Minutes 18th November 2021

John Loudon noted that all reports had been circulated to allow the main business of the meeting to be consideration of the draft City Plan 2020. There no comments on the reports which were accepted as circulated.

Apologies

Gena Wylie (Treasurer), Tom Foggo, Councillors Graham Hutchison, Kevin Lang and Louise Young.

Approval of October 2021 Minutes

The minutes were approved subject to one minor amendment: 

• Item 5: as the head of the Royal High School is female, “Rector” should be changed to “Head Teacher”

Matters Arising

John Loudon reported that:

• The CC has supported in principle an application for a wet meadow and boardwalk in South Field at Cammo Estate.  (Note: the draft submission was circulated in advance of the meeting for comment by members)
• John Howison was leading in relation the Sestran (South East Scotland Transport Partnership)  strategy
• Peter Scott had prepared an objection to a planning application relating to 12 Maybury Road.  (Note: This was circulated to members in advance of the meeting for comment)
• The Scottish Government had published a consultation draft NPF4 (National Planning Framework 4) to guide planning policy across Scotland to 2045.  The Council should review it in the New Year, with comments required by 31 March.  It is available at https://transformingplanning.scot.

Police Report

The main item of interest was that the Police will be targeting speeding drivers, including at hotspots in Cramond and Barnton.

Secretary’s Report 

Note: In order to allow as much time as possible for discussion of City Plan 2030, this report also encompassed the Edinburgh Airport Consultative Committee meeting on 7 November, the Colab meeting on 2 November, the Council’s proposal to control short term lets, engagement with Cramond Surgery, an update on the Campus and a report on the Almond Neighbourhood Network Meeting on 10 November.  The points in the next two paragraphs update these reports.

Ian Williamson reported that Gena Wylie had highlighted to the Neighbourhood Network Mapping exercise that the CBCC area lacked a public meeting space other than the Cramond Kirk Hall. 

Campbell reported that the Cramond Campus mediator had circulated a brief update on “the story so far”. 

Additional note: Annex A attached to this minute is a copy of the update.  The mediator has agreed that we can publicise it.  Kit Campbell has therefore asked Sally Chalmers to post it on the CBCC website and Facebook page.

Councillors’ Reports

Norman Work said that the Mediator’s update is a fair summary of the position with regard to the Campus but that he had nothing more to report.

Proposed City Plan 2030

Peter Scott spoke to a draft discussion paper summarising issues of relevance to the CBCC area and suggested CC responses to City Plan.  This was supported by a PowerPoint presentation.  In particular he highlighted the importance of as many local residents as possible submitting representations using the online form available on the Council website.

After a lengthy discussion, members agreed that all should email their comments by 24th November to Peter Scott and Kit Campbell, who would then prepare and circulate a revised summary of the CC’s Suggested Responses to City Plan and then after first circulating it to members for approval and making it available to the wider community on the CC website and through Facebook, will submit CBCC’s representations by the deadline of 20 December 2021.  Accordingly this minute does not record the views expressed at the meeting as members may wish to change their initial views as a result of the discussion.

• Peter Scott scott2021@outlook.com 
• Kit Campbell campbell@virginmedia.com