Minutes of the Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council ordinary meeting, held via MS Teams, on Tuesday 25 October 2022 at 6:30pm

Actions and decisions are red italic. Nem con means that no-one spoke or voted against an item.

1 Introductions and apologies for absence

1.a Present

Elaine Dick	LHNCC	Arthur Young	LHNCC
Jennifer Marlborough	LHNCC	Kevin Taylor	Trinity CC
Jim Preacher	LHNCC	Cllr Adam McVey	Leith ward
Douglas Tharby	LHNCC	~2 residents/visitors
Bruce Ryan	minutes secretary

1.b Apologies for absence

Stewart Auld	LHNCC	Ben Macpherson MSP	Edinburgh Northern and Leith
Cllr Chas Booth	Leith Ward	Deidre Brock MP	Edinburgh North and Leith
Cllr Katrina Faccenda	Leith Ward	PC Chris Casselden	Police Scotland

2 Declaration of interests

none

3 Minutes of September 2022 meeting

Accepted as-is (proposed J Marlborough, seconded J Preacher)

4 Matters arising

All covered below

5 Police report

This was circulated after the meeting because something in last month’s report was reported inaccurately in the Daily Mail. This led to problems for the community police. Significant points in the report included:

• the normal breakdown of calls. It was notable that there was a call about a hate-crime.
• there is a country-wide trend of theft attempts, e.g. scams around used cooking oil.
• Racially aggravated misconduct by a customer at the Leith Kitchen.
• Police will be working on bonfire-night/firework matters. Edinburgh Council will not hold a public firework display.

6 Councillor/MSP/MP reports

6.a Cllr McVey

• A letter from all ward councilors will soon be sent to M&S. I have liaised with Ocean Terminal, the MP and the MSP.
  • D Tharby: as well as M&S having left Ocean Terminal, Farm Foods also went some time ago.
  • Actions: Cllr McVey to send the final version of the letter to J Marlborough; JM to circulate this to LHNCC members.
• CEC’s transport and environment committee agreed to bring in relevant experts (e.g. Sustrans) about the Rainbow Bridge. This report should be ready in ~1 month. However, concern remains that there may be no workable options, or that the bridge might be closed for a long period until it can be replaced.
• J Marlborough: why does CEC support building housing next to the dog and cat home in the Seafield area?
  • Cllr McVey: I am not sure that CEC does support this. Anyone can submit planning applications. I will check what CEC planning officers have said.
  • A Duddingston ward cllr has asked for an update on the Seafield sounding board and progress towards the Seafield masterplan business case, i.e. to spur progress on this matter. I share JM’s bemusement.
• J Marlborough: what about the usual Christmas tree at the Kirkgate? Trams team has no concerns about a tree this year, but Cllr McVey has been told there are health and safety concerns. There are other possible venues.
  • Cllr McVey: it would help to have Leith Festival help in finding an alternative venue. (I will follow this up.) I am not really convinced that school staff shortage are really causing the tree’s absence this year.

7 Chair, Secretary and other officer reports

7.a Chair

See report in appendix 2.

7.b Secretary

See report in appendix 3.

• J Marlborough noted the death/funeral of Mary Moriarty: https://lhncc.org.uk/2022/10/25/mary-moriarty-1938-2022
  • J Preacher: she was also an honorary member of Leith Rotary.

7.c Treasurer

See report in appendix 4.

• D Tharby: some issues with Ionos (LHNCC’s domain and email provider) are being resolved.

7.d Leith Rotary

See post on LHNCC website.

8 Residents’ queries and issues

8.a Diwali

• A resident: we attended yesterday’s ceremony. We note the wonderful welcome from the Sikh and Hindu communities.
• D Tharby: all residents are welcome to attend LHNCC meetings. LHNCC wishes to build contacts with other communities.

9 Planning

See reports in appendix 5.

• J Marlborough: this month has been quieter than normal, but new applications are still coming in.
  • All major planning applications should include 2 public, in-person pre-application events.
  • Actions: JM to circulate LHNCC’s response to the Harbour 31 application, B Ryan to put this on LHNCC’s website.

10 Consultations

See report in appendix 6.

• J Marlborough: There are fewer consultations than usual this month.
  • D Tharby has responded to the ‘thriving greenspaces’ consultation. Other members and residents should also do this.
  • E Dick: please circulate drafts of LHNCC ’statutory’ responses to members before submission.
    • There appeared to be general agreement with this.
    • J Marlborough: I generally send out notification for consultations but but receive very few replies/responses from other members.
    • Action: LHNCC to discuss this at the forthcoming internal meeting.

11 Licensing

A Young: there are no contentious applications.

• There is a licensing application about the service station at 7 Seafield Rd.
• RS McColl (16 New Kirkgate) has applied for a variation of its license.

12 Transport

See also report in appendix 7.

• J Marlborough:
  • I will undertake a walkthrough of the route from Ocean Terminal to Newhaven on Friday. There is concern that no streetlights are working on Ocean Drive. The lights on the tram structure lights are not bright enough. There will be quite a lot of night-time work in the next few weeks.
  • At a meeting between Edinburgh Bus Users Group and Lothian Buses this week I will continue to push for reinstatement of the 22 service. I will also raise concerns about gridlock on major roads in LHNCC’s area, overcrowding (e.g. on service 16), and about distances between bus stops being too large. Requests for temporary traffic lights that would enable buses to emerge from St Anthony St have been refused.
    • D Tharby: bus diversions and route-changes are not being made clear. This is a difficulty for disabled people.
  • E Dick: fencing on Ocean Drive is being vandalised already.
    • Action: J Marlborough to pursue this with the trams team.
  • K Taylor The east-west traffic group is ongoing but its requests are not being heeded. A ‘bypass’ is needed in the north of Edinburgh. There appears to be no response to extra traffic arising from the forthcoming new large Granton development.

13 Environment

• E Dick: trees at the Cala development are being neglected. I am discussing this with trams team staff
  • Action: J Marlborough to raise this matter – and trees on Ocean Drive – in her engagement with trams team

14 AOCB

14.a LeithChooses

• D Tharby/B Ryan: 22 projects have applied to be in this funding ‘competition’ but 2 subsequently withdrew.
  • Vetting of applications is in progress, e.g. to ascertain if they are eligible for boost votes.

14.b Remembrance service

• J Marlborough: I am looking into this, and will keep LHNCC informed. NHS Scotland may be able to host it but would need attendance numbers.
  • D Tharby: a memorial for Scottish sea-farers will be held at the Malmaison on 20 November at 1:30.

14.c Edinburgh Association of Community Councils

• D Tharby: EACC met on 29th September. There was a presentation by CEC’s director of community engagement and empowerment. The meeting also discussed the cost-of-living crisis. EACC next meets on 27th October.

14.d LHNCC internal meeting

• Action: D Tharby/E Dick to convene this.

14.e Graffiti

• J Preacher: graffiti on my building cost £400 to remove.

14.f Friends of Water of Leith Basin

• E Dick: FOWLB’s AGM with take place in early 2023.

14.g Content for LHNCC website

• B Ryan: please send me any content that should appear online. I would like to train members to post to the website.

15 Date of next meeting

Tuesday 22 November 2022

16 Appendix 1: police report

No report supplied to minutes secretary

17 Appendix 2: chair’s report (Douglas Tharby)

They say a week is a long time in politics but it seems that this has been surpassed as a day is now a long time. Whatever next?

It seems also to have been a short time since writing my last report and yet again much has happened since my last month’s piece with changes across our neighbourhood some of which are more significant than others so I will try to be brief.

Revised plans for Harbour 31, some updates on planning which I will rely on Jennifer our Planning Convener to cover in her highly informative and professional manner. Local issues continue with the setting up of a petition to save the number 22 bus and the continuing saga of travel disruption across the city as tram works progress although we now have actual Tram Stops in place with some seating installed so the end of the works and the introduction of services is clearly in sight. Life on Victoria seems to have settled down and our new perhaps only temporary Leithers are integrating into our community, the kids at school and the adults now going to work.

We have not just ‘lost’ our M & S but Farmfoods in the Kirkgate has closed as well, both apparently as a result of leases ending and not being renewed. Other retail outlets, including at Steads Place, continue to open up but that all important ‘shop’ for the household will have to wait until the reopening of Lidl in November which has taken on a whole new significance.

The extra payments that we were promised to offset our energy bills are hopefully now arriving in our bank accounts and we continue to look at options for ‘warm places’ to be set up across the LHNCC area. Our food banks will be busier than ever, so please donate where you can. This might also be a time to look out for your neighbours and how they are managing.

Politicians apart, our concerns for the months ahead seem to only get worse. Those energy price hikes are now in effect and as temperatures fall who knows how many families will manage. And then there is Christmas with shops setting up goods to buy and any day now those infernal TV adverts will begin.

Winter vaccinations are well underway at Ocean Terminal, make sure that if eligible this valuable opportunity is not lost. Only two years ago, on 8^th December actually, the UK became the first country in the world to commence a mass vaccination programme. Seems much longer ago than this.

Looks like we may be without a Christmas tree anywhere near our Kirkgate, but be assured we at LHNCC are doing our best to ensure that there will be something festive that all of us can take some warmth and comfort from on the cold dark nights. Our friends and neighbours at Leith Links CC are working with us on this and perhaps by the time you read this we will have our tree!

‘Persevere’ has been our Leith moto and all together we will get through this yet again as we have in the past.

Stay well, stay warm and keep the larder stocked as you can.

18 Appendix 3: secretary’s report (Jennifer Marlborough)

Mary Moriarty’s death earlier this month was a great loss to Leith. She brought joy to everybody and so many people and newspapers have responded with memories and tributes about ‘The Queen of Leith’. She will laid to rest tomorrow following a Service at South Leith Parish followed by burial at Seafield Cemetery.

M&S Simply Food and Café outlet in OT is closing despite petition from public and article from MSP Ben Macpherson requesting that it remains.

There is an ongoing local CCs campaign for return of Leith Christmas Tree to the Kirkgate this year

19 Appendix 4: treasurer’s report (Douglas Tharby)

The current balance in the Bank Account is £1,054·08 based on the last statement dated 29^th September, 2022.

We have recently paid the Lady Haig Poppy Factory for the wreaths that we as a CC lay, £97.40 this year as we collected them personally.

We are up to date with all known Invoices and online payments.

20 Appendix 5: planning reports

20.a LHNCC planning convenor (Jennifer Marlborough)

20.a.i Harbour 31 – Forth Ports: 2^nd Planning Consultation meeting 4/10/22

• Discussed changes and made following responses received for 1^st Public Consultation.
• Recognition and importance of heritage acknowledged and proposal to retain railway line and tracks that could link to Seafield project offering waterfront connection route.
• Discussed design and features on apartments with proposed pitched roofs with suggestions to incorporate Hanseatic approach to complement The Shore
• Continued to express importance of meeting 20-minute and intergenerational approach with appropriate amenities. This would meet some of the proposals in CityPlan 2030 policy promoting mixed communities
• Also discussed regarding provision of something exciting and original rather than the standard ugly blocks currently under construction.

20.b Seafield (Neil Tulloch)

The PPP application submitted by Manse for the Peter Vardy showroom was refused at committee.

The process to procure the appointment of professionals to develop the masterplan is ongoing. A preferred bidder has been identified and the details are being fine-tuned.

An application for waiver has been submitted to allow the appointment of Fraser/Livingstone, Architects to assist the Seafield Group in the master planning process.

The Scottish Government is to publish a document on coastal adaptation as guidance for local authorities.

Portobello Community Council, working with Edinburgh Council transport officers, are about to embark on production of design options for public realm and prom improvements at Kings Place and Pipe Lane. This interfaces with the Seafield site, so potentially good opportunities to get both projects working together, with the public realm improved in advance of development.

21 Appendix 6: consultations (Jennifer Marlborough)

21.a CEC Edinburgh’s Thriving Greenspaces 2050 – closes 15 November 2022

Ambitions: Greenspaces that are at the heart of our communities and help make Edinburgh an outstanding city for wellbeing, quality of life and heritage and Greenspaces that are connected, thriving, valued and resourced.

Link: https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/thriving-greenspaces-2050/

22 12. Appendix 7: transport (Jennifer Marlborough)

22.a CCTT – Trams to Newhaven – Meeting Thursday 13 October

• Request to LRT for temporary traffic lights at Henderson St/Great Junction St was refused and LRT quoted ‘no major delays being reported by LB’
• Minutes will be made available on our website
• A 2-year defects period will be in place following completion
• Route progress maps, construction phasing information, temporary paediatrician crossing points, bus stops and traffic management measures are available through Newsletter with links to website
• I will be completing a ‘walk through’ in our area with a member of Tram Team later this week and will provide and circulate feedback.
• Reported no Street Lamps working in Ocean Drive and area outside OT – to be investigated, no response yet.
• Asked about possibility for Kirkgate Christmas Tree for this year and was told there were no issues regarding this as far as TT are concerned.

22.b Lothian Buses

• The situation regarding loss of 22 Bus continues. This has led to issues with 16 bus as it is very busy and often full by the time it reaches Foot of the Walk.
• Also problem with diverted buses with no information about route available unless person has App but still not always available.
• EBUG are meeting with LRT on 26/10/22 and will provide feedback on this.