Author: Leith Central Community Council

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Please Vote for the Leith Greenspace Feasibility Study and Masterplan

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As part of  Leith Chooses Leith Central Community Council and Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council have a funding application running for a Feasibility Study and Masterplan for Leith’s unloved green spaces.

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You need to request a code and password online by emailing your full name, address AND postcode to leithchooses@edinburgh.gov.uk. If you belong to a group, mention the name, address and postcode of that group. Once you have the information, all you need to do is go to the LeithChooses website and click on the Vote Here button, cast 4 votes in each of the three categories and don’t forget to vote for our project in the Large Grant category.  You must cast all 12 votes to complete the process.

You can also pick up cards with the necessary information at the Leith and McDonald Road libraries as well as the Kirkgate Community Centre. Once you have the information, all you need to do is go to the LeithChooses website and click on the Vote Here button.

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Look for the ‘Vote Here’ image

You can then cast 4 votes in each of the three categories. Our project is in the Large Grant category. You must cast all 12 votes to complete the process.

 

Happy Voting!

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Improving Parking in the Leith Central Area Part II

Recently we started a petition www.edinburgh.gov.uk/petition to make Edinburgh Council aware that many people are not happy with the way parking is organised in our area, which to date has attracted 300 signatures.  The petition is open until 14 April 2018 and more information about our reasons for starting this petition can be found here.

We have, however, had some feedback from people who DON’T want to see any changes in the parking and they have commented that the petition doesn’t allow them to express their preference and they feel that that is unfair.

To be clear, the petition is not about asking for controlled parking to be introduced. Rather, it asks the Council to look at the parking issues that we have in the area. If there are enough signatures to the petition, then the Council will be obliged to do this. And once that process is set in motion, everyone will then have their chance to say whether they would be in favour of controlled parking, or not. 

LCCC and is aware that controlled parking may not be a definitive answer to the parking issues. As was said in our Leaflet: “in an area as densely populated as Leith, there is no system that can guarantee a parking space for every resident at or near their door.  However, there are ways which could improve car parking for residents, reduce congestion and pollution and manage access more safely and effectively.”
Here is also more information on parking controls should that be of interest:
if you wish to make further comments Leith Central Community Council also has a Facebook page and is on Twitter.
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Please vote for the Leith Greenspace Feasibility Study and Masterplan

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As I’m sure everyone who came to the Leith Chooses event last Saturday will agree, the event was a great success. Despite the challenging weather conditions, almost all of the groups managed to be there as well as hundreds of Leithers who casted their votes for the projects of their choice.

As you may know, Leith Central Community Council joined forces with Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council to put in a funding bid for a Feasibility Study and Masterplan for Leith’s unloved green spaces.

To have a chance of actually getting this project funding we need your votes!  And you can vote until 17 March 5pm.

There are two ways of voting. Either way you will need an access code and password. You can vote if you live or work in Leith, belong to a Leith-based group and/or volunteer in Leith.

From now until 17 March you can pick up cards with the necessary information at the Leith and McDonald Road libraries as well as the Kirkgate Community Centre. Once you have the information, all you need to do is go to the LeithChooses website and click on the Vote Here button.

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Look for the ‘Vote Here’ image

You can then cast 4 votes in each of the three categories. Our project is in the Large Grant category. You must cast all 12 votes to complete the process.

You can also request a code and password online by emailing your full name, address AND postcode to leithchooses@edinburgh.gov.uk. If you belong to a group, mention the name, address and postcode of that group. From there on the process is the same: once you have the information, all you need to do is go to the LeithChooses website and click on the Vote Here button, cast 4 votes in each of the three categories and don’t forget to vote for our project in the Large Grant category.  You must cast all 12 votes to complete the process.

Happy Voting!

 

Greenspace Masterplan and Feasibility Study – Leith Chooses Application for Funding
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Greenspace Masterplan and Feasibility Study – Leith Chooses Application for Funding

There are many small pockets of public land in Leith, currently barely fit for purpose, that could become desirable green spaces. Leith Central Community Council have joined up with Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council to make a bid for funding that could make this happen. We want to create a master plan for all of Leith’s greenspaces so that they can be adopted by the City of Edinburgh Council and their existence as green lungs for Leith ensured for the future.

If LCCC and LHNCC get funding we will search out those spaces to improve, some of which have already been earmarked by the public through a series of consultations and workshops by Leith Creative.  We will also take forward the comments from the 3000 individuals that took part.   Around one third made made clear their wish to improve greenspace in Leith.  These were some of their suggestions:

  • Form a green network in Leith connecting clean green spaces and waterways.
  • Improve the maintenance of the cycle path network. More green space management, more    bins.
  • Invest in smaller green spaces in Leith.
  • Designated ‘dog areas’ in larger parks, separate from children’s play areas.
  • Form a green network in Leith connecting clean green spaces and 
waterways.
  • Improve the maintenance of the cycle path network.

To have a chance of winning this funding we need as many of your votes as possible. The best way is to come to the Leith Chooses Event on Saturday 3 March at the Kirkgate 12noon to 3pm.

Am I eligible to vote?
• Anyone 8 years old or over, and you live, work, study or volunteer in Leith, can vote. This includes areas of Broughton, Bonnington, Bellevue, Abbeyhill and Newhaven. Your address/postcode will be checked.
• Visit Leith Chooses for more details and to view the map.

How do I Vote?
• Come along on Saturday 3rd March to the Leith Community Centre, 42 New Kirkgate, Leith, EH6 6AD and vote in person between 12pm-3pm.
• There will be FREE food and refreshments, face-painting, glitter tattoos and balloon modelling.  You can meet the applicants, hear/chat informally about all the great projects on offer, and then cast your votes for your favourites.  If you come along and vote in person, you also get a bonus online vote.

How will voting be done?

Everyone will vote three times – once each for the three different grant pots; small, medium and large. (The small, medium and large projects will be grouped together in three separate rooms.) Our project is in the large category.  You will just cast four votes per room, by ‘posting’ coloured vote cards for your favourite projects in that room. You can only vote once for any one particular project.
Online Voting
If you can’t get to the Voting Day social event, you can vote online, from 3 -10 March.  You can browse online, but in order to actually vote, you need to log in with a unique voter Access Code, which you can get from Leith Library, MacDonald Road Library, or from any of the Leith Chooses team (who will be out and about all week in various locations and also at Voter Support Sessions, see below).

Week beginning 5th March 2018, voter support sessions will be held as follows:
Mondays: Leith Library, Ferry Road, 12-2 pm and 5-7 pm
Tuesdays; MacDonald Road Library, 12-2 pm and 5-7 pm
Wednesdays; Leith Community Centre, 12-8 pm (Cafe)
Friday and Weekend – out and about around Leith (details later)

If you can’t get hold of an Access Code that way, you can email in and be issued (but not quite immediately) with an Access Code. The email address will not be live until voting opens on 3rd March.
Email:  leithchooses@edinburgh.gov.uk
Can Leith Chooses help you?
If you are unable to attend the Voting Day in person, or can’t easily vote online for whatever reason, Leith Chooses are very happy to do whatever they can to help you to vote. Please just get in touch as soon as possible, explain your situation and they’ll try and find a solution. You are most welcome to email with any queries you may have: contact@Leith Chooses

Leith Chooses – Saturday 3 March 2018 – Volunteers Needed
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Leith Chooses – Saturday 3 March 2018 – Volunteers Needed

Dear LCCC supporter,
The Leith Chooses Event, a collaboration by the three Leith Community Councils, takes place next Saturday, 3rd March from 12noon till 3pm. With a pot of some £116K to distribute to Leith organisations, it has received 67 valid applications for funding; an all-time high!  It shows how many dynamic organisations and individuals and exciting new ideas there are in Leith. 
Who is going to win that funding will be decided through Participatory Budgeting, a process in which local people decide how to spend a public budget and to make this work we need as many volunteers as possible to help out on the day. 

If you are happy to help out please email: chair.lccc@leithcentralcc.co.uk.  

Volunteers should be at the community centre for 10am on Saturday, 3rd for a briefing and allocation of jobs.  We’ll need volunteers to help register voters, control ballot boxes, give advice to voters, point them in the right direction, etc, etc.
Should you know of anyone else happy to help with this community event please feel free to bring them along.
We want to make the day a great success and an enjoyable experience. There will  be food and hot and cold drinks, face painting and balloons and as volunteers you will also be able to vote (see http://www.leithchooses.net/vote).
I look forward to hearing from you and hope to see you on the day,
With best wishes,
Charlotte Encombe,
Chair LCCC
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Improving Parking in the Leith Central Area (LCA)

The Challenge

Many of us who live in LCA, much of which is just outside the controlled parking zones of central Edinburgh, experienceproblems with car parking. For those who own cars, it can be frustrating trying to find a space.

Why is this so when less than half of Leith residents own cars?

LCA has become the parking place of choice for many commuters due to our close proximity to the city centre. The availability of ane xcellent transport system and free parking has become increasingly attractive to commuters, including some cyclists, tourists and others displaced from nearby controlled parking zones.

This situation can be both frustrating and dangerous with restricted access for emergency vehicles, council services, those with disabilities, tradeRoad full of cars - copyright Leith Central Community Council 2018s people and pedestrians.

A Solution

It must be emphasised that, in an area as densely populated as LCA, there is no system that can guarantee a parking space for residents at or near their doors.

However, there are ways which could improve car parking for residents, reduce congestion and manage access more safely and effectively.

These are the two systems currently operated by the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC):

1. Priority Parking Areas (PPA)
This system involves controlling the kerbside space over a short period during the working day. This works well in residential areas where commuter parking can make it difficult for residents and their visitors to park. The short period of control ensures that commuters cannot leave their vehicles all day, giving priority to permit holding residents. Costs are between £1 and £8 per month, depending on car emissions.

2. Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ)
This is the other system that is in place in Edinburgh. All kerbside space is controlled with a mix of permit parking, pay-and-display and shared-use which accommodates both permit holders and pay-and-display customers. Costs are between £3 and £20 a month, depending on car emissions. Further information on these can be found on the City of Edinburgh Council’s website. Our zone is N1.

What happens now?

Leith Central Community Council, in collaboration with Abbeyhill Colonies Residents’ Association, has set up a petition on the CEC’s website.

Please sign the petition if you would like to see changes made to the parking system in the Leith Central Area.

Please remember, parking issues can affect everyone whether you own a vehicle or not.

You can sign the petition here: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/petitions, select ‘Support an existing petition’ then ‘Improving Parking in LCA.’

Sufficient support will oblige the Council to carry out a survey to identify possible solutions. This is a separate process and you will have further opportunity to comment.

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New food waste recycling container trial in Hillside

(adapted from an email from Erica Manfroi, Technical Officer, Waste and Cleansing Services)

The City of Edinburgh Council – Waste and Cleansing Services will be providing nearly 800 properties in your area with a new food waste recycling container.

As part of a trial, residents in Brunswick Street, Windsor Street, part of Montgomery Street (nos. 3-75 and nos. 6 to 68), Leopold Place and Windsor Street Lane will receive an information pack in the next couple of weeks followed by the installation of the new food waste bins in Brunswick Street, Windsor Street, Montgomery Street and Hillside Crescent (see location map attached).

The information pack includes an introduction letter and a food waste leaflet explaining how to recycle all cooked and uncooked food waste – including leftover, egg shells, tea bags and bones. The residents will also receive a roll of liners. We hope the different design of the food waste bin will encourage more residents to participate in the food waste collection service.

 For further information or to order an indoor kitchen food caddy residents can visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/recycle, or phone 0131 608 1100.