Water of Leith 2000

by

LHNCC October 2024 minutes

Minutes of the Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council ordinary meeting, at the Custom House, on Tuesday 22 October 2024 at 6:30pm

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

by

Partnership Agreement on litter and debris accumulations in the Water of Leith

(copied from a PDF – see original here)

Partnership Agreement on litter and debris accumulations in the Water of Leith

1. The Water of Leith Conservation Trust (WOLCT)

  1. The Water of Leith Conservation Trust (WOLCT) will organise volunteer clean-ups along the length of the Water of Leith from Balerno to Great Junction St, supported by City of Edinburgh Council’s Natural Heritage Services and Waste and Cleansing teams.
  2. Periodically, but no more frequently than once a month, WOLCT, financially supported by Water of Leith 2000 Limited*, will clear litter accumulations at the boom and corners of the area known as basin 1. Volunteers will not collect wood accumulations
  3. Periodically, but no more frequently than once a month WOLCT, supported by Bluefield 1502 LLP, will assess and clear litter accumulation in the corner areas and under the bridges, where safe and practical to do so in basin areas 2 and 3. Volunteers will not collect wood accumulations

*this support will include access to or funding for a safe and maintained boat, life jackets and an electric outboard motor

2. Forth Ports Ltd

  1. Forth Ports Ltd will arrange specialist marine contractors to assist with the removal of debris at the Victoria Bridge when accumulations of wood and litter have become significant and are no longer able to be dealt with by volunteers.

3. The City of Edinburgh Council

  1. The City of Edinburgh Council will work with Forth Ports Ltd to co-ordinate the removal of significant accumulations of wood and litter (Action 2.A) and arrange for the disposal of the waste.
  2. The City of Edinburgh Council will provide waste collection services for all litter collected during volunteer activities listed in 1 – A, B and C
  3. The City of Edinburgh Council will oversee the general H&S under the Agreement of the debris collection and removal works, although each individual party will be responsible for ensuring specific H&S provisions and RAMS are in place for their own area of involvement.

4. Water of Leith 2000 Limited

  1. Water of Leith 2000 Limited will maintain the areas of the Basin under their ownership and ensure the area of the Shore from Commercial St to Victoria Bridge is kept free from litter and debris, especially around all boats.
  2. Water of Leith 2000 Limited will financially support WOLCT in action 1 B

5. Bluefield 1502 LLP

  1. Bluefield 1502 LLP will maintain the areas of the basin under their ownership and support WOLCT in the action of 1 C.

6. Friends of the Water of Leith Basin

  1. FOLWB will regularly patrol the basin area and report to WOLCT and relevant owners (Forth Ports, Water of Leith 2000 or Bluefield 1502 LLP) as to the level and status of litter and debris accumulations.
  2. Where practical and suitable FOWLB will support WOLCT with actions 1 A and B

Timeframe and review

It is the intension of the partnership to review the accumulations of litter and debris on a weekly basis and after a high flow event. This information will be gathered by local residents and FOWLB, and then passed to the WOLCT who will assess if a clean-up (1.B.) is required. If a clean-up (1.B.) is required the WOLCT will endeavour to clean-up within a month of this assessment, weather permitting.

Should the accumulations be significant and require specialist contractors the WOLCT will inform Forth Ports, who will arrange specialist contractors to access the accumulations at Victoria Bridge and liaise with The City of Edinburgh Council over waste disposal. A 2.A clean-up will be scheduled no longer than a month after this assessment, weather permitting.

WOLCT has confirmed that they are able to fulfil the role as set out in the agreement and require no additional revenue support to do so in the short term. WOLCT currently receives grant funding from the City of Edinburgh Council’s Parks, Greenspace and Cemeteries department and there are is no intention to reduce this grant further in recognition of the key role that WOLCT play in fulfilling this agreement. Capital funding has been provided to WOLCT by Water of Leith 2000 Ltd for the purchase of equipment to assist in undertaking the clearance of litter and smaller items of debris. The financial arrangements and burden on the WOLCT and Forth Ports will be reviewed after 6 months.

Overall the agreement will be reviewed after 6 months by all parties, with all parties providing feedback of what action has taken place during that period and a partnership update meeting will follow after 12 months, to review the efficacy of the agreement.

All public enquiries regarding litter and floating debris should be forwarded to WOLCT on admin@waterofleith.org.uk

by

LHNCC minutes August 2019

Minutes of the Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council meeting, held at the Leith Community Education Centre on Tuesday 27 August 2019 at 6:30pm

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

Continue reading →

by

First #SOSLeith public meeting

Dear #SOSLeith supporters,

We wanted to announce the date, time, and location of the first #SOSLeith public meeting. This will be on Wednesday, October 31, 6.30 – 8.30 pm, at the Leith Community Centre Café. The main point of the meeting is to discuss where we are on cleaning detritus and trash from the basins, to seek updates on long-term planning, and agree on next steps.

Ben Macpherson MSP will be attending. This invitation has also gone out to our Councillors and Paul Lawrence, the City of Edinburgh Council’s Director of Place, who we hope will be able to attend, continuing to work with us in making our environment safe and clean. Also invited are representatives of basin owners, Water of Leith 2000, who we are very keen to hear from; as well as Forth Ports.

Part of the meeting will focus on different forms of legislation we can use to enforce maintenance of the basins, an issue we are discussing with Deidre Brock MP on October 4. On this topic we are grateful to the Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council(LHNCC), which is supporting our initiative to invoke the Scottish Land Commission’s published protocols on Community Engagement.

Today, LHNCC wrote to Paul Lawrence, with cc to our elected representatives and the directors of Water of Leith 2000 noting ‘The group [SOSLeith] have unsuccessfully tried to meet with the directors of Water of Leith 2000 to discuss their responsibility regarding maintenance and waste management now and in the future and how they propose to address the current dire state of the Basins. This lack of involvement is very unprofessional and does not meet with the Scottish Land Commission’s published protocols on community engagement.’

Please come to the meeting and let’s discuss where we are and how we keep momentum going to clean The Shore.

Best wishes,

#SOSLeith