Dear All

There will be no more Update words from me from 2 July to 29 July.   Normal service will resume in August. Do remember you have three more fantastic Local Portobello/Craigmillar Councillors – Kate Campbell, Mary Campbell and Callum Laidlaw – who are equally ‘open for business’, summer hols and family commitments permitting.

The next community orchard day at Brunstane is tomorrow, Saturday 29 June, 10am – 2pm for spot of summer pruning, which helps the trees produce more fruit. Volunteers will tidy up and keep the weeds around the trees at bay, but leave most of those native plants for biodiversity.  The soft fruit bushes need a feed and the furniture needs some care. There will be tea, buns and chat as usual so the orchard group hope you’ll drop in at any time tomorrow.

Remember Friends of Portobello Prom are clearing the Prom on Saturday and Sunday mornings this weekend, starting at the Joppa end tomorrow and at Bath Street junction on the Sunday morning, starting 10am both days.  Do bring your own tools and join in!

On Portobello Town Hall, here is the link to the interview Morag Philips of Lothian Dance School and I gave to David Calder for Porty Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/71622/1312267. The building is closed from next week to allow a full invasive survey to find out exactly what work needs to be done and the costs it will entail.  At the end of August, Councillors will get a written report on the outcome of that survey.  There will be a public meeting on the issue Saturday 24 August 1-4pm at Bellfield. All welcome. 

If you are interested in photography, you can sign up now for Portobello Photography School’s workshop and exhibition in September in St Mark’s Church.  More here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/portobello-photography-school-the-still-life-workshop-and-exhibition-opportunity-tickets-59215367759

Over the summer, Portobello Citizens Advice Bureau is closing for some days for refurbishment.  More here: https://www.citizensadviceedinburgh.org.uk/blog/2019/portobello-renovations

I have been sending in your complaints and comments about how the new Seafield Recycling Centre exit doesn’t work well for us in the east of the city, with no right turn now permitted on Seafield Road East.  We have a Council commitment that it will be reviewed and your views are more than welcome to inform that review.  I have already sent in a few to colleagues and directed officers to some intense discussion on Porty People.  I have experienced I myself and do not find it satisfactory.

Brighton Place reconstruction works have entered the next phase and East Brighton Place is closed off to through traffic. It has taken some drivers a while to twig that the through route from Southfield Place to Portobello High Street is no longer available.  Vehicle ccess to the Rosefields form Portobello High Street is still possible via Lee Crescent then Sandford Gardens. Through the project manager, Richard Cobb’s  liaison with the refuse collection teams, we have – hopefully – ensured that arrangements for refuse collection run smoothly.

Work on resurfacing many more local roads and pavements across Edinburgh is planned for the school holidays during which vehicle traffic reduces by about 20%.  The Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) roads to get surface treatment are Brunstane Bank, Brunstane Crescent and Niddrie Marischal Road.  Micro asphalt will be applied to Queen’s Bay Crescent and South Morton Street. And the pavements to get resurfaced this summer are Milton Crescent, Milton Gardens (North and South), Magdalene Avenue, Magdalene Drive and Milton Road, Craigmillar Castle Gardens and Castleview Avenue.  

Work also starts this summer on major planned maintenance investment in many of our schools and on creating the promised all-weather pitches associated with the Jack Kane Sports and Community Centre at Hunters Hall Park. 

That’s all from me, for now, and do enjoy your summer holidays!

Maureen

Councillor Maureen Child