Maureen Child: Updates April 2012

[administrator]

Dear All

I attach a local police report which may be of some local interest.

There is an online questionnaire set up to deal with consultation on the proposal to amend the Council's Public Entertainment Resolution (as agreed at the Council's Regulatory on 9 March 2012). This is about the change in the law that makes all events - even free ones like those that happen on our beach like Big Things on the Beach, Portobello Open Door or the Big Beach Busk - must apply for a public entertainment licence. To submit you views on Public Entertainment Licensing, go to the following section on the Council's website: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/309/pu ... ertainment The link to the questionnaire is about halfway down the page. You have until mid April to respond.

Saturday 7th April is Portobello Market day! This month PEDAL (Portobello Transition Town) are relaunching the market with a new look and feel. Come along this Easter weekend and enjoy face painting for the kids, a science festival, Easter egg hunt and live music. Traders include award winning oils, fresh fish and meats, artisan cheeses, unique snacks, hand made soaps, cards and gifts, seasonal vegetable, sushi and noodles, organic herbal teas, knitted gifts, Fair Trade products and a first class BBQ for those hungry mouths So come along on the 7th and support your local sustainable market and find out about the exciting developments for the next market in May. In Brighton Park, Brighton Place, Portobello, Edinburgh, EH15 1LJ , 9.30am – 1.30pm A full list of stallholders for 7th April is available on the website: http://pedal-porty.org.uk/food/portobello-market/

I recently had the privilege to meet Thomas Whitelaw, a carer who is raising awareness of dementia and their carers along with Alzheimer's Scotland. Tommy cares for his mother and campaigns to raise awareness of the condition and the plight of carers across Scotland, making sure all their voices are heard at the most effective levels of government. "I return to Parliament in a few weeks and as a son and full time carer, caring for a mum who struggles with vascular dementia. I rely on your support and help. I truly believe in the letters and life stories sent from families and carers. I truly believe this is the best way to bring a better understanding on how we feel, live and cope to the wider public and powers that be. Please help me raise awareness and collect life stories; life stories I believe will help others." In response to Tommy's inspiring campaign, I made sure that the City of Edinburgh's Council, congratulate him on his campaign so far and agreed to consider a major report on dementia to its next Health Social Care and Housing Committee meeting in June. I strongly recommend you watch this short film shown at the Scottish Parliament at this link: http://tv.enterprisescreen.co.uk/watch?v=347

A local resident, Andrew Mylne got in touch to say : "Together with a few other local cyclists, I have just helped establish a new community-based cycling club - Porto-Velo - which aims to promote and encourage cycling for all. As from 22 April, we will be organising Sunday fitness rides, leaving from the bandstand at the east end of the Prom at 9am. These will involve varied routes, with distances of up to 60 miles or so, but always with shorter options available. During the summer months, there will also be family excursions for parents and their children, and we will also organise more relaxed rides for less experienced cyclists if there is demand. People who are interested in the club can find out more from our website, http://www.porto-velo.com, by e-mailing us on info@porto-velo.com, or by finding us on Thursday evenings (from 12 April) in the Dalriada, from about 9 pm.

Last - but by no means least - the Portobello 'School in the Park' issue has come to a head. The Portobello Park Action Group have appealed the clear and unequivocal Court judgement that Common Good land can be 'appropriated' by the Council for the purpose of building this school. There is no proposal whatsoever to build houses on the rest of the park. In any case, house building and disposal of the land is precluded by the recently established Common Good status. The land all remains in Council ownership. The school and grounds will be accessible to the public outside school hours and will help us provide the best achievable education for all Portobello's children. There will be a report on this to the Council Meeting on April 26 and the Council is pursuing costs against PPAG, which currently stand at £75,000. I am pushing Councillor colleagues and officers to let the contract now if we possibly can. If the Portobello Park Action Group supporters are well-advised, wise and community-spirited they will withdraw their deeply unpopular move to appeal the Court decision and they will help to heal the rift in the community over this very difficult and painful issue. If you want to join the appeal, you can sign the 'Get Real, Drop the Appeal', petition - which has now reached 1000 signatures in just a few days - click on http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/dea ... ppeal.html

Best wishes

Maureen

Councillor Maureen Child | Labour Elected Member | Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) | City of Edinburgh Council | City Chambers | High Street | Edinburgh | EH1 1YJ | Tel 0131 529 3268 |

[administrator]

[administrator]

Dear All

This is the last update as my term of Council office ends at midnight tonight.

I have been asked to give some publicity for next Saturday Portobello Guides. They are having a a coffee morning/jumble sale St James Church Hall, Rosefield Street (off Brighton Place) from 10.30am to 12.30pm, raising money to allow them to go to Austria this summer.

The Town Centre manger for Portobello, Sarah Woodford has picked up our concern about parking with retailers on the High Street. She met the Council's parking manager, John Richmond and Andy Matheson (local roads manager) to see if we could make any improvements. They are hoping to have part of the street re-allocated to short term parking like there is outside the Town Hall. It is not a quick fix - it takes about a year or more. It will be subject to a legal process and consultation, - a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).

Some have asked about patches of bare earth appearing in Joppa Quarry Park and Cairntows Park and possibly elsewhere. This is part of a research project into biodiversity. I can send a full-colour leaflet, but in summary the Council's parks officers are working with Edinburgh and other Universities over the next few years on researching the ecology and conservation of urban pollinators in the UK. The aim is to answer three questions: (1) where exactly is the pollinator biodiversity in the UK?; (2) where are the hot-spots of pollinator biodiversity in cities; and (3) what can we do to improve their diversity and abundance.

I went to choral evensong at the Robin Chapel in the Thistle Foundation on Sunday - for the first time, as I was invited. The choral singing was superb! It is held every year in the memory of Robin Tudsbery to whom the Chapel is dedicated. And - yes - Tudsbery was the name on the stained glass window, spelt with an 'e' not Tudsbury with a 'u'. Two local people at the service told me it was Tudsbury spelt with a 'u' and that was the spelling on the front of the order of service. On balance, I think I believe the spelling on the original Chapel stained glass window his parents approved - don't you? No need for street naming to make an changes to 'Tudsbery Avenue' signs then! (-;

Lastly, I'm a little busy tomorrow. Thank you very much for all the excellent feedback over the last five years or more.

Best wishes

Maureen

Councillor Maureen Child | Labour Elected Member | Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) | City of Edinburgh Council | City Chambers | High Street | Edinburgh | EH1 1YJ | Tel 0131 529 3268 |