EACC: Home Page Links
1) Keep up-to-date with the CEC Consultation Hub . (Use the 'search' functions for quick access.)
2) Search the CEC Committee Meetings schedule and access Agenda Papers and Reports .
3) See the current CEC Webcast Diary on Home - City of Edinburgh Council Webcasts (public-i.tv) .
4) Community help from the Improvement Service at: https://www.improvementservice.org.uk/about-us and from the Scottish community Development Centre (SCDC) at: https://www.scdc.org.uk/who , including Model Scheme Documents 2023 | Community Council (communitycouncils.scot) ).
5) Follow the Scot Gov Democracy Matters Phase 2 consultation programme. Closes 28 Feb 2024.
6) Download material on recent EACC Meetings. Go to menu item EACC Papers and browse Meetings.
Hold the Front Page:
Next Meeting: Saturday 23 March at the Business Centre, City Chambers, High Street: 09.00 for 09.30, to 13.00.
>>> Headlined Events, Consultations, References and Articles. SCROLL DOWN for full Article texts:
6 Mar: Reference: Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Spring 24 update (work schedule ahead of 1 Jun enforcement): Briefing and LEZ rationale.
6 Mar: Consultation: Belated pick-up on the further CEC Planning consultation on the proposed Old and New Towns World Heritage Site Management Plan before targeting approval by summer 2024. Five themes of relevance to date: Awareness and appreciation of the World Heritage Site status: Climate emergency: Conservation: Shaping new development: Sustainable visitor experience. Find the relevant consultation material through the following link. The close is 8 April. https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/edinburgh_whs/
5 Mar: Reference: A copy of the 2024 Draft (Phase 1) Scheme for Community Councils, without tracked changes, is available here in the menu bar; go to EACC Papers >> Community Council Support. This draft takes us into the Phase 2 Consultation which closes on 12 Apr 2024. Here is the document with tracked changes. Here is the link to the Phase 2 Consultation on the CEC Consultation Hub.
4 Mar: Reference: Slides and notes* from the 29 Feb meeting now available. Go to EACC Papers >> Meetings 2024. (*Gavin King, Head of Governance on the Scheme Review Phase 2, and Cllrs. Mandy Watt and Lewis Younie on the City's Budget 2024/25 outcome.) Go to the Consultation Hub link above to access the Phase 2 consultation. Note the following extract from Gavin King's remarks:
<Everyone would love to see CCs become more diverse and representative, but (CEC) nervous about doing anything prescriptive which boxes CCs into a situation where they become unviable. The changes which emerge have to be about how CEC can support CCs and encourage people to take part in them; that hinges on how ‘we empower CCs’, how CEC ‘supports… and works with’ them. The support has to be practical and it has to be effective.>
4 Mar: Article: Ian Williamson, Secretary of Cramond & Barnton CC, writes below on his CCs' list of 'ongoing issues', most of them relating to CEC. There is a clear air of frustration and resignation here, something he is sure will 'resonate with other CCs'. How, then, do we reset the dial for the next assembly of CCs?
16 Feb: Consultation: Phase 2 of the Scheme and Boundary Review starts on 19 Feb (12 Apr close). Here is the proposed and approved framework tabled by CEC on 8 Feb. Here are the proposed and approved Amendments. Your CC Chair and Secretary have received details of the diary of ensuing drop-in consultation sessions where you can discuss the framework, including proposed boundary changes. For more information on that diary, email
16 Feb: Reference: Cllr. Scott Arthur (Transport & Environment) offers a couple of recent posts on his Blog relating to the city's Pothole Predicament and to the Feb 2024 budget setting for Road and Footpath maintenance.
16 Feb: Event: Planning Democracy continues its planning webinar programme on 6 Mar (19.00 to 20.30) with a session on Navigating Local Development Plans: Insights from Local Authority Planners. Register for the event (and catch up on earlier events) here: https://aprs.scot/event/winter-webinar-series/
14 Feb: Consultation: A new strategy and vision for Edinburgh's Public and School Libraries, led by the Culture & Communities Committee, under an All Party Oversight Group (APOG). Here is the background Future Libraries Committee Report of 7 Dec, along with the agreed Amendment. Consider the need for change in Edinburgh Future Libraries Strategy 2024 - 2029 – The City of Edinburgh Council. The consultation (26 Jan to 19 Apr) can be accessed on the CEC Consultation Hub: Edinburgh Future Libraries Stakeholders Questionnaire - City of Edinburgh Council - Citizen Space .
13 Feb: Article: 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: https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/mgChooseDocPack.aspx?ID=7155 . Looking at the framework proposed for community councils, will it offer you the support you think you need to deliver for your community? Scroll down to read the article or go to Consultations on the Menu Bar above.
6 Feb: Reference: This is an update on the earlier (29 Jan, now deleted) reference to 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 press highlighted the north-south tramline corridor, the congestion charge proposals and the closure of key city-centre routes to reduce car use by up to 30%. Our Future Streets went to the Transport & Environment Committee on 1 Feb.
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 links offered as follows:
The Place Directorate submission to the Transport & Environment Committee along with the OFS Appendix 1 Technical Summary Report Part 1 (49pp) here:
https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s66421/Item%207.2%20Our%20Future%20Streets%20-%20a%20circulation%20plan%20for%20Edinburgh_Part1.pdf
The OFS Appendix 1 Technical Summary Report Part 2 plus Appendices 2 and 3 here:
https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s66422/Item%207.2%20Our%20Future%20Streets%20-%20a%20circulation%20plan%20for%20Edinburgh_Part2.pdf
The OFS Integrated Impact Assessment Summary Report (Feb 24) here:
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/34487/our-future-streets
OFS heralds raw transformational change in the way this city moves, designed around the adoption of an over-arching Streetspace Allocation Framework (SAF). Our Future Streets "must follow the principles of sustainable development, simultaneously providing better economic, social and environmental conditions for all". However, here is the ever-present pinch-point: "the ... next steps are dependant, to a greater or lesser extent, on funding bids and associated increases in employee resources."
5 Feb: Invitation: CEC's Kyle Drummond has issued a reminder of the deadline (31 Mar 2024) for the call for projects for the 2025 / 26 Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP). Community councils are expressly invited to take the lead - on their own account or on behalf of other community organisations - in submitting bids for funding of 'place-based' projects in their locality. There is some £1.2m available in funding overall. This CEC report shows the reach and the variety of the programme. Your community council's idea may be just a notion or something much firmer, but if it stands to improve the space around you, then you have a rewarding and profile-building opportunity to go for. Speak to Kyle Drummond at
2 Feb: Article: Extract from a 23 Jan letter from Superintendent Sam Ainslie, Edinburgh Division, Police Scotland, setting out the resources behind current community policing arrangements, with a number of useful links.
1 Feb: Consultation: The Edinburgh LHEES (see below) is currently open for consultation. The closing date is 3 Mar 2024. The Delivery Plan covers preparation, followed by learning and piloting phases, and activity increases as resources permit. The Action Points are designed to be achievable under current policy, economic and operational restraints. Access the full programme here: https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s65055/5.2%20LHEES-FINAL.pdf . Hilary Blackman at CEC will lead the LHEES Office, as part of Kyle Drummond's Sustainable Development Team. If you have any queries on the proposed strategy and delivery prpogramme for the city, you are invited to contact them at:
31 Jan: Reference: At the CHEF meeting on 29 Jan (see below; 21 Jan) we heard from Scot Gov's Drew Murphy on the framework thinking behind Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES). Objectives are: decarbonise heat / improve energy efficiency / map the path for esch segment of building stock / prioritise areas for delivery / source (a huge amount of) funding. CEC's Hilary Blackman introduced the draft Edinburgh LHEES Delivery Plan which profiles some 76 'Actions' deliverable (with no or low opportunity cost) over the period 2024 to 2028 'in the current policy context and given existing funding and powers'; a really big challenge, nevertheless. The massive caveat on Scotland-wide LHEES programme is that the Green Heat Finance Taskforce – charged with developing “a portfolio of innovative financial solutions for building owners in Scotland" – (has) not yet published any recommendations.
However, we need to look beyond that. Here are the key links: LHEES - Drew Murphy Presentation.pptx - Google Slides ** Edinburgh Delivery Plan (DRAFT).pdf - Google Drive ** More about CHEF: Clean Heat Edinburgh Briefing 2023 - Google Docs ** The current Scot Gov consultation on "proposals to make new laws around the energy efficiency of our homes and buildings and the way we heat those buildings" - the Heat in Buildings Bill - open until 8 March 2024: Delivering net zero for Scotland's buildings - Heat in Buildings Bill: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Every household in Edinburgh stands to be impacted by the LHEES programme. Community councils need to play a part in getting the message across, as of now.
29 Jan: Reference: Report on EACC Meeting 25 Jan (EIJB, Primary Care) uploaded to EACC Papers >> Meetings 2024.
29 Jan: Reference: Congestion charge plan and north-south tramline corridor profiled in The Times (Saturday 27 Jan). Closure of key routes to cut city centre car use covered in Evening News (29 Jan) and The Scotsman (30 Jan). Our Future Streets - a circulation plan for Edinburgh (the Circulation Plan) goes to the Transport & Environment Committee on Thursday 1 Feb. See this article: Bold plans proposed for Edinburgh’s city centre and key transport corridors | Scottish Construction Now .
The Transport & Environment Committee 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 Framework for the Integrated Impact Assessment of the Circulation Plan is here: our-future-streets (edinburgh.gov.uk) . The Circulation Plan itself is decribed in overview and in technical detail here: Circulation Plan .
29 Jan: Correction: On 19 Jan (below) and at the EACC meeting on 25 Jan, we profiled the new RAMPS data collection planning tool. It now emerges that the Edinburgh Local Authority Planning Portal is one of around ninc across Scotland which the RAMPS tracker cannot successfully access. Attempts to do so on the part of RAMPS have ceased for now.
21 Jan: Invitation: On 29 Jan, the Edinburgh Clean Heat Energy Forum (CHEF) is running another consultation workshop on the Delivery Plan for the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy. There is an express invitation to community councils to take part. Big changes in prospect - Why, what and how?? Hear from Scot Gov and from one of the leads from CEC's LHEES Office, among others. This is an evening event (17.30 for 18.30 to 20.30) at University of Edinburgh, 40 George Square (the former David Hume Tower), Room LG 11. Book now at Eventbrite, via this link: https://che29jan.eventbrite.co.uk . (When you register, you'll get a Zoom link as an alternative to attending in person.
21 Jan: Article: Bill Rodger (Trinity CC) writes on the pending (29 Jan) enforcement of the Pavement Parking Ban. There are two sides to this story.
19 Jan: Reference: The CEC Community Council Scheme and Boundary Review - here is what we know of the timetable from here:
Phase 1 Consultation recommendations to a Special Meeting of the Council (all Elected Members) on 8 Feb. (Details should be available from Friday 2 Feb.) ** Phase 2 Consultation 12 Feb to 8 Apr. Report to a Special Meeting of the Council on 9 May. ** Phase 3 Consultation 13 May to 10 Jun (?) ** Finalised framework to a Special Meeting of the Council on 27 Jun. ** Public notices accompany each phase and the announcement of the (finalised) new Scheme alongside (at that point) an invitation to electors to apply for the establishment of a community council (where there isn't one currently in existence). These are statutory undertakings. The procedures for elections by existing community councils call for notice of election to be given at least twenty eight days before the election date. The closing date for nominations is at least fourteen days before the election date. (The establishment of a new community council in a designated area calls for not less than 20 electors in that area to apply in writing to CEC for one to be set up. The election should follow within six weeks from the date of the application.)
Consult this Good Practice Guidance for Community Councils and Local Authorities (Jan 2024).
19 Jan: Reference: Colin Anderson of Fairmilehead CC has brought this Planning Democracy innovation to our attention. RAMPS is a sign-up-to-access live update facility that tracks new documents and changes to existing documents lodged on individual Local Authority planning portals across Scotland. Search for any changes in a ward or area (new and existing planning applications) and have them brought to your screen. Less 'trawling'; more precision; be notified of new applications in your selected areas; track any amendments. Easy to see what has changed where and when; a time-saver. Here is the link to the RAMPS home-page and to sign-in: https://planningramps.uk/
19 Jan: Article: Sarah Mehrabi of Clean Heat Edinburgh Forum (CHEF) gives an outline of the (November 2023) Edinburgh Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) and the related Delivery Plan. Scroll down to read or go to Menu Item Environment and Energy
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)
The outcome of the Scheme & Boundary Review Phase 1 Consultation emerges, I understand, at a City of Edinburgh Council meeting on 8 February, with the papers released in the week beforehand. ( Monthly meetings calendar - February 2024 - Modern Council (edinburgh.gov.uk) )
12 Jan: Invitation: Douglas Rogers, of Marchmont & Sciennes CC, has done a good deal of work examining the practical difficulties of insulating and energy- adapting conservation and heritage residential building stock in the city. The Delivery Plan for the proposed Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy places insulation retrofit high on the priority list. Douglas believes the Delivery Plan underestimates the scale of the challenge, possibly markedly. He is looking for ideas, then practical help, on how to begin to take on what, in effect, is a new and supplementary survey programme of 'no / low insulation loft spaces'; starting maybe in the Southside. He asks, "Are you able to help with this work and do you have an idea of how we could approach this problem? Even if you don't have the time or resources, please email me so that I can gauge the support within community councils and housing associations for this procedure."
You can contact him at
12 Jan 2024: Invitation: Affiliate Membership of Edinburgh Bus User Group (EBUG):
EBUG Chair, Harald Tobermann, spoke at the EACC May 2023 meeting. I recently asked him for an update. He tells me EBUG’s push for improvement continues – better interchanges, better timetabling coordination, the bringing together of the tram and bus companies, and this now in the middle of the real-time bus passenger information saga. But work-in-progress is ‘painfully slow’ as he describes it. Yet, without the ‘push’, perhaps it might be even slower! Here is where you might have a part to play, with a complimentary affiliate membership of EBUG for your community council.
EBUG has an established dialogue with Lothian Buses. Under its scrutiny come the likes of poor bus stop design and maintenance; improved efficiency of bus lanes; more transparent deployment of developer contributions dedicated to public transport, and, of course, reliable real-time route information. EBUG also has a wide network of contacts at bus companies and local authorities, and with government and regulators.
Harald is now repeating his invitation to city community councils to join EBUG as affiliated members, on a no-subscription-fee basis. If you are interested in transport issues, this seems like a very good way to get closer. He asks that your community council Chair or Secretary write to him to request affiliate membership, giving the nominee community councillor name and confirming the nomination as recorded in the Secretary’s records.
His email address is
Seems to me a good opportunity to widen that ‘dialogue with Lothian Buses’.
14 Dec: Article: CEC's Draft Edinburgh Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy goes to the Policy & Sustainability Committee on 15 December, accompanied by a Draft Delivery Plan. Here is a two-page guide to over 300 pages of paperwork. The CEC work is commendable; the scale of the imagined project is massive; the obstacles in the way are many; the potential for disruption is very substantial; the costs of implementation over 20 years are 'vast'. However, city residents should know the intended direction of travel. Scroll down to read the article.
14 Dec: Reference: View the second in the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland (APRS) Winter Webinar series, NPF4 - How Things Have Changed. Where does it stack up well? Where is it compromised? APRS argue the proof is in its execution and they are looking for volunteers to monitor that closely (with training provided). Here is the link: https://aprs.scot/event/winter-webinar-series/ .
11 Dec: Reference: On 6 December, CEC held an engagement session on the proposed Visitor Levy Scheme (VLS) for the city. Six community coumncils dialed in. The VLS has been worked on for a long time. Scot Gov will have the final say on its shape. A draft scheme is expected to begin public consultation in Q2 2024. VLS collection might begin in H1 2026. You can take a look at the outline in EACC Papers >> Appendix, under Visitor Levy Edinburgh Outline.
6 Dec: Article: 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'.
6 Dec: Article: Edinburgh's next planning round is now underway. Work is beginning on City Plan 2040. Under Scottish Government mandate, the Council is expected to have it in place by Q2 2028. City Plan 2030, emerging shortly from review by the Scot Gov Planning and Environmental Appeals Division, is expected to be adopted by mid-2024. Scroll down to read more about the planning framework and to catch the key links.
2 Dec: Reference: The CEC Planning Edinburgh blog highlights updates to two of its Customer Service Charters, on customer service standards and on planning enforcement procedures. Here is the service standard commitment. Read here about the key stages in enforcement investigation. Get the full range of guidance on the Planning – The City of Edinburgh Council site.
29 Nov: Reference: Planning Democracy blog on getting to grips with the preliminary Evidence Gathering Stage of the next round of Local Development Plans (LDP). Edinburgh's LDP, City Plan 2030, awaits a Report of Examination from the Scot Gov Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), with a view to adoption in mid-2024. See this update on progress. Now attention is turning to City Plan 2040 and the Evidence Gathering Stage is underway. You need to plan how to participate. This Planning Democracy blog, (linked here) It's Plandemonium!, carefully and comprehensively takes you through the steps. Well worth a look!
29 Nov: Consultation: Edinburgh's City Plan 2040: How do you want to be informed; how do you want to be involved? Planning Edinburgh have opened a preliminary Participation Statement Questionnaire to preface this next Local Development Plan. You can find it here on the Consultation Hub.
28 Nov: Reference: CEC (along with other local authorities) must produce a Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) in 2024. Edinburgh's proposed LHEES goes to the Policy & Sustability Committee in mid-December. The grand design will designate Heat Network Zones, identify a preferred delivery model and look to shape the planning framework around a new city infrastructrure. The scale of the project is massive, the delivery of a decarbonised Edinburgh for net zero a big, big challenge and the ramifications for communities significant. Take a look at the outline of the LHEES in EACC Papers >> Appendix. Look to download Clean Heat CEC LHEES Outline 22 Nov 23.
28 Nov: Reference: Clean Heat Edinburgh (CHE) is a community led forum for all those seeking a rapid transition to zero carbon heating in the city. CHE supports the low carbon energy transition that delivers affordable heating solutions. The forum is a place where local communities, local academics, local industry and local politicians can discuss ideas to support better decision-making. Zero carbon heating calls for big vision. CHE member, SAV-Systems, shares some of that vision in the idea of central Scotland interconnected heat highways. Find out more by looking at Clean Heat SAV Waste Heat Highways 22 Nov 23. Download it in EACC Papers >> Appendix.
24 Nov: Article: Edinburgh Licensing Forum (ELF): Roger Colkett (Tollcross CC and EACC Members' Board) sits on the ELF. He will table a number of recommendations to the next ELF meeting, suggesting improvements in procedures for representations and objections in the context of Premises Licence Applications. This is an EACC Discussion Paper, from the Members' Board. Read an extract in the Article below (scroll down). You can find the full paper, (Licensing: RC submission to ELF: Oct 23, for download) in EACC Papers >> Appendix.
17 Nov: Invitation: The call goes out (16 Nov) from CEC's Planning Edinburgh blog to get your Local Place Plan sketched out, prepared and registered (with a Sep 2024 close). It's a sizeable undertaking but the door is open. There is a lot of background here: https://planningedinburgh.com/ Guidance on what to think about in advance, from Planning Democracy: https://www.planningdemocracy.org.uk/2023/local-place-plans-why-bother/
17 Nov: Reference: 'Understanding Scotland's new planning system': An excellent webinar presented by the Principal Reporter at the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) of Scot Gov: How to begin to find your way around National Planning Framework 4 and Local Place Plans. There are three more in the series, hosted by Planning Democracy and the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland (6 Dec, 17 Jan, 31 Jan). Find the slides and lots of links in EACC Papers >> Planning 2023. More detail on the webinars here: Winter Webinar Series
17 Nov: Reference: Community Councils at 50. The Scottish Parliament Local Goverment, Housing and Planning Committee, following its May 2023 hearing, exchanges correspondence (8 Sep, 25 Oct) with Tom Arthur MSP, Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance, on the effectiveness of CCs and the challenges they face. There is a clear call from the Committee for improved support. The Minister isn't drawn, but points to the support that is out there already, and to another way for community councils to make their pitch: "The Democracy Matters national engagement is an opportunity to propose models of community democracy that will enhance collaboration and ensure that communities benefit from all of the skills and capacity available to them." Find the exchange in EACC Papers >> Community Council Support. The Scot Gov consultation is here:
https://consult.gov.scot/local-government-and-communities/democracy-matters/ .
17 Nov: Reference: Douglas Rogers (Marchmont & Sciennes CC) made a deputation to the Planning Committee on 15 Nov, following-up on his work with the Conservation and Adaptation Consultation Working Group (see below; 4 Sep). He is pursuing his proposals for handbook guidance on insulation for homeowners in heritage (pre-1919) and conservation areas. This link, Planning Committee 15 Nov 2023 , carries the report by the Executive Director of Place on the Conservation and Adaptation Consultation itself (Page 133). You can find Douglas Rogers' deputation paper on this site by going to EACC Papers >> Planning 2023.
17 Nov: Licensing: Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS); October 23 Newsletter; includes items on the Minimum Unit Pricing Consultation, Healthcare in Remote and Rural Areas, Labelling of No- and Low-Alchohol Alternatives and the Cross-Party Group on Improving Scotland's Health. The latest news from Alcohol Focus Scotland (mailchi.mp)
31 Oct: Article: Scheme and Boundary Review: Steve Kerr, (EACC Chair) has commented on several occasions on the skewed 'size by population' spread of Edinburgh's Community Councils. There is a distortion here that needs corrected in the current Boundary Review? Scroll down to read more in the Article below.
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 12th 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
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
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.
19/01/24: 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Delivery Plan proposes the establishment of an "LHEES Office" as a dedicated project management office to coordinate the delivery of the Edinburgh LHEES.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
End/KR
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:
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:
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:
Questions about the content of the current local development plan:
Scottish Government Local Development Planning Guidance
Local development planning guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
End/KR
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
31/10/23: Scheme Boundary Review: Size distribution of Edinburgh Community Councils 2011
Community Council population size; based on 2011 Census.
Leith Central | 25,099 |
Corstorphine | 23,387 |
Gilmerton/Inch | 20,319 |
New Town/Broughton | 18,136 |
Merchiston | 17,834 |
Grange/Prestonfield | 15,700 |
Leith Harbour and Newhaven | 14,580 |
Craigmillar | 13,799 |
Northfield/Willowbrae | 13,235 |
Southside | 13,148 |
Liberton and District | 13,073 |
Stockbridge/Inverleith | 13,052 |
Morningside | 12,788 |
Drum Brae | 12,429 |
Craigentinny/Meadowbank | 12,420 |
Granton and District | 11,813 |
Portobello | 11,581 |
Marchmont and Sciennes | 11,539 |
Gorgie/Dalry | 11,273 |
Tollcross | 10,859 |
Wester Hailes | 10,848 |
Leith Links | 10,351 |
Murrayfield | 9,553 |
Queensferry and District | 9,479 |
Fairmilehead | 9,309 |
Craigleith/Blackhall | 8,920 |
Trinity | 8,721 |
Old Town | 7,875 |
Firrhill | 7,716 |
Hutchison/Chesser | 7,702 |
Sighthill, Broomhouse and Parkhead | 7,568 |
West Pilton/West Granton | 7,509 |
Currie | 7,494 |
Colinton | 7,213 |
Cramond and Barnton | 6,953 |
Stenhouse, Saughton Mains and Whitson | 6,282 |
Craiglockhart | 6,076 |
Balerno | 5,927 |
West End | 5,810 |
Muirhouse/Salvesen | 5,168 |
Drylaw/Telford | 4,563 |
Silverknowes | 4,309 |
Juniper Green | 4,242 |
Longstone | 3,968 |
Kirkliston | 3,660 |
Ratho and District | 3,346 |
Total | 476,626 |
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'
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
12/10/23: Community Council involvement in Locality Improvement Plans (LIP) 2024-2039
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
26/09/23: CEC Scheme and Boundary Review: Outline Consultation Plan and Timeline
On 15 Sep, CEC Governance Team published the intended timeline for consultations on draft changes to the Community Council Scheme and on proposed amendments to community council ward boundaries. Community Councils are requested to bring the Governance Team up-to-date with relevant contact information by reviewing current details held on the https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/32741/list-of-office-bearers document.
" We are also keen to keep you updated on timescales involved in the Scheme and Boundary Review and would ask that you share this information widely with all interested parties.
Please find the outline consultation plan below and note that following feedback we have modified the first and second consultation periods. This will allow 2 additional weeks of consideration by relevant parties of the draft Scheme and any amendments to boundaries. This timetable is indicative and subject to change depending on a requirement for a second statutory period of consultation. The outline consultation plan and timeline will be presented for approval at the Special Council meeting on 28 September 2023.
Read more: 26/09/23: CEC Scheme and Boundary Review: Outline Consultation Plan and Timeline
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.
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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)
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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 18th 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 .
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16/06/23: West Lothian Joint Forum call for Community Council Reform
Event: 10 Jun 23: West Lothian Joint Forum (WLJF) of Community Councils:
The New Community Councils of 2023 and beyond:
A Blueprint for a New Form of Local Decision-Making and Democracy
The WLJF led a screen event to promote the launch of a BLUEPRINT for change in the way Community Councils relate to Local Authorities, Scot Gov and to their own communities.
“The Joint Forum believes that Community Councils should be more empowered and be given more resources."
Fifty years after their formation, there has been next-to-no change in their empowerment. The time for that change is now, argues the WLJF.
Read the detail in Consultations (see Menu Bar).
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10/06/23: Scot Gov Consultation: Permitted Development Rights Review - Phase 3
Phase 3 Consultation opens 31 May 2023 until 23 Aug.
This third phase of the Permitted Development Rights (PDR) Review has a close focus on new and extended PDR for domestic and non-domestic renewable energy equipment. The proposals (inter alia) would streamline the planning process for various zero and low carbon technologies, such as solar panels and heat pumps, and for certain flues.They also cover replacement windows for domestic and non-domestic properties.
There is a strong element of 'community relevance' here.
The full list of areas covered in the consultation is:
- Domestic renewables: solar panels; air, water and ground source heat pumps; wind turbines; and the removal of PDR for certain flues.
- Non-domestic renewables: solar panels; solar canopies in qualifying parking areas; and air, ground and water source heat pumps.
- Replacement windows for domestic and non-domestic properties.
- Electricity network infrastructure.
- Reverse vending machines.
- Temporary use of land for shooting ranges.
The consultation can be found here: Scot Gov PDR Phase 3 Consultation .
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09/06/23: Moving Edinburgh to Low Carbon District Heating
Event: 31 May 2023: Transition Edinburgh / Our Future Edinburgh:
Transitioning Edinburgh to Low Carbon Heat Workshop
Facilitated by:
Our Future Edinburgh* – Johanna Carrie: Home - Our Future Edinburgh
Transition Edinburgh* – David Somervell: Transition Edinburgh – Pathways to building a fairer, carbon neutral future
Ben Carter – Vattenfall Edinburgh
John Maslen – Independent renewable energy consultant
Edinburgh Climate Change Institute: Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) - Edinburgh Earth Initiative
This was a really worthwhile event because it opened up the wealth of expertise, experience and endeavour committed to implementing District Heating networks in the city. It is a long haul, but Aberdeen and Leeds are leading examples of how to move ahead here in the UK.
Here are some of the practical questions which struck us on the day.
(Go to the main report in the Environment & Energy Menu above to get a lot more detail on participants and references.)
The Practicalities:
- The technical knowledge is there, with the conceptual ambition. The engineering, science and organisational commitment continue to evolve here in the UK. (It is well established in continental Europe. The Greater Copenhagen District Heating (DH) network is the exemplar. It transmits through 54km of pipelines, supplying 250,000 households with district heating. That shows what could be done, but it has been a 25-year plus endeavour. English - CTR )
- The funding sources, the funding terms, the public-private share of risk, the protocols on how to lead and proceed (delivery partners), and the legislative frameworks are far from settled.
- However, the Scottish Government sees a significant future role for DH and here in Edinburgh there is a live programme and it is picking up pace. (There is a lot of catch-up to do compared to the likes of Aberdeen and Leeds.)
- In broad terms, the ‘bill’ to decarbonise buildings in Scotland is put at £33bn (just for that part of the ‘great transition’). The comprehensive ‘need for innovative funding’ doesn’t begin to describe the challenge. (There are deep fundamental issues: ‘Who are the ‘owners’ of the disparate programmes or ‘bits and pieces’?’: ‘Returns are insufficient to attract private investment.’)
- Edinburgh’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES), mandated by the Scottish Government, is due to emerge from CEC late in 2023. It will have a 5-year delivery plan and it needs to be a pathbreaker. Look for ‘consultation’ over the summer on new proposals, new prohibitions and on new alternatives.
- The city’s Net Zero 2030 programme, while widely heralded, needs ‘political leadership, organisational capacity, collaboration, tenacity and transparency’.
- ‘Someone’ has to ‘own the problem’. ‘Someone’ is going to have to take the ‘message’ to communities; to ‘scope and deliver public engagement at the local level.’ (Watch for the risks of misinformation.)
- Who is that to be? CEC officials? Elected Councillors? Community Councils? The private sector? With what support and guidance? What is the message? Who will be held to account?
- Sarah Boyack MSP was in attendance. She spoke with some energy at the end, saying she was going to get on the case at the Scottish Parliament. Let’s watch that space.
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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)
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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
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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
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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)
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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)
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