CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

Leith Central Community Council Elections

(21 posts)
  • Started 8 years ago by robyvecchio
  • Latest reply from Fountainbridge

  1. robyvecchio
    Member

    The number of candidates exceeded the number of places available for the Leith Central Community Council, so it's going to poll.
    I suspect a sudden influx of 'concerned citizens' from the recent online petition on restricted parking since the CC barely met the legal number last year.
    I'm standing to support the segregated cycle track and introduce parking regulations on Leith Walk.

    Roberto

    Posted 8 years ago #
  2. Go Roberto!

    Posted 8 years ago #
  3. crowriver
    Member

    @robyvecchio, do you have any details of how to vote? Can't find anything online...

    Posted 8 years ago #
  4. robyvecchio
    Member

    I don't know yet, just fresh from the press. However according to the ECC website elections should be on Thursday 27 October 2016

    Posted 8 years ago #
  5. wangi
    Member

    Nice one Roberto. In 2013 when there were elections for Porty CC the council sent polling cards to everyone on the electoral role. You could then use the ID on the card to vote on-line (open for a few weeks) or on the polling day at the local library. Everyone had a do short candidate statements. When voting you had as many votes as there places to fill.

    http://forum.talkporty.org/viewtopic.php?p=96969#p96969

    Posted 8 years ago #
  6. robyvecchio
    Member

    Looks like at least a nomination was withdrawn, no elections needed. Thanks for support everyone!

    Posted 8 years ago #
  7. Klaxon
    Member

    Nice one.

    I'm not sure of the CC's current position but the council has been testing the appetite for extended CPZ.

    My position is it should be extended to take in the whole box of streets bordered by Easter Rd, London Rd, Duke / Great Junction Sts and Ferry Rd

    My justification is that everywhere else in the city CPZ finishes 2-3Km from the city centre. Nobody will park and walk to work in the centre from Gorgie, Morningside or Cameron Toll. But you can park on any of the Leith Walk side streets and easily walk to new town offices as the fringe (Brunswick Rd) is only 500m from the Omni centre.

    So yes, you'll have a bit more park and riding on the new fringe than now, but it won't be nearly so bad as the park and walking we get today on a street that is 20% parked on on a Sunday (residents) and >100% at 10am on a Monday

    Posted 8 years ago #
  8. crowriver
    Member

    Yes, it seems Leith Links will be the only CC to have an election this time around.

    Good work, Roberto. When is the first meeting of Leith Central CC?

    As to the CPZ, we are just outside the current north eatern boundary and commuter parking is a blight. Also a lot of small businesses dump vans here overnight or at the weekend. Ideally the CPZ would extend out eastwards to Meadowbank, to reduce the incentive for daytime or weekend vehicle dumping...

    Posted 8 years ago #
  9. Klaxon
    Member

    Tonight at 7pm (third Monday of the month)

    Posted 8 years ago #
  10. crowriver
    Member

    @Klaxon, cheers, must have missed that on the CC web site.

    17 October 2016
    7.00pm
    in the Nelson Room, McDonald Road Library

    Posted 8 years ago #
  11. crowriver
    Member

    Not such good news for the Old Town CC:

    "Owing to the shortage of nominations for membership of the Old Town Community Council the Old Town Community Council no longer exists. "

    http://web14.extendcp.co.uk/edinburgholdtowncc.org.uk/wordpress/

    Posted 8 years ago #
  12. wangi
    Member

    Although my understanding is that there's a petition of 20 names already for the formation of a new Old Town CC.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  13. chdot
    Admin

    "no longer exists"

    Suspect one reason is years of having views (particularly about new developments) ignored by CEC .

    Posted 8 years ago #
  14. chdot
    Admin

    "20 names already for the formation of a new Old Town CC"

    Ah, so some people see OTCC as useful/valuable and worth having.

    That's encouraging.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  15. crowriver
    Member

    @wangi, that is hopeful. Let's keep an eye on it. Given the huge number of planning applications they have to deal with, I imagine the OTCC is fairly soul destroying...

    Posted 8 years ago #
  16. wangi
    Member

    All comes down to what the role of a community council really is though. For the vast majority of planning applications, a community council should have no opinion. For major applications their role is *not* to act as a planning official, getting the views of community councillors and writing them up referring to planning policy and all that.

    It should be all about reflecting the views of local people - finding out their opinion - and representing that to the planners. As part of the Planning Concordat, a community council can approach the major developments to get funding to facilitate that consultation.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  17. chdot
    Admin

    "

    What’s really needed to “transform our democratic landscape” is a new tier of town, village and island councils – perhaps in addition to slimmed-down versions of the current regional sized authorities. In many European countries town-sized councils have volunteer councillors who get paid leave from employers like staff on jury duty. All are small enough to be the local community. Only in Scotland (and rUK) do politicians sustain this unhealthy division between super-sized council and organic community and bridge the gap with ad-hoc arrangements.

    "

    http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/lesley-riddoch-alarm-bells-at-sturgeon-s-new-deal-1-4260056

    Posted 8 years ago #
  18. crowriver
    Member

    "It should be all about reflecting the views of local people - finding out their opinion - and representing that to the planners."

    Still a huge amount of work though. For example on recent OTCC minutes I noted mentions of Caltongate; Cowgate/Victoria Street hotel; Kings Stables Road development; plus a number of other planning related issues, including, interestingly a street audit of the Cowgate by Living Streets...

    That's just the planning stuff: there's responsibilities to scrutinise transport, local policing, litter and refuse, etc.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  19. robyvecchio
    Member

    There was no meeting today, but I had a brief encounter with what I assume is the "against" group. I think there is some campaigning going on to object the restriction of Montgomery street.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  20. crowriver
    Member

    Surprise, surprise.....would be interested to know what the arguments are against this.

    (Half expect this to be parents of children attending St Mary's primary on East London Street, who are aghast at the school run in the car becoming more difficult)

    Posted 8 years ago #
  21. Fountainbridge
    Member

    Living Streets Scotland street audit of the cowgate

    http://www.livingstreetsedinburgh.org.uk/consultation-responses/street-audit-cowgate-edinburgh/

    Posted 8 years ago #

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