Monday, 20 January 2025 at 7pm
at Nelson Hall, McDonald Road Library

1. Welcome, introductions, attendance, apologies

a. to note: declarations of interest in any items on the agenda

b. to agree: order of business below

c. to note: musical overture to today’s meeting

2. Approval of minutes of the ordinary LCCC meeting on 18 November 2024

3. Matters arising from previous minutes (and not included on agenda below)

Item	Actor	Action	Progress
3 row 5	A Dudley	Attend meeting of accessible streets commission on 26 November
3 row 8	H Tobermann	Report on any response to his letter about needles in Pilrig Park to LCCC’s MP.	Item 9
5.a	Cllr Dalgleish	Obtain contact details for students who can comment on PBSA
5.a.i	A Ewing	Organise a coordinated stakeholder meeting about PBSA	Item 6
5.a.i	LCCC	develop a strategy on PBSA before reaching out to CEC and housing authorities	Item 6
5.a.i	Cllr Dalgleish	Obtain contact details for the relevant CEC and stakeholders group, and seek engagement with CCs	Item 6
5.a.i	H Tobermann	Submit a formal complaint to OSCR concerning the universities’ use of charitable resources for PBSA projects in Leith.	pending
5.a.i	A Ewing, C Encombe	Develop LCCC’s position statement on PBSA	Item 6
7.a	H Tobermann	Pursue issues about parking enforcement	pending
7.b	H Toberman	Pursue better reporting IT for CEC waste operatives	pending
10.a	B Ryan	Redirect the planning email address to the chair email address on 1 Dec	complete
10.a	LCCC	Appoint someone to manage LCCC’s planning spreadsheet in January 2025	Item 5
10.d	H Tobermann	Ascertain the exact date that CCs will be dissolved prior to the election	Item 5
10.f	J Wilkinson	Ensure payment of minuting, email etc expenses	in progress
12	LCCC’s musician members	provide music at LCCC’s January 2025 meeting	Item 1
12	J Wilkinson	Pay amounts owed to the Spurtle

4. Policing matters

a. to note: local (ward) Police Report January 2025

b. to note: topical question by Ben Macpherson MSP on increases in instances of youth crime and antisocial behaviour

5. LCCC governance

a. Bruce Ryan’s retirement

i. to note: the retirement of our minutes secretary

ii. to agree: to thank Bruce for many years of producing high quality minutes for LCCC (and subsequently neighbouring CCs) and for his impartial advice on CC governance matters, as well as setting up and maintaining our website

iii. to note: the need to find a new minutes secretary asap

iv. to note: the need to appoint a main administrator for LCCC’s (currently WordPress-based) website, as well as section editors

b. Community council (CC) election

i. to note: upcoming CC election and Briefing Note on Forthcoming Community Council with key dates and guidance

ii. to agree: LCCC activities to promote CC elections in our area to maximise the number of members post-election

iii. to agree: format and dates of LCCC meetings in February and March 2025

c. to note: Edinburgh Future Libraries – Options for Change and MacDonald Road Library status as a ‘Full-time Library’ under all four options, albeit with potential changes to opening times (44 – 48 hours/week)

d. to note: need to maintain a live LCCC planning function (and continue to update our record of the ‘status of current planning applications in LCCC area’ (initial support available)

e. to note: need for agenda preparations post-CC election (initial support available)

f. to note: Lord Provost’s invitation to a Civic Reception marking 50th anniversary of CCs

g. to note: any other LCCC governance issues

6. Planning  

a. to note: update on Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) Developments in Leith and nascent proposals for a ‘student levy’

b. to note: Visitor Levy for Edinburgh – Briefing for Civic Forum (Dec24)

c. to note: consultation on draft guidance for new developments, householders and listed buildings (ends 3 April 2025)

d. to note: any other Planning matters relevant to LCCC area

7. Transport and clean streets

a. to note: update on Trams to Newhaven – the unfinished project

b. to note: Trams to Newhaven Project Lessons Learnt – presentation to Accessibility Commission in November 2024

c. to note: any other Transport and clean streets matters relevant to LCCC area

8. Parks and green spaces

a. to note: letter from NHS Lothian to Tracy Gilbert MP regarding disposal of syringes

b. to note: January 2025 update from Friends of Pilrig Park

c. to note: update from Friends of Montgomery Street Park

d. to note: any other Parks and green spaces matters relevant to LCCC area

9. Licensing

a. to note: any Licensing matters relevant to LCCC area

10. Open Forum (local residents and businesses)^[1]

11. AOCB (LCCC members)²

12. Future meetings and planned meeting topics/presentations

a. 17 February

b. Post-election TBC: 17 March, 21 April, 19 May (AGM), 16 June

^[1] This agenda point allows members of the public to raise new issues of public interest and relevant to LCCC area; if possible, please indicate your intention to do so to the Chair in advance or under item 1b.

^{[2] T}his agenda point allows LCCC members to raise issues not covered by the agenda.