22/11/24: CEC Support for Community Council Elections in March 2025

Notice of election 5 February

Nominations close 27 February

Election 27 March

New Community Council Term 28 March

Promotion of elections

1) CEC-led ‘drop in events in local libraries.

See the current programme on the Council website.

Community Councils – The City of Edinburgh Council >>> Community Council drop-in events.

Can you take part in these alongside Council Officers?

Can you arrange your own promotional / awareness events over December to mid-February?

What promotional assistance do you need?

2) Active Promotion.

On 22 October, CEC Governance gave some detail on how they could help (individual) community councils raise their local profile. This is alongside the more general 'awareness programme' which the Council is now embarking on. Further information emerged on 12 November in response to some specific queries. Governance can assist with printing and the provision of promotional materials (by way of the CEC Print Unit, for example). You can also get advice and guidance on promoting your community council on social media (Facebook, Instagram). Governance can offer a 'tool kit' which includes draft social media graphics and posts and also draft newsletter content. There is a listing of local media organisations and local community publications that you can contact to get your own election message into the neighbourhood.

The detail offered by Governance is well worth looking at. Go to the EACC site and to EACC Papers >>> Community Council Support . (The link is here:  http://www.edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk/index.php/eacc-papers?folder=Community%2BCouncil%2BSupport ) Select the 22 Oct 24 and 13 Nov 24 files to download.

05/11/24: How does CEC Governance view the value of Community Councils?

From CEC Governance (4 November) in relation to a community councillor query:

"Is there any real point or value in a CC?

We consider community councils to play an important role in grass roots local democracy.   As well as representing their community to the City of Edinburgh Council, community councils have the opportunity to undertake a wide range of activities and events to  enhance the well-being of the areas they represent and promote the individual identities of their community.

The Council values community councils and the Lord Provost has recently committed to formally recognise and convey the Council's gratitude for all the work and service given by Community Councillors to their local communities and the City of Edinburgh before the current Community Council term concludes.

What can a CC achieve or influence with CEC and does CEC listen and act ?  

Community Councils provide a key role within their local communities providing a wealth of local knowledge and experience that the Council can tap into to deliver better services. Community Councils understand their local needs better than anyone and the Council will make better decisions when community councils are engaged with the decision-making process. The Council, working in partnership with community councils will help to plan and deliver better local outcomes.

Community councils have a statutory right to be consulted on local planning issues. The City of Edinburgh Council’s Planning Service sends out a weekly list of all planning applications submitted. While there is no statutory requirement for local authorities to consult community councils on licensing matters, community councils are considered as ‘competent objectors’. Community councils may appoint representatives to attend meetings of the Licensing Board and speak in support of objections.

The public including all Community Councils were invited to provide their feedback during the statutory consultation of the Scheme for Community and Councils and their boundaries which ran from August 2023 and closed on 21 August 2024 with the results reported to Council on 26 September 2024.  The Governance Team noted specific feedback received from you relating to proposed boundary amendments which were consulted on and subsequently taken forward along with a scheme amendment enabling Community Councils to determine their own names.

In this CC's experience much effort put into matters with no positive outcomes.  

We were sorry to hear that you do not believe that your community council has achieved any positive outcomes. The current financial environment in the public sector is difficult, with maintaining services a significant achievement never mind, improving services and outcomes. One key method of delivering better services and outcomes in times of financial difficulty, is closer partnership working including community councils. This is a key aim of the Chief Executive, and the Council wishes to work with Community Councils and other partners to identify how it can better work together to improve the City.    

Please note that we have no local drop in point nor local meeting facilities in our area unless we rent a room at the Church hall

We understand that Community Councils are able to make use of community centres in Edinburgh to hold meetings albeit they may not always be in specific Community Council area’s.  If you are interested in exploring this option further then please contact Community Empowerment and Engagement via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "

02/02/24: Community Policing: Maintaining contact.

This is an extract from a 23 Jan 2024 letter to EACC Chair, Steve Kerr, written by Superintendent Samantha Ainslie of Edinburgh Division. The letter follows up on a November 2023 meeting and it gives context to, and information on, current community policing arrangements. Do note the website and Facebook links:

<<<

Resonant with your own comments, I also found the meeting helpful, and I wish to acknowledge at the outset that we enjoy the great privilege of policing with and for our local communities, and that I fully appreciate the role and the support provided by Edinburgh’s Community Councils, individually and collectively.

Please be assured I understand that community policing representation at Community Council meetings is very much sought after and valued, however, as variously communicated, as a consequence of City of Edinburgh Council’s revised funding arrangements, circa 1 April 2020, we have been unable to commit to attending the meetings. Notwithstanding which, should community officers be unable to attend, we have given an assurance that officers will provide a locally focused snapshot report / newsletter, with this arrangement being well-established.

Noting your reference to the reports being uniform in nature, whilst serving an analogous purpose i.e., providing news, updates, useful contacts, an outline of local policing activities and our response to localised issues and themes, the content will vary, quite rightly so, informed by the bespoke nature of ‘place’ and reflecting our diverse communities.

That being said, I thought it helpful to include an outline of divisional scrutiny arrangements, and consequently, each newsletter will now provide the following standardised narrative and easily accessible links:

On a quarterly basis, the Divisional Commander attends and provides both a written and verbal report to Edinburgh Council Culture and Communities Committee, during which scrutiny is provided in terms of the Division’s performance against the Local Policing Plan and other ongoing or emerging issues.

Edinburgh Division Scrutiny Reports can be found:

Item 7.1 - Police Scotland Edinburgh City Division Scrutiny Report April 2022 to March 2023.pdf

This meeting is also freely available/accessible to view live or retrospectively.

Our Local Police Plan 2023-26 outlines our local Divisional priorities and is accessible via the Police Scotland website:

Edinburgh - Police Scotland

Members of Edinburgh Division’s Senior Management Team routinely respond to queries received from Elected Representatives, including MPs and MSPs and constituents’ concerns across a broad spectrum of topics.

From a locality perspective, each of the 4 Local Area Commanders chair local Community Improvement Partnerships and also form part of the membership of Locality Community Planning Partnerships. These fora are focused on addressing local concerns in partnership.

Police Scotland’s Quarterly Performance Report for the Scottish Police Authority, and performance statistics by council and Policing Division, can be accessed here.

As a signpost, Edinburgh Division’s performance data can be found on the ‘Data Div6’ tabs.

Recorded and detected crime data at Multi-Member Ward level, Road Traffic Collision (RTC) data (casualties and circumstances), and Stop/Search data can be found via

https://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/how-we-do-it/crime-data/

https://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/how-we-do-it/road-traffic-collision-data/

https://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/how-we-do-it/stop-and-search/data-publication/

This raw data can be filtered to provide more accessible information, however, crime data is only provided on an annual basis.’

Advice and information, across a range of crime prevention themes, are available on our website Advice & Information - Police Scotland , and additionally, our Senior Management Team, and Road Policing colleagues, provide Edinburgh focused commentary within a regular Edinburgh Evening News ‘Capital Cops’ column. Not forgetting the regular local policing updates provided on our social media channels, including our Facebook page https://en-gb.facebook.com/EdinburghPoliceDivision .

>>>

End/KR

31/10/23: Scheme Boundary Review: Size distribution of Edinburgh Community Councils 2011

Community Council population size; based on 2011 Census.

13/10/23: Resourcing a Community Council

A good number of Edinburgh Community Councils presently feel they are in straitened circumstances, low on participants and finding it difficult to meet their support needs on admin and, notably, on IT and media. The City Council and, at a higher level, Scot Gov have a long-declared commitment to the nurture and support of 'local democracy', led by Community Councils. On the context of the now-current Scheme Review, there is every incentive for a Community Council to make clear its concerns, opinions and needs. On the issue of practical support, here is a repeat of part of the 6 August EACC update, which covered the early stage of the Scheme Review.

Resourcing of a community council (2019 Scheme, Paras 11.9 and 11.11):

• Contemporary ‘support needs’ for a well-functioning community council nowadays centre on IT, on website maintenance and repair, on technical assistance with AV equipment for hybrid meetings, all alongside the minuting and reporting of community council proceedings.
• The absence of such support blunts a community council's effectiveness in its core role and its ambition, especially when 'something goes wrong'.
• The need for CEC operational support now goes well beyond 'additional support services/resourcing, such as photocopying and distribution of community council minutes and agendas and (also) free lets of halls for community council meetings', as offered in the 2019 Scheme Review.
• There is a case for a (much) stronger CEC commitment to dependable, core operational back-up of community councils' governance and administration work.
• What new avenues of operational (and financial) assistance can CEC look to introduce in this current Scheme Review?

END / KR

30/05/23: SCDC: Meeting National Standards for Community Engagement

24 May 2023: Scottish Community Development Council (SCDC) Event:

Meeting National Standards for Community Engagement.

At some point, your Community Council may become involved in something ‘big’ – community regeneration, placemaking, asset transfers, participatory budgeting, local health and social care support – and dealing with a number of counterparties. In such circumstances, two issues stand to be addressed at the outset:

1. You are going to be ‘fully engaged’, with local residents and businesses and with other bodies and agencies, both public and private;

2. Your ‘project’ is going to need very careful ‘management’.

This SCDC event was a very useful refresher on good-practice principles designed to help you get the best out of the work you’ll be putting in and the best out of the all-round ‘engagement’ you’ll find yourself in the midst of. It showcased how SCDC can help in these situations.

Here is the core ‘checklist’:

Inclusion: Identify the key people and organisations you need to work with.

Support: Identify and overcome any barriers to engagement and participation.

Planning: What exactly are the community’s needs and ambitions here?

Working together: The networks to full engagement and project success.

Methods: Plan the project to win.

Communication: Be clear on who you need to talk to and how you can best work with them.

Impact: Review regularly how you are getting on and what could be done better.

You can get much more on all of this at SCDC.

National Standards for Community Engagement | SCDC - We believe communities matter

SCDC will also offer training and support on a wide range of topics, including the Community Empowerment Act (2015), running participative events and ‘getting your message across’.

One interesting feature of the webinar was the profiling of VOiCE, an online software tool that allows ‘shared’ project planning and management of community engagement programmes.

VOiCE in essence ‘project manages’ the deep detail of the core checklist above. This facility is free-to-use for community organisations such as CCs.

There is more here: VOiCE (voicescotland.org.uk)

All of this is well worth looking over. Speak to Dawn Brown, SCDC Development Manager;

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

End/KR

26/06/23: Opinion: Lothian Buses; at odds with their travelling public.

Opinion: John Loudon, Cramond & Barnton CC, calls for change.

I have a long-standing personal and formerly-professional interest in bus services in and around Scotland. I believe Lothian Buses (LB) serve our city well; we are fortunate to have them. However, their handling of their recently-announced service changes saw them drop somewhat in my estimation and I wish to offer some personal views and suggestions in the wake of what has taken place.

LB is owned 100% by Transport for Edinburgh (TfE) which in turn is owned 91% by City of Edinburgh Council (CEC). There are four Elected Councillors on the Board, which is chaired by Cllr. Scott Arthur.

What has happened?

LB is quite properly run as a successful (and hugely important) commercial business.

It would certainly not be reasonable for Elected Councillors on the LB Board or sitting on, for example, the Transport and Environment Committee, to seek to micromanage LB services. However, I would expect they should be informed about important planned service changes so as to anticipate and then express local concerns. This doesn’t appear to have happened in advance of the May route changes, which came to them and to a good portion of the travelling public as a big surprise.

I sensed immediate dismay on the part of the Councillors and my mailbox began to fill with bus users’ dissatisfaction and resentment.

There is the clear perception of a communication breakdown here and of a poorly-handled attempt to mend it. I wouldn’t want to see this repeated.

The matter hinges on the recent termination of Service 41 and replacement with Service 47 following a new route south from its arrival in the West End. This had been subject to much rumour and speculation and it caused significant angst in and around my area in the north-west of the city, an area many would say is already poorly served by public transport in comparison with other parts of our city.

The public in North West Edinburgh, not least those who are old, infirm or who have young children, have lost reasonable access by the Service 41 to Princes Street, George St, the bus and railway stations, the Mound, the Festival Theatre, as well as the St James Quarter which the Council have actively promoted. For those that do go there, extra time is now involved plus a material cost to those individuals who have to buy two or more tickets. The Service 41 withdrawal has also had a marked impact on the travelling public in the South of the city. Councillors’ mailboxes have filled up there too.

In overall terms, the dropping of Service 41 came as a very unwelcome shock. Even our local Councillor Kevin Lang, who sits on the Transport Committee, was unaware of the planned changes, although CEC officials clearly knew about them well before the necessary application was made to the Traffic Commissioners. As I understand it, the officials made no negative comments. Again, one might ask why that was the case, given the impact of those changes on a sizeable portion of the city bus-user constituency and on prized ‘connectivity’.

What needs to be done?

I believe we need some changes to governance and culture within Lothian Buses to ensure, insofar as commercial and operational constraints allow, that provision of bus services is more responsive to communities’ needs.

We need far better communication and explanation for alterations to services. In this case, I have seen nothing at all from the Head of Communications at TfE.

Councillor Lang tabled a Council motion on 18^th May* (attached) which brought unanimous cross-party support for change. That was a welcome first-step. This is not about politics but our bus services.

Looking ahead, I’d suggest heed should be paid to the City Council’s Public Transport Action Plan, to reflect properly the need for connectivity and to make LB more accountable to City and regional residents for the services it provides.

We need improvement in live bus timetabling information and the introduction of integrated ticketing – to enable the purchase of a single ticket for an origin-to-destination trip and return if needed, which may require use of more than one bus service and possibly the tram and trains.

There is also a need for improved liaison between the City Council’s Roads and Public Transport staff, Lothian Buses and local communities, this to ensure that roads and active travel proposals (e.g., on-road cycle lanes) do not have unforeseen and / or unacceptable implications e.g., delays to commercial or public transport services.

How to move forward?

We require a concerted effort. I’d like Community Councils, working with the EACC, to put pressure on all of their local Councillors to highlight bus user concerns and the desire for change to Cllr. Scott Arthur, Convenor of the Transport Committee, and his fellow members.

Cllr. Arthur, on the Board of TfE, can speak directly to TfE CEO, George Lowder. They can establish what statutory changes are needed to allow the Transport Committee better to work with TfE in advance of important service adjustments, so that local polling and feedback can properly lay the foundation for big changes in routing patterns and the like.

It may be that the legislative structure of the LB – TfE – CEC relationship precludes this. I don’t know. However, in the first instance, the important step is to invite Cllr. Arthur to look into the situation and to report to the Transport Committee on how we get a better communications and public relations deal from Lothian Buses.

*Lothian Buses Lib Dem Motion 18 May 23 - See Menu, under Roads & Transport .

End/JL

08/06/23: SCDC: Meeting National Standards for Community Engagement

Event: 24 May 2023: SCDC Webinar on how best to secure strong community engagement:

At some point, your Community Council may become involved in something ‘big’ – community regeneration, placemaking, asset transfers, participatory budgeting, local health and social care support – and dealing with a number of counterparties.

In that event, two issues stand to be addressed at the outset:

1. You are going to be ‘fully engaged’, with local residents and businesses and with other bodies and agencies, both public and private;

2. Your ‘project’ is going to need very careful ‘management’.

SCDC offers good-practice principles to follow; a core checklist and some training opportunities.

See more under Meetings. 

Meetings (edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk)

End/KR

30/05/23: Scottish Parliament evidence session on Community Councils

Event: 23 May 2023: Scottish Parliament committee Hearing

The Scottish Parliament Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee held a three-hour evidence session on Community Councils in their 50th year.

What's been achieved? What needs to be done?

EACC was represented by Steve Kerr (Chair), sitting alongside representatives from four other CCs, three other regional CC Associations, Cheshire Association of Local (Parish) Councils, The Improvement Service, the Scottish Community Development Council, and Dr Oliver Escobar (Senior Lecturer in Public Policy) of Edinburgh University.

See the full report under Consultations.

Consultations (edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk)

End/KR

19/05/23: Opinion: Challenges in North-West Edinburgh

19 May 2023: Queensferry & District CC Chair, Keith Giblett, highlights the pressure points. 

North West Edinburgh was a late addition to LDP 1 (2016) and following rejection by the Scottish Government on the grounds that the number of new homes in Edinburgh had to be increased, a land bank for additional homes had to be found. Predominantly North West Edinburgh fulfilled a good part of the land bank needed.

Additional homes were to be built in Cammo, Cramond, Kirkliston, Ratho and Queensferry and so were added to LDP 1. A considerable number of objections were lodged from the locality, ward councillor’s, community councils and constituents to no avail. The main objections were a lack of improved facilities, schools provision, health provision, road improvements, and public transport improvements.

As we see these homes coming out of the ground and population increasing, what we don’t see, contrary to what the communities were told by Planning Officers, is the funding and commitment to improving the services.

Little thought was or has been given during these extensive consultations and subsequent planning applications as to how the actual plans are to be delivered. The development sites are solely housing with no surrounding land for building local businesses, facilities for local employment or for delivering council, health or essential services.

The City of Edinburgh Council’s objectives within 2030 City Plan (LDP 2), 20-Minute Neighbourhood and Low Emission Zoness are going to be extremely difficult to deliver for 2030 unless there is radical re-think with the strategy.

More recently, we have seen business with suitable sites for housing development moving into the city centre with loss of local jobs and making it necessary for employees to travel. An example is Ove-Arup, a business that has worked out of Queensferry for some years, with 80 employees. The buildings they occupied are to be developed into 23 luxury homes.

Presently CEC are holding consultations about school provision; a new West Edinburgh High School was to be built but there are no plans as yet. The preference from the consultation is that Kirkliston has its own High School built. In the interim pupils from Kirkliston will go the Queensferry High School, but CEC don’t know how they will be accommodated once the school reaches 1200 pupil’s capacity. Primary school education is another problem with a new school to be built, but plans are not even being discussed so temporary buildings are being added to existing schools.

We are seeing businesses ‘future-proofing’ commercial and retail property sites by seeking change-of-use from office accommodation to housing. CEC Planning advise that there is nothing that prohibits this kind action. I’m aware that this is a city-wide problem.

Public transport in North West Edinburgh is a serious problem. Few services have changed over the years and the statement made that an increased population would increase and improve public transport hasn’t been reflected in delivery. Through Covid it has been necessary to consolidate public transport; the recent changes being made to the bus service for Cramond is an example. Bus services are built around profitable routes unless they are supported from S.75 monies or are council-supported; so, unless the service providers see profit in a route then little will change. North-West Edinburgh patients will be directed to St John’s hospital for medical treatment and there are very few bus services to take you there. The other factor is that generally bus services take you into the City Centre and not across the city so to travel by bus from West Edinburgh to Sighthill or further south is difficult.

End/KG

03/03/23: Edinburgh Community Climate Fund

3 Mar 2023: Edinburgh Community Climate Fund: Grant Awards.

The next phase of the Edinburgh Community Climate Fund (ECCF) is getting underway.

The City of Edinburgh Council has set up the £100,000 fund to help communities to develop and choose projects aimed at making Edinburgh a greener city.

Community, voluntary and non-profit organisations from across the city have submitted over 50 proposals for up to £20,000 each. These community projects have diverse aims including to reduce household carbon emissions, encourage dialogue about climate change and support the city’s net zero effort.

We need your help to decide what gets funded by voting for your  favourite ideas.

You have a total of 5 votes to use and can only vote once for a project.  Please consider all the projects before making your final decision.

Voting is simple and easy. For adults, you can vote by using myaccount. This is a secure way to access a range of Scottish public services online using just one username and password. We have guidance on registering on our website.

For those under 18 wishing to vote this can be done through Young Scot using your Young Scot NEC number. School libraries will be offering supported voting.

Supported voting will also be available at all public libraries across the city. Please visit your local library for more information and to get help to vote for your favourite chosen projects.

Find out more about participatory budgeting or contact us for further information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

This is a chance for you to decide how Council money is spent on things that matter to you and your community.

Take a look, and vote for the ideas that are most meaningful to you and your community.

Voting is open from March 3 to March 12. 

End/KR

22/02/23: Edinburgh Heritage Impact Assessment - Communal Bin Hubs

22 Feb 2023: New Town & Broughton Community Council (NTBCC)

NTBCC has today published details of its end-2022 commissioned Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) on the City Council-proposed roll-out of Communal Bin Hubs in parts of the New Town and Old Town World Heritage Site.

The commissioned report follows strong opposition both to the Council’s intended programme of intensive Bin Hub networks across the conservation areas and to the absence of a prior Impact Assessment and acceptable mitigation measures. This opposition was led by NTBCC and by New Town Residents’ Associations.

The HIA Study (by heritage consultants Simpson & Brown) highlights the risks to the appearance and character of the conservation areas in themselves and the risks to ‘outstanding universal value’ and to Edinburgh Key Views embedded in the World Heritage Site itself.

See the report here:

http://www.ntbcc.org.uk/onte-world-heritage-site-communal-bin-review-heritage-impact-assessment/

For more information, contact NTBCC Chair, Carol Nimmo, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

End/KR

29/11/22: EACC AGM 2022: Elections to Members' Board

29 November 2022

EACC AGM 24 November 2022: Elections to Members' Board.

Chair: Steve Kerr (Corstorphine CC).

Vice-Chair: Keith Giblett (Queensferry & District CC)

Treasurer: Judy Wightman (Ratho & District CC)

Secretary: Ken Robertson (Grange Prestonfield) 

Roger Colkett (Tollcross CC), Ian Doig (Merchiston CC)

Robert Hodgart (Southside CC), Bill Rodger (Trinityu CC)

05/03/22: New EACC Constitution Feb 2022

At the EGM on 17 February 2022, EACC adopted a new constitution. This is available in the documents section of the website, here.

03/03/22: Objection to the Edinburgh Low Emission Zone Scheme

Addressed to Low Emission Zone Consultation:  < This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. >

Dear Sir/Madam,

At a meeting of the Edinburgh Association of Community Council's on 17 February 2022 there was unanimous agreement on the following -

• Support for an Edinburgh Low Emission Zone (LEZ).
• Opposition to an LEZ with the presently-proposed restricted inner-city boundaries. A city-wide boundary is strongly favoured by both city-centre and peripheral Community Councils.
• The need for modelling and zonal design that accurately and realistically reflects the impact of the substantial expansion of housing development within and around the city boundary.
• Ø  Accuracy: Modelling is educated guesswork and this analysis is of limited value if foresight is not involved. The huge amount of building currently taking place and planned for Edinburgh is an inconvenient truth that has not been incorporated in the modelling frameworks considered by the City Council.
• Ø  Realism: Assumptions are being made within those frameworks which are extremely optimistic and unlikely to have any close relation to actual outcome. 
• Opposition to the premature removal of monitoring equipment; this will simply serve to undermine the collection of data needed to support or otherwise challenge the modelling frameworks.
• A request that the City Council return the issue to the Scottish Government to obtain the fresh latitude to deliver an LEZ that enjoys widespread resident support.

A final point was made in relation to the City Council’s fixation with consideration of Edinburgh being seen through the prism of the city-centre at the expense of the suburban communities. Some of the streets in these communities have had the highest observed levels of emissions with the consequent detrimental effect on public health. Perversely it is the residents in these communities which will see little or no benefit from the presently-proposed Edinburgh LEZ boundary profiles.

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act confer the legal responsibility for community representation in Scotland to Community Councils. Community Councils have a statutory right to be participants in forums where decisions affecting their residents’ lives are being made and for their views to be respected and acted on. This must be true of health and social care, and we request that the City Council return the issue of an Edinburgh LEZ to the Scottish Government to bring about an LEZ that meets residents needs and expectations in those crucial areas.

We are happy to meet with members of the City of Edinburgh Council Transport and Environment Committee and relevant City Council officers to work to deliver the right LEZ framework for the city. 

--

STEVE KERR

Chair

10/11/24: Protection of Trees in Conservation Areas

From Clive Preston of Stockbridge & Inverleith CC:

It's apparent that the statutory protection of trees within a Conservation Area is totally inadequate. With hundreds of applications for tree work and felling being made each year, it is highly possible that, due to staff shortages, not every site is visited by Council Officers as it should be by procedural requirement. So, even more trees are being lost. Confidence in the whole process is not very high.

Established trees make a major contribution to the character and amenity of an area and those within Conservation Areas have statutory protection. What this means is that before any tree work (including felling) is carried out in a Conservation Area, the City of Edinburgh Council must receive written notice identifying the tree(s) and detailing the nature and extent of the proposed works.  (This requirement does not apply if a tree is less than 7.5cm diameter, or 1.5m high, or 10cm in diameter, or thinning is intended to help growth of other trees. If a tree is dying, dead or dangerous, the Council still needs to be notified of any proposed work.) This allows an assessment of the proposals by the Councils’ Arboriculture Officers. The only way the Council can protect a tree is by issuing a Tree Protection Order (TPO). It cannot otherwise refuse consent.

TPOs are used to protect selected trees and woodlands if their removal would have a significant detrimental impact on their environment. They must be of sufficient stature and sound condition so that they can be described as being an amenity to the public at large. Tree work undertaken within a Conservation Area without notification and consent makes those responsible liable to a financial penalty.

In reality, only a handful of TPOs are issued by the Council each year, meaning that most tree applications, including those for felling, are granted. Unfortunately, the process of a TPO does not necessarily protect a tree if removal has been approved by the Council as part of building planning consent. This is something to look out for. By way of example, some years ago, between 60 and 80 trees with TPOs were felled in the Trinity House Park site in north Edinburgh to allow for residential accommodation (now called Larkfield Gardens.)

16/08/24: Local Place Plans: the early steps.

Nick Marshall from Northfield Willowbrae CC shares his experience in shaping a Local Place Plan (LPP). Contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more.

"We decided to do a LPP late last year, when CEC first announced they were keen to have them submitted. We were able to put together a small team including two people with experience of participatory planning and one former senior planner. The deadline looks to be some time late in 2025. We are aiming to submit around Easter.
CEC told us that there was no funding to help us, so we have been paying for meeting venues and posters from our small CC funds.  We have recently been approved for a community grant of £1000. We have done most of the work ourselves on such things as leaflet design and drafting. Total costs will be around £1500, plus a lot of volunteer time. 
The main focus of our work to date has been through participatory meetings, based on the Scot Gov 'Place Standard Tool', which offers an excellent planning template. ( https://www.ourplace.scot/tool ) We printed a questionnaire derived from this and set up an online questionnaire on the Improvement Service website, adapted from their standard online questionnaire.

(See here for more:  https://www.improvementservice.org.uk/products-and-services/planning-and-place-based-approaches )

We have been running Saturday morning free coffee events for two hours or so every two months, placed posters on local noticeboards and on some bus shelters, and used some banners. We've arranged three walkabouts so far, in Piershill, Lady Nairne and Northfield, and have held a church hall and a local pub meeting. We've had up to 30 attendees at these events. 

With about 50 questionnaires returned and a further 60 online forms completed, we are ready to move on to the next stage. We need to draw up an explanatory summary of current CEC policies as they relate to our area, then sit down to analyse the responses we've received from people so we can get a clear fix on the really key issues and how residents feel about them. That way we can identify what we include in the LPP and what we encourage CEC to take forward by other means.

Then it's a case of drafting the LPP and bringing residents, neighbouring community councils and (importantly) local elected councillors into the picture. Hopefully, that leads us to submitting a final version to CEC in eight months' time or so. 

This is a big local learning exercise; time-consuming but so far very worthwhile. I'm happy to share more on how we have gone about it."

End/NM

06/12/23: Neighbourhoods - Low Emission, Low Traffic and 20-Minute.

Nick Marshall of Northfield and Willowbrae CC offers a quick summary of three core initiatives of  the Council on 'neighbourhood design'. 

This briefing is to provide clarification on various transport initiatives by City of Edinburgh Council (CEC). Several members of the public have raised concerns with the Community Council about these initiatives, often based on misinformation found online.  Rather than preparing a separate response for each person, this briefing will provide a basis for such responses.

Low Emission Zone (LEZ)

An LEZ (sometimes called a Clean Air Zone, CAZ) is an area in which the use of older or more polluting vehicles is limited or prohibited.  CEC is introducing a LEZ, covering an area slightly larger than Edinburgh city centre to be fully active from 1 June 2024.  It is currently in a testing phase.  Other LEZs in Scotland are in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow.  Unlike the London ULEZ, there are no permits.  Vehicles considered more polluting (roughly pre-2015 (Euro 6) for diesel cars and pre-2013 (Euro 4) for petrol cars), are not allowed inside the LEZ perimeter, and owners/drivers are charged each time they drive into the zone.  Central Edinburgh air is badly polluted, and councils are legally required to take action to reduce such pollution (mainly nitrogen oxides and particulates) which comes mostly from vehicle exhausts. The LEZ is an attempt to reduce this pollution. More information:

• https://www.lowemissionzones.scot/
• https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/roads-travel-parking/lez-works

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN)

An LTN is an attempt to reduce traffic passing through a predominantly residential area, especially traffic which is seen as using residential streets to avoid busier main routes.  Vehicular access is maintained to all properties in an LTN, though journeys within the LTN may take slightly longer. Filters may be put in place which only allow some traffic, e.g. buses or emergency services, to pass. It is these physical filters which discourage through traffic.

The aim of an LTN is to make residential areas safer and more comfortable to live, travel and spend time in.  CEC is responding to Government policies to encourage Active Travel (i.e. walking and cycling) and to reduce private car use, to reduce pollution, reduce carbon emissions and address the obesity epidemic. CEC is introducing LTN trials in Leith and Corstorphine and may subsequently introduce them in other areas of the city.  More information: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/13101/developing-low-traffic-neighbourhoods-for-communities-across-edinburgh

20 Minute Neighbourhoods (20MN)
20 Minute Neighbourhoods is a planning initiative across the UK to promote towns and cities where everyone can access all of their daily needs within a 20 minute walk, including shops, post office, doctor, dentist, library and other council services, social venues, greenspaces and jobs.  This is very much how towns and cities used to be organised, before the advent of out-of-town shopping centres and long commutes. 

With 20MNs, Local Development Plans prepared by the CEC encourage developers, businesses and service providers to set up local branches or small businesses to set up near to residential areas and in local centres rather than on distant industrial estates.  Stories that 20MNs will restrict peoples’ movements are entirely unfounded - no one’s ability to travel for shopping, services or work if they wish to do so will be affected.  CEC is currently trialling 20MNs in Craigmillar/Niddrie, Gorgie/Dalry and Portobello, but will also introduce them to other parts of the city in due course, and with public consultation.

More information: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/future-council/need-20-minute-neighbourhoods

Are all these initiatives linked?
The LEZ is aimed solely at reducing air pollution in the city centre. LTNs and 20MNs are separate initiatives brought into the Edinburgh 2030 Climate Strategy which aims to reduce carbon emissions and is the city’s response to the UN Paris Agreement, UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and the Scottish Government Climate Change Plan.  CEC is therefore legally required to take action to (for instance) reduce private car use, increase Active Travel, insulate homes and other buildings, encourage businesses to be more energy efficient, reduce waste and create more low-carbon jobs.
More information: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/15068/2030-climate-strategy

 End/NM

06/12/23: Edinburgh’s next planning round: City Plan 2040.

CEC’s Planning Division have their heads down in earnest now, pushing to wrap up City Plan 2030 for adoption by mid-2024 and starting to shape the canvas for the one that comes next, City Plan 2040.

“Pie in the sky!”, I can hear, or worse. But that completely misses the point. A local economy needs to change and develop. The city needs to adapt and grow. Someone has to own the project. Better too early than too late.

So, as they say, ‘Fail to plan; plan to fail’. The Scottish Government has no intention of letting that happen. Local Authorities have their orders. The clock is ticking. Here’s a quick rundown on where things stand.

City Plan 2030 is the successor to the current Local Development Plan 2016. A local development plan carries a 10-year strategy along with policies and proposals to determine planning applications and an Action Plan to guide delivery.

City Plan 2030 was submitted to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) for formal examination in December 2022. This process is close to completion. A Report of Examination should be returned to the Council in Q1 2024. It will carry recommendations and may include proposed modifications. The Council will decide on adoption of the plan. It’s expected that will take place by mid-year.

The legislative framework for development planning has now changed with the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. New procedures on the shaping and build of local development plans were announced by the Scottish Government in May 2023, along with new regulations and a change in the ‘planning style’ to be adopted. Every planning authority in Scotland is expected to have a new local development plan in place by May 2028. The over-arching National Planning Framework 4, which covers all of the country, stays in place for now. (It will also begin a journey of revision.) Other reference points include Regional Spatial Strategy and community-led Local Place Plans.

The new ‘style’ of City Plan 2040 will display three core characteristics. It will be:

‘Place-based’ – focused on illustrative local geographies; climate-crisis aware;

‘People-centred’ – prepared collaboratively through active public and community engagement;

‘Delivery-focused’ – targeted on achievable outcomes.

Notice that phrase ‘active public and community engagement’. City Plan 2040 is coming to you. At this very early stage of ‘Evidence Gathering’, you are being invited to say how you would like to be involved in, and to be kept informed about, the whole process. Here is the link to the survey that the Council has opened until 19 January 2024. Take the opportunity.

City Plan 2040 - Draft Participation Statement - City of Edinburgh Council - Citizen Space

The Evidence Gathering stage sits within the Development Plan Scheme (DPS) for City Plan 2040. The DPS is the ‘how to go about it’ framework. Work on the DPS will be accompanied by work on a draft Participation Statement, a summary of when and how the public and communities will be engaged over the course of the long planning programme. One aspect already in course is the live invitation for community groups to submit Local Place Plans to inform the planners’ early thinking.

As a community councillor, you are going to hear a lot about City Plan 2040. Community councils are there to serve their communities. Helping deliver that sought-for close engagement between the planners and the people is going to be a big item on their ‘to do’ list.

Here are some useful references:

Planning Edinburgh blog:

Planning Edinburgh

View the City Plan 2030 project webpage at:

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cityplan2030

View the City Plan 2040 project webpage at:

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/local-development-plan-guidance-1/city-plan-2040

Sign up to the mailing list:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Questions about the content of the current local development plan:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Scottish Government Local Development Planning Guidance

Local development planning guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

End/KR

07/06/23: Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming: Update Meeting

Event: 6 Jun 2023: Screen Meeting with CEC Public Spaces Team:

Update on Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming.

CEC Place set in motion the development of a Public Space Management Plan early in 2020, overseen by the Culture and Communities committee. Key Principles for the use of public open space for events and filming were set out in September 2021. Consultations continued over the course of 2022. An Update on the Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming was given to the Culture and Communities Committee in May 2023. Further work on the shape of the framework is taking place. A final report on the policy and associated guidance will be presented to Committee in October.

An update on the programme was offered to ‘stakeholders’ on 6 June. Joan Parr, CEC Service Director for Culture and Wellbeing chaired the session. The ‘scope’ of the overall programme has expanded appreciably, post-Covid, with a marked expansion of Filming Processes, for example. It was clear that the Public Spaces Team are under a good deal of pressure to wrap it up.

The essence of the programme is the distillation of 17 Key Principles (governing applications for, granting of, and conditions of approval) into the following four Key Policy Themes:

1. Process is transparent and accountable: Digital Platform to host all proposed and approved event information; open to the public.

2. Process and activities are proportionate: Event and Filming activities have to be 'proportionate' to their location and subject to 'area conditions'.

3. Activities must have a net positive effect: Measure across 'community wealth, cultural identity, reputation, quality of life or social value'.

4. Organisers will minimise their impact: Observing physical reinstatement; sustainability (net zero) principles; industry best-practice; stakeholder engagement.

Detailed ‘Guidelines’ to govern Policy ‘application’ remain ‘in the background’ (now somewhat lost from sight, in the opinion of one attendee, this after long gestation in past consultations with interested parties, including Community Councils.) They must be brought back into sharp focus.

From a Community Council perspective (principally Old Town, New Town and West End, but not exclusively), the points repeatedly made at this session covered:

Clearly inadequate pre-advice and consultation at present on ‘events and filming’;

Poor or no advance communication of dates and locations;

A lack of Council commitment to full financial transparency and reporting of the costs and benefits to the city of a now heavy (and growing) events and filming calendar.

For the moment, direct any queries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

End/KR

15/05/23: Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming: Update Report

15 May 2023: The CEC Placemaking Directorate has issued a short update report, presented to the Culture and Communities Committee on 11 May. It offers 'an indication of the future shape of the proposed policy and supporting guidance', this ahead of a final report scheduled for October. Here is the update link, (Any questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) 

8.3 - Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming_Final.pdf (edinburgh.gov.uk) 

09/05/23: Planning Democracy: Community rights of appeal.

9 May 2023: Edinburgh City Council votes unanimously in favour of community rights of planning appeal.

Planning Democracy is celebrating the 4 May CEC decision to back community rights of planning appeal in a motion led by Cllr. Ross McKenzie.

Cllr. Cammy Day will now request of the Scottish Government's Planning Minister, Joe Fitzpatrick MSP, a review of the rights of appeal, along with a request for extension of the current time periods for the determination of applications in certain circumstances.

At the heart of the issue is a drive by Planning Democracy and other groups to ensure that the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 cements the right of communities to influence local planning authorities' development plans in the course of the preparation of their own local place plans. Access to a right of appeal, on a par with the facility presently open to developers as a matter of course, would dismantle the 'privileged position' developers enjoy in determining the shape of communities, it is argued.  

There is more on this story here: http://www.planningdemocracy.org.uk .

End/KR

03/02/23: National Planning Framework 4

3 Feb 2023: National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)

Planning Edinburgh published on 1 February guidance to the NPF4, approved by the Scottish Parliament on 11 January 2023.

NPF4 is ‘a spatial plan for Scotland to 2045’, setting out where development and infrastructure is needed. It rests on the vision of ‘Sustainable Places; Liveable Places; Productive Places’

Here is the link:

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)

The adoption of NPF4 will mean that policies embodied in the city’s Local Development Plan 2016 (LDP 2016) must align with it; some current policies may require realignment.

A report to CEC Planning Committee (18 January 2023) gives the detail on this:

Planning Committee (PDF) 

The CEC Planning Policy Framework for the Local Development Plan in a National Planning Framework context is set out here:

View our Policy Framework (PDF)

You can link to LDP 2016 here:

Local Development Plan (2016)

End/KR

01/09/21: Planning: Non-Material Variation Service

In April, CEC Planning launched a new Non-Material Variation Service as part of wider efforts to improve customer service and consistency across planning.

A Non-Material Variation (NMV) application is a proposal to change an approved development that will not significantly alter what was granted planning permission.

There is a new and streamlined way to apply for NMVs, and a new formalised Application Form and Customer Guidance for applying.

Almost 90 NMV applications since April & with this new service have been able to process them in a more efficient way.

NMV applications can also be paid for easily at any time using our secure online payment form on our website.

Please do not contact individual case officers with regards to NMVs as all queries and requests are being managed through the new process.

For further details, see this section of the planning web pages:

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/nonmaterialvariations

23/03/18: Planning and Building Standards Performance and Service Improvements

23 Mar 2018: A report on Performance and Service Improvements was placed before the Planning Committee on 14 March 2018. This report had a number of recommendations, some of which were accepted by the committee, some which were deleted by the Committee and some which were amended by the Committee. The key changes related to the current Scheme of Delegation which allows officers to determine planning applications on the Committee’s behalf. Here’s what was agreed by the Planning Committee (but see below as they are not the final decision-maker):

Read more: 23/03/18: Planning and Building Standards Performance and Service Improvements

25/11/24: HMO Applications: Special Licensing Sub Committee: 29 November 2024

From Teresa Pritchard, Leith Links Community Council, 25/11/24

To: Licensing Leads:

I just wanted to draw to your attention that there is a ‘Special’ Licensing sub-Committee meeting this Friday to consider a range of very recent large HMO applications in various parts of the city.  In Leith we have 3 on this list where 2 applications were only made on 6 November and the Council seems to have absolved the owner of advertising the proposal and delivered letters by hand to residents on Friday saying representations needed to be made to Licensing by 5pm on Tuesday 26 November.   This might have happened in relation to other applications, including one made as recently as 14 November (normally members of the public have 28 days from the date of application to make any representations).

This is the information about the premises being considered on Friday that I can glean from the HMO register version, latest today is at 18 November:

46 Marine Drive – K and S Mir – 70 people in 45 Rooms – applied 9/02/24 ref 521744 – status 18/11/24 ‘Consultees Outstanding’

14-15 Minto Street – Thrums Lodge Ltd/Javid – 20 people in 20 rooms – applied 12/11/24 ref 540747 – status 18/11/24 ‘Consultees Outstanding’

128 Old Dalkeith Road – Abidha Properties – no data on register re numbers – applied 23/08/24 ref 535537 – status 18/11/24 ‘Consultees Outstanding’

254-256 Ferry Rd – Kapoor & Co – 46 people in 21 rooms (!) – applied 6/11/24 ref – status 18/11/24 ‘Application Incomplete’

8-9 Hermitage Place – Kapoor & Co – 43 people in 19 rooms (!) – applied 6/11/24 ref 540443– status 18/11/24 ‘Application incomplete’

57 Constitution Place – K and S Mir – no data on the register but notice on outside said 16 people.  – applied 11/11/24 ref 541029 – status on 18/11/2024 ‘Application Received’

130 Constitution Place – K and S Mir – 60 people in 32 rooms – applied 20/8/2024 ref 5357479 – status on 18/11/24

27 York Place – no data on the HMO register, not even the identity of the applicant! – applied on 14/11/24 – ref   541034 - status on 18/11/2024 ‘Application Received’

12 Granville Terrace – Kapoor & Co – 28 people in 13 rooms – applied 6/11/24 ref 540447 – status on 18/11/2024 ‘Application Incomplete’

47 Leamington Terrace – Alep Logistics – 21 people in 12 rooms – applied 7/11/24 ref 540477 – status on 18/11/2024 ‘Consultees Outstanding’

6 Hampton Terrace – Priscilla Chiu – 34 people in 17 rooms – applied 1/11/24 ref 540284 - - status on 18/11/24 ‘Consultees Outstanding’

Might Licensing leads on other CC's be interested in being aware?   We have objected strongly about the process being followed in the cases in our area.   Copy Chair and Secretary

Best wishes

Teresa Perchard

For Leith Links Community Council

24/11/23: Licensing: Bringing more clarity and fairness to Licence Applications

Roger Colkett of Tollcross CC sits on the EACC Members' Board. He has many years experience of dealing with licensing issues raised at his community council. He is about to submit (as a member) a paper to the Edinburgh Licensing Forum making a series of recommendations which he feels would benefit both sides to the licence application review process; those parties making an objection and those parties making a representation. His paper will be marked as an EACC Discussion Paper. You can find the full paper (for download) on this site EACC Papers >> Appendix. Here is some of what he has to say on recommended improvements:

Clarity and Accessibility:

The process of responding should be much more user-friendly, particularly for first-time respondents.

1. Until a better online system is available, each response received by the Licensing Department should prompt a routine reply, attaching copies of the relevant operating and layout plans (in the case of major variations both current and proposed).

2. Layout plans are sometimes on very large sheets, details of which can be difficult to decipher from the provided copy. Respondents should be made aware that originals can be viewed at the City Chambers.  If possible, respondents, if they need to, should be able to view originals at a local council office.

Fairness:

3. Before they speak to their response, the Convener should ask each respondent if they wish to make any points in addition to those included in their submitted response. If so, the additional points would be noted separately and the applicant would be given the opportunity to ask for the application to be continued to a later meeting to give time for any amendment required.

4. Having had to speak first without prior knowledge of the applicant’s argument, the respondent should be asked after the applicant has spoken whether they wish to say anything more.

5. In support of respondents having to speak first, I’ve heard it argued that the convention is compatible with the presumption that applications should be granted unless there is an exceptional reason to refuse.  If so, in the interest of fairness and logical consistency, when an application relates to premises in an area of overprovision (in which case the presumption is reversed with the default being to refuse), the applicant should be required to speak before the respondent.  Moreover, if the requirement for the respondent not to deviate from the submitted response were to stand, the same requirement should apply to the applicant’s published application in an area of overprovision.

Recognition:

6. When respondents want to say something after the applicant has spoken, the Board and its convener (recognising that respondents are usually seeking to contribute to the process, not to frustrate it) should politely ask them to be brief, thank them for their contribution, take on board the points made and if what they have said fails to comply with the law or the Board’s policy, clarify how and why that is the case.

Convenience:

7. Of course, it’s difficult to anticipate how long the assessment of each application will take, and one doesn’t want the relevant application to be dealt with before the respondent is due to appear.  However, all applications for which responses have been submitted could be brought to the earliest possible point in the meeting and arranged in ascending order of complexity and/or likely controversy, ideally with allocated timeslots, so that unpaid volunteer respondents would have had as little of their time wasted as possible.

End/KR

06/06/23: Alcohol Focus Scotland: May 2023 Edinburgh Alcohol Profile

Report: 6 Jun 2023: Edinburgh's Alcohol Profile Map

Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) is the national charity working to reduce and prevent alcohol harm. AFS campaigns on minimum pricing and on alcohol availability and licensing, with a special focus on the dangers of marketing exposure to children and young people.

AFS offers practical guidance for community groups in support of effective action to curb alcohol harm, crime and violence in their locality. If you would like to know more, go to:

Working To Reduce Alcohol Harm | Alcohol Focus Scotland (alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk)

In the meantime, AFS publishes regular Local Alcohol Profiles, mapping ‘Alcohol harm in your area’.

Here is the latest report for Edinburgh.

Edinburgh LAP May 2023 (alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk)

End/KR

24/01/23: A Message from Alcohol Focus Scotland

24 January 2023

Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) wants the help of every Community Council to get alcohol onto the live agenda of City of Edinburgh Council. (This is part of an AFS country-wide endeavour.)

AFS has produced alcohol harm fact sheets for each local area. For Edinburgh you can find this at:

https://www.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk/media/440130/edinburgh-city.pdf

Alcohol use and misuse is a 'here-and-now' issue for all our communities.

AFS offers first-hand guidance on how to approach the jeopardy threatened by alcohol abuse and licensing evasion.

Here are some of the questions AFS poses of council authorities.

• Would you agree that action on alcohol is a priority issue that cuts across many sectors?
• How would you reduce the impact of alcohol on health, families and communities in your area?
• What steps will you take to find out about the impact of alcohol locally?

In turn, they are legitimate questions for Community Councils. 

[Follow AFS on Twitter @AlcoholFocus.]

KR

21/03/24: Scheme Review 2024: Reaction: Queensferry District CC

QDCC Proposals to Consider for Meeting with CEC Governance

Resources & Support

• Volunteer Resources - do officers fully appreciate CCs membership is voluntary, with no/minimal official support, financial or otherwise.
• Operating costs – grant could be expanded to meet other needs, eg webhosting.
• IT support - from CEC would help CCs be more efficient, eg website resource, dedicated email addresses.

 Meeting Definitions & Attendance

• SG/COSLA Joint Council ‘Model Scheme’ – why/where does CEC Scheme differ from the Model Scheme re meetings attendance & definition.
• Meetings Constitution – CEC to clarify what level of discussion/attendance constitutes formal CC meeting and thus requires publicising.
• Special Meetings – specifically what constitutes a special meeting and what is minimum attendance to be quorate.
• Public Attendance – which meetings exactly are open to the public?  
• Quorum – query is this 50% of elected members only or including nominated interest group members.
• Chair Term of Office – query background/rationale on max 5 year term and one term only.
• Removal of 10 day notice to public for operational meetings

 Ward Cllrs Role & Function

• Role – ex-officio members role to be defined.
• Attendance – minimum meeting attendance requirement for individual CEC Ward Cllrs (ie not as a group).  If not should there be? 
• Reporting –  CEC Ward Cllrs to formally report monthly to CCs on matters they have been involved with which impact directly on the CC area.

Keith Giblett: Queensferry & District CC

21/03/24: Scheme Review 2024: Reaction: Tollcross CC

Tollcross Community Council Response:    7 March 2024

Consultation on Community Council Scheme and proposal to amend boundaries. Phase 2

1. General Observations

There is a lot in the scheme that is very useful to Community Councils (CCs), especially when being set up.

The language of the Scheme gives the impression of the Council micromanaging community councils rather than it being a two-way process of negotiation. Examples of this include lots of instructions about the order of business at meetings, the amount of money to be held in accounts and a constant flow of documents to the Council (about 1300 from all Edinburgh’s CCs with a financial penalty for non-compliance, not mentioned in Government guidance).

It is clear that much of this wording comes directly from a series of documents from the Scottish Government to councils and so councils are constrained by this. However, changes such as demanding the accounts 3 months earlier and demanding a community engagement report, both with financial penalties for not complying, are not following Scottish Government guidance and appear dictatorial. Language is important if we are to feel that we are on the same team with common goals.

Read more: 21/03/24: Scheme Review 2024: Reaction: Tollcross CC

04/03/24: Cramond & Barnton CC: A List of Ongoing Issues

Ian Williamson, Secretary of Cramond & Barnton CC, was in touch recently to set out a list of ongoing issues which have 'exercised us in recent years'. It conveys a good deal of frustration and it will, as he puts it, 'resonate with other CCs'. Here is a summary of what he has to say. The question, then, is what you think should be done, could be done, to break the impasse. Let me know, please.

CEC Relationship: The absence of meaningful engagement and consultation - 'a constant feature'.

Planning: Lack of opportunity to check or challenge the breadth and accuracy of Planning Officers' Handling Reports prior to Development Sub-Committee Meetings.

S75 Developer Obligations: CEC to provide regular public reports on the scale and application of S75 payments.

Transport Strategy: Local CC input on commuter route road-charging, on demarcation of no-go 'rat runs' and on bus service provision.

Active Travel Safety: Insufficient attention paid by Transport Officers to locally identified traffic hazards and travel mode conflicts.

Road Works: Need for more effective management, control and monitoring of road work undertakings, timescales and quality of completion.

Bus Services: Regular Transport & Environment Committee reporting on levels of service provision: Bus operator obligation to pre-consult on substantial changes to route and service provision.

Affordable Housing Obligations (AFO): Regular CEC reporting on the progressive discharge of AFO in respect of individual major developments.

Council Finances: CC desire for stronger, more frequent information on CEC funding and expenditure on both current and capital accounts. More explicit information on expenditure on external service (including consultancy) provision.

Support for Community Councils: 

What are CEC's ideas and proposals for improved levels of practical support?

Community Empowerment: Do community councils actually want more specific, delegated responsibilities for community service provision (as imagined in the Scot Gov Democracy Matters consultation? Can they realistically anticipate being able to put in place the management and resource platform to deliver?

13/02/24: CEC Scheme and Boundary Review: Close of Phase 1

The Review was submitted and approved at the special session of the CEC Full Council on 8 February, accompanied by a small number of amendments. Two related to the naming of community councils; the others to community council 'shape'. Here is the link to the full documentation. 

Choose agenda document pack - City of Edinburgh Council 8 February 2024 - Modern Council

The framework within which community councils are to operate rests heavily on the Scottish Government 'Model Scheme for Community Councils'. The framework (including proposed boundary revisions) now moves to the Phase 2 eight-week consultation, which has been scheduled to start on 12 February and run to 8 April. In the documentation as tabled to the Council, CEC made no move explicitly to bolster practical assistance and support to community councils to aid their efforts to function well and to ensure relevance to their communities. (In fact, such provision as there is in the existing Scheme was dropped from the proposed Scheme which went for approval on 8 February.)

However, one amendment now attached to the Scheme for consultation over the course of Phase 2 may (or may not) prompt a shift in support. 

This Green Group amendment reads:

"1.3 Agrees to include in the above consultation the following options for improving access, equality and diversity : term limits for office bearers; gender balancing mechanisms for community councils; increased training for community councillors and office bearers focussed on running meetings, handling email workload and the duties of community councillors; additional resource for encouragement of candidates to community councils; resources to support attendance at community councils including transport and care costs.

1.4 Agrees that should the above require additional officer time then the launch of the next consultation should be delayed by no more than two weeks from the proposed 12^th February start date."

As you judge your own response to the Phase 2 consultation, you might ask whether that goes far enough and how you would see such support being practically delivered.

Otherwise, note a separate amendment relating to 'Election of Office Bearers' which would limit a person's role as Chair to a 'combined term of five years' (with annual election). The occupation of other Office Bearer posts would not be so limited. Does that compromise continuity and function, or would it open the way for others who would wish to lead?

End/KR

13/10/23: Democracy Matters - The Scot Gov 'national conversation'

Two Scottish Government officials led a recent Improvement Service webinar (10 Oct) to promote directly to Community Councils the new consultation phase of the government's Democracy Matters local governance review. The consultation document is here  . The very earnest endeavour is to give people the opportunity to come together in their communities to imagine how new and inclusive democratic processes can best help their town, village or neighbourhood.

I attended the event. What follows are my personal impressions.

There was no doubting the sincerity of the Scot Gov speakers. However, their somewhat evangelical tone was somewhat undone by the reaction from the floor. (There were around 30 Community Councils represented.) Some long-standing issues emerged.

Read more: 13/10/23: Democracy Matters - The Scot Gov 'national conversation'

12/04/23: CEC Policy & Insight Team

12 Apr 2023: Future CEC Consultation and Engagement Activity.

CEC recently published (4 April) an indicative schedule of future engagement consultations.

Here are some of the bigger ones (with expected launch date):
Delivering the City Mobility Plan (April 2023);
Future provision of older people’s care and support in Edinburgh (August 2023);
Workforce Parking Levy (September 2023);
Local heat and energy efficiency strategy for Edinburgh (tbc);
Lothian Boulevard – walking, cycling and junction improvements (tbc);
Old Town streets – walking, cycling and reduction of unnecessary vehicles (tbc);
Conservation and Adaptation – city wide (tbc).
CEC contact: Pamela Curran; Senior Policy & Insight Officer; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

End/KR

12/10/23: Community Council involvement in Locality Improvement Plans (LIP) 2024-2029

Tommy McLean of Corstorphine Community Council offers (25 Sep) his opinion on the central role CCs should be looking to play here:

City of Edinburgh Council’s (CEC) Helen Bourquin, from the Community Engagement & Empowerment (CE&E) Team, spoke to EACC on 31 August about the LIP programme. (Here are the slides from the meeting.) I set out below my thoughts on how Community Councils can meaningfully participate. This is an excellent opportunity for Community Councils to be involved in identifying and shaping community priorities within the compass of their own LIP, working alongside CEC and other statutory Partners.

The current plan (covering 2017 to 2023) was justifiably criticised because local communities felt they were not given much opportunity to determine what they considered to be local priorities. The Edinburgh Partnership have asked CEC to engage with communities more effectively this time.

The CE&E Team is leading on this. In the North West Edinburgh Locality (the first plan to be worked on this time) CE&E have led several meetings to engage representatives from local groups (including Community Councils). The joint meetings have proved useful, encouraging and drawing involvement from a broad spectrum of community interests and networks. I understand a similar model of engagement will be used in each locality.

Simply put, Community Councils have a central position within their communities. It’s important that the knowledge and experience that sits there is fed into the LIP process to help develop programmes that are meaningful, realistic and useful for our communities and that make improvements to the lives of people living in them.

Possible roles for EACC:

• Act as a general point of contact and information exchange between CEC and Community Councils to aid effective communication
• Support better communication between Community Councils in different localities so that good practice can be exchanged and knowledge gained can be shared.
• Broadcast updates from the CE&E Team on ongoing work and stay involved in reviews of the effectiveness of the LIPs, to identify changes or improvements where required.

Possible roles for individual Community Councils

• Look for interested Community Councillors who will be the main point of contact for the CE&E Team.
• Have your LIP on the agenda on a regular basis and route feedback, comments and suggestions on priorities and actions needed to CEC. LIPs themselves will only be effective if they are used as living documents and if they improve community work in the areas where we live.
• Make sure representatives attend the review and planning sessions in your locality convened to draw up your new LIP for 2024 to 2029
• Use your own networks to encourage local organisations and individuals to contribute to and participate in the LIP; encourage them to help make it relevant to their community.
• Stick with it once the LIP is in place; take part in ongoing review and evaluation to make sure the plan remains relevant to your local community and is delivering exactly what is agreed and intended.

END / TMcL

21/01/24: The Pavement Parking Ban: Uncertain and unwelcome consequences.

Parking on pavements is generally a nuisance and can often be dangerous.  Scottish Government legislation passed last year banned it while allowing some limited exemptions.  Enforcement has now been passed to local authorities.  CEC has given notice that it will enforce the ban from 29 January with no exceptions.

For most of the city, roads are wide enough to accommodate parking while those who live in the medieval centre and certain other very densely populated areas have long acquaintance with highly restricted parking.  However, for certain locations, notably outside the city centre where access to a car is more important or where streets are unusually narrow this ban introduces very practical difficulties.

There are streets which are so narrow that if residents cease parking on the pavement passage of emergency vehicles or waste collection lorries will become impossible.  In some locations residents have developed the informal practice of pavement parking down one side of the street simply to allow passage of local traffic and keep one pavement clear for disabled access etc. The no-exceptions approach ignores these practicalities and could of itself lead to dangerous consequences.

Residents in such areas may find that their nearest legal parking option is some distance away in wider adjoining streets where there may already be parking pressures.  They query whether this is fair or equitable. These issues are especially acute for disabled persons or simply the more elderly.  It is unclear how disabled parking spaces will be managed. There are concerns that the pursuit of revenue-generating ‘fines’ will mean an especial focus on ‘compromised’ narrow residential streets as ‘easy targets’.

Some are asking whether enforcement is being rushed and whether more detailed preparation and consultation could have avoided the issues.  Comparisons are being drawn with other local authorities who appear to be adopting a more common-sense and flexible approach.  “No exceptions” appears to rule out any mechanism to seek exemptions.

Is your community council affected?  If so, EACC would like to hear from you.

Bill Rodger, Trinity CC.

19/04/23: Edinburgh Transport: Action Plans Consultation

19 Apr 2023: Edinburgh's Transport Future; the door opens on a major public consultation.

Cllr. Scott Arthur, Convener of the Transport and Environment Committee, calls it 'probably one of the biggest and most important consultations' undertaken by the City Council. It runs from 17 April to 9 July. 

What is the goal?: To effect the transition towards 'a less congested, more liveable, healthy and sustainable capital' with a buoyant economy, all within the big-picture goals of the City Mobility Plan 2030 and Edinburgh Net Zero 2030 strategic targets. Projected delivery is by way of five Action Plans covering Active Travel, Public Transport, Parking, Road Safety and Air Quality. 

I attended a consultation session yesterday. Don't brush aside or understimate the commitment, thought and endeavour that are going into this massive change project, even if it's not all to your liking. Make a start by getting involved in the consultation programme. Here is the online link to begin with.

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/cmp/

End/KR

10/03/23: Future Edinburgh: Delivering the City Mobility Plan

10 Mar 2023: Action Plan Framework

CEC Placemaking and Mobility Team is 'seeking to engage stakeholders' on five draft actions plans which have been prepared to support the delivery of the approved City Mobility Plan (CMP). There are three alterative Workshop dates; 18, 19 or 21 April (09.30 to 13.00). You are invited to request participation by the close of 17 March: Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The draft action plans cover Active Travel, Public Transport, Road Safety, Parking and Air Quality, each in support of 'the emerging citywide Circulation Plan and associated street-space allocation framework....helping us make difficult decisions about how to prioritise the limited space in our streets'.

End/KR

01/05/24: Grange Association Home Energy Event: 30 Apr.

The further up the ladder of home energy saving you go, the more complicated it becomes and the more help and advice you need. This event was a very useful reminder of that, but it also reinforced the point that the early steps – draught-proofing and easy-to-access insulation – can be quick wins. On this, it’s never too late to make a start and to keep on top of it.

This Grange Association (GA) community get-together was anchored by Edinburgh Building Retrofit and Improvement Collective (EdinBRIC), a non-commercial, independent, member-led enterprise with both a RIAS and a RICS professional at the helm, currently in receipt of support from Edinburgh Community Climate Fund provided by the City of Edinburgh Council. The meeting also covered case-studies illustrating the practical home retrofit experience of three GA members. (For more detail, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .)

EdinBRIC is a knowledge and services network for re-shaping domestic energy consumption, in the home and in the community. It hinges on the Resilient Community concept. Take a look here:

About us – Edinburgh Building Retrofit and Improvement Collective (edinbric.scot)

About sustainable resilient communities – Edinburgh Building Retrofit and Improvement Collective (edinbric.scot)

In the same vein, Loco Home Retrofit CIC is a Glasgow-based co-operative (regulated by the Community Interest Company Regulator) with the same focus of improving the existing fabric of household buildings by reducing energy demand and moving on to low-carbon heating sources. Learn more here:

Loco Home Retrofit CIC Limited – Glasgow's Retrofit Co-operative

Both enterprises stand ready to bring together households, tradespeople and professionals to chart the complicated path towards home energy retrofit, leading from problem through knowledge share to solution. Whether the starting point is single household or shared ownership or residents’ association, community groups like EdinBRIC and Loco Home Retrofit begin to open up the ‘How to go about it’ manual.

See if what they have to say has any pointers for you. Check, too, with Home Energy Scotland ( About us · Home Energy Scotland ) and its network of local advice centres. If you have ideas to share with EACC, please get in touch.

End/KR

19/01/24: Clean Heat Edinburgh Forum: The shape of the LHEES.

Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy (November 2023)

Summary and assessment by Sarah Mehrabi of Clean Heat Edinburgh Forum

(Received 18 Jan 2024)

The Strategy

The Edinburgh Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) is a long-term strategic framework aimed at improving the energy efficiency of buildings in the local authority's area and reducing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from heating. The strategy aligns with the Scottish Government's target of decarbonizing the heating of all buildings in Scotland by 2045 and the Council's goal of making Edinburgh a net zero carbon city by 2030.

The strategy sets out three central principles: taking a whole-system view, having an inclusive energy transition, and implementing a smarter local energy model. It also establishes two main targets: for 50% of Scotland's energy consumption to be supplied from renewable sources by 2030 and for a 30% increase in energy use productivity across the Scottish economy by 2030.

The strategy identifies key actions to support the transition to a climate-friendly energy system, including boosting advisory services for energy efficiency, providing support to remote and rural off-grid communities, and developing specialist knowledge and skills in retrofitting and zero emissions heating systems.

The document highlights the local policy landscape, with a focus on accelerating energy efficiency in homes and buildings and enabling the development of a citywide program for heat and energy generation and distribution. It also emphasises the importance of retrofitting social housing, developing regional renewable energy solutions, and establishing an Energy Efficient Public Buildings Partnership.

The strategy's findings highlight several challenges specific to Edinburgh's building stock, such as a high proportion of flats and mixed-tenure buildings, existing gas grid connections, an aged housing stock with listed buildings, and a significant number of homes with uninsulated walls. The analysis identifies strategic zones that provide potential pathways for decarbonizing the building stock and areas of pressure in terms of energy efficiency.

Overall, the Edinburgh LHEES aims to drive interventions and mobilise stakeholders to achieve the targets of energy efficiency and decarbonization, recognizing the need for significant resources and collaboration between the public and private sectors.

The Delivery Plan

The key points of the Delivery Plan for the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy of The City of Edinburgh Council for the years 2024-2028 are as follows:

1. The Delivery Plan focuses on actions that can be implemented between 2024 and 2028, with a particular emphasis on "no regrets" or "low regrets" actions that are feasible within the current policy context, funding availability, and existing powers.
2. The Delivery Plan identifies three thematic areas aligned with the national priorities of achieving net zero emissions and addressing fuel poverty: improving energy efficiency in areas at high risk of fuel poverty, piloting works to make homes heat pump-ready, and expanding the use of heat networks across Edinburgh.
3. The Delivery Plan acknowledges that the funding resources currently available are not sufficient to support the scale of interventions required. It also recognizes the limitations of a grant funding approach.
4. The Delivery Plan proposes the establishment of an "LHEES Office" as a dedicated project management office to coordinate the delivery of the Edinburgh LHEES.
5. The Delivery Plan presents a portfolio of projects consisting of 35 Delivery Areas and Heat Network Zones. These areas represent existing or potential projects related to energy efficiency and the transition to heat pumps.
6. The Delivery Areas and Heat Network Zones are categorised based on areas with high levels of fuel poverty and deprivation, areas suitable for retrofits to the Council's housing stock, and areas with potential for mixed tenure improvement services and other measures.
7. The Delivery Plan acknowledges that the actions outlined in the plan may overlap with those in the Council's 2030 Climate Strategy, but the Delivery Plan has a more specific focus on heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency actions that can be implemented during the specified period.
8. The Delivery Plan is subject to ongoing policy and regulatory changes, and future iterations of the plan are expected to have a broader focus as the context for delivery becomes clearer.

14/12/23: Delivering Edinburgh's Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy

1. On 15 December, CEC’s Policy & Sustainability Committee receives the Council’s Draft Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) and the related Draft Delivery Plan. Scot Gov has mandated all Local Authorities to prepare this kind of detailed thinking for the road to Net Zero Emissions by 2045. You’ll find the full set of documents in the Public Document Pack, Agenda Item 5.2, on Page 111. There is a lot of reading here. It is a very commendable piece of work, led by CEC Programme Development Officer, Kyle Drummond.

2. The LHEES papers are preceded (on Page 36) by the submission of the Draft Climate Ready Edinburgh (CRE) Plan 2024-2030, with a public consultation to follow. The CRE Plan updates risk assessments of why and where the city needs to adapt, building on big themes like Planning and the Built Environment, Coastal Adaptation, Sustainable Transport, the Natural Environment, Community Support and Climate Justice. It goes almost without saying that “as this work develops….the need for additional investment will become more acute”.

3. The CRE Plan is strong on concept and has a ‘vision thing’ – “Edinburgh will be a thriving, fair, resilient city and region where people, communities and nature flourish in a changing climate”. By contrast the Edinburgh LHEES and the Delivery Plan which follows (Page 293) are deep on detail, setting out ‘baseline analyses’ of where the city’s building stock falls short on energy efficiency, where it exacerbates fuel poverty and where it runs high on carbon emissions. The Delivery Plan translates analysis into activity and goes on to identify, almost by grid reference, a series of ‘priority areas of focus’ (also termed ‘strategic zones’) where walls and lofts will be insulated, heat pumps installed and heat networks stitched together. (The high-level ‘principles’ governing ‘how to start’ priorities are set out on Page 135. The high level ‘Considerations’ shaping the ‘pathways to decarbonisation’ – ‘how to get there’ – are summarised on Page 163. The mapping starts on Page 249.)

4. All of this goes towards identifying “a portfolio of projects that could potentially be delivered, or at least initiated/progressed, during the Delivery Plan period (2024 to 2028), subject to the necessary resources and powers being available” (Page 308). Note the conditionality. Specified are eight Delivery Areas relating to Energy Efficiency, 10 Delivery Areas relating to Heat Pumps and 17 prospective Heat Network Zones; a total of 35 physical intervention project localities. (Other declared projects include high-rise housing retrofit, old and historic properties retrofit and green heat.)

5. This is detailed drawing-board work (mapped from Page 319). Here are some of the acknowledged limitations. On Energy Efficiency: the interventions will not pay for themselves over time; they would likely need to be partly or wholly subsidised. On Heat Pumps: there are significant obstacles to embarking on any large-scale installation programme. On Heat Network Zones: how to plan and undertake the large-scale excavation which then disrupts almost every other element of city infrastructure.

6. The full Delivery Plan Schedule of Actions to be led by a new “LHEES Office” is set out on Page 390. There is much to be done, all of it hinging on the adoption of core high-level Principles to guide a “20-year journey to decarbonisation”. Here are some of the strands of thinking embodied within these Principles: Behavioural change will be vital. / There has to be a major structural change in electricity pricing. /  “The capital costs of implementing the Edinburgh LHEES are vast.” /  “…the Council does not currently have a budget in place for the delivery of the Edinburgh LHEES.” /  “…additional powers to compel change will be required to deliver heat carbonisation in a timeous manner.” / “…there are significant pressures on the availability of skills associated with heat decarbonisation.”

7. The LHEES Office is on a Scot Gov grant budget of £75k per annum for five years out to 2028. That is more or less all that is in the Council’s kitty so far for this massive decarbonisation project. The Council is currently facing “severe stress on its budget”. In prospect is a long-running programme whose “targets will be extremely challenging”, calling for “large-scale activity by both the public sector and the private sector and the commitment of significant resources”.

8. This is, in essence, a city redesign project.  “The total cost of delivering the Edinburgh LHEES – i.e. of improving the energy efficiency and decarbonising the heat of every building in Edinburgh – will be in the order of several billion pounds over the next 20+ years.” “A wide variety of stakeholders will require to be mobilised towards these goals.” Note that last verb. Be prepared to be disturbed.

Appendix

Energy Efficiency Delivery Areas
Restalrig & Lochend       /             Bingham & Magdalene                /              Restalrig & Craigentinny

The Calders        /             Granton, Wardieburn & Royston               /              Niddrie & Craigmillar

Clovenstone & Wester Hailes      /             Muirhouse

Heat Pump Delivery Areas

Lochend Butterfly Way                 /             Waterfront Park              /              Robertson Avenue

Fountainbridge                /             Oxgangs Avenue              /             West Pilton Grove

Craigour Place                  /             Elgin Street         /             Morrison Crescent

Craighouse Gardens

Heat Network Zones

New Town          /             Leith Walk          /             Old Town & Southside   /              Gorgie & Dalry

Craigleith            /             Granton              /             Leith      /             Portobello & Seafield

Morningside      /             South East Edinburgh     /             Colinton Mains 

South West Edinburgh   /             Heriot-Watt       /             Sighthill & Gyle                /             Ingliston

South Queensferry         /             Second New Town

Reference:

Policy & Sustainability Committee Papers, 15 December 2023

Agenda Item 5.2

Edinburgh Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan

(Public Pack)Agenda Document for Policy and Sustainability Committee, 15/12/2023 10:00 (edinburgh.gov.uk)

End/KR

30/08/23: Heat Pump Use in Scotland - an evidence review (Oct 2021)

Climate X Change (CXC), based at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute at High School Yards, Edinburgh, is a Scottish Government-funded centre of expertise on climate change. CXC 'commissions research and analysis to support the Scottish Government as it develops policies on adapting to the changing climate and transitioning to net zero'.

I came across this October 2021 paper* (55pp) which offers a detailed assessment of where and why heat pump efficiency can vary widely across the heating season and in different buildings, domestic as well as non-domestic. One standout is that weak user understanding of how to operate heat pumps and weak or imprecise installation design, specification and commissioning can really impair how well they perform, albeit that heat pumps are a mature heating technology.

Poor performance, of course, hits user levels of satisfaction and user behaviour. Amongst the conclusions (at the time) from this piece of work; customer expectations need managed; strong customer support is needed from pre-sale to after-sale; the supply chain needs to focus more on tailored specification and installation, case-by-case. 

Here is the Link to the CXC paper, which carries a very useful primer on heat pump technologies.

* Courtesy of the Grange Association, Edinburgh.

END / KR

14/07/23: Opinion: The Communal Bin Hub Programme

'Don't let it sneak up on you', says Bill Rodger, Trinity CC.

The Communal Bin Hub (CBH) project is rolling out in phases, skirting an earlier failed attempt to introduce it within the World Heritage site.

The core objectives of increasing effective recycling capacity and our overall recycling efficiency requires that each CBH carry twice as many bins. That means combining two sites into one larger site approximately 30ft long.

“Phase 1” covers the north east including Trinity. Phases 2 and 3 are underway and Phase 4 is under ‘consultation’ The following draws on Trinity’s experience. Despite having relatively few tenements and communal bins, the issues arising have prompted a significant response, have absorbed much Community Council and Elected Councillor time and have proved intractable.

Implementation started in December 2022 with bull bars installed in the roadway outside the new locations. Bins were combined inside the bars shortly thereafter. Deeply felt concerns were soon reported.

Complaints included:

• Lack of advance notice: Many residents claim that the sight of the bull bars was the first they know of the scheme.
• Consultation: Inadequate and, for some, non-existent. Benefits emphasised but with little acknowledgement of potential issues. Detailed maps were only available if a resident attended one of three in-person sessions.
• Noise: Especially acute where a bedroom faces the roadway with only a small garden. Sleep deprivation is an issue. Glass recycling is the worst especially with steel bins.
• Road safety: If a narrow street is also a thoroughfare, at peak times stressed drivers sometimes mount the opposite pavement to drive around a collection truck.
• Visual intrusion: Affects those residents facing a CBH, worsening their outlook and sometimes removing what had been an open view. Locations are determined objectively by algorithm but those directly impacted can feel arbitrarily unfairly affected, with particular concerns about their property’s market value.
• On-road parking compromised: A real issue if the residents are ageing and have mobility issues.
• Fly-tipping on the rise: The perception that a “communal bin”, now twice its previous size, is effectively a mini city dump is easily formed. Locations with a convenient stop, such as a disabled space, are especially prone.

Solutions might be found through practical conversations with CEC. However, Trinity residents have not found the project to be easily opened up to discussion and to solutions utilising local knowledge. The CEC process followed appears rigidly obstructive. A limited opportunity afforded in late 2022 to local Councillors to facilitate discussion, which did allow some progress to be made, was subsequently constrained by a report in 2023.

The main lesson to be learned by other CC areas ahead of CBH rollout is this: it's essential that those residents likely to be affected engage early with the consultation and look to understand properly their own situation. Urge them to do so and to take a close look. They should not take ‘general reassurances’ as being sufficient and all they need to know. Of course. it can be a challenge to engage those most affected ahead of problems emerging.

In this programme, CEC’s real objective shouldn’t be the principle behind the CBH project (which is commendable) but rather the search for practical solutions through proper engagement, so as to allow programme completion while minimising the impact on quality- of-life for those unfortunate individual residents staring out at their CBH.

END / BR

03/07/23: Clean Cities Campaign 2023 European rankings.

The Clean Cities Campaign is hosted by Transport & Environment, 'Europe's leading NGO campaigning for cleaner transport'.

A City Ranking survey across 42 major European cities ('the state of shared and zero-emission mobility) ranks on shared bikes and e-scooters, shared electric cars, publicly-available EV charging infrastructure (all per 1000 inhabitants, in Q1 2023) and the percentage of the city's urban bus fleet that is zero emission (data gathered ranges from 2021 to 2023.)

Copenhagen ranks 1/42 with a score of 87% and a grade A. Edinburgh ranked 38/42 with '12% and E', on a par with Birmingham. Glasgow ranked '30% and D'. (Edinburgh was 31/36 in 2022.)

UK city investment in zero emissions is lagging. The UK Climate Change Committee on 28 June rated government action on emissions 'worryingly slow'; 23% of all UK emissions comes from surface transport. 

See City Ranking - 2023 focused edition - Clean Cities Campaign and Publications - Climate Change Committee (theccc.org.uk)

End/KR

08/06/23: CEC Spatial Planning: Air Quality Action Plan

Event: 7 Jun 23: CEC Spatial Policy Unit:

Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) Workshop:

(Ruth White, Placemaking and Mobility Strategy and Development Manager, CEC.)

The draft AQAP sits in the delivery channel of the City Mobility Plan, alongside Active Travel, Public Transport, Road Safety and Parking Action Plans. The five sets of proposals are currently out for consultation until 9 July. ( Item 7.5 - Revision to the Air Quality Action Plan - Draft for Consultation.pdf (edinburgh.gov.uk)

In broad terms, there has been progressive improvement in city air quality standards over the past 15 years, but they are ‘nowhere near’ World Health Organisation standards and some ‘trouble spots’ in the city remain. There is increasingly solid recognition of the damage to environment, personal health and welfare arising from pollution. The main local pollutants of concern are nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), to a lesser extent carbon dioxide (CO₂), and fine airborne particulate matter, PM10 and PM2.5 (measuring less than 10 micrometres in diameter and less than 2.5 micrometres respectively).

The overarching legislative drivers come from the Scot Gov Cleaner Air for Scotland Strategy (CAFS) 2, from National Planning Framework 4 and from the National Transport Strategy (National Transport Strategy | Transport Scotland )

There are eight key themes under the AQAP proposals:

Low Emission Zone (LEZ) • Strategic Transport • Behavioural Change to Active Travel • Public Transport • Low Emission Vehicles • 2030 Climate Strategy • Integrated Policies and Guidance • Domestic Emissions.

There is a close convergence here with the broader City Mobility Plan (City Mobility Plan – The City of Edinburgh Council )

The high-cost elements are:

Implementation of the LEZ;

Incorporating AQ considerations into the Public Transport Action Plan, with support for projects to decarbonise the Edinburgh bus fleet;

Improving the St John’s Road / Drumbrae South corridor;

The development of net zero community heating projects;

The development of a Whole House Retrofit (WHR) programme for social housing in the city.

The ‘difficult’ elements relate to personal behaviour change, essentially in car use and in domestic emissions (open fires and wood-burning stoves and the like).

Set in the context of the Net Zero 2030 Climate Strategy, it is difficult to exaggerate the scale of change envisaged for the city. The easy thing is to be cynical about the intent and the effort. However, the direction of travel is clear. The success of the endeavour will rest on funding, human resource at CEC level, the progressive selection of the right priorities on the way, all alongside the right nudges to induce personal behaviour change.

See this CEC Consultation document: Actions to deliver Edinburgh’s City Mobility Plan - City of Edinburgh Council - Citizen Space

End/KR

13/04/23: CEC Waste & Cleansing Contact List

13 Apr 2023: CEC Waste & Cleansing Key Contacts List

Compiled by Angus Murdoch, Technical Coordinator, CEC Place Directorate: 30 March 2023.

Initial reports or enquiries

Use the website where possible. There are a range of webforms for the most common things that people want to do and that’s the best and quickest way to get to the correct team first time.

www.edinburgh.gov.uk is the council website.

The waste landing page lets you do a range of things from reporting a missed bin or request a replacement bin, to register for the garden waste collection or book a special uplift or visit to a household waste recycling centre.

The recycling landing page also has features such as what to put in each bin and our recycling sorter to look up what to do with common items you’re not sure about.

Important Guidelines

Why is waste a problem? sets out why it’s important to reduce waste and, in really simple terms, why recycling is important.

Our waste prevention page provides links to support people reduce their waste production in the first place.

Our real nappies guide provides advice to people considering alternatives to disposables;

Our home composting guide offers advice on how to get started here.

What goes in each bin links to guides, videos, and stair posters for the different services and different bins,

while getting the most from your recycling gives simple advice about common things we’re often asked about or issues we experience;

What happens to your recycling explains where our main recycling and waste streams go and what happens.

The plastics page looks to ease the confusion that exists around those materials, and be clear what you can put in our collections, It also provides advice about other plastics and the various retailer takeback schemes. The soft plastics page give specific information about the retailer takeback schemes for plastic bags and wrappers;

Note also the national recycleyourelectricals website run by the electricals industry. It has a postcode search which gives methods of recycling different items where you live.

Alternatives to website

For many people and many queries, the website is a great resource but we do recognise that some people can’t do that or don’t want to, and we also provide email and telephone contacts:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. is the address for all Waste and Cleansing contacts. It goes to the Contact Centre, and they log enquiries and send them to the correct officer or team.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. is the email for enquiries about litter enforcement, fly-tipping and abandoned cars. Please note that “streetenforcement” is one word - it’s slightly different from most Council email addresses in that way.

0131 608 1100 is the phone number for various environmental services (not just waste related enquiries) at the Contact Centre.

Escalated and Formal complaints

The vast majority of enquiries and informal reports and complaints are resolved first time, but sometimes problems persist. The Council also has a two-stage complaints process which lets residents make a formal, logged and reference-numbered complaint.

The contact points for this are: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0131 200 2300.

End/KR

30/03/23: Communal Bin Review Programme

30 Mar 2023: Update

From Andres Lices, Senior Engineer, Waste - Communal Bin Review Project Team (23 March):

“Information on the phasing of the project is available on the website.

Phase 4 [including Southside, Newington and Prestonfield] is undergoing the design/planning stage prior to the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO). More information on the timescale of consultation, activities and delivery of each phase will be available at the next report that will be taken to Transport and Environment Committee in May 2023.”

Phase 5 (covering World Heritage Site, City Centre and parts of Inverleith): The TRO process for this phase is currently paused while the Council undertakes a feasibility study of alternative solutions.

End/KR

13/03/23: Transition Edinburgh: District Heating Forum

13 Mar 2023: Event: Putting District Heating into action.

Led by Transition Edinburgh ('Pathways to building a fairer, carbon neutral future'), this event offered an illustration of some practical paths to small district / neighbourhood / community heating projects. The slide material isn't available yet, but here are some of the key contact and guidance links for energy help, saving and transition.

Home Energy Scotland – Fixes and funding

We are Local Energy Scotland · Local Energy Scotland – CARES – the Scot Gov Community and Renewable Energy Scheme

Home | Net Zero Nation – Net Zero Scotland – Eat, heat and travel greener.

Transition Edinburgh – Pathways to building a fairer, carbon neutral future - Transition Edinburgh

Upcoming Events – Our Future Edinburgh - Community Climate Action

End/KR

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE

Next Meeting: Thursday 30 January 2025 on Teams; 1845 for 19.00 to 21.00.

>>> Events, Consultations, References and open-forum Articles. SCROLL DOWN for full Article texts:

24 Dec: Reference: The Edinburgh Partnership (EP): This is the EP is the community planning partnership for the city, bringing together a wide array of public agencies, third and private sectors to focus on local community planning and the improvement of community life and services for the people who live and work in the city. The current Local Community Planning Partnerships (LCPP) and Neighbourhood Networks (NN) framework is under close review. When completed (H2 2025), we might expect community councils to be invited to play a bigger part in their community planning role. That's something to consider in thinking about the shape of your community council in the next term.

24 Dec: Reference: Volunteer Edinburgh: Volunteer Edinburgh's purpose is to strengthen community connections and networks and thereby reduce inequalities through different models of volunteer recruitment and engagement. CEC has profiled Volunteer Edinburgh as a possible partner in the work done by community councils and as a contact point in promoting the forthcoming elections. https://www.volunteeredinburgh.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/ .

24 Dec: Reference: RAMPS Edinburgh recommissioned: RAMPS is the tracking tool for planning applications across Scotland, by Local Authority and by Community Council. RAMPS Edinburgh is now onstream, allowing you to track planning applications, their status and changes as they are processed by the Council. Go to: https://planningramps.uk/signin .

11 Dec: Reference: Queensferry & District CC (QDCC) Promotion: Take a look at the smooth A4 promotional text front-running the community council elections; highlighting the importance of community 'representation', the scope of work done by QDCC and the responsibilities placed on members. This piece backed-up a Governance-led promotional event in South Queensferry on 9 December, with QDCC members and elected councillors in attendance. The file is carried as QDCC Election Promotion A4 Sheet within EACC Papers >>> Community Council Support. 

10 Dec: Reference: Edinburgh Development Forum (EDF): From today's quarterly meeting: City Plan 2030 opens the way to early work on City Plan 2040. Get an update on the Edinburgh Local Heating and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) - ambitious, exciting, costly, disruptive. Get an update on the City Mobility Plan - equally ambitious, costly and divisive. Don't forget to add your views on the Princes Street and Waverley Valley Strategy - 'revitalise and conserve' is the central message. Much depends on Network Rail. The consultation closes on 21 February 2025. Download the EDF document (Rpt 24_12_10) from EACC Papers >>> Meetings 2024. 

6 Dec: Reference: CEC Workstream Support for CCs: Principle support themes are: Promotion of CCs / CC comms and engagement / Hybrid meetings / Equality, inclusion, diversity and accessibility / Related specific training needs. The programme is underway and will build through H1 2025. See this link to the report to the Culture & Communities Committee, 5 December 2024 (Page 214). 

6 Dec: Reference: Edinburgh Partnership: Culture and Communities Committee: 5 December 2024: The Edinburgh Partnership, the statutory body for community planning in the city, publishes a Local Outcome Improvement Plan Annual Report. The latest report, approved by the Board in September 2024, sets out the progress across the three priorities: alleviating poverty; providing access to work, learning and training; enhancing quality of life in the city.

"Whilst there is evidence of progress, the Edinburgh Partnership acknowledges that more needs to be done. Consequently, it is undergoing a Transformation and Improvement Programme to shape what it does and how it works in the coming years. This means some structural change but more importantly improvements to how it functions to ensure it can address the key challenges for the city. This will include the development of a new Local Outcome Improvement Plan bringing together into one plan the work of the whole partnership, with poverty prevention, just transition and health and wellbeing at its heart. A report on this work will be presented to (the Culture and Communities) Committee in the new year."

6 Dec: Reference: Colinton CC Call for Funding Support: Deputation to Culture & Communities Committee on 5 December. Read the submission in EACC Papers >>> Community Council Support. 

6 Dec: Reference: November 2024 AGM: The report is now filed in EACC Papers >>>  2024 AGM Papers.

25 Nov: Article: Leith Links CC: HMO Applications: Teresa Perchard draws to your attention (Licensing Leads) a forthcoming 'Special' Licensing Sub-Committee meeting on 29 November to consider a recent sharp rise in HMO applicatons, whereby due procedures on local notification and advertising of applications may not have been followed, in certain cases. Leith Links CC has lodged strong objections to process within its own locality. More detail carried in the Licensing file on the menu bar. (See also the 15 Nov Reference below.)

22 Nov: Article: CEC Support for Community Council Elections: CEC's general programme of election awareness and promotion is now beginning to build. CEC Governance has offered a good deal of detail on how they can help (individual) community councils raise their local profile and deliver their own election message through print and social media. See more in the article below, on this page. Download detail by going to the menu bar and to EACC Papers >>> Community Council Support . Contact the Governance Team at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Also, take a look at the CEC Community Council site:  https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/community-planning/community-councils .

15 Nov: Reference: Leith Links CC: Teresa Perchard has authored a further report on CEC's handling of unlicensed HMOs, changes in train and the need for better ongoing notification of HMO licence applications to community councils as 'competent objectors'. Contact Leith Links CC at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , with your views or queries on the report; copy to EACC to keep us in the picture. Go to EACC Papers >>> Planning  to read the report. 

13 Nov: Reference: CEC Support for 2025 CC Elections: Go to Menu Bar, EACC Papers >> Community Council Support for detailed information on CEC facilities to help you promote your community council's election message and themes in Q1 2025.. 

10 Nov: Reference: Tree Felling on Conservation Areas: Clive Preston of Stockbridge & Inverleith CC sets out a reminder of the circumstances that see tree preservation procedures so frequently breached in practice. Go to the Menu Bar and to Planning & Place.

6 Nov: Reference: Edinburgh Visitor Levy: EACC representatives met today with CEC Project Manager, Katherine Kennedy, to offer observations on the interim shape of the pending Visitor Levy; enactment expected January 2025 with implementation in July 2026. The shape of the proposed final scheme will go the Policy & Sustainability Committee and to Full Council in January. The public consultation closes on 15 December. You can find the draft scheme in this link:  https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/15844/visitor-levy-for-edinburgh-draft-scheme . The Visitor Levy consultation document can be opened here: https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/visitor-levy/ . 

5 Nov: Article: CEC Promotion of Community Councils: Following on from the 22 October meeting with CEC Governance, where we got some idea of the Governance promotion strategy for the March 2025 elections, a community councillor asked for the Governance team's take on the following questions: 1) Is there any real point or value in a CC? 2) What can a CC achieve or influence with CEC? 3) Does CEC listen and act? Scroll down to the Article below to see the response!

5 Nov: Event: Edinburgh Partnership Board (EPB): Poverty Commission Meeting: The EPB is the CEC-led forum of public sector and third sector agency service providers. There is a standing platform of work undertaken with the Edinburgh Poverty Commission (EPC, inception 2020) and End Poverty Edinburgh. This event considered the progress on the EPC Interim Review due for publication in 2025 (half-way towards the original EPC 2030 'End Poverty' target date). The 'End Poverty in Edinburgh Delivery Plan' looks set to dig deeper and community councils are likely to find themselves drawn to offer a greater involvement. I've asked that community councils be given a clear picture of any new undertakings in this delicate and detailed area well in advance of the elections. Here is the link to the Policy and Sustainability Committee Papers of 22 October carrying the End Poverty in Edinburgh Annual Report 2024.

1 Nov: Reference: Leith Links CC: Teresa Perchard (TP) note on local proliferation of unlicensed HMOs and on expansion of BT 'Street Hubs'. On the HMO issue, Leith Links CC will meet with the Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on 6 November. See the EACC Papers >>> Planning  file for the TP note. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss. 

31 Oct: Reference: The Cockburn Association: Notes and links from the 30 October conference on 'Responsible Tourism: Solutions for Edinburgh's Future'. Strong undercurrent that there needs to be visible community payback in exchange for sharing the city's heritage with visitors. Remarks from the floor included a visitor guide's 'embarassment' at the 'state' of the city and the countryside in general. Go to Menu Bar and to EACC Papers >>> Meetings 2024.

28 Oct: Reference: Edinburgh Partnership Board: Update on the ongoing Transformation and Improvement Programme. Final report due to the Policy & Sustainability Committee on 10 December. Community councils may see a redefined role. Go to EACC Papers >>> Edinburgh Partnership Board.

23 Oct: Reference: Report on CEC Communal Bin Review Workshop; Go to the Menu Bar and to EACC Papers >>> Meetings 2024.

8 Oct: Reference: Cllr. Cammy Day: Letter of Support for Community Councillors: Dated, 8 October, by email, I've just received the following text from Cllr. Day, Leader of CEC:

Dear Community Councillors,
Support for Community Councils
At the last meeting of the Policy and Sustainability Committee, a motion was approved that I write on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council on training and accessibility of Community Councils. The following motion was agreed by our members -
'To agree that making Community Councils more accessible to elected members, community councillors and the public plays an important role in enabling a greater diversity of people to engage with local democracy.
To recognise that a lack of equipment is only one potential barrier to Community Councils running hybrid meetings, and that in some cases, training on how to use the equipment may also be required.
To request officers to provide political groups with budget estimates for providing Community Councils with hybrid meeting equipment and training on how to use it as part of the 2025/26 budget, on the basis of their engagement with Community Councils.'
Following this agreement, officers have gathered estimates for the hybrid equipment which would be approximately £1400 per community council, or £65,800 for all 47 community councils. Training on how to use the equipment will be delivered by council officers. Further progress on this work will be reported to the Culture and Communities Committee on 5 December 2024.
I hope the above demonstrates how much we value our Community Councils and the important work you do as the direct links to those living in the city. 

Yours sincerely. Councillor Cammy Day

25 Sep: Event: Cockburn Association: 30 Oct: Responsible Tourism: Solutions for Edinburgh's Future: An afternoon discussion (12.00 to 17.00) on tourism pressures; city vulnerabilities and resilience; and actionable strategies; with contributions from those in the industry, academic observes and CEC. Here is the link to book a place in person or online: https://www.cockburnassociation.org.uk/event/responsible-tourism-solutions-for-edinburghs-future/ .

25 Sep: Reference: Edinburgh Bus User Group (EBUG): Call to new CEC Transport Convener, Cllr. Stephen Jenkinson: Open Letter (published in the Edinburgh Reporter) calls for renewed CEC / bus operators combined focus on getting key priorities delivered on bus stops / shelters / live timetables / interchanges / highway infrastructure. The bus station issue needs resolved 'at pace'. 

13 Aug: Reference: Planning: Following on from the EACC Guidance Notes profiled on 2 August, Ronnie Shaw of Liberton & District CC has profiled two nicely-formatted general guides to the Scottish planning system from Highland and Moray Councils. You can find them here: Highland Council Guide to the Planning System and  Moray Council Guide to the Planning System. You'll find other important planning links on the menu bar under Planning & Place.

2 Aug: Reference: Grange Prestonfield CC recently published a Guide to the City Plan 2030 and Edinburgh Design Guidance frameworks, a short primer for new community councillors (pending) and for anyone else looking to catch up. With the same in mind, I’ve added three new EACC guidance notes on planning policy, drawn directly from Scottish Government material on Community Engagement, on Development Management and on Householder Permitted Development Rights. You can find them in the EACC Papers >>> Planning link on the menu bar. You will also find in that file a new illustrated guidance booklet for homeowners on Retrofitting Historic Sash and Case Windows. This illustrative paper has been offered by Dr Victoria Lee, a Lecturer at Edinburgh School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture at the University of Edinburgh. She notes it has been vetted by Edinburgh World Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland and CEC for accuracy and practicality. 

2 Aug: Reference: Neighbourhood Networks and Community Grants Fund: Andrew Field, Head of CEC’s Community Empowerment and Engagement Service, is currently leading two reviews of the Neighbourhood Networks structure and the Community Grants Fund. Along with Joan Parr, CEC Service Director, Culture and Wellbeing, he is taking two reports to the Culture & Communities Committee on 8 August. Both reports are work-in-progress. Here is a link to the Culture & Committee Papers for that meeting with an outline of the background issues.

5 Jul: Reference: City Plan 2030 (CP 2030): This is now the template against which development proposals and applications in the city are measured and judged by CEC Planners. It is a 200 page-plus document of fine detail and precise wording and it is to be used alongside the equally detailed Edinburgh Design Guidance framework. Together they serve to set the standards by which Edinburgh shapes as it grows. Every community councillor - especially those who will take up their place after the next elections - should have a meaningful awareness of just what is in the two 'rule books'. Grange Prestonfield Community Council (GPCC) has just produced a really useful summary of the essential parts of both documents. This is an introduction which will put the novice on nodding terms with the mountain of detail in both documents, especially CP 2030. GPCC has generously asked to make it available to other community councils. You can find a copy by going to EACC Papers >>> Planning on the menu bar or by using this link: 2024 Jul City Plan 2030 GPCC Summary & Guide .

26 Jun: Reference: 3. Now the attention turns to City Plan 2040. Local Place Plans will be a feature; here is a link to get you started: Resources - Planning Aid Scotland (pas.org.uk). 4. Planning Edinburgh has also opened a consultation on its amended West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework and Strategic Masterplan. West Edinburgh is recognised as a major development corridor within the growing city in City Plan 2030 and it will be a central feature in the emerging City Plan 2040. This link gives you detail and access to the consultation, which runs until 1 August: West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework Amendments . 

28 May: Reference: Funding The Public Sector Built Environment: The Scotsman (27 May) carries an opinion piece from Euan Pirie, head of major projects and infrastructure at Harper Macleod, where he talks of the funding pressures facing local authority housing projects and other public sector built environment challenges in the years ahead (including retrofitting, community building and city centre regeneration). Read about the innovative funding possibilities, here in the Harper Macleod publication The Blueprint .

27 May: Consultation: George St. to Meadows Active Travel Plan: Get the consultation detail on concept design here: Have your say on Meadows to George Street improvements – The City of Edinburgh Council. Big changes are in prospect. A series of outdoor public events to meet the project team and to illustrate the proposals will take place: Thurs 30 May, 8am to 6pm at Middle Meadow Walk / Sun 9 June, 10am to 4pm at Candlemaker Row / Sat 22 June, 10am to 4pm at the Mound.

Consultation documents will be on display at the Central Library on June 4-6 and 25-27 and at the National Museum of Scotland June 7-14. Big changes are in prospect. Floating bus stops are part of the plan. Blue badge holders may find access more difficult. There will be traffic displacement from George IV Bridge and the Mound.

17 May: Event: Planning Appeals Training for Communities: A DPEA webinar on Wednesday 12 June (18.00 to 19.30) offered by the Improvement Service (IS). DPEA: Planning appeals training for communities | Community Council (communitycouncils.scot). The IS Community Councils website (amongs many other things) also profiles a series of 'Skills Support for Community Councils' courses, some provided by the Open University and some by external providers like Microsoft and Google. There is a lot of 'digital' content on offer. Worth looking at here: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/skills-supportOU-CC

30 Apr: Reference: Edinburgh - City Factsheet: Find out more on how Edinburgh ranks on key UK urban area indicators from the centre for cities site. Use the data tool.

19 Apr: Reference: Edinburgh by Numbers 2023: A fast-expanding city, drawing people and inward investment. 'Wellbeing' indicators hold up; strong employment levels in a high-skilled regional economy (led by health, finance and insurance sectors in employment numbers; finance and insurance and real estate in gross value added terms); big tourism (and hotel) rebound. See the detail here: Edinburgh by Numbers #17 . Read it in conjunction with the Edinburgh Partnership Survey Q3 2023 (https://www.edinburghpartnership.scot/downloads/file/219/ep-survey-results), which gives a better picture of what it is like to live here. 

19 Apr: Reference: City Plan 2030: Student Housing: The Report of Examination (below) considers ( as 'Issue 25') the many representations submitted in relation to City Plan 2030 policy proposals on Student Accommodation (See City Plan 2030 Page 123). Opinions submitted include on the one hand: over-provision at the expense of mainstream (affordable) housing; pressures on 'social fabric' of the 'balanced communities'; inadequate measuring / monitoring of 'demand' for student accommodation (by number of units and type), allowing too much 'speculative' development. On the other hand: there is significant under-supply of purpose-built student accommodation in the city; inclusion of mainstream housing in developments can conflict with the economics of purpose built student accommodation delivery. The Council concludes no modification in existing policy guidelines (within City Plan 2030) is merited. The Reporter shades at the margin the requirement for housing to comprise 50% of all student accommodation units on sites greater than 0.25Ha. Access the detail of the review here: Scottish Government - DPEA - Document (scotland.gov.uk) Go to Issue 25 on Page 1385. (Issue 23 covers Affordable Housing; Issue 26 covers Housing Policy.) 

10 Apr: Reference: The Sunday Times (7 Apr) reported on the launch of a key report on how to reconcile projected continued expansion in aviation, airports as a driver of growth and job creation and decarbonisation towards net zero. The focus of the report, led by Duncan Maclennan (emeritus professor of urban economics at the University of Glasgow) looks at Edinburgh, a 'metropolitan economy' that must compete on a big stage and serve as a hub for central Scotland. The link to the report is here: Future flying: Up in the air? 

21 Mar: Reference: Planning Democracy and the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland (ARPS) recently concluded a series of webinars covering 'Scotland's Planning System / National Planning Framework 4 / Navigating Local Development Plans / Having a say in the future of your area'. View the series at: https://aprs.scot/event/joint-webinar-series/ . 

6 Feb: Reference: Our Future Streets - a circulation plan for Edinburgh; the far-reaching proposals intended to tie together the City Mobility Plan, 20-Minute Neighbourhoods and the drive to Net Zero 2030 among other objectives. The  submission on the Tramline Extension is here: Item 7.3 Tram from Granton to BioQuarter and Beyond Consultation for Strategic Business Case Develop.pdf (edinburgh.gov.uk) . (A 12-week consultation is proposed.) 

The wider Our Future Streets (OFS) documentation is in three parts, with the link to the first part here: https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s66421/Item%207.2%20Our%20Future%20Streets%20-%20a%20circulation%20plan%20for%20Edinburgh_Part1.pdf

12 Jan: Reference: How does your council work? The Governance function sits at the heart of it - who does what and how it should be done. Take a look at this Committee Best Practice Guidance paper (December 2023), tabled at the Governance, Risk and Best Value Committee on 28 November 2023*. Note the Executive Committee Structure (P7): Policy and Sustainability; Culture and Communities; Education, Children and Families; Finance and Resources; Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work; and Transport and Environment. *Item 8.4 Committee Best Practice Guidance.pdf (edinburgh.gov.uk) 

The wider Committee structure is set out here: Committee structure - Modern Council (edinburgh.gov.uk)

24/12/24: Test Article

Test Test

Read More Guide

This an article with Read More facility

 "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in

Read more: Read More Guide