Dear All
The consultation on City Plan 2030 was finally launched this morning alongside the City Mobility Plan and the link went live at midnight last night. The document link is here: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/say/city-plan-2030-city-mobility-plan/1 and it is really very important that you engage and respond. There is one of eight drop-in sessions in Portobello Wash House on Saturday 8 February (a week tomorrow) from 11am to 4pm and we have 8 weeks to help get the plans right to shape our City over the next 10 years and more.
Having made my small contribution to the success of Portobello Bookshop in its first six months, I was delighted to see it scoop up a national award this week, but just before that happy announcement, David Calder talked to them: https://www.buzzsprout.com/71622/2572051-154-portobello-bookshop . More about the award here: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/portobello-wins-national-book-tokens-newcomer-year-award-1175171
Dates for your diary: The 2020 Portobello Book Festival will run 2 – 4 October, alAlthough they might sneak in an earlier event. They’ve have already started planning the programme! https://portobellobookfestival.wordpress.com/2020/01/25/portobello-book-festival-2020/
The Kings Place caravan issue is not an easy one to solve and much more tricky than it might seem. We fully appreciate most people do not want caravans parked in this public space. Caravans are not registered to owners and regulated as powered vehicles are. Legal advice is key to getting them shifted and we are trying our absolute level best to get some clarity on this. Environmental wardens and Council housing teams have been making twice weekly checks over the last two months. The vast majority of the 21 caravans have remained static and only a very few have people staying.
Work started this week on installing a footpath at the northern end of Joppa Quarry Park. Access to the park will be maintained, but there will undoubtably times when this will be restricted. The work will take take 4 – 5 weeks
Survey work to accommodate outdoor learning in Craigmillar Park will start soon and there will be an application for a certificate of lawfulness for the structures which are permitted development under the Planning Act. There will soon be an information evening at Craigmillar Library.
This week I spoke at a vigil on Stand up Against Racism condemning a despicable attack against two of our fellow citizens last week The attack was stopped by people intervening to stop the violence. Others in the community quickly came forward with information that quickly led to arrests and the perpetrators appearing in Court. It is incumbent on all of us to challenge hate and prejudice in all its guises and to speak up for our fellow human beings at every opportunity. See this link for how to do it safely: https://actiononprejudice.info/speak-up/
The Council are are refurbishing underpasses across the city – mostly cleaning and graffiti removal, painting where required, application of an anti-graffiti coating, repair to stair treads and ensuring the lighting is functioning. This refresh should generally make them more pleasant to walk or cycle through.Works are programmed to start at Magdalene underpass on 4 March and at Brunstane underpass on 6 March.
Street names in Edinburgh are always of keen local interest. How do we choose new ones for new developments? You can make suggestions and if they meet the criteria, they’re put in the ‘bank’ of names for future use and we have opened up the process much more widely recently. See here: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/streetnaming. On pages 21-24 you will find the approved new names and their origins from Portobello/Craigmillar Ward, many suggested by local people. We’re still looking for more information on a couple of the names in Craigmillar – Winnie Black and Trowell – before they can be part of the bank.
Portobello Market takes place tomorrow, which all the details here: https://www.pedal-porty.org.uk/food/portobello-market/
Sorry, that’s all I have time to write about this week! Lots going on, however. Do let me know if you want ‘updated’ on anything else or have further questions or comments. Before you ask – no briefing note yet forthcoming about the Portobello/Joppa traffic management proposals, possibly because it’s still being tweaked a bit.
Best wishes for a good weekend!
Maureen
Councillor Maureen Child
Labour Councillor Portobello/Craigmillar Ward
Office: 0131 529 3268
Mobile: 07718 666 481
Facebook Page: Maureen Child Standing Up for Portobello/Craigmillar
Twitter: @MaureenChild1