LEITH LINKS COMMUNITY COUNCIL



LEITH LINKS COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Minutes

Monday 27 April 2015

Meeting of Leith Links Community Council

at Leith Community Centre

1. Present: - J Scanlon, Senga Bethune, Sally Millar, Caroline Anderson, Iain Barrett, Ian Dick, Councillor Adam McVey, PC N Corrigan? (Police Scotland),

2. Apologies: G Clapton, Angus Miller, Councillors Chas. Booth, Gordon Munro, Malcolm Chisholm MSP

3. Minutes: Proposed by Senga Bethune and seconded by C Anderson

4. Police Report

Efforts continue to control street prostitution, various arrests and warnings issued. Chair was pleased that there seems to have been a relatively active police response recently on this.

Police officer Neil Corrigan encouraged people to always contact the police if they see anything wrong – and also to complain if they feel police service is unsatisfactory.

Question: what are people to do if police response is unsatisfactory?  eg car window broken, there was no police response. Residents know that reporting crime via the 101 number doesn't always work – other cases cited where there was no response. PC Corrigan suggested using online complaints form, or come into police station to speak to an officer / to complain.

New funding has been obtained for a new community police service level agreement: police officers at Leith Police station will be named as contacts so that people in the community know who to ask for. 

Operation quarterlight project continues - dedicated officers (plain clothes) tracking crimes and proactively contacting known criminals (Leith and Drylaw). Unmarked car is used (rotated round police stations, so unrecognisable).

There are complaints about no community police officers available since Police Scotland came in. PC Corrigan – ‘it's all down to numbers’. Budget is cut by 10% per year at the moment.

Question as to whether there was any information about the recent Primrose Street murder, but as this is an ongoing enquiry, no police comment was possible. No arrests made yet, more news may be released soon.

A question was raised about whether private hire vehicles get inspected as rigorously as black cab taxis? These cars do high mileages, but may not be fit for it/ should be more regulated. (There is no limit on number of licences for private hire, although taxis are strictly limited.) It was confirmed that they are regularly tested.

Feedback - Senga has repeatedly passed on to the police the registration number of car constantly cruising the area (re prostitution) - and reports various other specific episodes each month, but never hears anything back. PC Corrigan does not get reports of such complaints. Seems that communication could be improved.

5. Neighbourhood Partnership Forums

Jim is now the Chair of the Safer Leith Forum – although short of time he feels this is very important in setting priorities for the police. Jim will also circulate to the community reports on ways to help prevent crime. e.g. lighting on Salamander Place (Council is responsible?)

Community Council needs volunteers to attend all the various Forum meetings.

Healthy Leith Forum - no volunteers yet, as it meets at 2.30pm

6. Other Community Events

Recent

International Womens Day Event – Senga attended. Very lively and successful event, good opportunity to publicise the Community Council.

Hindu Mandir and Cultural Centre Opening and Consecration - quite an event – Community Councillors attending realised there is a need for name badges – Senga will undertake to make these.

Leith Economy meeting – Senga missed this, accidentally.

Clean Green Leith meeting - Gail attended.

Upcoming

9th May Kirkgate Open Day - Caroline will attend, and Jim if possible.

Gretna Train Disaster Exhibition (by Leith Local History Society, at Ocean Terminal 1 May – 12 June)

Gretna Train Disaster Centenary Commemoration – Saturday 23rd May, Procession starting at Drill Hall, Dalmeny Street, to Rosebank Cemetery. The Community Council has arranged for a wreath, with inscription and logo, to be laid at the cemetery.

Leith Festival - 13 June is Gala day

There is considerable pressure on the small number of Community Councillors to attend all of these meetings and events. More Community Councillors are needed, to be able to represent LLCC at all these meetings: there is a duty to attend and be informed in order to be able to answer questions and inform local people about their community. Chair hopes more new people will come forward to be Community Councillors, and be involved, but they need to be prepared to undertake the whole range of tasks – cannot choose to just be ‘single issue’.

Councillor McVey suggested that if there is not capacity, it is not necessary to attend ALL meetings, can choose to omit some in order to focus more on others . Senga argued that Community Councillors do need to be at as many meetings as possible, to prevent things 'slipping through' as can often happen otherwise. There is also a ‘PR’ role to making sure the Community Council is represented.

Gail has produced Welcome Pack for new people attending Community Council meetings, to save time having to explain the work of the LLCC each meeting.

7. Local Update

Filming in Seafield cemetery - no parking- cones will be put out all along the main road and also no parking for residents in Links Gardens, seems a bit extreme.

Works on East Links - St. Mary's football team can't train in their usual spot because of big ruts left by contractors (Health and Safety risk). Who can be held to account? Councillor McVey said Council had failed to enforce a proper standard/quality of work, it will need to be ‘made good’. Work on the Sustrans cycle path is about to start so it is hoped thast Council will oversee this is done properly.

The Mela Director has been asking if the work on the Links would be finished before the Mela? This is not clear – it seems the work will still be ongoing at the time of the Gala Day however.

Duncan Place - Councillor McVey says it is ‘on hold’ for now and will not go to Planning Committee in the foreseeable future ( so it won't get knocked down yet).

8. Planning – lists are sent and checked by Community Council. There is nothing that affects Leith Links CC at present.  2 HMOs are being converted back to residential use, interestingly.

9. Open Floor: The sewage smell has been atrocious up in the Prospect Bank area, during recent spell of good weather. Residents complaining about the lack of action by the Council. However a lot has been going on behind the scenes, with Rob Kirkwood of LLRA holding the Council to account on their failure to enforce Scottish Water’s breaches.

10. AOCB:

11. Date of next meeting:

AGM 25 May 2015

Next Meeting – 29 June 2015

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