The Scottish Land Commission has launched a new survey seeking views of communities across Scotland about community engagement in decisions relating to land.

The Commission wants to make sure that all people in Scotland have the opportunity to be involved in decisions about land that significantly affect them. The Commission is supporting communities, land owners and land managers to work together to make better – and fairer – decisions about land use with the publication of its first Protocol on Community Engagement in Decisions Relating to Land.

The Commission’s Protocol supports the Guidance on engaging communities in decisions relating to land, which was published by the Scottish Government in April last year. Over the next couple of years, the Commission will review the effectiveness of the guidance, and recommend improvements if needed. The survey will establish a baseline against which progress can be measured and identify where further support needs to be developed by the Commission or other organisations.

Individual residents and community organisations in both urban and rural Scotland are being asked to complete the survey. The Commission hopes to:

learn more about how the way land or buildings are managed impacts communities
know what opportunities people have to influence decisions made when land use changes
hear what type of support is needed to make engagement more effective.

Clear and open communication is increasingly a key part of public life, with organisations creating mechanisms for ordinary people to be involved in decisions that affect them. A key area where people want to have their say is about local land use and management.

Helen Barton, Community Engagement Advisor at the Scottish Land Commission said:

“We want to hear from communities in both urban and rural Scotland, to find out what level of community engagement is taking place around decisions related to land.

Individuals can respond but also anyone who is involved with community organisations such a community councils, tenants’ or residents’ groups or local government.

“The information provided will not include any personal identifying information and we will collate and analyse the responses to see where there are trends.

“It is important to get an idea of what community engagement is happening now to not only use as a baseline measure but also to see if there are any lessons we can learn from current practices.”

In the survey, the Commission will also be looking to find out how many respondents are aware of the Scottish Government’s guidance as well as the Commission’s own Protocol for Community Engagement, which sets out general and specific expectations for owners and managers of land.

The survey will be open for responses until the end of September 2019 and can be found here: www.landcommission.gov.scot/communityengagement

07/24/2019 by Bruce Ryan

Rubbish being cleaned from Victoria Bridge

As you may already know, the rubbish on the Water of Leith is now being cleared. Here is the BBC News report.

28/6/19	22/7/19 – 11.25am: clearing the rubbish
22/7/19 – 11.25am: clearing the rubbish	22/7/19 – 14.34pm
23/7/19 – 13.44pm	The swans seem happy with progress.

07/22/2019 by Bruce Ryan

How would you spend £1 billion?

Click the thumbnail to see the full-size PDF.)

Budget_Generic_Eflyer_2019_FINAL

07/19/2019 by Bruce Ryan

What do you think of Heart of Newhaven’s ideas? Survey

(adapted from an email from Heart of Newhaven)

Please fill in our survey – will be open for a fortnight only!
<https://heartofnewhaven.co.uk/community-consultation-survey…>
Thank you for your support and please share as widely as possible!

Shifting ground

2020 becomes 2021. It was announced a couple of weeks ago that a delay in planning approval for the building of the new school means all timetables are put back – we hope by no more than 20 weeks – from August 2020 to January 2021. How does that affect our 2020 vision?

We circulated this definitive information immediately to those who are already members of The Heart of Newhaven so that instead of picking up a rumour they knew all the details of the revised timetable. Now for the implications:

As far as our funding applications are concerned we have to re-schedule timetables; but The Heart of Newhaven dedicated Steering Group is equal to the consequential issues, with the necessary short-term focus to adjust complicated negotiations, confident of timely delivery in due course. That is its job and its members remain dedicated to what is expected of them.

But the time slippage has produced an unexpected opportunity.

We now have 20 more weeks or so to demonstrate the vibrancy of the Newhaven Community. This must not be time wasted just waiting.

At the last update here I’d just got home from an exciting Stakeholder Event organised on our behalf by Planning Aid Scotland, an organisation working with communities to articulate their vision and develop community-led plans. Presented elsewhere on this website PAS identified from participants new ideas and priorities for a multi-generational centre, especially what is needed in terms of community facilities.
What is a Multi-generational centre?

It is important to get used to this way of thinking – opportunities for people of all ages from the youngest to the oldest to sense that they belong to a big but closely knit family where we learn from each other.

Gone are the days when children were expected to be seen but not heard. Who of the older generation has not learned something about technology from those to whom the very latest innovation is literally child’s play? That is why it is so exciting that our physical focus is upon acquiring Victoria Primary School so it can continue as a hub of learning and discovery, support and encouragement, not just a nostalgic look back to whatever might be considered was its heyday. Its heyday is always now and its future will be just as important as its past. Our present close-up focus task to ensure that happens means publicising as widely as possible all that is going on now demonstrating our sense of community.

Your chance to have your say, please take our survey and tell us what you think of the emerging ideas

Rodney Matthews (Vision Facilitator)

07/19/2019 by Bruce Ryan

Public utility works: Leith Area

(adapted from an email from Graham Hall (CEC Senior Transport Team Leader) to Leith ward and Leith Walk ward councillors; with thanks to the councillor that forwarded it to community councils. This information reached LHNCC’s webmaster today [19 July].)

As you will be no doubt aware, The City of Edinburgh Council is carrying out significant pre-tram surfacing works in wards 12 and 13 at the current time via our Transport Design and Delivery section who have McLay’s Ltd carrying out numerous projects in preparation for the Tram extension works which are due to commence later this year.

In addition to these works City Fibre have started their programme to install fibre to the home in the area as well as the other utility providers continuing their business as usual.

It has been agreed with the CEC project manager (Steven Blacklaw) that the locality will coordinate these works around his significant programme to avoid conflict with different sets of work. As McLays Ltd are based in Airdrie and traditionally close down for the Glasgow Fayre fortnight commencing on the 12th of July I have delayed various utility works commencing until McLay’s have closed their sites down and to prevent additional pressure on the road network. The works below have been approved for the period 14th July 2019 to 30 July 2019 to avoid any conflict with the CEC programme.

Whilst there will no doubt be some form of delay caused by the various works, please be assured that every effort has been made to minimise disruption utilising the quieter school holiday period whilst still ensuring these works are completed before CEC’s contractor returns to recommence his programme. Please also note that where required, any works which may present significant disruption have been discussed and approved at the City Wide Traffic Management Group to ensure the most effective traffic management is employed.

Should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to call on the number below.

Utility	Location	Nature of works	Works Start	Finish	Traffic Management
City Fibre	Salamander Street	Installing new fibre optic cable	TBC	TBC	Two way temporary traffic signals
City Fibre	East Hermitage Place	Installing new fibre optic cable	14/07/2019	17/07/2019	Three way temporary traffic signals
Scottish Power	Albert Street	Main Cable repair	15/07/2019	19/07/2019	Parking Restriction only
Scottish Power	Constitution Street	Install new service	19/07/2019	23/07/2019	Parking Restriction only
Scottish Power	Pilrig Street at Dryden Street	Excavate footway to replace joint	TBC	TBC	Parking Restriction only
Scottish Gas Networks	Newhaven Road at Graham Street	Install new connection to gas main	14/07/2019	30/07/2019	Three way temporary traffic signals
Scottish Gas Networks	North Junction Street at Ferry Road	Replace existing gas main	14/07/2019	30/07/2019	Three way temporary traffic signals
Virgin Media	Lindsay Road at Sandpiper Drive	Install new service	15/07/2019	19/07/2019	Lane restrictions and local diversion

Graham Hall – FIHE – Senior Transport Team Leader – Place – City of Edinburgh Council – North East Locality, 101 Niddrie Mains Rd, Edinburgh, EH16 4DS – Tel: 0131 469 3926 – Northeast.transport@edinburgh.gov.uk

Please note: all correspondence should be sent to Northeast.transport@edinburgh.gov.uk

07/18/2019 by Bruce Ryan

Call for members of the public to join new data panel

(Adapted from a post on the Scottish Community Councillors Development Network KnowledgeHub group)

Are you interested in how data can be used to improve lives, services and public policy? Or how Scotland can make the most of the data we already have and discover new and exciting things about society?

Administrative Data Research Scotland exists to ensure that data about life in Scotland (generated through the day-to-day work of public services such as the NHS, government departments and local authorities) is used effectively and responsibly, for the good of everyone.

They are looking for 8 – 12 people to join their panel and share views on the issues and ethics around the future of administrative data, research using it, and how evidence can inform public policy. It’s an important opportunity to shape the future of this work in Scotland.

Find out more and apply (before the 9 August 2019 deadline) at https://forms.gle/ZVxqmztwei8pvnt8A.

07/14/2019 by Bruce Ryan

Protected: Clean the rubbish at the Shore: petition