Author Archives: minsec

Edinburgh Planning Concordat Engagement Fund – very small uptake

Edinburgh Council’s Planning Committee agreed in August 2013 to provide small grants (around £300) to assist community councils in carrying out engagement on major applications*. Recently, the Planning Committee stated that it’s received only 2 applications for such grants. It has asked CCs:

  1. Is there a particular reason why you have not applied for grant assistance to engage with the wider community?
  2. Are there any changes to the rules which would make it easier for you to apply for assistance?
  3. Any other comments?

*As far as the author of this post is aware, the Edinburgh Planning Concordat is the framework for this assistance.

Leith Central CC’s planning subcommittee suggested the following reasons:

  • available funds are insignificant compared to developers’ resources
  • the timescales to deploy any funds are often very short: CCs who will often struggle to submit a considered response, don’t have time to think about applications at this point
  • unless a consultation can address all relevant households (efficiently and reliably), any quantitative results are statistically irrelevant (or even unreliable, as we can’t check the authenticity of individual responses); so we rely on old-fashioned qualitative methods – small numbers, but free
Of course, CEC could automatically pay a consultation grant to a CC (proportionate to scale of application) as a major application is being submitted (and the processing fee is collected).

 

 

Community Payback Orders consultation

(adapted from an email to CCs from the Criminal Justice Service)

The CJS wants to hear your views on Community Payback Orders (CPO). These are given out by the Court so offenders can pay for their crimes as an alternative to a prison sentence.

In particular, the CJS wants to know what you think about the unpaid work part of a CPO, which replaced community service in 2011. This is when an offender does unpaid work within the community.

  • Do you have any experience of offenders doing unpaid work in your community?
  • Do you have any ideas about residents, community projects or organisations who could benefit from unpaid work support?

You can send in your views by completing the CJS’ consultation form. If you provide contact details, the CJS will let you know when the Council’s 2013-2014 CPO Report is available.

If you know of someone or a group that could benefit from unpaid work support, you can complete the CJS’ suggestion form. Please note that the CJS may not be able to help with every request but they will tell you why.

Why the CJS is asking for your views

Your information will help the CJS improve how it works with communities. It wants to increase understanding of CPOs and their importance in helping offenders reintegrate into society and reduce the likelihood of reoffending. The CJS also wants to generate more discussion with communities about unpaid work opportunities.

You can contact the Criminal Justice Service via enquiries.criminaljustice@edinburgh.gov.uk or 0131 469 3408

Clearance day at Pilrig Park

FW Balfours Botany Sat 23 August 1030 12pm

Balfour’s Botany: Making Pilrig Park more Wild!

Over the summer months artist Andrea Geile and horticulturalist Rebecca Govier have been working with local groups to investigate the legacy of Edinburgh botanist John Hutton Balfour (1808-1884). Known by some as ‘Woody Fiber’ his enthusiasm for botanical exploration was not just for the discovery of new species, but in understanding ‘their place in vegetation’. Inspired by ‘Woody’, Balfour’s Botany combines both his passion for teaching and the desire to understand a plants ‘place’, bringing this dynamism once more to Pilrig Park.

Clearance Day – at the ‘wee’ play park Saturday 23 August, 10.30 – 12pm in Pilrig Park

Supported by the Friends of Pilrig Park the aim of the clearance day is to prepare the area behind the small play park for native planting, which will take place in September.  There will also be litter kits available to help pick up the rubbish that has accumulated over the summer months.

For more information about this event, contact – friendsofpilrigpark@gmail.com

This event is open to all – no experience necessary

Join in and join us for a free Working Lunch from 12.30pm

Citizen Curator, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, 21 Hawthornvale, Edinburgh, EH6 4JT 

44+(0)7812167130 info@citizencurator.com

Trade Waste pilot – feedback wanted

(adapted from an email from Edinburgh Council)

City Centre/Leith Neighbourhood Team has been trialling a new way of controlling and reducing trade waste on public roads and pavements.  The three pilot areas are Rose Street (and its lanes), High Street and Leith Walk.  Its aims are

  • to reduce the volume of trade waste bins on our streets
  • to improve the appearance and use of public space
  • to promote more responsible management of waste by businesses in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Council requests feedback on this scheme via resident organisations, including Leith Central Community Council. It asks whether there have been differences (for better or worse) – this can influence citywide policy.  We want to use residents feedback in our upcoming Transport and Environment committee report in October.  Have you noticed a difference in accessibility and appearance in these areas, do you have any views on the TWP?

Here is a link to the trade waste pilot webpage: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/tradewastepilots

The team would like to receive views of the TWP by Friday 15th August if possible and by Friday 22nd at the latest – they apologise for the short timescale.

From Bobb Turner, Trade Waste Lead Officer

Services for Communities, 1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1BJ // Robert.Turner@edinburgh.gov.uk

T: +441315294595 // Internal: 54595 // Mobile: +447753308818

Neighbourhood Environment Projects – how to get involved!

(adapted from an email from Loraine Duckworth of Leith Neighbourhood Partnership)

Leith Funding Panel has been working on ways of raising awareness of the Neighbourhood Environment Projects fund and increasing involvement from local people.

Please click to download a NEP Project Proposal Form. The process chart is to explain the process by which ideas for small(ish) environmental improvements from a community group or individual would be considered.  The proposal form sets out what is needed to process such an idea.

The next meeting of the Funding Panel is on 11 September. Please send ideas either to contact@leithcentralcc.co.uk or directly to Loraine.

Loraine Duckworth | Partnership Development Officer | Leith Neighbourhood Partnership | Services for Communities | City Centre

Leith Team| Cockburn Street| Edinburgh | phone: 0131 529 7403 | Mobile: 07739188437