CRAMOND & BARNTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Incorporating Cramond, Barnton, Cammo & Quality Street (West)

Draft Minutes of Meeting held on 20 February 2014 in Cramond Kirk Millennium Hall

 

Present: Andrew Mather (Chair), Patricia Eason (Interim Secretary), Ross Wilkinson, Percy Faceted, Ian Williamson, Isla Browning, Jane Neville, Marion Mitchell, Mark Whitlock, Jean Morley and Bert Scott

Apologies:   Evan Pearson and Peter Scott

A total of 25 residents were present, including members. Councillors Norman Work, Lindsay Paterson and Alistair Shields also attended.

Welcome and introductions

The Chairman welcomed those attending. He said that Ian Williamson had agreed to take on the role of Secretary.  The chair then proposed this and invited the meeting to agree to this appointment.  There being no other nominations, the meeting agreed to this appointment of Ian Williamson.  The chair also informed those present that Peter Scott has agreed to act as planning co-ordinator. 

 

Minutes of the previous meeting

Isla Browning was listed as being present but in fact had not attended. Subject to this point the minutes were approved.

 

Matters arising

Andrew Mather reported that he had been involved in meetings about the Campus Site. The developer, AMA, was seeking agreement to proceed with the final phase of the housing development. In return they were willing to grass (by June 2015) and maintain the central area, which was reserved for the proposed sporting facilities. Under the existing planning permission the final housing phase could not be occupied (though it could be built) until the sporting facilities had been completed. In discussion of this proposal, community councillors expressed concern that the proposed sporting development might be abandoned in a few years and be replaced by yet more housing. On the other hand it was very undesirable to leave the land in its current, derelict state and the view was expressed that a compromise should be found if at all possible.

 

Police report

Sergeant William Telford and PC Walter Mather attended. They explained that along with PCs Steven Neill and Nicola Payne they were now responsible for the police beat covering the community council area. Under changes recently made by Police Scotland more resources were being put into community policing as opposed to response policing. The beat team were based at South Queensferry police station. In the last month 41 offences had been reported in the beat area of which 16 had been solved. A more detailed report would be provided by email along with a map showing the beat area.

 

It was reported that some local use had been made of the 101 number and it was felt that this had, as a rule, resulted in an appropriate and timely response. Its use was commended more generally to the community as the default to the 999 number where the nature of the incident being reported was not an emergency requiring an immediate police response.

 

 

 

Treasurer’s report

Jane Neville circulated the audited accounts of the community council for 2012-13 and explained the items of income and expenditure. It was hoped to produce the accounts for 2013-14 at an earlier point in the succeeding financial year. There being no questions; the accounts were agreed for signing by the Chairman and Treasurer.

 

 

Councillors reports

The 3 City Councillors reported that they had been heavily involved in the budget setting exercise foe 2014-15. This had taken account of a new survey of the views of Edinburgh residents, which had underlined concerns about the maintenance of roads and pavements, and about rubbish collection arrangements. In response to a question about the funding of older people’s services the councillors said that this was not being reduced, though demographic trends would place pressures on services. So far as they knew, funding for the Almond Mains initiative was secure. 

 

Secretary’s Report

The Interim Secretary circulated her report and drew attention to the promenade area. It now appeared that the City Council was becoming alive to the condition of the promenade and would be interested in suggestions for its improvement. The problems related to the collapsed wall, and the proposal for the erection of a building at that point, were unresolved. There were complex issues about ownership and it was unlikely that early progress would be made.

 

Airport Consultative Committee

The Chairman reported that he had attended a meeting of the committee at which proposals had been outlined for improving security clearance so that passengers could transit that area more quickly. In response to points made by residents he undertook to raise the issues of night flying and disabled parking at the next meeting.

 

Local Development Plan

The Chairman reported that he had attended a meeting at Waverley Court at which it had been emphasised that the Council was under heavy pressure from the Scottish Government to build 30,000 new houses. The Council had concluded that this could not be fully accomplished without additional developments in the North West or South East of the city. This was what had led to the proposed development at Cammo (and also at Maybury). There was as yet no sign that the related infrastructure planning issues were being addressed. There would be a public consultation on revisions to the LDP between June and September and the community council would no doubt wish to participate in that. The Interim Secretary said that, following the meeting in Cramond Kirk on the Cammo proposals, a letter had been sent to the City Council and the possible developers setting out the community council’s concerns.

 

Any other business

Reference was made to the possibility that the community council might arrange a “hustings” meeting in connection with the forthcoming referendum at which representatives of the Yes and No campaigns would have the opportunity to address and answer questions from residents. Any such meeting would need to be balanced and to have the participation of both campaigns.

 

 

 

Next Meeting: Thursday 20 March