New Portobello High School - Private Bill consultation

[wangi]

[wangi]

Information from the council... you can complete the ...

At its last meeting Edinburgh Council agreed that a public consultation process be undertaken in advance of the proposed submission of a Private Bill to the Scottish Parliament in early 2013 to address the legal issue that currently stops the Council using Portobello Park as the site for the new Portobello High School. It is intended that, following the conclusion of the consultation process on 31 January 2013, the outcome of the process and any proposed Private Bill would be taken to Council for consideration on 14 March 2013 and, if approved, any Private Bill lodged with the Parliament as soon as possible thereafter.

The details of the intended consultation process were set out in the report to Council http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/me ... ary_school however I thought it might be helpful for you to have some further information on this process which starts today and will run through to 31 January 2013 by when any responses have to be received.

Information Leaflets and Questionnaire
An information leaflet has been produced which will be delivered to around 15,000 households on the Portobello area starting from today and will probably take most of the week to complete. Copies will also be available from local libraries and schools and will also be available online via the Council website. An electronic copy of the leaflet is attached; the version which is actually issued will be A5 size. The leaflet sets out what we consider to be the key facts including what the Council proposals are, what a Private Bill is, where people can find out more and how people can tell us what they think.

There are a number of ways in which people can tell us their views including the usual ways of responding by letter or email. We have also produced a simple questionnaire which will be available in both hard-copy (a copy of which is also attached) and can be completed electronically via the Council website . Copies of the information leaflets and questionnaires will be available in local libraries and schools together with the opportunity for people to hand in their completed questionnaire.

Exhibitions and Road-shows
Presentation materials have been produced to allow a series of exhibitions and manned ‘road-shows’ to be held during the course of December and January the purpose of which will be to publicise the consultation process and allow the opportunity for questions to be answered (where possible). Copies of the information leaflets and questionnaires will be available at these events and the opportunity will also be available for people to hand in their completed questionnaire.

Some venues have already been arranged including at Portobello and Piershill libraries (where it is intended that there will be a recurring event each week) and a number of the local primary schools (mainly the Christmas fairs). There is a concentration of events in schools during the initial stage as this is a very busy time in school calendars and it is important to arrange visits around other events. By concentrating on school fairs, plays and concerts rather than drop off/pick up times we would hope to reach a wider audience than simply parents. We will also identify pre-Christmas opportunities in local Community Centres with events to be scheduled in Portobello Community Centre; Bingham Community Centre; Magdalene Community Centre and Northfield/Willowbrae Community Centre.

Week 3 will be a busy time for pre-Christmas shopping so we will speak to supermarkets about talking to customers/advertising events and we are seeking permission from other users of Portobello Town Hall to attend in the foyer when they have events running. In January the focus will move from school to wider community venues and sports centres including Portobello Golf Course; Craigentinny Golf Course; Portobello Swim Centre; Portobello Bowling and Leisure Centre and Meadowbank Sports Centre. We will specifically look for opportunities to talk to older people such as Milton Court Sheltered Housing; Portobello Older Peoples Project; Older Adults Social Club; Get up and Go Swim and Knitting/crafts circle at Willowbrae Bowling Club.

Once the venues and timing for these events is confirmed they will be advertised in libraries, on the Council website and via Tweets.

Community Council Meetings
We will attend the following Community Council meetings over the next few months to give a presentation on the proposals and to answer any questions:

Northfield/Willowbrae Community Council Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Portobello Community Council Meeting Monday, 7 January 2013

Public Meetings
As part of the consultation programme we intend to hold two public meetings the intention being that, after a short presentation from the Council, both PPAG and PFANS would be given the opportunity to outline their views on the proposals to the audience, before participating in a question and answer session. Both organisations have been invited to participate. We would envisage each group should nominate up to three members of their organisation to join the top table for the discussion. Colin Mackay, Political Editor at Radio Forth, has agreed to be our independent chair for each event. It is the intention that these meetings would be formally minuted to ensure that a full record of proceedings was produced.

The public meetings are due to take place in Portobello Town Hall on 9 January 2013 and at Meadowbank Sports Centre on 17 January 2013 with each meeting running from 7pm to 9pm.





Complete the form online:

[wangi]

From today's Evening News:



admin: some posts split to

[wangi]

[seashell]

Out on the High Street this morning, encouraging people to take part in the consultation. Really encouraging to see how many people are in support of a new PHS on the Park. And lovely to meet online friends in person.

If you haven't already taken part - come along and have your say. Or go online. Remember - everyone in your household can take part and you do not have to be a Portobello resident or have children at the school.

Many thanks for the delicious tablet and for the coffee, which warmed me up a treat!

[Porty]

Things went down hill after you left. There was an apparent bullying and personal attack incident involving me ; Stephen Hawkins and Diana Cairns. It's going to interesting to see how this get spun by the "victims".

Long story short: Stephen and Diana had occupied the time of one of our consultation response operatives for about 20 minutes. In what I took to be an obvious attempt to distract from the task in hand. I interjected and slightly startled our CRO, who didn't know me. I advised him that he was wasting his time talking to them and they were merely trying to distract him. To be fair, he said that the conversation was constructive. My intervention brought the conversation to a close and there was a degree of discomfort. After a few seconds, I politely advised Hawkins and Cairns to "do one".

No aggression, no gesticulation, no raised voice- "do one" was all i said.

Hawkins immediately tried to play the bullying card " we have been trying to engage properly for six year and its this sort of personal attack that prevents us".

Well no, I didn't like what they were doing, there are plenty other opportunities to complete the consultation response, they don't need to take up our time. I instructed them to go away, which I'm perfectly entitled to do. Just as they are entitled to remain.

They hung around a bit, one passser by completed a questionnaire which happened to be a "No". he was handing his response to our fellow, Diana whispered in his ear, took the response from him and put it in her pocket. I reckon they got off lightly with "do one".

[seashell]

Oh, what a pity I missed that. I would so love to meet the dynamic duo. How interesting that they see this type of manoeuvre as the most constructive use of their time. Still, I suppose it might stop DC wasting time and money by writing yet another FOI request to the council, which can only benefit everybody.

"engaging properly" - what an interesting turn of phrase, especially given their involvement with PCC and its terrible record of misrepresenting decisions and, more seriously, deliberately failing to engage with the people they purport to represent.

Or am I doing SH an injustice and was he merely trying to be ironic?
No, I don't think so.

BTW - are they ever seen separately, or do they always travel around as a unit? Funnily enough, in my book "two against one" is bullying. Not that I'm suggesting you couldn't cope with them, whether in multiples or solo.

[Scoop]

What a telling couple of posts. The first from Porty, and then that gem from Seashell, who would love to witness open and public confrontation against people she hasn't even met, and doesn't even know! Seashell, you have no idea how many FOI's Diana Cairns may have requested, and yet you use inflammatory language like "DC wasting time and money by writing yet another FOI request to the council.

Wangi has already openly, and honestly,said on this forum that he is an FOI'er, having written 6 (and he is entitled to do this as often as he likes) - so why not have a pop at him?

[seashell]

Oh dear Scoop, your comprehension skills are letting you down once again.

I said I would like to meet DC and SH, not that I had any desire to witness a confrontation. Bit of wish-fulfillment on your part, perhaps?

In my book, one time-wasting FOI enquiry is one too many. We know from the evidence that DCs was basically a complete waste of time.

As for taking a "pop" at people, can you see the irony in your statement? Never mind, you provide some nice light relief.
edited for typos

[Scoop]

Perhaps you are having trouble linking posts together. What Stephen's distasteful post did was recall a confrontation between him, Diana Cairns and Stephen Hawkins.

What you posted was :

"Oh, what a pity I missed that. I would so love to meet the dynamic duo."

No wishful thinking on my part necessary here, Seashell, no problem with my comprehension skills whatsoever, and as for irony, and having a pop at anyone, I think you'll find me very consistent when it comes to hypocrits.

[seashell]

NO Scoop - I said I wanted to meet them and I was sorry I'd missed them. I would dearly love to have a little chat with them. I'm sure it would be very interesting.

You are merely making mischief (yes, you are consistent) and I'm not rising to the bait.

Cheery bye and have a nice evening my dear.

[Scoop]

[little miss moffat]

[Porty]

It's a consultation. DC sets up a high street stall if a seagull shits on the beach. Why are they talking to us not the others in the community whose support they desperately need.

Answers on a postcard.

[little miss moffat]

Andy Wightman
2:45 PM (22 hours ago)

to mail
Land Matters has posted a new item, 'Is Portobello park common good (2)?'

By way of introduction to this blog, I should stress that I have no interest one
way or the other in whether Portobello Park is common good. I am, however,
interested in the law relating to common good and this case is interesting.
Previous blogs contain background to the story (including 22 Sep 2012 which
[...]

You may view the latest post at
http://www.andywightman.com/?p=1937

[Epykat]

[Makaveli]

Never heard the word 'cyberly' used before so looked it up:-

Cyberly:-
To do anything through the internet. An explanation had to be given to the police about how a person was harassing another person through the internet, cyberly.

[Porty]

Hearing a distorted account of what happened is bound to lead to a misinformed judgment. Go tell it to the tortoise.

[Epykat]

[Porty]

You had to be there.

Alternatively, one could make stuff up and pretend it's true. You've proven time and time again that facts have little or no influence on your dubious judgment calls. This is just the latest example.

[Scoop]

Call me a cynic, call me suspicious, or just call my comprehension skills into question, but is it a coincidnece that since the bragged about, and subsequently condoned, "do one" episode, things have gone a tad quite on here?

[Epykat]

I think you're wrong Scoop. They've always been quite (insert word of choice) on here....now they're quiet

[Scoop]

Oh, is it a game? Like "The minister's cat"?

Ok, I'll go first........



They've always been quite aggressive on here....now they're quiet

[seanie]

Activity appears to have largely shifted to Facebook for the time being.

[seanie]

[Makaveli]

[Porty]

[Betty Windsor]

Yours is the version most of us have to go on and believe me it still didn't look pretty. I also didn't notice Geoff Lynn rush to your defense or in any way corroborate your story.
Telling?

[Porty]

Believe you? You cannot be serious.

[Betty Windsor]

Don't believe me. I'd be interested to hear Geoff Lynn's version of events.

[Porty]

I don't believe you.

[Pal of Porty]

I was not there but I'm sure Diana and Stephen were at fault.

[seanie]

[wangi]

[wangi]

Collection of live tweets from the public meeting tonight: http://storify.com/talkporty/porty-park ... portobello