TRINITY COMMUNITY COUNCIL

AGM JUNE 2016

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT for 2015-16

Introduction

2015-16 has again been a busy and constructive year for Trinity Community Council (TCC). We have continued to expand our involvement and communications with local residents and build on our close working relations with City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) officials and neighbouring Community Councils. Key issues in which we have been involved over the year include the proposed development at 127 Trinity Road, development along the Waterfront, the closure of the Royal Bank of Scotland at Goldenacre, street lighting, and the setting up of the new Friends of Victoria Park group, together with the perennial issues of the state of the roads and pavements, rubbish collection and dog fouling.

Organisation

At the AGM in May 2015, I was re-elected as Chair and Janet Ruddiman as Vice Chair. Bill Rodger was elected as the new Treasurer and Kevin Taylor as Minute Secretary. I am most grateful for all their help. My thanks also go to Tricia Brindle for all her work as our Planning Officer, Clive Preston as tree warden, Bill Rodger for his work on communications and Tim Parker for, among other things, helping to set up the new Friends of Victoria Park group.

We have held 10 meetings during the year, all of which have been held at Wardie Parish Church during the redevelopment of St Serf's Church. I am most grateful for members’ regular attendance and constructive input to the wide range of issues we have discussed. It is also heartening to see a continuing steady increase in the number of local residents who have been attending our meetings.

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During the course of the year Marcus Stout and Jim Sherval resigned as members while we welcomed Kevin Taylor as the new member representing Wardie Primary Parent Council.

Finally I am grateful for the regular attendance and input from our local Edinburgh councillors, Allan Jackson, Cammy Day and Vicki Redpath and from Malcolm Chisholm MSP.

Communications

We have continued to make progress in extending our communications with local residents. In addition to our regular monthly articles in Trinity Spotlight and our Facebook page, Bill Rodger has continued to administer, edit and publish the TCC e-newsletter which updates residents on what is happening at TCC meetings and in the area. Circulation is now around 350 residents and is a significant factor in encouraging debate on important issues and increasing attendance at our meetings. In November we had a further joint meeting with Trinity Academy Student Council. A number of issues of concern to the students such as bicycle thefts, safety on the Walkway and the provision of more litter bins, especially in areas where pupils ate their lunch, were discussed. Finally, TCC took a stall at the very successful Lomond Park Community Gala Day in August. This helped to spread the news about TCC and how residents could become involved, not least by signing up to receive copies of our e-newsletter. I am very grateful to Bunty Lind for her unflagging and enthusiastic efforts in this regard.

Planning

On the planning front we continued to monitor all planning applications in the area and, where appropriate, submit considered comments. Having been approved, the proposal to develop a new Sainsbury local convenience store, children's nursery and studio flats on the site of the old garage in Craighall Road is now underway and due to complete in the autumn. Less successfully, despite objections from ourselves and many local residents an application to build 5 new town houses on the site at 127 Trinity Road was approved, on appeal, following a site visit. We continue to have concerns about the scale of this development. CEC Licensing Sub Committee finally approved a licence for a second-hand car dealership at 144 Newhaven Road despite sustained objections over a number of years from both TCC and residents in the immediate area.

More generally, we have continued to take part in a range of meetings together with neighbouring community councils, developers and officials on the regeneration and development of the Waterfront, including a major Waterfront Regeneration Conference in September. This will involve a significant increase in both housing and commercial development to both the west and east of Trinity. Among our principal concerns are the likely increase in traffic volume and, unlike for other areas of

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Edinburgh, the absence of a detailed traffic and transport appraisal. We have therefore continued to press, again with little success despite assurance from Convenor of CEC Transport Committee Lesley Hinds when she attended our June meeting, for an updating of the North Edinburgh Transport Action Plan which was published in 2008. At best it seems that the issue will now be considered as part of the Local Development Plan.

Finally, Bill Rodger attended a number of meetings to discuss the review of the South East Scotland Strategic Plan and, together with Tricia Brindle, submitted a number of comments on behalf of TCC.

Activities

In April 2015 we undertook our annual Walkabout. This was well attended and focused on the western and northern parts of Trinity. Among the issues raised were the need for road repairs to Netherby Road and Lennox Row, the continuing problems with parking in Boswall Road, the potential for cleaning up and developing Wardie Bay and the improved traffic flow along Lower Granton Road. There was also a vigorous discussion among local residents and the developer about the proposed development at 127 Trinity Road, replacing the existing garage (see above). CEC officials were present and noted the various issues raised. Several follow-up actions have already been undertaken.

We also vigorously opposed the proposed closure of the Royal Bank of Scotland branch at Goldenacre, along with our Parliamentary representatives and local councillors. However, despite the Banking Protocol, the bank declined to meet us until the last moment and went ahead with the closure regardless. A promise to provide planters, recognising the bank's long presence at the corner of South Trinity Road, has yet to materialise.

Improvements to Starbank Park have gone from strength to strength thanks to the Friends of Starbank Park and a large number of volunteers. Green Flag Status was achieved in July and in October Keep Scotland Beautiful declared Starbank the third best park in Scotland. Highly successful events were held on Easter Friday, Midsummer and Halloween, with hundreds of local residents attending. The Park is a major asset to Trinity as a whole. Victoria Park successfully retained its Green Flag status and in August, following pressure from Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and TCC, the new tennis and basketball courts were officially opened by the Minister for Sport. They are being much used and enjoyed. The new mini allotments have also proved a major success. Finally, TCC helped to set up a new Friends of Victoria Park group which held its inaugural meeting in February. Under the leadership of Antonia Boyce and Tim Parker the Friends already have a detailed programme for further improvements to what is already a well-used amenity.

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The new energy-efficient street lighting installed during the year in various parts of Trinity caused a number of problems, with residents concerned that it created 'dark spots' particularly in wider streets. Some adjustments were made to the settings to provide a wider light distribution but problems remained, not least in the Denham Green area. The second part of the phased programme is due to start shortly and we will be closely monitoring the situation.

We have continued to liaise closely with Forth Neighbourhood Partnership (FNP) and, as Chair, I regularly attended its meetings. TCC's dedicated FNP officer, Scott Donkin, now presents quarterly reports to us which monitor progress on environmental and other issues including street cleaning, refuse collection, parks and anti-social behaviour. Items of particular concern during the year have included the new recycling arrangements and the collection of garden rubbish. Following representations from TCC, improvements were made to the pathway between Newhaven Road and Trinity Academy, although littering remains a problem along its length.

Throughout the year we have liaised closely with Police Scotland. Officers Tony Lawrence and Sarah Hall regularly attended our meetings to provide an update on crime in the area and also useful security advice. A particular issue of concern to residents was an apparent rise in the number of housebreakings in the Trinity area. I am very grateful to Tony and Sarah whose contributions always stimulate a lively discussion.

The Future

2016-17 promises to be an equally busy and interesting year with our Walkabout in April already undertaken and a constructive meeting held with representatives from St Columba's Hospice. Other issues will include the increased pace of Waterfront development and the impact on transport and the environment, strengthening the liaison with Trinity Academy Pupil Council and our continued push to encourage residents to become more involved. Elections for new Community Council members will take place in September-October and I look forward to an infusion of new members as well as the return of many of our existing stalwarts.

Richard Scott

Chair, Trinity Community Council

June 2016

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