Minutes 15th June 2023

Business Meeting

Chairman’s Introduction   John Loudon. John’s notes for his introduction to the meeting saw him cover the following issues.

Thanks to those here for your time and trouble in coming to our meeting this evening also thanks to the new members of CBCC this past year James Hancock and Dianne Stein for their enthusiastic input to a very hard-working group of volunteers who are CBCC and who expend much time and effort on your and the wider communities behalf.  Jean Morley stepped down from the committee with CBCC thanks for all she has done, and John Howison remains on CBCC but stepped down as vice chair to spend more time travelling. Fortunately, Sally Chambers accepted the VC role on top of her sterling work with Facebook, newsletters, notices, and related matters.

The range of activities involving CBCC are wide are mostly set out in our Secretaries’ Annual Report patently written with feeling.

• Other matters covered are many and various and include: – 
• Discussions re flooding and EV points at Barnton lights.
• Providing feedback for the CitiPlan 2030
• Meeting with Royal Highland Centre re concert noise complaints and transport home issues
• Getting the promenade swept.
• Welcoming the reopening of the Cramond Inn
• Now endeavouring to find a mechanism with our MSP, MP, and others to change the law in regard to Lothian Buses and the Services they provide.
• I think I now have dozens of CBCC sub folders on my iMac with a very wide range of matters. 
• I need help with my iMac and a generic email address for the chair of CBCC so if anyone has expertise in that area please get in touch. 
• Our long standing and knowledgeable Secretary has indicated that for health reasons he needs someone to take over his administrative work before next year’s AGM but will hopefully remain on CBCC.
• A lady has already offered to help but the more the merrier
• Will you assist or help find someone who can as this role is vital to CBCC being able to continue?
• We also need new people to help with CBCC activities. If you have a particular interest or skill or know of someone who has and who are willing to give a little time that would be great. 
• Without input and help CC’s generally will cease to exist and whilst that may be the wish of the community it would also be very sad.

Approval of May 2023 Minutes

The minutes of the May meeting was approved.

Matters Arising

There were no matters arising not covered in the agenda.

Brighouse Route Map

John Loudon advised that the plan was to hold an exhibition towards the end of August focussing on the emerging options for commercial and sports facilities. Inevitably not everybody who had offered views on the vision for the site would be satisfied with what emerges. Some concerns were raised that this represented a slippage to the timeline for the route map. The coincidence of an exhibition at a time when schools would have been breaking for the summer holidays was cited. The purpose of the event was to offer options emerging for debate and for feedback. For example, there was a demand or all-weather pitches but that was not supported by many residents of Brighouse. Assisted Care provision was a contender – helping the financial sustainability of the development.

Mobility Plan Implementation

Peter Scott introduced the paper which covered the proposed response to the Active Travel Action Plan on which the Council was seeking comments.

The following comments were made.

• that in relation to e-bikes and while recognising the need for SG legislation to provide a framework governing their future transport role that in the meantime Police Scotland should be encouraged to focus the actions of officers on devices which had clearly been adjusted beyond the speed limiters.
• On changing minds, changing behaviours the Council and SUSTRANS should prioritise the implementation of the measures on shared use routes that are also part of the NCR network.
• that cycling is not a realistic option for many which facts seems to be overlooked by the Plan.
• the concrete blocks demarcating cycle lanes on many roads create problems including lack of room for passing vehicles and create hazards for people with sight problems.
• the calls for the introduction of commuter road charging may be understandable – but there are peripheral communities where there is little public transport alternative.
• the total absence of communication from Lothian Buses to communities and to Councillors and officials regarding planned route changes remains an ongoing concern. It leaves Councillors totally unable to deal with approaches from the public. The LD Motion seeking better and earlier communication had not been appreciated by LB. The lack of common courtesy was unacceptable.
• a call for a public transport policy to support children getting to school was made.
• it was a matter of ongoing concern that the CEC failed to regard the Maybury Road as part of the main route linking the M8 corridor to the A90 and on to Leith.
• the CEC plan to stretch out the Residents parking zones brought with it added risk of parking displacement to the peripheral communities.

The final submission to CEC will be copied to the website for the record.

Locality Improvement Plan

Percy Feketey advised that the process of engagement designed to inform the next iteration of the LIP for NW Edinburgh had just begun. He would report back at key times.

Report

Dianne Stein and Aaron McKeen offered an update on some of the engagement that had been ongoing and in which the CBCC was involved. Following the last meeting Dianne had confirmed the options available for members of the public to use where they had concerns about noise and other matters arising from the Airport operations. John Loudon undertook to ensure that these were communicated across the community. The noise lab was mentioned and could be accessed on the web and enabled flight tracking and the scope to capture information about the noise of aircraft as relayed from the noise monitors. 

A visit was soon to be paid to the monitor at Cramond House. Plans were being progressed towards a new monitor in the grounds of the Primary School. A challenge was made as to why it was proposed to add a monitor at Craigie Farm and not near Strathalmond. Some of the new flight paths understood to be under consideration involved greater initial flying over Strathalmond suggesting that the sooner monitoring was in place to capture noise and activity now – the better. Councillor Young urged people to make Councillor Lang aware of concerns they may have. Sally Chalmers said she had tried to use the noise lab site and would welcome a lesson on how to use it. Peter Scott asked about what options were under consideration for the future location of noise monitors.

The other issues are covered in the June Report – which again will be copied to the website for the record.     

Councillor’s Reports

Councillor Young reported on:

• Bus services and the efforts being made to press Lothian Buses into better and more courteous communication regarding service change.
• The prospective changes to be made to the roundabout in Davidson’s Mains.
• The action being promoted to restore Silverknowes Road North to a vehicular carriageway; and the prospective closure of the Drum Brae Leisure Centre during the summer schools break – for a refurb.