key workers in the area, the proposed scheme includes a mix of rental tenures, with a variety of sizes from studio through to three-bedroom family flats. Some rents would be mainstream, almost 150 mid- market, and more than 30 flats providing affordable rents. The accommodation would be managed by HHA.
The developers told the meeting that an application will be made in December 2011 for Phase 1A of the project, which is for 49 flats; the early timescale being necessary to obtain Housing Association Grant Funding.
Community Council members had concerns about this timescale and fears that demolition would occur before funding was in place. It was also felt that that the proposed development, which was purely residential, ignored the BDB; however, it was claimed that a possible future second phase, including land south of the present application (some of which was owned by Blakes) would include some commercial units.
Two evening exhibitions of this scheme at the pre-planning stage had been held, with more than 50 people attending. Several neighbours of the proposed scheme, residents ofPitt Street, expressed concerns about overshadowing and loss of daylight. The developers said that the development had been prepared in accordance with strict technical standards and had met all requirements.
One objector suggested that a 3D model should be provided to enable a clearer understanding of the building heights. A further objection was that the blocks were too homogenized in design, with little scope for visionary architecture.
Filed under News and Events
Next LCCC monthly meeting
Monday, 20th February, 7:30-9.30pm McDonald Road Library.
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Praise rings out for man rooted in local living
Tributes have come in thick and fast for Stewart Blaik, the Chair of Leith Central Community Council, who died on 9th November, one day after his 75th birthday. A founding member and Chair of the original Lorne CC set up in 1998, Stewart led the changeover to Leith Central CC in 2006.
He ran tight meetings and insisted on sticking to procedural rules, but at the same time encouraged lively debate and confidence in tackling controversial issues. As a result meetings were stimulating and consistently well attended by people with a range of interests and skills from the local community.
Of the many comments of praise and gratitude received from across the city, the best wake-up call to community councillors, and endorsement of of their value, comes from Neighbourhood Manager for City Centre and Leith, Mike Penny.
“Although I only knew Stewart for a short while, he brought many great attributes to the workings of the Leith Neighbourhood Partnership. Most memorable of these was his commitment to the principle that we were there to serve the people of Leith; that their views were more important than those of paid staff, and his strongly stated opinion that he was the conduit of the peoples’ view (and don’t you forget it!).
“In planning for meetings colleagues and myself would look at any proposals and ask ourselves “What will Stewart think of this?”. The ‘Stewart Test’ will continue to be applied as a small tribute to his efforts.”
Convenor of the Leith Neighbourhood Partnership, Cllr Louise Lang (Lib Dems) said that Stewart kept politicians on their toes. ”Stewart was a great character and a hardworking and committed community man,” she said. ” His determination to get the best for Leith was a real testament to his love of the area and his pride in our neighbourhood.
“We didn’t always agree, but we enjoyed a healthy debate on the important issues, and he never let us politicians get away with anything. It really will not be the same without him, and we will all miss his animated contributions at our meetings.”
MSP for North Edinburgh, Malcolm Chisholm (Lab)was also quick to pay his respects. “Stewart was very widely respected and admired because of his tireless devotion to the community and his involvement in so many local activities and issues,” he said. “He was rooted in the trade union movement and this showed in the courage , integrity and sense of solidarity that he brought to all that he did.”
Leith Walk Ward Councillor Deidre Brock (SNP)spoke warmly of the affection that Stewart stirred in all who knew him. “He was not just well-respected and appreciated by us all for his tireless championing of Leith and its residents young and old,” she said. “But Stewart was also very well liked. I am sure I speak for every member of the Leith Neighbourhood Partnership when I say how grateful we are for the tremendous contribution he made to his community. We’re all really going to miss him.”
Counillor Ricky Henderston, Pentland Hills Ward, praised Stewart’s Chairing skills: ”Stewart’s many years of activity and training within the trade union movement instilled in him a sense of order and priority,” he said. ” Structure and debate are at the heart of democratic decision making and Stewart believed that everyone was entitled to their say and that issues should be fully debated before a conclusion and decision reached. This was a discipline and a skill that Stewart took from his trade union life into his community activity and it served him, and others, well over the years. He was a traditionalist and a believer in strong communities and local identity and all his efforts and energy were channeled towards these goals.
EACC Chair David Salton said: “Stewart’s involvement as a trade union official, Labour Party activist and Community Councillor showed he had the concern, care, commitment and compassion to improve people’s lives and conditions — for which he asked neither reward nor recognition. For him the satisfaction and pleasure was in the service he gave.”
Fellow Ccllrs also paid their respects. Vice-chair of Leith Central CC John Hein said that Stewart was an “excellent chairman, while secretary Roland Reid acknowledged his “boundless energy”. “Stewart was forthright in expressing his views,” Roland added. You always knew where you stood with him, and this made working with him enormously rewarding.”
Stewart Blaik, an outstanding activist and much-loved member of the Edinburgh community died on 9th November, 2011.
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