CRAMOND & BARNTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL

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

Minutes of Meeting held on Thurs 21st April 2022 via Microsoft Teams

Participating: John Loudon (Chair), John Howison (Vice-chair), Gena Wylie (Treasurer), Peter Scott (Planning Lead), Hamish Barrie, Kit Campbell, Percy Fekety, Jean Morley and Tom Wylie.

In attendance: David Foster Thomson, Nicola McCurdy and James Hill

Introductory Remarks

John Loudon noted that:

  • Tom Foggo had resigned from the Community Council.  All agreed that the Chair should thank him for his input over the years.
  • The City Council, like all Scottish local Authorities, is required by the Scottish Government to draw up a policy for the control of short term lets.  This is an issue in which Ian Williamson is particularly interested so he will respond to the Council on behalf of CBCC.
  • There remains a need to attract more members 

Apologies

Ian Williamson, Sally Chalmers, Michael Dick, Bert Scott and Councillors Louise Young and Norman Work.

Approval of March 2022 Minutes

The minutes were approved subject to one minor amendment: 

  • The date of the next meeting should have said 21 April, not “15 April February”.
  • Item 4: this stated that Tom Foggo had commented on the proposed increased over-flying of Cramond Island but should have referred to Tom Wylie.

Matters Arising

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC)

John Loudon reported that Alec Cole-Hamilton had written to the City Council’s chief executive regarding future funding for EACC.  His casework manager had responded that the Edinburgh Partnership Board had agreed that EACC should prepare a resourcing proposal setting out their requirements and options for how they might be supported.  This was originally due for consideration in March 2022, but at EACC’s request this had been put back to June.

In the meantime, EACC had thanked CBCC for its donation of £100.

Lauriston Eco-Farm

The Eco-farm team had circulated a recent newsletter on progress which had generated some concerns in both CBCC and DMSA regarding future access for walkers and other issues.  Rod Alexander of DMSA will follow this up and report back to both organisations.  It will be helpful for Sally Chalmers to include details in the forthcoming CBCC newsletter. 

Litter Pick

Peter Scott reported on the recent successful litter pick and highlighted that the City Council had been very helpful.  Around 35 adults and four children had participated and between them collected around 60 bags of rubbish.  However, he suggested that it would be desirable to have more local support in the future.

Police Report

Percy Feketey summarised the most recent report from the Police, which highlighted that there had been a reduction in most offences and types of anti-social behaviour compared with the year before.

High visibility patrols will continue in the area with the aim of deterring motoring offences.

Barnton Junction/Cammo Community Participation Request

John Loudon, John Howison and Percy Fekety had received copies of the draft Jacobs (80 pp) report that day but had not yet had time to study them.  They will do so and are having a pre-meeting before a Teams meeting with Dave Sinclair of CEC, Jacobs and others on Friday 29 April to discuss the report and progress with the Community Participation request.

Planning Report

Planning Applications

Peter Scott had nothing to report.

Cramond Campus

Nothing had changed since the last meeting.

Annual Accounts

Gena Wylie had circulated the draft accounts for the year to 31 March, which showed a surplus for the year of some £550.  She commented that this good result was partly the result of not having to pay for any meeting room hire in the year as a result of Covid.  After audit, the accounts should be approved at the June meeting.

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Street Parties

Gena reported that she had received one request for funding for a street party and was anticipating another in the near future.

Cramond Collaborative meeting on 29 March 2022

John Loudon reported briefly on the Colab meeting of 29 March.  There was nothing particularly contentious although the cost of the Dowie’s Mill project is likely to be around £700,000.  The main item of interest was a proposal to have a “summer fair” in the harbour area on 4 June at which each of the local groups can have a stall to “set out their wares” and try to attract more volunteers.

John Loudon will liaise with Adam Cumming over possible CBCC involvement.

Sally Chalmers had drafted a CBCC newsletter and suggested that it should be circulated to new residents in Cammo Meadows.  Jean Morley also highlighted that the next issue of Grapevine will be available late May.

Councillor’s Reports

Peter Scott suggested that Norman Work had supplied a written report, but John Loudon had not yet received it.  He undertook to forward it to Kit Campbell for inclusion with this minute.

Hearts and Minds

John Loudon spoke to his paper on the Cramond Inn, foreshore car park and Brighouse following his discussion with representatives of Community Shares Scotland and the Development Trust Association Scotland.  He highlighted two key issues:

  • The need to form a local “community body” with at least 10 but ideally 20 or more members to take forward any agreed initiatives.  Any such body should ideally but not necessarily have charitable status.
  • The potential for the community body to register an interest against the titles for the Cramond Inn and the Brighouse site.  If this right is activated, the owners need to recognise the Community right to buy but only if they decide to sell.  Scottish ministers would then appoint an independent valuer to assess the market value of the land.  If Ministers gave consent for the purchase, following a formal application by the community body, it would then have eight months (or longer if agreed with the owner) to raise the necessary funding and complete the purchase.  While it should be possible to attract significant grant aid towards the purchase price, the community body would need to raise at least 5% of the price assessed by the valuer.

After discussion, it was agreed that the CC should invite Toby Sanderson of Community Shares Scotland to make a presentation to the September meeting, for which Gena Wylie had booked the Kirk Hall.

James Hill indicated that he would like to get involved in any such initiative if elected in May.

Any Other Business

  • Gena Wylie expressed disappointment that no councillors had attended the meeting as this gave the CC no opportunity to pass on local concerns to them face to face.  As an example, she highlighted the current traffic chaos in Davidson’s Mains and on Queensferry Road.
  • Jean Morley intimated that she had decided to retire from the CC
  • Peter Scott suggested that the CC send its condolences to the widow of Richard Adlington, the Chair of FRAW, following his recent death
  • John Howison reported that the Cramond Glebe Road appeal hearing had been set for 11 July when he would be on holiday and therefore unable to attend

Date of Next Meeting

Thursday 19 May 2022 at 7 PM to be held online using Microsoft Teams.