East London Street residents have submitted a petition to Edinburgh Council calling for urgent action to reduce the impact of the heavy traffic including out of service buses using this residential street.
So far more than 160 people have signed this petition which will be considered at the next meeting of the Transport and Environment Committee. If you have not yet signed the petition, please consider doing so. It can be accessed at the following location.
Our third NTBCC walkabout was on Wednesday 30 March, starting and ending at Broughton St Mary’s, and covering East Claremont Street, Broughton Road (to the NTBCC boundary), Dunedin Street, Broughton Road (again), Eyre Place, Logan Street, King George V Park, Scotland Street, and East Scotland Street Lane (with some minor detours en-route).
We picked up litter, checked for blocked drains, poorly repaired roads, and depleted greenery
From an email received by the New Town & Broughton Community Council on 1st April (& it’s not a hoax) from the Community Engagement Officer at the National Records of Scotland who are responsible for Scotland’s 2022 Census.
As I am sure you are aware, Scotland’s Census Day was Sunday 20 March 2022. This Census is a Digital First Census, acknowledging that, for most citizens in Scotland, this is the preferred method of completion.
However, we are aware that there are a number of people in local communities where this may not be the best way to access the questionnaire, and we have been working very closely with Local Authorities and Third Sector organisations across Scotland to encourage and support these households to take part in the census and be counted.
Scotland’s Census is the official count of every person and household in Scotland, with answers helping us build a picture of the population of the country. Government and other service providers use the data we collect to make decisions on investments and planning, which makes it all the more important that the people of your area are supported to take part.There is still time for those who have not yet completed it, to submit it, either digitally or via the post.
The following written deputation was submitted to the Council’s Transport & Environment Committee on 27 January 2022 in response to an item contained within the Committee’s Business Bulletin which covered an update to the Communal Bin (Hub) Project and the £7.7m grant from Zero Waste Scotland’s Recycling Improvement Fund.
The verbal deputation and discussion along with verbal deputations from Edinburgh World Heritage and the Cockburn Association, who supported the view of the community council, can also be viewed in the webcast of the meeting, starting at 5:45 minutes in.
(A note of caution – the full discussion on this topic runs for over an hour).
Deputation to the Transport & Environment Committee meeting : 27 January 2022 on item 6.1 Business Bulletin
Introduction
Since April 2021 when the City of Edinburgh Council (“the Council”) made its original decision to impose Communal Bin Hubs right across the New Town, the Council has refused to consult, engage or listen to the residents, their associations, Community Councils and Heritage Organisations.
The Business Bulletin before the Transport and Environment Committee today (“TEC”) is just another example where the Council has, again, failed to listen to experts or those affected by its decisions. Based on lengthy interactions with Edinburgh World Heritage (“EWH”) and Historic Environment Scotland (“HES”), the Council had an opportunity to re-think its extremely unpopular policy and consider some small mitigating suggestions. But it has failed to do so, ignored the advice of these Heritage Organisations and taken a “we know best” approach.
The Business Bulletin misrepresents facts and has not fully explained the Heritage Organisations’ views. The Committee does not even have the opportunity today to debate the minimal amendments proposed by EWH and HES.
The Council have been made aware of the very strong objections there are to the decision to abandon doorstep collection of Gull-proof bags and recycling boxes. A recent survey carried out by Angus Robertson MSP (and Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture) shows that just over 90% of residents do not support the imposition of Communal Bin Hubs. This is supported by our own NTBCC online survey and a recent door-to-door poll on India Street. In addition, the Council’s ‘Information Events’ also demonstrated how opposed the New Town community is to these changes.
However, the Council continues to ignore those it represents.
Before dealing with the details of the Business Bulletin, it is important to remind the Committee, how it reached this current decision in April 2021.
New Town residents support the Council’s ambition of greater recycling, cleaner streets and less pollution. However, the way the Committee is taking these decisions is both undemocratic and lacking in transparency. As the Council will know, only too well, effective decision making involves and does not exclude those that are affected by its decisions.
Committee members will have received last week, our ‘Five-Year plan for Waste Management’ (attached to this deputation). This aims to approach the matter of waste and recycling in an imaginative way and looks to best practice nationally and internationally. The NTBCC wish to work with the Council to develop a system that not only carries the support of the community but also looks for a long-term and sustainable solution that will not permanently scar the streetscape of this beautiful City.
As a consequence, we are urging the Committee to just take a step back, pause and consider the lasting impact its decision will have on the unique heritage of Edinburgh. Once imposed, the Council will not be able to reverse its decision or if it did – it would again cost millions of pounds. Millions of pounds of public money.
Adapted from communication received from HandiCabs (HcL)
HcL are delighted to share that we are offering FREE transport for people with mobility challenges to their vaccine appointment. We would really appreciate it if you could share this with your community.Please note:
- Any person who has challenges with getting out and about due to age, disability, health issues, additional support needs or geographic remoteness is eligible to use the service;
- You do not need to be registered with HcL already.
Bookings are subject to availability so we recommend passengers call as soon as they have their vaccine appointment.We will do our very best to help transport a many people as we can, under current guidelines.Call 0131 447 9949 to book for transport in Edinburgh or the Lothians
NTBCC as well as the other organisations involved in the CrowdJustice appeal towards legal costs in the forthcoming Public Inquiry are so grateful to the 275 or more people who have already pledged their support – both the very generous contributions but also the many smaller pledges ; as well as the many supportive comments regarding the desired future use for this building.
The appeal is now in excess of its first milestone of £15,000 after 20 days – there are just 10 days remaining for the appeal – which closes at 8:00am on June 3.
NTBCC are continuing their publicity for the appeal by leafletting as many areas within the community council as possible. Please download either a campaign Poster and/or Leaflet and send to your friends, colleagues etc. to help this appeal. Thanks to Minuteman Press on Elm Row for their contribution to the appeal.
Alternatively, please direct them to the CrowdJustice website https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/old-royal-high-school-appeal/
Or search “CrowdJustice Royal High School” to make a pledge.
As many will be acutely aware, despite the many public objections to the proposal, the battle to save Edinburgh’s iconic Old Royal High School has not yet been won. The developer behind the plan to turn the Old Royal High School into a luxury hotel has refused to accept the unanimous decision of -elected members of Edinburgh Council, with the result that we are forced to engage in a lengthy and expensive process as we go through the appeal process.
The matter is now to be decided by Scottish Ministers at a Public Inquiry – which results in significant legal costs for those objecting to the hotel.
NTBCC has joined a coalition with the Cockburn Association and Edinburgh World Heritage to oppose the hotel plan ; we are all committed to fight this scheme at the upcoming appeal. We value the significant role which both the Cockburn Association and EWHT are playing in sustaining constructive opposition to the proposed development.
The Cockburn Association has instructed legal representation to help the coalition at the appeal, which commences in September 2018 and is expected to last for over 5 weeks.
We’re asking everyone who values Edinburgh’s heritage to support this campaign by pledging a contribution here if you can, as well as spreading the word as widely as possible to friends and family.
Or accessing https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/old-royal-high-school-appeal/
NOTE : if pledging, once your personal details have been added, there is an option to increase the value of the pledge through Gift Aid, check box if Gift Aid applicable and finally, CrowdJustice add by default a contribution to them – under “Confirm Your Pledge” which can be removed by unchecking the box (by selecting Edit) before submitting.
Funds will be used to pay for this legal representation which supports the preparation of Appeal documents, precognitions of witnesses, and the critical cross-examination of the developer’s professional witnesses in the formal inquiry sessions.
